Day One or One Day
This article was originally posted by our friend, Keith Roberts. Click here to view the original post
What have you always wanted to accomplish? Do you dream of a new career? Maybe you want to change your lifestyle through a better diet/exercise. All of your aspirations are possible, but they will require dedication, time, and hard work. Just knowing what's necessary to reach your goal isn't enough. If knowledge equaled results, everyone would have six-pack abs. The hardest part of getting on the path to achieving any goal is the beginning. When you think about the life you want to have, ask yourself this question; "Is today day one, or are you going to start one day?" The only difference is where you put a single word.
Getting Started
Getting the motivation to start a new endeavor can be intimating. Many people have analysis paralysis. Time passes while they wait to begin working towards their goal. A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. Ironically, the first step can be the hardest to take. One trick to overcome this fear is to visualize reaching your goal. What does it look like to accomplish it and how do you feel after achieving it. Visualization helps inspire action and increases the probability of completing the endeavor.
Building Momentum
Small things add up to big things. Once you are underway, momentum will build with each action. Intentionally building momentum is why we make our bed every morning. It seems like a trivial task, and that couldn't be less accurate. The act of making your bed in the morning starts your day with a win. A win that you can use to build momentum throughout the rest of your day. Every additional accomplishment will continue to build on your momentum.
Fear of Failure
What happens if you try your best and fail? In almost all instances, the worst-case scenario is you try again. Most of us are not attempting to free-solo El Cap, summit Everest or flying a wingsuit where not succeeding means death. Failure is something that should be celebrated. If we didn't have a growth mindset, we would never attempt anything outside our comfort zone. This fear keeps many from living life to their potential. During the process of inventing the light bulb, Thomas Edison famously said, "I haven't failed - I just found 10,000 ways that didn't work."
Willpower & Discipline
Character is the ability to carry out a good resolution after the excitement of the moment has passed. Reaching your goals is going to require the discipline to stay the path. Think about how you act today is going to affect your future self. Edison also said, "Genius is 1 percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration."
You can accomplish anything from writing a novel to learning to fly a plane. The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago; the second-best time is today. Ask yourself this question. Is today day one of living your best life or are you putting it off until one day in the future?
"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is to try just one more time." - Thomas Edison
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