Success comes to those who work. True. Success comes to those who work on the right things. Even more true. Success just doesn’t happen; you have to set it up!
Many times when we want to make a change, we sit down and write down everything we would like to do different. We map out the “perfect day” knowing damn well that no day will go like this, ever.
Regardless, we map it out and when it doesn’t go accordingly we flip out and call ourselves a failure. I’m probably one of the worsts at this but I’m getting better thanks to Stoicism. (More on that another time).
When planning we need to focus on the most important aspect we would like to change first. Just one. NOT two or three or half a dozen like I seem to think I can handle. Just one.
Therefore, we must…. get ready for this…. prioritize our priorities.
If we deem everything important, then nothing is important. If everything is a priority, nothing is a priority. If everybody is extraordinary, then by very definition nobody is extraordinary.
Yes, you can have a handful of priorities but everything can’t be a priority, at least not right now, in this moment. In this moment (which you have to break your days into because this is the only moment you will ever actually live in), what is your most important task?
Put in another way, what is the task you could accomplish now that will make all the other tasks to come easier? A lead domino of sorts.
Make this ONE task your priority today. If it’s a rather large task requiring multiple days, divided into chunks and get a small chunk of it done.
Success, at it’s simplest form is as easy as that. I empathize with those people who have a lot on their plate. I, myself, tend to fill up my plate with as much as I could possibly fit sometimes even too much, in which case, I drop the plate on the floor, in a room full of people and embarrass myself for dropping to my knees and longing after the perfectly marbled beef brisket. In my defense, it was the last one.
A Digression
I spent 3 minutes on the above paragraph. All the others before it didn’t take me that long combined… welcome to my world. But, you know, I’ve got to say that this blogging every day has sure helped clear some thoughts!
I know it’s only been a few days but I can already see it making a difference. I hypothesize by getting all of this “junk” out my head, it’s clearing room for the good stuff, which will take a little longer to develop and deserves more than an hour of my time, after waking up an hour late and a quick gym session.
Alright. Back to the good stuff….
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I have an insatiable appetite both when it comes to food and when it comes to content production and/or work. I’ve even said the following phrase before:
“Keep a full plate and stay hungry.”
Not a bad quote but if one doesn’t know how to handle those full plates, it could become detrimental. However, I believe that one can easily set themselves up for success by picking just one task to complete each day.
Not just any task. It has to be a meaningful task for your desired long-term outcome. Checking emails or feeding the dog are probably not super meaningful tasks and you’re going to have to do them anyway.
And remember, if it’s not important to you, you’ll find a way to skip it. Set yourself up for success by lowering your expectations.
If you had a “to-do” list that’s 10 items long, and you only get 2 of those things done, you’ll consider the day a failure. “I only got 20% of my shit done today, what a waste!”
Versus.
If you had a “to-do” list that’s just 1 item long, and you get 2 things done, you’ll consider that a win all day, every day, twice on Sunday!
Perception is a funny thing and we must spin it in our favor. Because if you keep going on that rollercoaster of only getting a portion of your to do list done every single day, you’re more likely to throw in the towel. But, if you continue to build positive momentum in a less pressure environment you’ll do good work and keep the train rollin’.
Keep the big picture in mind but never forget what’s most important for you to be doing right here in this moment.
This moment is all we have. This moment is all we’ll ever have. What’s the one thing I can do in this moment that will make the next moment better? What’s the one task today I can accomplish that will make future tasks easier?
Success just doesn’t happen; you have to set it up!
– Nick
