4. Get up earlier.
Don’t miss point 3. Sleep. But do this by going to bed earlier, and then get up…early.
I wasn’t always a morning person, but I love being one now.
It’s when I do my best stuff.
I write messages, blog posts and write creative ideas down first thing in the morning.
Most of the people I know who are making a contribution with their life get up early.
Rising early is like beating rush hour traffic. You’ve got the road all to yourself.
Nobody’s emailing, texting or bothering you before 7 a.m. As in pretty much nobody.
Your mind is fresh. It’s ready to go.
So go!
5. Track with people who are making a difference.
You’re going to need support on this journey.
People will call you driven. Crazy. Obsessed. Abnormal. Weird.
That’s okay. Let them not understand that you refuse to waste your life.
Not everybody understands, especially in this culture.
So find some friends who get it, and encourage each other. Whether they live in your neighbourhood or whether they live 1000 miles away is irrelevant. Just find some likeminded people.
And I have friends locally and all over the place who encourage and spur me on in life.
I love them and am so thankful for them!
6. Don’t focus on immediate results.
You can’t be discouraged by current results.
Your impact usually can’t be measured now. So don’t be discouraged if you think you’re not making much of a difference.
Rarely will your 4 year old stop you and say “Thanks for being such a wise father” or “Thanks for giving up ”. If you expect the reward of parenting to come in the now, you’ll be badly disappointed. You might not make it to the end.
But inevitably as kids grow up, they often do come back and thank you for the investment they never saw when they were younger. And even if they don’t, well, you know you did the right thing.
So just keep doing the right thing. Every day.
Eventually you’ll see the early indicators that you’re on the right track.
You may have to reset the course from time to time, but don’t despise small beginnings.
Keep going!
What Do You Think?
Hey I realize this sounds like an A-Type manifesto, and if that’s not your thing…great.
But this is for people who want to make a bigger impact in your life. For sure, stop and throw some parties. Put your feet up and relax. Watch a little. Game a little. But not all day. Everyday.
For all of you trying to make a bigger impact…what are you learning?