To recap a few years ago I decided to read 25 pages a day for one full year. ( Part 1 of Will or Goal) Along the way, I learned some very interesting things and saw many AHA moments of my actions and thoughts that were previously unnoticed.
The Journey continues as the books pile up.
For too long I had been obsessed with doing things perfectly and either discounting or “disallowing” myself the victory of completion based on how close to perfect I deemed the task at hand. As the year progressed I found myself coming to the conclusion that I am way too hard on myself and recognition of my accomplishments. (I am certain I am not alone in this matter.)
So during my year of reading did it matter that on a few of the days I read a book that had only 3-5 sentences on each page? You may recall the objective was reading 30 books a year NOT doing it perfectly every day at the same time in the same spot in my house or any other ridiculous conditions my past self could impose.
A touchdown record does not have a separate category for blown coverage or the defender fell down nor does hockey have a separate category for empty net goals. The accomplishment is the only measure that matters, not the how it was achieved.
The months blended into each other and Then Pow!
It hit me, I had finally reached that point shared in all the success stories. The choice was mine, grow by moving toward goals I deemed worthy of my efforts OR make it so hard that I was incapable of reaching any goals I set. I had finally seen and accepted that it is always up to me alone to determine the rules of success for my life.
No one else can tell you what success looks like to you, it is your choice to decide that. Sure there are universal traits and structures in all stories shared but most (if not all) of the early victories must be self-determined and appreciated from within before the world hears from a 20-year journey to “overnight” success story…
December 31st (day 366) found me in bed before midnight determined to place book # 44 on my bookshelf before the new year. Remember you Choose what to focus on, your defeats or your progress. Which one is going to move you towards your goals? You do have your goals written down right???
You see, it’s never the environment; it’s never the events of our lives, but the meaning we attach to the events – how we interpret them – that shapes who we are today and who we’ll become tomorrow. Tony Robbins
