The little things that matters
Remember those New year resolutions? Every year, we make ill-fated goals to improve our lives. Sleep more, exercise more, eat healthier, smoke less, spend less….but all too often, we get so caught up in creating the perfect plan for success that we fail to put it into action. Consider a writer envisioning plots for novels but never really writing them. Tragic, no magic!
Many people in this world have performed many amazing feats of genius. They achieve such lofty titles and become so untouchable that it’s difficult to believe they were once exactly like us. They become so revered that they couldn’t possibly be anything other than what they are today. They couldn’t have gone through everything we’ve gone through. But, in reality, everyone on this globe began out the same way you did. And if those ordinary people can accomplish such greatness, why can’t you?
“Success is the sum of tiny efforts performed day after day,” remarked Robert Collier. For many reasons, I agree with this phrase, and I believe that it is the tiny things in life that truly make a difference. To begin with, there is a significant influence when you continually strive to modify even the most insignificant parts of your daily life, given that we are animals of routine and those tiny things are much greater than we would believe. You could alter everything in your life if you really wanted to and tried hard enough. You’d think this is impossible because things are simply beyond your control and cannot be changed, but it’s not. Everything you do is a choice.
Does the phrase “It’s the tiny things that count” imply that the little things are all that matter and that the great things have no actual value? That, of course, is absurd because no one on Earth does not look forward to what he thinks to be the important things in life — though these, of course, differ from person to person. As a result, the statement most likely means that if one does not accomplish the little things properly, the large things do not happen, happen less frequently, or that one’s enjoyment of the major things is decreased when they do occur.
Consider doing one’s everyday workout routine. It’s a modest, unobtrusive event that requires some effort that may go mostly unnoticed. It will not win any awards, and it will not even be mentioned in the school magazine, let alone in the local newspapers. However, it keeps one healthy. It improves one’s efficiency in whatever one is doing; and when, ten years later, one gets a huge job (which, in most people’s opinion, is a ‘big deal) that requires working ten hours a day, one does not burn out after two months and ruin one’s career. Because small things are small, one does not blame their mismanagement when things go wrong, but this is frequently the case.
Life consists of ninety-nine percent of little things and one percent of big things. It is similar to climbing Mount Everest. It takes many, many weeks to climb, and when one reaches the summit, one remains there only for a short while. And then the descent begins. Though it is not as long as the ascent, one has to be careful and it does take time.
So many people listen to great advice from great teachers. They listen to great material, they read books from the best coaches and most successful people in the world, but they get little or no results.
They wonder why, after all this reading and listening, nothing happens. But some other people listen and achieve huge life-changing shifts, why? I’ll tell you why. I’ll tell you why some get results and some don’t.
When you listen, learn. These teachings, books, and speeches are not made to only get you pumped up for 5 minutes while you listen to them. They are designed to sharpen your mind. To create a mindset that is prepared to work. To create a habit of putting in the hard yards.
You must listen to successful people to learn more– but that learning doesn’t mean anything if you don’t apply what you have learned. It’s what you do after you have learned that counts. After the coaching session. After the master has left. After the training session.
Are you willing to put in the work behind closed doors? Are you willing to continue the pursuit of more knowledge — after the course has ended? After the motivational video has ended? After your training partner has given up? Or will you be like the majority… And just step back into average. Go about your average day. At your average job, and then go to your average home where you will turn on the tv and watch average shows. Turn that crap off and read something, listen to something, and then apply that something!
Remember this; when you think no one is watching… you’re wrong. There’s always one person watching. It’s your future self. Your future self is begging you to show some guts. To show some heart. It’s what you do after you have learned that counts.
It’s the last quarter of the year. You’ll always be tired if you don’t suck it up now. You’ll be tired of being broke. Tired of living with no passion. Tired of not living your potential? Tired of being sick and tired if you don’t take any action! So, screw that and do that little extra now, so you can live with pride later. Don’t let your future self down!
