Today, my daughter and I ran the first of three 5K runs this summer. We decided to participate in the Disney Virtual 5K this spring, and have spent the last few months training. Today’s race wasn’t great. We didn’t break any records, but we accomplished our goal for this month. Next month, and again in August, my daughter and I will run another virtual race.
As I was running today, I remembered something I read this spring. “Today I will do what others will not so that tomorrow I can do what others cannot.” This simple idea applies to just about everything in life. Today, I will show my wife that I love her so that tomorrow I have a marriage others look to as an example. Today, I will study Spanish for 30 minutes so that when I travel to Mexico later this year I can get around. Today, I will learn a new technology so that tomorrow I will be more marketable.
To achieve any goal in life, effort must be exerted day after day. I see people everyday who want to own their own business, or write a book, or run a marathon. Yet, rarely do these same people have any plan to get there nor are they exerting any energy toward their goals today. They are hoping that, by some miracle, they will wake up one day and it will have happened. But it never will. My business, my profession, my 5K run today, and everything else I have ever accomplished have taken untold amounts of effort and energy. But never once have I looked back on those efforts and regretted my decisions. Can you say the same about the things you have put effort into?
A leadership conference I attended this spring talked about the importance of self-leadership. About how we can never lead others if we can’t lead ourself. How do we lead ourself? By setting goals and working toward them. The leaders we wish to follow are those who have a record of achievement. They are people we aspire to be like. Are you putting in the effort today to be the leader that others will look to tomorrow? If not, are you willing to put in the effort today so that tomorrow you can do what others can’t?
Sieze the day! Make something awesome happen!