If you’re like me, you may find yourself living about two months in the future. As much as I tell myself that “yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift”, I just can’t shake the need to concern myself with things yet to come. It is a fact that most of what we worry about never comes true. I believe that much of what people worry about and much of the cause for living in the future comes from fear (False Expectations Appearing Real: F.E.A.R.). When we help others improve their performance, work ethic, discipline, motivation, and execution of a strategy, we often start with the mind (yes – it’s a terrible thing to waste). Why the mind? Because the mind is where doubt and fear first enter the body as an inhibitor to our productiveness. When we learn to let go of the outcome, we can then concentrate on our task at hand. How often do you quit because in your mind you believe the outcome will be something less desired? Do you avoid making that phone call because you believe that, ‘you’re imposing’ or that you might say something wrong? Or worse yet, what if somebody doesn’t like you and rejects you? There is no such thing as a great plan, there are just good plans, executed. The difference between success and failure is persistence and execution.
5 things to do for enjoying the gift of today:
1. Identify the value of who you are
2. Understand how you make a difference in people’s lives
3. Develop deep, open relationships with people (tear down this wall…)
4. Volunteer in service projects that help people in much less fortunate circumstances than you
5. Provide encouragement for someone else each day