Hey World Changer!
This quote from John D. Rockefeller has been rattling around in my brain.
“Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.”
I'm sick of the good, I want the great.
Let’s be clear, my life is amazing! I love what I do. Love the people in my life. Love Chicago. Love my church. Love my businesses. Love the new opportunities I have. Love my friends. Love my family.
Yet, I know there’s more.
Greatness requires growth, and growth is uncomfortable.
It’s scary, but in order to grow something has to change.
We might need to leave the group of people we’ve associating with, or possibly family members and close friends…
It’s not easy. It takes courage.
Courage is the beginning of any change in life.
(Read Blog #5: 5,4,3,2,1… for more on this).
I remember when I was working as a waiter and making about $40 a day. I could make double that by doing one personal training session, yet it was still hard to leave the “security” of my serving job.
I had good, but I needed great.
The interesting thing about this idea is that it applies to ANY area in life.
If you want to go from $10,000 income to $100,000 it requires change, just the same as going from $1 million to $10 million.
In order to change your results, you must change your actions, and in order to change your actions you must change your thoughts.
Thoughts lead to actions, actions lead to results, and results lead to experiences.
I was reminded of that this week when I got a body composition scan done.
A year ago when I was tested, my body fat percentage was the highest it had EVER been.
I had been telling myself that I was good, but living under a myth. Numbers don’t lie and sometimes we need a wake up call to get us out of our comfort zone.
We are motivated either by pain or pleasure, and pain is a stronger motivator than pleasure.
My pain came in the form of disgust.
So I changed my actions. I started intermittent fasting daily, started prepping my meals, doing more HIIT (high intensity interval training, not just weight training), and tracked everything that was going into my mouth.
Small steps taken consistently, compounded over time, equal success.
Just so you know, I’m nowhere near I want to (and will) be, but I’m better than I was yesterday, or last year for that matter.
Personal growth is a lifelong journey, and we must commit to it and stay the course.
Please don’t use this post as a comparison. It is the antithesis of that. I simply use this example to show you that I’m going through the same journey, and this journey applies to all aspects of life.
Comparison is the thief of joy and I’ve done that for too many years.
So what is your goal, or your good-to-great milestone you’re reaching for?
Remember, on the other side of your biggest fear is your destiny.
I have massive goals, and in order to achieve them I know I need to get uncomfortable and change my actions, just like my body.
The cool thing is that fitness is a great metaphor for life.
As one of my good friends puts it: “What’s your pushup?”
Meaning, what is the thing you have to struggle through to accomplish your goal?
What one specific thing do you need to start to attain your greatness?
So maybe your pushup is getting up out of bed in the morning, or not eating those chips, or maybe it’s not getting angry when something happen.
THAT’S good to great. And these moments can happen every day. Seek comfort in accomplishment, big or small.
Small wins, or as I like to say “first downs” (for all you football people) are where success happens. If you keep making first downs, you will score touchdowns eventually.
Remember, thoughts lead to actions, actions lead to results, and results lead to experiences.
Change your life by changing your thoughts.
I hope this post inspires and encourages (puts courage in) you.
I’m here for you and we are all on this journey together.
So let’s give up the good, and go get the great!
There’s greatness in you! Find the action that will propel you towards it.
Your Friend,
Nate