How Long Do I Have to Stick It Out?
Okay, so change happens over time."Give it time" and "if you just work hard enough" have become common mantras.But how long do we have to suffer through "no pain, no gain" before we see results?If you're talking about exercise it's around 6-8 weeks. This is why everyone is in the gym in January and no one makes it through February.It takes too long to see results.If its a musical instrument, it's about 2 years.And for 2 years your fingers hurt, you're clumsy, and it's hard to know if you're going to get the hang of it.If its a yo-yo, it's about 45 minutes.But remember that for 45 minutes you're swinging it around your head, whacking your elbow, and breaking stuff in your living room.It hurts a lot for 45 minutes--but then it starts to work. And now you're going 'around the world' and 'walking the dog' with no problem.But how could you know it would only be 45 minutes of pain? How could you know if it would take a year or 3 years to learn the clarinet?Sure, you can guess how long it might take--but if you can't know, its smart to know if and when you should quit.Quitting before you start is possible only if you know that the path ahead will NOT help you achieve your mission and if you know that the task is not responsive to blood, sweat, and tears.If the outcome is not going to give you immense validation or check off some major life goal, it might not be worth years of your life.If the outcome is not possible with harder work or longer hours, it might not be worth your time either.So the question isn't "how long should I stick it out?"The question is: "Is the outcome of success worth whatever it takes?"Just remember that you have a lot of say in defining "outcome," "success" and "whatever it takes."
2 Minute Action
Answer these questions and let me know where they take you:What's something you've failed at?Do you believe it's because you have no talent or have some other shortcoming?Would hard work and time make success possible?Is this definition of success actually achievable?
Your Privacy Is Very Important To Us
How many emails have you gotten like this in the past few weeks?They all sound the same, right?How about these familiar lines:
- Your call is important, please hold.
- We value your business.
- Thanks for shopping.
These lines probably made consumers feel good the first time. No one else was saying it, so hearing "thanks" felt good.It was a step above the norm. It made businesses stand out by making their consumers feel special.And I bet you know where this is going . . .If everyone is doing it, it loses its uniqueness, it's special shine.The point was to stand out, not to follow what everyone else is doing.Of course, this isn't what we learn in school. It's not how we've been trained to operate.We've been trained to sit still and stay in line.Don't run.Don't shout.Follow the formula and you'll excel.Of course, it's hard to realize at first, but it's obvious now that this is well-intentioned bad advice.How could doing what everyone else is doing help you excel!?So if you're goal is to tell someone their privacy (or attention, or time, or business, or affection, or whatever) is important to you, perhaps you should tell them in a way that actually means something--in a way that stands out.If you don't, I promise, you will fit right in.And it gets worse; you'll lose the confidence of whomever you're addressing.
2 Minute Action
What's something you're doing right now that is intentionally done like everyone else?Or maybe it's something that you've just always done that way.
- An email footer?
- The way you answer the phone?
- The same gift basket you always send?
How could you make it more personal? More special? More you?I bet it only takes 2 extra minutes and ends up making all the difference.
What's the next action?
One of the habits we don't learn in school is how to take action.
- We learn to follow the directions on the box.
- We learn to sit still for 9 hours.
- We learn to use a #2 pencil and fill in the circles.
But we don't learn how to regulate our emotions, find out what really motivates us, or pursue an idea with relentless fervor.In fact, as adults, it's amazing that we can come up with any ideas at all. The good news is that there's still time. Your brain is never actually done learning--well, not until you've given up on it.One way to increase your productive output and hunt down more fulfilling work is to ask yourself "what's the next action?"If your massive end goal is to disrupt an industry or change legislation, chances are that the first step is actually very small.It's probably something like "call my friend Jules, who works in the industry."Or something like "Google: 'how bills move through Congress.'"Even if you're wrong about the first step, you're falling forward. You've given yourself the opportunity to learn from that mistake and bring that experience to your next step.You're building momentum.And by constantly asking yourself "what's the next action?" you're building a preventative habit.If you're still not sold on this, just look at this list of a bazillion quotes on the misery of inaction.
2 Minute Action:
What's something that's been on your to-do list for a few weeks?It could be personal or work related.Are there any dependencies? (Things you're waiting on to get started?)What might you do if you knew you'd never get what you needed to start? Could you start anyway? Maybe in a different way?What might be the next action?What might be the first action?I bet it will only take you a few minutes.