Who doesn’t want to get an immediate return on their investment?
Blood, sweat, and tears—directly translated to money.
Unfortunately, that’s not how it works.
You have to put in the work, all the time.
After that, you may reap the rewards. (Or suffer the consequences.)
You reap what you sow.
Hard and smart work is required.
How can you sustain your efforts?
Even better to ask, “How can you fall in love with the process?”
Simple.
1.) By doing what’s meaningful to you. There is something that you are naturally good at it. Something that’s easy for you, where you enjoy challenging yourself. You enjoy setting big goals. As a result, you become a better person in the process. All of it is in alignment with your values. Plus, what you are doing is good for other people; you add value and contribute.
2.) By sticking with it. Discipline plays an important role. That’s the “DSD” (do something daily) part. Attack the biggest task in the morning first; your number one action item. You got to be willing to neglect short-term comfort for long-term success (that is, pursuing what you find meaningful and worth fighting for).
In other words, success is not the results you get.
It’s about falling in love with the process towards achieving your desired results. Because it shapes the person you are about to become. That’s why it’s extremely hard to become successful at something you hate doing. On the other hand, if you love/enjoy what you do… the floodgates gates open and you keep building habits and momentum.
Success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal or ideal.”
–EARL NIGHTINGALE
3.) By being realistic. In order to become a doctor, you must study for nearly a decade. The same applies if you want to become a psychiatrist. Or a pro athlete. Or… whatever. Nothing worth striving for happens overnight. It never has and never will be.
Again, you got to be willing to neglect short-term comfort. Keep your focus on the larger picture; the long-term results. If you really want to achieve a specific goal, you better be willing to pay the price. Any price—as long as you stay true to yourself.
4.) By starting and adjusting along the way. Most of the time, we are stuck in our own head, overthinking every single worst-case scenario… and guess what? It never happens. All we did is wasting a lot of time visualizing, and missing the right timing to take action.
Sometimes the best advice is to do the opposite. When you are sure about yourself and taking massive action without seeing any results, take a second and reflect: Is what I’m doing here actually the best use of my time? Should I take a different approach?
Or else, if you are stuck in your head, paralyzed with what to do next… just get started. You probably will fail. You probably will embarrass yourself. But guess what else you will be doing? You learn. You adjust. You move forward. You get ahead. You win.
Other people making fun of you? F ’em. They don’t matter.
[On a serious note: If someone’s your “friend” and they are still trying to stump your growth, share your thoughts with them. If they still hold you back, they are not your friend. Maybe an acquaintance if they are lucky to be in your sphere. They don’t matter. Why? Because they don’t want you to change. Again why? Because they are afraid that you will improve your situation, while they will be left behind (due to their inaction). Leave ’em behind if you can’t influence their minds. Tailwinds should never be “your friends.”]
Back to topic.
Whatever you want to accomplish in your life…
…Many roads lead to Rome.
Or:
Different practices, same outcome.
Now, it all boils down to the one question:
Are you willing to pay the price?
If so, get started today.
Take action.
