“Greatness is a lot of small things done well.” – Ray Lewis
In a world that demands so much of us, and one that we equally demand so much of, one might consider it fair to think that success should arrive as quickly as our demands of success. However, what we find is that success, even the oft-revered “overnight success,” is the result of the culmination of years of hard work.
If we are to dissect the lives of the heroes, the mentors, and the distinct humans who have achieved greatness before us, we would find one thing in common: their small victories built up over time to become what we know and regard as their greatest successes today.
You will find that all successful people put in consistent effort until they reach a level they define as success. They then set their sights on other goals and work toward accomplishing them. The pattern thereafter continues. Reaching that level takes time and a lot of work. The problem remaining is that most people are impatient and want everything to happen all at once.
Sure, you can wish and hope for your success to move in overnight, but not only will that not happen, is that really what you want? Are you prepared to handle that? Will you even recognize that success when it appears?
Again, success of any measure takes time. You can long for 100% change in your life to occur at lightning pace, but consistent, steady growth will prepare you for any and all wins that come your way. Besides 100% is a pretty small percentage when it comes to real results.
If you consider 1% growth every day for one year, you will have achieved a growth rate of 365% in the same time others only improved less than 1/3 of where you are. That consistent growth will eventually lead to a success beyond your wildest dreams.
I was in my karate class and I was feeling discouraged because I could not get one of the katas down as quickly as the others. My Sensei suggested I slow down and focus on each movement individually and then add to it when I felt confident. He said, “Aim for a 1% improvement everyday.” I took his advice and was able to focus and learn with greater ease and precision.
Set your goals and work hard to achieve them. Try shooting for 1% growth every day and eventually you’ll find the success you were searching for. Start now.
by Nicholas Lucin