Last weekend I took a journey around a 400 meter track for 24 hours.
It was quite possibly the hardest physical and mental challenge I have taken on to date.
The hours of solitude and no sleep on top of an aching body and a mind constantly telling me to quit.
Well, fortunately I didn’t listen.
I kept moving and I finally hit the 24 hour mark.
It was gruelling but I expected no less.
I realised there was only one way to get through and complete it.
I had focus on the process over the result.
I knew there was no chance I could continue across the full 24 hours if I focused on that figure.
If my mind was only on the finish line.
The only way was to break it down into small chunks.
An hour at a time, to a kilometre at a time, to a lap at a time.
Until things got really tough when it became literally one step at a time.
Over the time all those steps started to stack up.
141 kilometres worth.
The result took care of itself.
It was better than I could have imagined.
But all I concentrated on was just managing each part of the process the best I could.
I didn’t look too far ahead.
That was essential to give myself the best chance of completing the time.
Life is just like this.
Growing a business.
Building a relationship.
Getting in better shape.
Investing or saving money.
You name it.
Anything worthwhile and sustainable is built in small chunks over time.
It’s not sexy and it doesn’t sell but it’s the only way.
Unless you get lucky.
But that’s exactly what it is - luck. And luck is not a skill we can develop.
A problem seems too challenging if we are only looking at the whole thing.
A challenge seems too hard if we are only looking at the finish line.
A dream seems too big if we are only looking at the destination.
Whatever you’re working towards, break it down.
Whatever problem you’re facing take the first step towards a solution.
Then take another.
Face one at a time.
Focus on only what you have control over.
We cannot control an outcome but we can control our next step.
Whatever goal you’re working towards, this same rule applies.
Create smaller more manageable steps.
The real issues arise when we try to solve or complete the whole thing at once or we look too far down the road.
When we skip the steps and jump straight into wanting the result.
Or when we sprint instead of managing our pace.
This will nearly always fail. Or if it doesn’t now, it will later.
It only causes stress, anxiety and ultimately, burnout.
It’s incredible what we can learn, what we can build, what we can succeed at if we break it down and play a longer term game.
If we control the controllable.
In life there is no finish line, so what’s the rush?
However audacious the goal is and whatever area it’s in it can only ever built by focusing on one task, one move, one step at a time.
As Will Smith said, “I’m going to lay this brick as perfectly as a brick can be laid. You do that every single day and soon you have a wall.”
One at a time.
Manage your pace.
Manage this next moment.
Where can you lay the next brick?
Thank you for reading.
With love, Nick
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