If you are like me, you have the tendencies of what I like to call a “grouper”. When setting goals, or more often working toward goals, I have a bad habit of grouping tasks and/or sections of time together. This might work for some folks, but I have found that this practice doesn’t lend itself successfully to my cause. When I “group” things together, I tend to “throw in the towel” if I’ve failed to give my best to one opportunity or one section of time. For example, if I don’t eat healthy for lunch, I’ll possibly consider the day lost and not try to do what I need to do for the remainder of the day. What I should do is recognize where I failed and commit to the next opportunity, be it a meal, a workout, or an opportunity to help someone. If I can focus on each opportunity instead of grouping the opportunities together, I am more likely to dust myself off and push harder at the next task. This mindset is applicable for most things. Think of a workout. It is usually a group of different activities, but it can be viewed in a variety of ways. It can be viewed as the entire block of time, a group of rounds, a group of exercises, or several individual exercises. If I break it down and concentrate on the smaller sections, I am much more likely to maintain my focus and push hard during the entire time. I think it’s actually best to break it down even further and look at each rep and give my all for each one. If I’m able to do that, I feel an unbelievable sense of accomplishment when finished! DO YOUR BEST AND FORGET THE REST!
Everyone is different, but I suggest everyone to at least try looking at their opportunities in this way. If you’re easily discouraged in life, break things down into the smaller tasks and make the effort for small improvements in each. Remember, 40 singles are better than 4 homeruns, so grab that bat and focus on making contact to get on base! Swinging for the fences isn’t always the best plan.
If you want a good read that’s about making the small, right choices and doing small, right things every day, read “The Slight Edge” by Jeff Olson!
