habits, decisions, actions

From my mentors: Keith’s and Sandi’s Season’s Greeting email:

“It seems to me that having what we want in life is not based on one giant decision or resolution that is made one time each year. What we want in our life…is a result of a never ending stream of consistent decisions…It is the subsequent, reinforcing, congruent, small decisions made in the heat of battle that are the ones we struggle with and which ultimately [make or] sabotage our dreams.”

I think this is another way at looking at Keith Cunningham's quote: “Ordinary things done consistently yield extraordinary results.”

Or Jim Zorn’s quote: “Greatness is the ability to do ordinary things day in and day out on purpose and with your goals in mind…It’s each game battling through each win and each loss.”

It isn’t the big resolutions, the big decisions (like what should my non-negotiable goals be). It’s the little decisions. It’s the decision that doesn’t look life-altering when considered all by itself in that moment. But those are the critical ones. Those are the ones that most directly impact extraordinary results. Those are the ones that define/identify greatness. It’s hugely empowering thought for me.

I used to have a funny belief. If I was good at something, I'll be good without practice. Must be all the movies where they show pipsqueaks suddenly turned great. The practice part wasn't really emphasized. The gold is in the practice.

This is my gold nugget from Keith.
How often do you need to remake your decisions? As often as required to have what you want.
What we want in our life, whether it is health, financial, relationship or spirit related is a result of a never ending stream of consistent decisions. The first decision is the easy one. It is the subsequent, reinforcing, congruent, small decisions made in the heat of battle that are the ones we struggle with and which ultimately sabotage our dreams.

Bottom line, you get what you tolerate and most people tolerate mediocrity and average. They settle by refusing to remake the decision day after day. The quality of your life is directly proportional to what you have made non-negotiable and the decision of non-negotiable is made daily.