Choose to Take the Journey

People are constantly on the lookout for shortcuts–memory tricks and secret societies and wheat grass shots–things that may, by some hitherto unknown mechanism, bring them unbridled intelligence, perfect test scores, and scores of unbridled women. I certainly have been guilty of this kind of thinking a couple of times, ok maybe even a few times, but that’s not the point. The point is that sometimes I too, despite my Shaolin Monk-like mental discipline, wish to have everything I’ve ever wanted, instantaneously, at the snap of my fingers. I’ve worked harder and persevered longer than other people I know, I might tell myself, but I haven’t been quite as lucky! This kind of thinking is poison.

I know you have never thought this way, dear reader, but maybe your friend has, and if so, I’m here to share the antidote with you. I mean, with your friend. It is this–wait for it: patience. The reason you still haven’t gotten what you want is because it’s not your turn yet. You just have to hang in there. That’s it, you say? That’s it.

Ok, there’s more. I’m reminded of a quote by Lao Tzu, “Do your work, then step back. The only path to serenity.” What that means to me is not sitting under some tree, twiddling your thumbs. It means doing your work before you even begin to think about clicking on those “Recommended for You” YouTube videos. It means not wistful yearning or megalomaniacal designs for world conquest. Not heated chest-beating or frenzied clawing at your scalp as if affected by head lice. It means calm, steady baby steps, each and every day.

If you’re a student of success as I am, you may have noticed that big success, with few exceptions, doesn’t come from a single dramatic overhaul of your life. Big success is the result of pathetically small changes, nearly imperceptible tweaks to your thoughts and behavior that eventually lead to the desired outcome. If you don’t get to bed at a decent hour, then you’ll have trouble getting up early the next morning. If you overeat for dinner, then you’ll probably have a hard time accomplishing anything for the remainder of the night. By the same token, notice how when you go to the gym, you feel like eating healthier afterwards, which in turn, gives you a clearer head.

When I registered for my blog, I laid the groundwork for at least a handful of posts. The popularity of a 2-part post (Secrets of Charisma) led to my writing of a 3-part post (Keep Your Passion Alive). That then encouraged me to write my 6-part ‘House of Dreams‘ series, which gave me the confidence to start working on my book again. One thing leads to another. Even misfortune is often the result of a decision that you may have made a long time ago. If you think about it, I bet you could even trace the trail of crumbs all the way back to the moment you reached into the cookie jar.

The media loves to seduce with promises of magic bullets: ‘6-minute 6-packs’ or ‘secrets to riches that not even the rich know about!’ They do so because that is what people like to hear. The truth may not sound so sexy, but in my opinion, is far more encouraging. That is, when it comes to big success, it all starts with the little things.