Be yourself, everyone else is taken
How many raindrops does it take to fill an ocean?
How many grains of sand does it take to make a desert?
How many steps does it take to prepare for a marathon?
How many quavers does it take to complete a symphony?
How many letters does it take to write an epic tome?
The challenges that you have overcome have made you stronger.
The practice that you have done behind closed doors has made you stronger.
The times when you wanted to give up, but you kept going, have made you stronger.
The tough feedback that you listened to and implemented has made you stronger.
You don’t have to work hard.
You don’t to contribute to the success of others.
You don’t have to continually grow and develop.
You don’t have to find a reason to be positive during challenging times.
You don’t have to bounce back quickly from disappointment.
You don’t need expensive running shoes, you need to get out and run.
You don’t need a Fender Stratocaster, you need a guitar with 6 strings and hours of practice.
You don’t need more social media followers, you need to be more influential to the people around you.
You don’t need better staff, you need to be a better leader.
You don’t need to be distracted by what everyone else has, you need to focus on what you can do.
All ready for a tree change
We have a very exciting announcement to make.
In a couple of weeks time, I will be starting a new job which will mean that we will be moving to Bendigo in central Victoria. For my international readers, Bendigo is a lovely regional city of about 140,000 people, much smaller than the ever-growing city of Melbourne (almost 5 million), where I have lived for most of my adult life.
It’s a huge move for us as it means that we will need to move house (obviously), schools, church, local sporting teams, Karen’s job and a range of other significant changes. Thankfully, Karen’s sister’s family live in Bendigo and their presence and friendship will make the transition much easier.
Why are we doing this?
Rain can remind us of many things.
We can feel miserable about the weather and pledge to never go outside.
We can take an umbrella with us in the hope of remaining dry and untouched.
We can ensure that we walk carefully, so that we don’t slip on the wet paths.
We can consider our garden that gratefully soaks up every drop.
We live in a world of constant comparisons.
Our Instagram accounts are designed to make others envious of our lifestyle.
And we constantly check to make sure that we are keeping ahead of the next guy.
But whilst making comparisons and aspiring to be envied, we miss too much.
Instead of enjoying the moment, we hope that someone else noticed what we did.
Instead of liking what we are doing, we do things to be liked.
Instead of engaging in our favourite song at a concert, we get our phones out to record it.
When setting a goal or trying to develop a new habit, ask yourself, “Is it sustainable?”
Can I see myself committing to this course of action in the long-term?
How can I ensure that I incorporate this behaviour into my daily routine?
Because going to the gym once is OK, but going four times a week for a few years will have a massive impact.
Reading one book is better than never reading at all, but reading every day will give you a huge advantage.
Imagine if you did phenomenal work every day and how much that would inspire those around you.
Imagine if you found ways to improve your performance every day and how much that would help your team to grow.
Imagine if you had boundless energy and enthusiasm every day and how much that would lift morale.
Imagine if you were calm no matter how dramatic the crisis and how much that would put everyone else at ease.
Imagine if you constantly looked for opportunities to praise and encourage your colleagues every day and how much that would make it a better place to work.
When you leave, what will your legacy be?
Will they remember how you made them feel?
Will they understand the impact that you had on their culture?
Will they recall how you made things better?
Will they tell stories of your resilience and optimism during a crisis?
