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“The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me?” – Ayn Rand

Most people are not giving much thought about you or your actions. They aren’t trying to hold you back from your dreams, but they won’t actively help you try to achieve them either. Only you can do that. You have the power to make something happen, but you also happen to be your biggest hurdle. More often than not, you will be the one to stop yourself from becoming great. Decide today. What is your goal and what are you willing to sacrifice to achieve that goal. Everything in life has a trade off. You can’t have everything, but you can have the right things, if only you focus on it and take actionable steps towards those things. 

Remember: Nobody cares about the quality of your life as much as you do. You need to work on improving your situation, because nobody else will do it for you.

Consistency is the key to building momentum. Everyone is different, but for me, I work better when I do something day in and day out. I don’t take days off, but rather have planned “rest days” where I intentionally lighten the work load. 

Examples for exercise:

Sometimes I don’t feel like working out, but I do it everyday anyways. Even on my planned rest days, I may bike, go for a hike, or stretch. There is no day where I am just sitting on the couch doing nothing. 

I believe that it’s too easy to fall into traps by taking days off. This includes working out (or not), eating well (or not), being financially responsible (or not), and reading to improve your knowledge (or not). The easier thing to do is to put off the “hard” action to better yourself and, instead, just relax. I know so many people that say, “I’ve been pretty good this week. I’m going to treat myself. I deserve it.” Only do this within reason, and do it with intention! Don’t eat an entire pizza while binge watching a show, only to realize that you’ve been mindlessly eating and didn’t even get to enjoy your cheat meal.

Remember, you build momentum by being consistent. You don’t have to make huge strides to see improvement. Even if you’re getting 1% better everyday, at the end of the year you will be 365% better than you were at the beginning of the year. Keep adding to your progress and your results by being consistent.

One final note…I live a rather Spartan lifestyle, but that is because that’s what I enjoy. You don’t have to do this. But just make sure that whatever you do, you’re doing it for a reason and thinking of the long-term consequences of your actions. Are you getting 1% better today?

“It’s better to burn out than to fade away.” – Neil Young

How will I know my limits if I don’t push to them? I won’t know how far I go until I keep going and there is no more. 

“The best partnerships have a shared vision, shared values, and complimentary skill sets.” Paraphrased from Charles Koch

This is true of businesses, but it is also true of marriages and relationships. Find others who believe in the same things as you, who have the same moral compass as you, and who can help to get you to where you want to be by completing your other (lacking) half. It will be mutually beneficial for both parties to partner up and achieve their goals quicker than by going at it alone. 

This is not to say that you cannot succeed any other way. But you will be most satisfied if you meet the three requirements listed above.

If you don’t have a shared vision, one person may want to take the company/relationship one direction and you in the opposite. This will cause much stress to be placed on the partnership.

If you have the same shared vision, but different values, it can also put you in a quandary. For example, your partner may be willing to get to that shared vision by any means necessary, while you draw the line in the sand with how you feel the company/family/partnership should operate. If your other half is doing questionable things, and is unwilling to change their ways, the partnership is doomed.

Lastly, it is best if you have complimentary skill sets. While the first two items listed should be shared/similar, your skill sets should be different. One person could be the financial guru and the other person be the visionary, driving the partnership to new levels. One person can be the creative type (coming up with hundreds of great ideas) while the other is “the doer” (someone who puts a plan into action and makes sure those ideas become more than mere words). It is best if you and your partner find fulfillment in your own roles.

Integrity. Intelligence. Work ethic…if we’re hiring, these are the things that I look for in a potential new hire. 

They have to be a man/woman of high character, not just with their words, but with their actions. 

The need to possess a certain level of intelligence. They do not need to know everything and they don’t even need to have specific knowledge about the field that they are going into (although that helps). They should be able to find answers on their own and be curious enough to seek them out. 

Lastly, they need to have a good work ethic. Hard work should be their default mentality. You shouldn’t need to provide them with an incentive to go “above and beyond.” That should be in their nature.