“Don’t be afraid of being different, be afraid of being the same as everyone else.” -unknown
It’s easy to compare yourself to others and worry about living up to society’s expectations. Sometimes it’s hard being different from family members, coworkers, school mates, or friends. Those that try to blend in with others are truly taking the easy route; they aren’t required to think their own thoughts, so they just end up going with the flow.
Being different by thinking outside of the box is what has helped many people become great leaders, inventors, entrepreneurs, and innovators.
Be an inspiration to others by forging a new path and staying true to yourself today!
“Luck is a dividend of sweat. The more you sweat, the luckier you get.” -Ray Kroc, founder of McDonald’s
Some think others are famous or successful, because they were lucky. They see the end results, but not the hard work, sweat, and even tears that came first. They see the confetti and not the grunt work. They see the highlight reel and not the real moments behind the scenes.
Writers put ideas onto paper. Readers see the finished product wrapped in a beautiful cover; black ink printed on pages filled with a masterpiece of a story. They don’t see what the writer initially had to overcome: hours of writing and editing, writer’s block, rejection after rejection from publishing houses, and doubt that anyone would actually buy and read their work.
Will every writer become a bestselling author? Will everyone who works hard become successful? No, but the combination of hard work and taking advantage of every opportunity can get you closer to achieving your goals. To some, it might seem that you’re lucky, but you’ll just know all the hard work you’ve put into your business or art is finally coming into fruition.
“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.” -Mark Twain
There might be people in our life who dissuade us from chasing our dreams and accomplishing our goals, because they are simply too scared to attempt their own. Sometimes we can choose who we surround ourselves with, such as our friends. Others, such as family and coworkers, are more stationary, but we can decide who we will listen to.
Choosing to spend time with those who lift us up and encourage us to pursue achievement is essential to our growth and success. If we allow discouraging nay-sayers to plant seeds of doubt into our minds, we will not be motivated to take even the smallest step toward attaining our aspirations.
It would be nice to surround ourselves with talented entrepreneurs, inventors, writers, actors, and business people, but it’s not necessary. What is crucial is to choose friends who will encourage our endeavors. Even when we encounter setbacks and difficulties, they are the ones who will cheer us on. Even when our motivation is lacking, they are the ones who will keep us going. So, remember to ignore the doubters and amplify the believers!
“Only put off until tomorrow whatyou are willing to die having left undone.” -Picasso
It’s so easy to procrastinate. I personally struggle with this on a daily basis. It’s easy to put off tasks that I don’t particularly enjoy, because I assume I will have time to complete them later. As an independent writer and author, I don’t have anyone to tell me when articles or books are due except myself. I can shirk some of these responsibilities, because I don’t have anyone to answer to. But does this attitude generate a plan for success? Of course it doesn’t.
Motivating yourself can be hard sometimes, but motivation starts with desire. Desire comes from a place of wanting to achieve your goals. Keeping your dreams and aspirations in mind is one way to fight off feelings of procrastination. Even simple, everyday tasks that you don’t want to finish can affect your long-term goals. Every step you take today can either help or hinder your pursuit of success.
Choose progress over procrastination. If you never do what needs to be done today, you’ll never succeed tomorrow!
On this Martin Luther King Day, I am reminded that every small step forward is vital. It’s easy to think that what you do in one moment is not significant; but moments become days, days become weeks, weeks become years, and years quickly become a lifetime. Every decision we make is one that can propel us toward a life full of positive productivity or we can easily waste it. Sometimes it is easy to go through the motions of going to our jobs, procrastinating as much as possible and then mentally checking out as soon as we clock out.
The leaders who inspire us, like Martin Luther King, Jr., are those who find ways to make a difference. They don’t take the easy way out. They take the hard, rocky path, because they know they are moving in the right direction. They go against social norms, leaving behind a legacy of both love and success.
So, whether you’re attempting to change the morals and ideals of a nation, or you are simply trying to become a successful entrepreneur; remember that every step counts. And if you can’t take a step, then crawl. The world needs your talents and your courage. Don’t give up, because you have chosen a more difficult path. Make every moment meaningful and then you will live a life full of purpose.
“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.”~ Robert Frost.
This quote can mean many things to various people. To me, it means forging your own trail. Instead of following the crowd and being marked as status quo, it means choosing the unfamiliar in order to reap the rewards of learning life lessons. Anyone can excel at something if they put hard work into it. Many, if not most, people can go to college, get some sort of job, work every week, and earn money; but can everyone invent the latest gadget? Can everyone become an entrepreneur and start their own business? Can everyone become famous from their fabulous talent, good looks, or brilliant personality? “No,” we think, so we don’t try. Some of us would rather get a degree that will most likely land us a high-paying job that will, in turn, lead us to an early retirement. Ignoring our God-given talents and the whispers of heart telling us otherwise, we might end up choosing a life of pain-staking work and count the hours until we can go home for the weekend. Is this truly living or is it merely surviving?
In ‘The Matrix’, the main character Neo is given a life-altering choice by Morpheus. Consuming the blue pill would allow him go back and live in the reality he once knew. He would be comfortable and not know that he was missing out on the truth. The red pill would allow him to escape the fabricated world of the matrix and lead him into the real world. Things would start to get messy. He would have to train and learn new skills in order to get ready for future battles. The choice was that simple: go back to his easy former life or be brave and adventurous enough to see what he’s made of.
Our society is all about taking the easy route: fast food, online shopping, DVRs and honestly, anything else we could possibly need or want can be found on our smartphones. We get angry if we have to wait at a slow traffic light. We complain if the temperature isn’t too our liking at school or work. It’s no wonder that we don’t take the time to follow our passions in life when we’re mainly focused on our own sense of safety and comfort.
Those that are brave enough to create their own path, follow their dreams no matter the cost. They know that if they don’t try, they will never come true. They define success not in what looks good to others. Instead, they relish in the fact that they’re doing exactly what they were made for. Instead of working at a job just for a paycheck, they may end up creating a job that fits them perfectly. They work hard at becoming a better version of themselves. They may make mistakes along the way, but each one is used as a learning experience. There are two roads: one leads to mediocrity and one leads to excellence. It’s our choice today.
