Chase Your Horizon

 Let's say you've decided to get in shape, and that your chosen method of exercise is running. On day one, you set the following goal: "In one hour, I will run half a mile." Let's be honest: This is barely a goal.  You could walk half a mile in an hour, even if you walk slowly. So, what if the goal was to run a full mile in the hour?  How about in half an hour?  Or 15 minutes? 10 minutes? Five? At some point, the goal becomes uncomfortable. This is the point you should be looking for; the goal is achievable, but it will take some effort.  Beyond that point, the goal becomes overwhelming and potentially unbearable, and you're done before you even begin. As you set your goals for the day, for the week, and so on, look for that edge between "easily achievable" and "absurdly impossible".  Look for the edge where the goal can be reached, provided you put for the effort necessary to obtain it.  Then make it a habit of finding the edge, reaching t...

This week: be the friend you want for yourself be the colleague you wish you worked with be the leader you wish you had be the partner you want for yourself be the person you wish the world had more of Stop complaining about how everyone else doesn't live up to the ideal you've set, and focus on getting closer to that ideal yourself. Make every day count.

Most of our emotions are choices.  Or at least what follows from them is. Either we make a conscious choice to respond with anger, or sorrow, or love, or whatever, or we make the choice to allow the emotions to cause us to react to situations however they wish.  Either we choose to control our emotions, or we choose to allow them to control us. This includes fear.  Being fearful of a dangerous situation is natural.  Allowing the fear to control us is a choice.  Allowing fear to prevent us from moving forward is a choice.  Running from what we fear instead of facing it and overcoming it is a choice. And in making that choice, we choose the consequence of maximizing our potential for growth, or we choose the consequence of destroying any potential for growth that exists. So which will you choose? Growth, or retreat? Make every day count.