In 2019, I attended a workshop for social media creators as part of my work with social media influencers. The idea was a mix of people with active social media channels and others still on edge about doing it full-time. In the middle of his discourse, the person leading the workshop made an interesting observation. Just when I felt all pumped up and ready to take action, I knew others were feeling the same.
I want you to take action on what I said just now in the next 30 minutes. Right now, all of you are motivated to go out there and kick ass, like you are going to add a million followers and change the world or some shit as soon as you walk out of here. And then Monday happens and you will forget all about this and go back to the same old things.
This got me thinking. I knew the rest of the story; heck, I had lived the rest of the story so many times already. When I walk out of a seminar, I am motivated to take serious action, make drastic changes, and be ready for massive growth. I can change everything about myself, and I can change the world. I feel like I am ready to conquer everything.
Can you blame me? I am sitting there in that room with like-minded people who share my desire to reach our common goal that afternoon. An expert in the industry is addressing us. I am not brooding alone with my thoughts. Instead, ideas flow in the room, left, right and center. In that room, everything seems to click like all the pieces are falling into place. It’s hard to describe; it is like a mini-enlightenment happened. It is hard not to get pumped.
But the reality is different. I walk out of that room, ready to become the next master of the universe with a blueprint for success in my head, as clear as the blue sky on a sunny day. Over the weekend, I devise a plan broken down into actionable steps. My honest intention is to work the extra hours after the office, hit the gym or my laptop, or whatever battleground it is.
Ah… The blissful big picture of what it will be like when you have done it all. And then Monday happens… and with the first complication that comes my way, I get sidetracked, and the plan never gets implemented. The hard realization hits me… that mini-enlightenment was just a temporary euphoria.
Be wary of that feeling. In fact, fuck that feeling and the bigger picture. It is no good to you when you slog for the first night and wake up the next morning with a headache due to lack of sleep. All the motivation goes down the drain when adversity strikes. In October 2019, I was at another public speaker workshop, and they asked me to make a one-minute video there. The idea behind such exercises is to see who goes and does it and who still keeps thinking. I am always a thinker. The problem is simple enough for someone who wants to be a creator on social media but doesn’t start; they will never get anywhere.
I know what you are thinking. All that is fine, you crazy maniac; we know the problem. Do you have a solution to it, or are you just going to waste my time? Don’t worry. I am getting to it.
For all the things I have wanted to achieve, I know exactly what to do to achieve them. This blog, for example, I have been trying to be consistent for five years but always end up overthinking stuff. I procrastinate, thinking of production value and trying to figure out everything beforehand. But now, I don’t think about what happens when I have more than 300 of these by the end of the year. That’s not going to take me anywhere. What will help me move forward is writing this one blog article today. Beyond that, it’s all bullshit.
I have spent my share of time looking at the bigger picture and devising strategies for it. The real question is, have I picked up the paintbrush and made one stroke with it today? If the answer is “No.” then the picture will always be in my head, and never will anyone see the masterpiece.
That expert leading the seminar said, you work 40 hours a week at your job, whatever that may be. You should be doing another 20 hours into creating what you love. While I understand the rationale, you have to slog and work your ass off if you want to achieve great things. I know that guy has put in the work, and I know it works. He asked us if we were ready to work extra hard, and we responded with a resounding YES!
Am I? I don’t know.
Can I put in 4 hours today after I have done my 8 hours at the office? Yes, I am!
I think of today.Will I work those 4 hours today? That’s the grind I have to go through every day. If the answer is a resounding YES for a long time, that big picture in my head will become a masterpiece for everyone to admire.
That’s the key to hustle, doing the little things every day without fail. It’s true for business, getting healthy, and any other major challenge we wish to overcome. It’s good to have a long-term vision and a strategy, but it is nothing without a plan that is practical for you.
Will this work?
I know it will. In 2019, I set out to read one book every week, that’s 52 books. The bigger picture is nice enough. 52 books, 1000s of pages, so many insights, so much knowledge. If you are like me, one to share everything with the people you know. There are many looks of amazement, awe, and admiration.
If I think about reading one book this week, I am sure I will not get it done. I will end up postponing reading to the last minute and eventually fall behind.
I ask myself daily and make it a point to read a few pages daily. The question is, did I read a book today? Did I make any progress today? If the answer is YES! then nothing else matters.
I am done with my blog article for today, and it’s a YES for today!