If you can learn to define a successful day on your own terms, you’ve won!
– Brian Koppelman
A busy workday is unfortunately an affliction most of us seem to have. With constant emails that need to be answered, with Insta/FB that needs keeping up, with WhatsApp messages by the truckload - it is never-ending. And then there's the real work as well, which is beyond these seemingly urgent tasks that crop up all the time.
It used to leave me feeling overwhelmed and drained. But even having worked a 12+ hour day, I'd look back and wonder if I actually got any work done.
Until I realised that 12 hour workdays are silly. And that work will never end. And I need to learn to define what my important task for the day is. And if I finish my important task for the day, that's a good day!
It has made a huge change in my life. Previously, maybe 1 out of the 5 days, I might feel like I did a good bit of work. But that number has consistently been on the higher side ever since I adopted Brian's intelligent thought.
Be impatient with your actions. Be patient with your results.
– James Clear
Get to the gym. Lift weights. Don't put it off until tomorrow.
Now, wait a year for the good work to compound.
Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.
– John Wooden
Control the controllable. Coach Wooden is just full of brilliant thoughts, observations and fundamentals.
If you truly put your best effort, then what else is there to it? This goes in line with the first quote for me - did I identify the right thing to work on and did I put in my best effort? If so, chalk it up as a successful day.
Thanks for reading. And do share any quote that catches your fancy, and tell me why.