A great book reminding us of the importance of getting started and not waiting for everything to be perfect. The chapter talking about the most regrets of the dying is a little scary but unless we have some way to make our time on earth unlimited then don't we want to minimise the risk of regret at the end by creating the life we want and finding the time for what is really important?
Another excellent book from Rob Moore, one of my new favourite authors alongside Brian Tracy, Tony Robbins, Napoleon Hill and David Schwartz.
The audio and kindle versions of the book include for free Routine = Results which was published last month and also available separately.
You wouldn’t start drilling for oil, get one fifth of the way down, then give up, start again and drill one fifth of the way down the next oil well, and the next one and the next one and so on. This would be somewhat insane. You wouldn’t plant a seed today and come back annoyed tomorrow declaring, ‘Well where’s my fucking tree?’ One fifth of the way down five separate oil wells could be five fifths of the way down one oil well. And, revelation: you only get oil when you get all the way down. You only get your tree when the seed has grown deep roots, then shoots, then fruits. The grass is greener where you water it and give it sunlight. A good way to overcome the FOMO beast is to observe the emotion, and then simply wait. Sure, that might be like saying sit and look at a drink for hours if you are an alcoholic, but try it. Just wait. Sit on your hands. Wait long enough for the extreme emotion to pass, and then allow yourself to evaluate the decision in a more balanced way.
Sometimes doing the right thing at the wrong time is actually the wrong thing. Learn to say ‘Yes, but not now’. Keep the door open, but just ajar. Make sure you can look yourself in the eye and be confident you gave the last thing long enough to bear fruit, before you move onto the next thing.
As you read this next section, see if you can guess who this person is: He failed in business at age 21 His mum and sister died He was defeated in a legislative race at age 22 He failed again in business at age 24 He had a total nervous breakdown and was bedridden for 6 months His sweetheart died at age 26 He went bankrupt His first son died at age 4 He had a nervous breakdown at age 27 He lost a congressional race at age 34 He lost a congressional race at age 36 His second son died at age 12 He lost a senatorial race at age 45 He failed in an effort to become vice-president at age 47 He lost a senatorial race at age 47 He was elected President of the United States at age 52 That man was Abraham Lincoln. It is fair to say that Mr Lincoln was a great man. He made the decision to follow his dream and take all the necessary actions and tough decisions, even when having the most horrific luck and awful things happening around him
Here is another person who made a decision ‘against all odds’ but made that decision right. Can you guess who she is? Her mum left her when she was 8 She was teased at school for wearing dresses made of potato sacks She was raped at 9 She was molested by a family friend, uncle and cousin She ran away because of sexual abuse at home She became pregnant at 14 Her son died after birth She was hired at a local black radio station to do the news part time She became the youngest news anchor and first black female news anchor Since then she interviewed Michael Jackson, which became the third most watched interview ever. She became the first African American woman among the 50 most generous people, having given over $400 million to educational causes. She got her own network which made $300 million a year. She is now worth $3 billion and even has her own street, ‘Oprah Winfrey Way’.
ll of us, no matter how smart or experienced – master or disaster; beginner or winner; Steve Jobs or no jobs – go into a problem from the same level starting position. Your attitude is as important as your aptitude. The two most extreme reactions and applications to a problem are: Scenario A. Victim. Defeated. Why me? I’m beaten. Wish it away. Avoid it. Pain. Scenario B. Bring it on. Step up. I can do this. This is my chance. Big potential solution. I love a challenge. Because most people veer towards Scenario A, problem solvers have dramatically increased value in society.
The Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing. The top five regrets she learned from the dying: I wish I cared less of what others think I wish I didn’t worry so much I wish I took better care of myself I wish I didn’t take life for granted I wish I lived in the now Other regrets of people facing death are: I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me I wish I hadn’t worked so hard I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends I wish that I had let myself be happier Perhaps the worse regret of all is regret itself. Regretting what you could have done, what you could have achieved and who you could have become. I do not share this to scare you but to shock you into action and decision.
‘Think of all the years passed by in which you said to yourself “I’ll do it tomorrow”, and how the gods have again and again granted you periods of grace of which you have not availed yourself. It is time to realize that you are a member of the Universe, that you are born of Nature itself, and to know that a limit has been set to your time.’ Marcus Aurelius.