What does success look like to you? It is personal for all of us. For some, it is surface level. Objects, money, and possessions. For others, it is more profound and meaningful.
The result is the same: Become the person who can reach the goal.
Who is that person? Different than the person you are now. How can you become something you have never been?
Technology has been a blessing to our current world. Effortlessly, rockets can land from a moving earth to a moving moon, traveling further than in any other historical period.
Sending a rocket to the moon isn't as easy as plugging in a GPS location. It may appear that is the case, but it is far from it.
Instead, rockets use a complex series of measurement devices. They calculated various data, including azimuth, the craft's position, velocity, and vehicle attitude. Included in the measuring department were three gyroscopes, three integrating accelerometers, and two prisms.
These devices constantly read the environment. These readings would allow the rocket to make adjustments. All deviations are corrected to ensure the craft hits the destination.
The rocket bypasses the target if the craft leaves and makes no adjustments.
It wouldn't take into consideration the consistently shifting conditions. Solar winds, debris, or atmospheric issues could push the craft off course.
These conditions are why the rockets make subtle, constant adjustments.
Vehicle drivers most common cause of accidents is overcorrection. They lose control and promptly go equally aggressive the other way. I went into a fishtail on a country road and overcorrected. This overcorrectoin made the problem worse. When I made minor adjustments, I leveled out.
We do this in life.
Our goal is a long distance. We should be making needed adjustments to keep on track. Instead, we begin to lose a bit of control and try to overcorrect.
Rather than overburden ourselves, we should focus on becoming better than we were yesterday.
Focus on improving just a little bit every day. It compounds as you continue to improve. It adds up quickly.
To help, here are three simple ways to improve every day.
Focus on Where You Want Improvement
The internal guidance system of the rocket focuses precisely on the issue and fixes it immediately.
It only has one focus, keep heading to the target. If the craft is too high, the system lowers it. The guidance program will shift to the right if the craft is too far left.
Contrary to popular belief, you don't need to focus on all of your weaknesses. If you are weak at accounting, you can hire an accountant.
Make sure you focus on the processes that keep you pointed toward your goal. Like the rocket guidance system, do what you need to stay on target.
Deconstruct your day as you get ready for bed. What can you improve? Where can you grow?
Create a Must-Do Item
Life can get busy. You may not be producing at the level you like. As long as you keep pushing forward, you will eventually get there.
One way to keep the momentum is to create your must-do item. The one thing you must do today. The one most important item to complete.
This one item would be enough even if you got nothing else done. It doesn't have to be significant. It does need to be related to the goal.
Your guidance system. It is your subtle GPS adjustment. Even one thing a day will put you so much closer than spells of nothing.
Put that item first on your list. Please give it a priority. Now do everything in your power to complete it.
Wake up early. Think about it when you are not working on it, where possible.
To avoid overwhelming yourself, start with one. If you feel comfortable enough, add more. Still, focus on the main action before doing anything else you've added.
Plan the Night Before
The best way to stay on course is to plot one and adjust. No good comes from winning the day. Deciding you'll take your must-have and make it work. It rarely works out.
Instead, plot your day the night before. Sure, surprises can still find you. But having this structure makes it easier to adapt.
A baseline idea of what you're doing gives you a stable foundation.
From there, you can make adjustments and move other activities around.
It allows you to remind yourself of your goals. You focus on goals the night before implant the thought in your subconscious mind.
In a previous post, I spoke about the power of our subconscious mind.
What's Next?
We are all on a destination. The path contains distractions and obstacles. It is essential to keep ourselves focused.
One sure-fire way to maintain focus is through continued calibration. You are making little changes versus significant, sweeping changes.
A simple way to be a little better is to focus on where you want improvement. It is easy to say we want to lose weight or look better. Easier to say you want to make more money.
What precisely can you focus on that pushes you toward that destination?
Create one to-do item. You could always add more as you go, but this is the primary focus.
Plan the night before. Having a plan is incredibly useful. Not only where you are going and how to avert disaster, but it also shows you where you can improve and where you failed.
Next is to take one of these you feel helps and apply it to your life.