Small and Simple Things
I was brought up with the belief that doing small and simple things, can bring great and wonderful things to pass. And indeed I’ve seen that happen in my own life. Yet, the opposite can also be true. For instance, there’s been a lurid story in the news for most of the last year and a half, culminating today in horrid charges and tragedy for all those involved. It makes one wonder, how it all came to this? My conclusion is that it didn’t just happen all at once, but that it was a number of small and simple things, occurring over time, that led to bigger and more consequential things. And in this case, the result was definitely NOT so great.
We’re all faced with a myriad of small choices every day. Take for example, the choice to exercise, or to relax? If I choose to relax, do I choose to exercise tomorrow, or do I relax again? Relaxing once, might not be that impactful. But – continuous relaxing, over time, will likely lead us to end up in much worse shape than when we started.
When it comes to our careers, we have the same opportunity every day to pursue greatness or to pursue misery, through small and simple things. Do I continue to grow? Do I keep learning? Do I make sure my boss knows where I want my career to go? Or – do I stay in my cube? Do I keep from connecting with colleagues? Do I skip networking opportunities? On their own, the answers to these questions may not mean a whole lot. But over time, they can either help you find more enthusiasm and purpose, or they can help you feel stuck and uninspired. Former Senator Dan Coats of Indiana once said: “The only preparation for that one profound decision which can change a life, or even a nation, is those hundreds and thousands of half-conscious, self-defining, seemingly insignificant decisions made in private.”
The choice is up to you. What small and simple choices will you make, to achieve greatness today?
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