Words that caught me: O is for One Thing
Last
week,
We wrote
about ‘stepping out’ in 2020.
Bernadette
Jiwa has written a real gem related to that,
And
in case you haven’t seen/read it, here it is:
“A
novel is written one word, one sentence at a time.
A
marathon completed in strides, not miles.
Every
day we stand on the shoulders
of
the effort we made the one before.
We
don’t make progress, we choose it.
What’s
the one thing you could do today
that
would make a difference to your work?
What’s
the one you could stop doing today
that
would have an impact on your progress?
What’s
the one thing you need to learn
to
get you closer to your goal?
What’s
the one thing you need to unlearn
to
change your perspective about what’s possible?
What
one thing are you are willing to do today
in
service of tomorrow?”
Dan
Rockwell has written about something similar. He says:
“Part
of the problem is with the word ‘priorities’.
It’s
a new invention.
The
word “priority” entered the English language
sometime
in the 14th century.
For
the next 600 years, ‘priority’ was singular.
‘Priority’
meant the most important thing.
You
could only have one priority.
Then,
around 1940, the word ‘priorities’ appeared.
Around
1960, ‘priorities’ started a steep climb in popularity
to
where it stands today”
Here’s
the thing...
Deciding
to step out is just the first step.
To
make progress, you must also choose progress;
By
prioritizing
By
choosing the ONE THING,
Then
the next ONE THING...
That choice
must be done,
Not
occasionally,
Not
when it’s convenient,
Not on
the basis of what’s urgent,
Not
tomorrow,
But
now, and every day!
Hidden
in this play of words is a deep insight:
We don’t
make progress,
And
we are unlikely to make any progress,
Unless
and until,
We
learn to prioritize
And do
ONE THING, at a time, every day!
We
don’t make progress. We choose progress.
What
is your ONE THING today?
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