I remember maths class in primary school.
I used to really enjoy it, it was so logical.
In one particular class, they brought out a Galton Board, like the one you see above.
They’re used to show a ‘normal distribution’, and that if you put in say 100 balls into it..
.. they will end up looking like this:
And the way the ball makes it way to the bottom reminded me a lot about daily decision making.
As the ball fell it would hit the metal pins, each time being knocked either left or right until it assumed it’s final position.
If it bounced left once or twice early on it could end up wayyyyyyy on the left.
If it bounced right, the opposite could be true.
Though unlike a Galton Board, you choose whether it goes left or right.
Or in this case – do or not do the tasks you’re supposed to.
This is very similar to daily decision making for a business owner.
Every day they can either go one way or the other.
They’d probably make over a thousand micro-decisions throughout the day, many of them subconsciously.
Even as I’m writing this, it’s a beautiful Sunday outside in Bondi.
I went for a swim before but came back early to have this done before I had dinner.
Small decisions like this, I believe, are the difference between successful and non-successful people in life.
People that can do the small inconvenient things each day that get them to their goals.
Everyone thinks there will always be tomorrow.
But if you start tomorrow, then you wasted today.
And if you do this every other week, you’ll end up throwing away a month here, a month there.
I’ll be able to do in 5 years what you’ll struggle to in 10.
Simply by making consistent, small bursts of effort every day – despite of the circumstances, you’ll be able to get what you need to get done.
I would put this skill in my top 5 most valuable skills for a business owner to have.
Time and time again, the best performing people I work with are those who chip away at their goals each day.
They don’t always make huge leaps, but they are closer than they were yesterday.
It doesn’t become a matter of if, but when.
Think about the decisions you’ve made today.
If you watched a video replay of today, would you be happy with the little decisions you were making?
Do you think you deserve to be successful based on your decisions today?
If the answer is no, what would you do differently tomorrow to earn your success?
Liz @ Set That says
Great article Ray! Really made me think about what I had done so far today (it is 1.09pm). Do I finish what I have started or move to what I have scheduled is the question I am grappling with in my head!!!! I vote finish what I have started and move the other task to start in 50 mins!! Keep the advice coming Rayza!
Ray Corcoran says
Thanks Liz, glad you enjoyed it. I agree, complete the task and make adjustments for tomorrow. Will definitely keep it coming. Let me know if there’s any specific posts you’d like to see.