How long does it take to do something remarkable?

How long does it take to do something remarkable?

I recently read an article by Steph Smith titled, How to Be Great? Just Be Good Repeatably. It is a great post that outlines how compounding effort and continued progress can lead to excellent results. It builds on the concept that Napolean Hill also shared he said, “If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.” All of this talk of greatness got me thinking about my own mortalityand my accomplishments.

Over the long weekend, I realized that I would turn 40 years old in 155 days.

I wouldn’t say that this is a mid-life crisis as much a mid-life recognition. While watching the Bears play the Lions, I noticed that the Bears QB, Andy Dalton looked wicked old. I just had the general assumption that he was older than me. Then I realized that he is actually only 34 years old. This got me looking into it a bit more.

I found a list from Jan 2021, and at that time, there were only 29 players over the age of 35. I know that it doesn’t make sense to compare myself to professional football players. But, when I was a kid, I dreamed of being a football player. Obviously, they were by default older than me. 

It struck me as odd that now I am older than almost all of them. I don’t feel old. In fact, I don’t feel different at all. In fact, I still feel like and act like a kid. 

Then I listened to one of my favorite podcasts, My First Million with Sam Parr and Shaan Puri. Again these are two very successful people. In my head, they were always older than me. Then I realized that they were, in fact, about 10 years younger than me. Sam was only 31 when he sold his company to Hubspot last year. 

I heard him tell his story, and it was clear how he set very deliberate goals forwhat he was going to accomplish by the time he was thirty. It was a story of discipline and perseverance. 

This got me thinking that if I actually want to achieve something, I need to be more explicit about what exactly it is that I want to achieve. I need to be consistent in pursuing that goal. 

The question that I am asking is, what do I wish to accomplish by the time I turn 50 or 60? 

I am incredibly grateful for my life and what I have already accomplished. I am not upset about turning 40, but I see it as an inflection point. I am still young and capable of anything that isn’t a professional sport. 

Over the next 155 days, I will not only develop clear, actionable goals, but I will set a clear target for the next 10 years. I will focus on disciplined progress every day. 

As an accountability tool and as a spark for others, I will build in public. I will share my thoughts and progress via this blog. 

I have already started implementing and have adopted new daily actions. There are some tools that I am using to track my progress. All of these tools were recently mentioned in the MFM Podcast. 

  • everyday app/extension:This chrome extension is awesome. Every time I open a new tab I am confronted with my checklist for the day. I have paid for this app. It is about $40 for the year.

  • Zero:Tool for eating and health. I use this to time my intermittent fasting.

  • 5 Minute Journal App:Gratitude and daily journaling. This is a great prompt. I like how easy it is to include pictures and videos.

  • Othership: Breathwork and meditation. I have been practicing Vipassana meditation for years. However, when I want to practice mindfulness in less time I absolutely love this app.

  • Unconventional Acquisitions: Course on investing in small businesses. I am going to invest in a small business. Codie Sanchez is awesome!

I am not exactly sure where I am headed in the next 10 years. But, I do know that I will proceed with consistency. We will all get the chance to see how those efforts compound. 

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