All of us want the things we do today to matter, but significance is not only measured in the moment. There are things we can do today that will make a difference tomorrow, next week, next year, or even in the next generation.
There is a Vietnamese proverb that says, "If you want to have a 10-year legacy, plant a fruit tree. If you want a 100-year legacy, plant a seed in the lives of people."
I believe there are three phases in our lives and our maturation. We have to first find our mountain, then climb the mountain, and finally, help others reach the top and join us. Too few people ever identify their passion or calling. They are unable to climb their mountain because they never found it or claimed it as their own.
Your personal and professional life should have a mission statement that everything can be judged against. I understand very little of the inner workings of computers, but in simple terms, I believe all information is reduced to a one or a zero. Once you have your mission statement, you can act like a computer and separate everything into information and facts that fit your mission and everything else in the world that doesn't. Much of the challenge in making good decisions is simply the process of eliminating the bad ones. Once you have identified your mission statement and chosen your mountain, you've got to climb it.
We live in a world that when it's all said and done, there's a lot more said than done. I know people who have had the same goal or mission for decades, but they haven't taken the first step. Despite what many self-proclaimed success gurus would tell you, there are no shortcuts to the top of the mountain. While there's a lot of wisdom that can help you toward success, at some point, it involves that dreaded four-letter word: work. Once you have reached the summit of your mountain, you need to celebrate your success and honor the people who have made it possible for you to reach the summit. Then dedicate yourself and your efforts to helping other people reach the top of their own mountains.
For several years, I thought there was nothing more fun and gratifying than experiencing my own success until I got to enjoy the exhilaration of helping other people identify and achieve their own success.
As you go through your day today, commit to find your mountain, climb it, then help others.
Today's the day!
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