Critical Chance

Tag: determination

  • Are you striving for this moment?

    “BOY,” a German music duo, was touring the U.S. in 2017.

    Their recent album was selling well in Europe, but they were still relatively unknown. When they arrived in Brooklyn for their first show, they were prepared to inspire a crowd of new listeners.

    Yet when they started performing, they froze in awe; the entire audience was singing their song.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jry1www0xoU

    After decades of practice, this is the moment we strive for.

    • an olympic athlete runs ten miles each day, just to compete in a single 100-yard dash
    • a parent sacrifices personal interests for that of their children, just to see their kids discover a passion
    • a musician practices in solitude each day, just to hear one person sing their song

    It’s where our determination finally meets our aspirations.

    Some people dream of success, while other people get up every morning and make it happen. 

    -Wayne Huizenga

    Your moment is out there, waiting.

    Go make it happen.

  • Every Story Needs Chapters

    Chapter 1

    I walk down the street.
    There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
    I fall in.
    I am lost…
    I am hopeless.
    It isn’t my fault.
    It takes forever to find a way out.

    Chapter 2

    I walk down the same street.
    There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
    I pretend I don’t see it.
    I fall in again.
    I can’t believe I’m in the same place.
    But it isn’t my fault.
    It still takes a long time to get out.

    Chapter 3

    I walk down the same street.
    There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
    I see it is there.
    I still fall in…it’s a habit
    My eyes are open; I know where I am;
    It is my fault.
    I get out immediately.

    Chapter 4

    I walk down the same street.
    There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
    I walk around it.

    Chapter 5

    I walk down another street.

    Autobiography in Five Chapters by Portia Nelson

    It’s easy to beat ourselves up for falling back into bad habits.

    • Snack on junk food after a day of healthy eating
    • Miss a few workouts after a week of daily exercise
    • Buy an expensive gift after a month of deliberate saving

    We forget that self-improvement is ongoing; habit change takes time. Our greatest ambitions take years (even decades); they are achieved through incremental improvements and compounding interest.

    Instead of focusing on getting it perfect right away, focus on progressing to the next chapter.

    You’re not flawless and never will be.

    Dust yourself off and get out there, you have a story to write.