Timing is Important

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So, throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”  Mark Twain

I wrote a letter to my oldest grandchild, Gabrielle, after her graduation from Auburn University. This year, Caroline, another grandchild, graduated from high school; and next year, I will see two more grandchildren graduate, one from college and another from high school. And, each of them will receive a similar letter. What will I share? I will get to that later in this newsletter.

“Your life is in front of you,” and “Your life is just starting,” are some expressions I have heard others say at these pivotal moments in the lives of family members and friends. And, it is true, based on the average life expectancy, that most of their life is still ahead.

This is when someone might say time is on your side.That phrase assumes that there is enough time on your side. I will always remember writing a special letter to my grandmother, who had great influence on my life, sharing her impact on me. She loved that letter. It was written two weeks before her death.  I will always be thankful that I took the time to write a letter to her. Time was on my side, but barely.

• When is the right time to execute those most important goals in your life?
• When is the right time to become the person that you most want to become?
• When is the right time to pursue your dream?
• When is the right time to write a letter of thanks to another person who made a difference in your life?
• When is the right time to do anything that is important?

Is the right time after college? Or, after you are on your own for a couple of years?  Or after you get married? Or, after your first child? Or, after you settle down after the current challenge, the next transition or next whatever in your life? When is the right time to do anything that is important to do? Do you know?

“One today is worth two tomorrows; what I am to be, I am now becoming.” Benjamin Franklin

What is your daily formula for success? Do you have one?  Are you following any daily routines that bring you closer to your main goal, closer to being the person you most want to be, closer to your dream? When might be a good time to embark on this journey?

Decades ago, Eddie Davis, a friend of my dad’s, gifted me with a compulsion to read books and to continue to learn after my college days. It is a gift I accepted And, along the way, as I learned from what I read, I created a daily formula for how I wanted to live my life. A way to give me the best chance at becoming what I wanted to become. To do what I really wanted to do. To be whom I wanted to be.  That blueprint is now permanently sealed in my mind. And, it is what I shared with Gabrielle. And, it is what I share with Caroline this week as she heads to college. And, it is what I share with you today.

If anyone asked me for my own success template, here it is.  These are the habits that I have embraced and pursued. I have had my share of failures in my execution. And, to my own detriment, there have been some periods of time when I did not follow all of my own formula.  But, these are the ones that I have made a consistent effort. Perhaps, you recognize some of these in your daily formula. Maybe, you have others that are important.

• Keep a journal
• Maintain a positive attitude
• Pray often
• Practice a daily success formula. Find what works and repeat it daily 
• Hang around successful people
• Be passionate. Discover your Why
• Be a team player. Be a centerfielder. Discover centerfielders
• Never, never, never quit. Get up when knocked down
• Do what you love and are good at doing
• Rest regularly
• Have a student mindset. Read daily. Listen
• Love and be loved
• Have fun. Laugh often 
• Eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly
• Always do the right thing. Have integrity 
• Be grateful and generous

These best practices work because they are based on timeless principles. They are not my best practices. They belong to anyone who wants to create a successful journey.

Is it time?