What do you believe in strong enough to know when to say yes or no, turn to the left or right, keep at it or cut your losses? What’s on your “Convictions List”?

Asking yourself, “What’s the most productive thing I can do right now?” is a great question, but if you don’t have a strong belief in why you do the things you do, you’ll probably stay busy but hardly be satisfied with your day.

Coach Pete Carroll shares this belief with his players:

“In order to be successful, you must have a consistent philosophy. If you change who you are from year to year – you’re never going to be great at anything.”

Start small. Be true to who you are. This philosophy of yours – these convictions – should be rooted deep within you and articulated carefully. Quality over quantity on this exercise.

One of the keys to finding happiness in life is having some conviction about the life you’re living.

We all have a past. If we try to forget it, we ignore potential lessons. If we hang on to it … well, we might miss on present and future opportunity. Acknowledge the past. Our past is important, though not as important as our present is to our future.

We have a present. An unquiet mind or an anxious spirit might cause us to miss it. We too busy worrying about what others are or might be thinking about us. We tend to become too cautious or too hurried to figure out what’s next. Live in the present. This time is a gift. For now.

We have a future. It’ll come soon enough. Having goals is good. Preparing for future times is wise. A “When Then, Then This” thought process can be helpful “So That” you’re prepared for potential surprises. Prepare for the future. 

Acknowledge the Past. Live in the Present. Prepare for the Future.

Be aware that if there is a battle — it’s the one right in front of you, not the one behind you, nor the one still a ways down the road.

I’ve read that John Wooden grew up with a mantra his father passed along to him, and then he passed along to his players:

Don’t Whine; Don’t Complain; Don’t Make Excuses

Such sage advice to be adopted at early ages will serve you well as you grow, and grow you well as you serve.

Continuous Improvement is better than Delayed Perfection – Mark Twain

Novice to Expert is more than a single step. The way things change these days, it might be a lifelong journey.

Improving is one of the key pieces in how we work at SmallBizTracks. Once we embrace a beginner’s mindset, we can learn – and then improve as we apply what is learned. Improving a little bit at a time allows you to modify, measure, and master as you grow.

Small steps often lead to big results. To be sure, small steps make change easier to navigate.