How You Do Anything Is How You Do Everything. Here's What I Mean:

There's a story I once heard about the founder of Nike, Phil Knight, that I want to share with you.

It went something like this:

Knight was speaking at a large conference and he said to the audience:?“If any of you have ever run for exercise can you please stand up.”

Most of the room stood up.

He then said, “If you run at least once a week please keep standing.”

Half of the room sits down.

He then says, "If you run at least twice a week please keep standing.”

Most of the people sit down.

He then says, “If you run three times a week — rain or shine regardless of the weather or the temperature — please keep standing.”

Now there's a small number of people in the room still standing and he looks out at them and he says,?“The next time you're out there before the sun is up, and it's dark, it's cold and it's wet and you're running by yourself, we're the ones standing under the lamppost cheering you on.”

In an instant you understand what “Just Do It” means.

It has nothing to do with winning. It has everything with doing.

How you do anything is how you do everything.

It's an old adage but powerful statement to live by.

Regardless of who you are or what you do in life, your approach to small, everyday tasks often reflects your approach to life as a whole.

Paying attention to the minutiae of our daily lives and choosing a path of discipline can significantly shape our character, productivity, and ultimately, our destiny. It's why you should exude the same attitude, effort, and care doing the "little things" as you do the "big" things.

We're faced with a number of 'insignificant' decisions almost daily, like choosing what time to wake up, how we interact with the people around us, how we manage our routines, etc. While these choices might appear trivial in isolation, collectively, they set the tone for our larger life decisions.

Our approach to small tasks is a rehearsal for our approach to bigger challenges.

Our actions are a reflection of our identity.

By consistently applying ourselves with integrity and discipline in ALL tasks, we solidify our values and traits as fundamental components of our character.

Consistency in how we hold ourselves, how we organize things around us and how we treat other people is crucial, as it ensures that we don't waver when faced with more significant and challenging decisions. A person who meticulously organizes their workspace, for instance, is likely to apply the same level of detail and care in their professional analyses and reports — they're disciplined.

Discipline is not just about rigid adherence to routines; it's equally about being mindful and present in every action. When we pay close attention to how we execute small tasks, we cultivate a sense of mindfulness that enhances our focus, reduces errors, and improves the quality of our work that translates to the 'big' ones.

How we handle small tasks also influences how others perceive and trust us.

Consistently showing up on time, meeting small commitments, and paying attention to details in our work can build a reputation of reliability and professionalism.

This trust is crucial in both personal and professional relationships and often leads to greater responsibilities and opportunities. By choosing discipline in our daily actions, we develop resilience and the ability to persevere through challenges.

Pay attention to how you handle small decisions — even the ones that seem mundane —?and choose discipline.

That's what lays the foundation for a life of integrity, success, and fulfillment.

Think about shooting a basketball.

If you practice shooting two feet away from the hoop, you’re eventually going to get really really good from that spot.

Put in your 10,000 hours, and you’ll be a master.

If you were to look at your improvement on a graph, you’d show a consistent gradual positive slope, until eventually, the slope plateaus. You’ll have mastered shooting the ball from that spot on the floor, and will feel confident and comfortable in your abilities on that particular spot. But to improve your game overall, you need to expand your range — so you walk over to the free throw line.

Your confidence in your abilities dissipates.

This is new territory for you, and you start to question whether you’re good enough to play the game at all.

This happens to all of us on our life path — and happens multiple times, at that. We become masters of our current position at work, as a teammate, with family. We feel relieved to be in a place of comfort and familiarity. But we also know there’s more out there. We’re left with a choice —?stay put, or keep growing.

Eventually, most of us gain enough confidence to try something new —?like apply for a new job, or start a business. But when we take our first steps on that path, our confidence leaves just as it did when you first stepped up to the hypothetical free throw line.

At this stage, it’s crucial we remind ourselves of where we started, and how with enough time and effort we too, can become the master of our new environment.

Stepping outside of your comfort zone is the only way to continue growth. It will be intimidating, but that's how you know you're on the right path.

Be consistent and disciplined in everything you do.

It will be challenging. It might get uncomfortable. But trust that if you stay on track, you're growing.

—

Thanks for reading! For more check out AlderTalk.com