Daily Gratitude: How do you define success? I’ve asked that before but it never hurts to repeat such an important question. My recent escapade at vol state is a perfect example of this. I made several mistakes and most of them were BEFORE the race even began. I started in the hole- a very deep hole. In fact, it was one I didn’t think I could climb out of. But I wasn’t going to throw away all those miles and hours of training, all the money and time spent getting to the race just to pull up stakes and say “ah well, I messed up – I’m out of here. See ya.” No way was I going to quit on day 1 when I knew I’d messed up badly. What was I to do? Just keep moving. At least I had learned that last year – that moving even very slowly was more productive than sitting around trying to get my energy back. What a great lesson from the past. And how smart of me (patting myself on the back) to remember that. That one fact and idea from a previous race kept me moving even when my legs just wouldn’t go. That 1 mile an hour was at least one more mile than I would have made had I just sat around moping. Maybe I wouldn’t be able to make the 314 that way but I’d never know sitting on my butt. You have to keep moving and moving toward some goal, even if today it has to be a tiny goal. We put fancy labels on things. People talk about this type of idea as “setting your intention.” Why not just say each morning “what is my tiny goal for today?”. Face it and accept it and then just move toward it. Same thing in the evening – simply ask yourself “did I reach my tiny goal” today? It doesn’t have to be complicated and fancy with acronyms and cute phrases. Just those two questions each day. Move from point a to point b every day. Then do it over the next day.

Daily Gratitude: This is fairly easy if you think about it. How can you be a small light today? Why not ask yourself this question every morning let’s say for one week? Just asking yourself the question will embed it in your brain so that it can start working behind the scenes so to speak. As with any thought, once your brain has the idea, it will begin to marinate it and allow it to grow. Often you don’t even have to put any more effort into it. It will just come about. If you do decide, though, to consciously implement it, all the better! How special would your day be if you went about it with one primary goal in mind – to be the light in someone’s day? You’ll be alert for opportunities to do something for another person. Your RAS (reticular activating system) will hone in and focus on what’s going on and will spot those opportunities. It will weed out the other stuff and strip away all but the specific way in which you can brighten up someone else’s life. You’ll be surprised and amazed that there is such a system inside that hard head of yours. Remember – every morning ask how you be a small (and remember that it’s small so you don’t feel overwhelmed) light In someone’s day. Then review your actions at the end of the day to see how you did!

Daily Gratitude: Boy is this a valuable and key life lesson. And since we live in the day of instant gratification, it’s hard to remember. We want to learn to play the piano within 24 hours of getting one. “Practice? Why do I need to practice? Why can’t I just sit down at the piano and play like a classical master?” Think back to a baby learning to walk. The baby didn’t go from crawling and sticking its feet in its mouth to see how they tasted. They had to focus – as much as a baby can focus. They had to get up, fall down and get up again. Over and over. If they quit because they couldn’t walk the first time they tried, where would we be? Maybe cut out a picture of a baby trying to walk and put it over your piano (or wherever else you’re learning right now). Look at that baby every time you get frustrated that you haven’t yet been invited to be in the most orchestra in the world (or some other grandiose plan your mind has concocted). Small steps. Consistency and persistence is what makes you great.