virgin islands scene

History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.
-- Maya Angelou
 

 

Tuesday, September 3, 1996

Staying busy

Everyone is busy, yet few people ever get very much done. Isn’t that strange? Perhaps just keeping busy is not the answer.

Does what you do, do anything for you? Or does it just keep you busy? People often get into time-consuming habits, doing the same things day after day. They may not even enjoy them, or benefit from them. They just do them because that’s what they did yesterday, and the day before... And they look around after 20 years and wonder why their life is going nowhere, and “where did all the time go?"

Step back and take a good look at all of the things you do each day. Why do you do them? Where do they get you? It’s all too easy to get in a rut, and even easier to stay in one. Yet if you’re to live a life of excellence, you’ll need to climb out of that rut.

Start by having a plan. One reason people get into unproductive, “busy-work” routines is that they just don’t know what else to do. A step-by-step plan keeps you focused and productive.

Accept the fact that risk is a part of life. The fulfillment of your life’s dreams demands that you get out of your secure, comfortable rut.

Make the commitment to get the most from your time. You only have so much time in the day. Use your time productively, rather than just filling it. Challenge yourself to make every minute count.

Look up, look around. Expand your horizons. It’s muddy and confining down in that rut. Climb out and breathe the fresh air of possibility and accomplishment.

— Ralph Marston

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Copyright ©1996 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. All Rights Reserved. The Daily Motivator is provided for your personal, non-commercial use only. Other than personal sharing, please do not re-distribute without permission.