Welcome to Greatness

If this is your first time with us, welcome! Each week it is my goal to help you take another step closer to the greatness you're seeking. I want you to grow through each newsletter. The format is simple: 1 quote to inspire some contemplation, 2 lessons/stories for you to apply knowledge to your life, and 3 interesting learning opportunities to grow you understanding of greatness.

We are all capable of becoming great. It starts with the 7 pillars listed below.

The 7 Pillars of Greatness

1. Work

2. Discipline

3. Mindset

4. Resilience

5. Purpose

6. People

7. Courage

There are many things that make up greatness. And within each of these pillars are several other skills that need to be understood and developed. If you want a deeper look at the 7 Pillars check out this document I wrote going deeper into each pillar.

1 Quote

2 Lessons

• Discipline is a muscle you can learn to flex.

As good ole Abe said above discipline is about choosing what you want most over what you want now.

This is the first step to developing your discipline.

When you have a clear picture of the thing you want, it's easier to start to make choices that align with that vision.

This week has been a tough one for me.

Both my kids have not slept great and on Thursday I was really starting to drag.

That night my son, Hunter, woke me up at 12:45a having a meltdown.

It was the first time he'd peed his bed, and he was not happy.

After about a half hour of stripping sheets and trying to calm him down I finally got back to bed.

Then, at around 3:30a my daughter, Sayler, decided it was her turn.

I got up, went into her room, rocked her and laid her back down.

I had finally drifted off to sleep, when my alarm started screaming at me to wake up.

It was 5a already.

I did not want to get out of bed.

My eyes hurt, my mind was tired, and I was battling my inner voice to sleep just a little longer.

But, I have things I need to get done.

So, I forced my body to get moving. It was a slow process.

After a few minutes, I was finally up and moving.

I finished all the tasks I had set out to complete that morning and was able to create some momentum for the day.

Discipline is a choice.

It's not an easy choice. But each time you choose to do what is expected of you and to do more than what is required, you build a discipline muscle.

Want to improve your discipline?

Pay attention to what you choose when you're faced with a difficult decision.

Like I mentioned last week, start small.

1 to 2 tasks that you want to perform everyday, and then battle your mind when it starts to tell you it's ok if you miss a day.

Stay true to what you set out to do.

• Your destiny lies beyond following what others have already accomplished.

I'm working on a new book right now that is about walking your own unique path.

Braving the unknown and venturing into uncharted lands.

Over the last few years I've come to believe that life rewards us for taking risks.

For being bold and trying something new.

I'm currently living this in my own life.

I came to the realization the other day while talking about my new book, that I'm living the main characters journey.

I'm in the process of making some major life changes (I'm not able to fully disclose them yet).

But I will be treading out into new waters.

Exploring new lands and beginning new adventures.

I'm not saying we should be reckless and leap into dangerous situations without accessing them.

But there will come a time in your life when you've gone as far as you can on the current path that you're on.

When that day comes will you wait for someone else to start to clear the way so you can continue

or

will you start hacking away and create your own path?

This is where great things are discovered about ourself.

When we find ourselves thrust into the unknow.

We must face our fears and step forward.

It is only through this exploration and new adventure that we discover who we truly are.

Don't wait for someone else to lead you.

You're more equipped to take on the world's challenges than you think.

You don't have to start by jumping in the deep end before you know if you can swim.

But it might be time to start wading out into deeper waters and seeing what happens.

Lose the floaties and start swimming on your own.

The world needs your ideas.

3 Things to Check Out

I finished listening to Never Finished by David Goggins this week. This is a continuation of his story that he told in Can't Hurt Me. This man's journey through life is one that inspires me to continue to push. I know I have more to give and after listening to him talk about his life, I'm ready to do more. He's a unique individual who's learned to harness his mind through years of constant struggle and discomfort. We can all give a little more and David Goggins can help you get there.

Cameron Hanes is another one of those people who understand what it means to be disciplined. His life has been one clear pursuit of excellence in the world of bow hunting. His ability to lean into his discipline and his courage to do it his way has set him apart. He's a living example of the two lessons I wrote about above. Check out Endure and I know you'll find a few nuggets in there even if you're not a hunting enthusiast.

Are you familiar with Alex Honnold? He's an incredible climber and this is his story about climbing El Capitan without any safety gear to help keep him on the wall. Free Solo is an epic adventure into the world of climbing. As well as a behind the scenes look at the discipline and planning that goes into a climb like this.

Make sure you buckle up on this climb, and I hope you don't have a fear of heights.

Thanks for Stopping By

Thanks for coming by. I hope you enjoyed this week's issue. If you'd like more content before next Sunday visit The Edge of Greatness Project.

If you're working on a project or just need some help, please don't hesitate to reach out. I'd love to help you get to your next milestone.

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