Aristotle wrote, “the works produced are by nature better things than the activities”.
For me: the work I do must be my best because that shows who I am. Not only the work but the way I complete it. My process and ability show through and there is no doubt to my competency. Self-doubt is the only negative. Yet I let it go once I take action.
Think with clarity. Act with purpose. My mind’s eye removed the veil that was covering my thoughts. With the veil gone I can see the patterns I missed before. The patterns show me the path. And I move. Fast, sudden action in the pursuit of my goal. I realize when I write down my actions and review what I’ve written, patterns emerge.
What Did I Discover?
Finance, budgeting, and planning are things I enjoy doing. The process of digging deep into the numbers brings back that childhood smile. The smile, all teeth, that feels the glow of solving a problem. Problem-solving is the ultimate pattern recognition. From nothing, I grasp a solution that fits – the mating of problem and solution. And, behold; it is glorious! To me, that is the basis of winning. Winning is the game.
The second part of that feeling is executing a well-laid plan. I remember football. Sweating buckets on the field during practice, to arrive on game day. Ready. Before every contest, the nerves start. What if I suck? What if I’m not good enough? What if I lose? And each time I find my truth. The outcome will be what it is; the amount of work I put in before will determine how ready I am. And no amount of second-guessing now will change that. To myself I say; get some, this is your time, this is your moment, and you worked your ass off for this. That’s enough to get me moving. Doubt never stood in my way, the self-talk is my motivation.