You get motivated and then make a 1-year plan. For example, you want to retire early in your life. So, you come up with a number of $1 million dollars to retire. Now, if you focus on getting as much money in 1 year – it will seem daunting.
And it will feel scary. Instead, focus on the 10-year plan. $1 million dollars per year isn’t 100K. Because when you say over long-term, there is compound interest too. So, you need to save about $50k in good investment and you will end up with million dollars or closer amount.
The same is true for fitness. Looking a certain way in 1 year is ambitious. Sure, you can get lucky and get your goal. But when you stretch it for 10-year, it becomes easy to see the progress. For 1st year then your goal will be to lost 5kg, doable. For the second year, increasing your stamina and so on.
A 10-year plan for big goals is the way to go. It will seem natural to plan for 1-year but when you don’t see the progress, it will break your heart. Aim for long-term, compounding helps. Also, you often overestimate what you can do in 1-year and underestimate what you can do in 10-years.
The Power of Choice
You might feel trapped in your current scenario – maybe you are studying or in a job, you don’t like going.
Let me tell you a story – there was this kid who hates going to school every day. So one day her mom told her to do whatever she liked. And she performed all the normal routines she did. Only this time she was happy.
So maybe the current situation you are in isn’t bad. But you don’t feel like you are making choice. So, you don’t feel good about it.
Try having a side project or hobby which you enjoy. This will help you see your day job or school in a different light. Having multiple income sources puts you in a different zone. When you don’t have to force yourself to do one thing because you have other things to do – you enjoy yourself.
Good Enough
When you obsess to become the best in every field, you see that it’s hard. And often you quit. The trick is to choose the areas where you want to be great, some areas where you are good enough and somewhere you are terrible.
For example, I don’t like doing dishes. So, I will buy a dishwasher. I want to get the best at dancing. So I put in extra hours for that. And in other areas of my life, if I get good enough – I don’t push.
In your job, choose your excellence and be okay to be good enough in other areas. Because that’s how you put less stress and succeed.
You Have A Long Life
Sure, it seems like time is slipping by and you don’t have the time. But remember, when you see someone doing extraordinary things – it means they are focused on that one thing. Michael Jordan only did baseball, Michael Phelps only did swimming and Michael Jackson only did dance for a lot of their time.
See how you spend your time and you can see how you will end up in the end. It takes 10-years for anything to pan out.
If you are watching Netflix for 3 hours every day then you will have entertained yourself and got a lot of movie information over 10 years. If you keep writing and learning about it every day, then you will become a good enough writer.
Whatever you want to excel in life, remember you have a long life. And you will do that thing over years. So remember that and put in the work each day so your future self achieves what you are planning to achieve today.
Shortcuts Don’t Work
If you see someone excel at their craft it’s tempting to get their asap. But there are many factors involved – hard work, luck, time, network, parents, health and many other things.
If you do everything the same then there is no guarantee you will reach the same level. Nor you are guaranteed to get any success.
Of course, you have to put in the effort. Try to be content with the progress you are experiencing. Slowly things will shape and you will find your unique experience. If you don’t have to think about food, clothing and shelter then you are in a good space. Enjoy whatever excess you get in life.
And of course, a 10-year plan works when you are committed. Persistence, pushing through the tough times and adapting is the key to get anything you want out of life.
Rohan's blog 