How Can I Get 1% Better Today?
The answer – Shovel The Snow.
Two years ago we got snowed in and were out of school for four days. Being from the south
this is new territory for us. But having tried to get my front wheel drive Explorer out in the snow
last year and getting stuck trying to get up my steep driveway, I learned my Explorer is useless
in snow/ice. So we stayed inside on Monday and Tuesday. We were able to get my wife’s all
wheel drive truck out on Wednesday to run some errands.
Stephanie (my wife) had to go to MS on Wednesday evening and we knew for her to have a
chance to make it, she had to take the truck (all wheel drive). So now I am stuck with my
Explorer at the house and driveway still covered with ice/snow. I decide to give it a shot, slide
down the driveway and barely make it out of the neighborhood. I had to slide down the street
and back into a neighbor’s drive that had been shoveled and get a running go to make it up my
street to another street that had been cleared. It was a close call. Since I am going to Oklahoma
the next day and leave my truck parked in the middle of the street so I could get out the next
day. I knew I shouldn’t attempt to come up the driveway.
Then I had a thought, shoveling the driveway would really suck! I must do it! Then that little
voice said, nah it’s going to warm up tomorrow and you will be gone, don’t waste your time. But
I knew it would suck and thought I must do this. So I call a friend, borrow some salt, shovel and
pick. I took a little coaching from my friend and got after it. And it SUCKED! But I was so glad I
did it. What a great feeling when I was done. You all know that feeling you get when you
accomplish something, you feel good about yourself. That surge of dopamine your brain
produces is worth the work.
Much like in life, not all of life is fun. We must do things sometimes that we do not enjoy. And a
great train of thought is, this sucks – therefore I must do it. Procrastination is real, you can beat it
by getting to work. The next time you think, this is going to be hard or I do not want to do this,
say to yourself “I must do it now.” You will feel great about it and next time not fear or put off
doing what you know you need to do.
Shovel the snow/ice.
John Perry