How Can I Get 1% Better Today?
The Answer – Select Thoughtfully.
Selection matters. The decisions you make today are quietly shaping the life you will live tomorrow. Every choice is a vote for the person you are becoming. One of my favorite quotes says, “You will be the same person in five years as you are today except for the books you read and the people you spend time with.”
When I say books, I am referring to anything you consume that deposits information into your mind—books, podcasts, videos, social media, television, and conversations. Not all information deserves access to your brain. Just because something is available does not mean it is valuable. The same can be said for relationships. Not every voice deserves influence in your life.
We often think our future is determined by one big decision, but more often it is determined by thousands of small selections made over time. The people we listen to. The content we consume. The conversations we entertain. The habits we allow to stay. Day after day, these selections compound. They either move us closer to the person we want to become or farther away. We are never truly standing still.
Several years ago, I made the decision to eliminate the news from my daily routine. I do not watch it, and I do not miss it. For me, it was a matter of return on investment. I found that the more news people consumed, the more fearful, negative, hostile, and discouraged they often became. Those are places I do not want my mind to visit regularly. There is already enough negativity competing for our attention without voluntarily inviting more in.
Some people would argue that I need to know everything that is happening in the world. They may be right. I certainly know less about current events than many people. But I have chosen to focus my energy on something different. My goal is not to be the most informed person in every room. My goal is to be one of the most encouraging, helpful, and value-adding people in every room.
To do that, I need to intentionally surround myself with people who challenge me, inspire me, and make me better. I need to fill my mind with books, podcasts, and ideas that help me grow so I can turn around and help others grow. I want my mental bank account to be filled with things that create hope, wisdom, courage, and perspective.
Every day, you are making deposits into your future. The question is: What are you depositing?
Select your friends carefully. Select your mentors carefully. Select your inputs carefully. Select your thoughts carefully.
Because your selections today become your reality tomorrow. Selection matters.
John Perry