5 REASONS WHY TODAY MATTERS
I haven’t been following you around watching you this morning (I swear), but I am guessing that in many ways, today’s looked pretty much like every other day. Most of us are creatures of habit. We usually follow the same routines, interact with the same people, and check the same boxes, day after day. For that reason, it’s really not that hard for any of us to set our dials to autopilot, mindlessly go about our business, and in many ways diminish the value and significance of today. But for champions in any area of life, today matters. In fact, that belief - that today is important and meaningful, and that becoming our best requires that we take advantage of it - that’s a belief that separates the very best from everyone else. Champions are committed to making today count. So the question is, are you?
If you need some encouragement in this area, then here are five specific reasons why today matters…
Today is an opportunity to start.
“The man who moves a mountain starts by carrying away small stones.” -Confucius
That Chinese proverb confirms for us that every great achievement begins with a decision to start. Sometimes, starting is the hardest part. We can easily allow the voice of our inner loser to justify that it’s not the right time to start, and that maybe tomorrow, or next week, or anytime after that will be better or easier. But our inner champion clarifies for us that if we’re waiting for the perfect time to start, we’ll probably be waiting forever. The truth is, today - like every other day - people just like you have chosen to take action, despite the complications or inconvenience. They are listening and responding to the voice of their inner champion, and you can, too. I don’t know where you might need to get started or what exactly it looks like, but I do know today can be your day.
Today is a chance to change.
“You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight.” -Jim Rohn
Maybe today it’s not the conviction to start you've been wrestling with, but the conviction to change. It could be a personal realization you’ve come to about an unhealthy or unproductive mindset, behavior, or response you’ve adopted. It could be a relational change you recognize you need to make in the way you lead others, the way you manage a challenging relationship, or the way you communicate in moments of stress or conflict. That voice of your inner loser is probably working to convince you that you can’t change, and that there’s no use even trying. But our inner champion clarifies for us not only that we can change, but if we’re really serious about becoming our best, we have to change. We have to keep getting better. Our success in any important area of life requires it - every day, including this one.
Today is training for something.
“We don’t rise to the level of our expectations; we fall to the level of our training.” -Archilochus
Each one of us have goals and dreams - important, meaningful things we want to accomplish. And it’s easy to create high expectations for ourselves when we think about those big opportunities in life, when our moment in the bright lights finally arrives. Our inner loser actually loves to naively and ignorantly build up the expectations around some flawless, future performance we envision in our minds. Our inner champion, on the other hand, has a way of clarifying for us the humble reality of excellence in any area - that our performance is built on our preparation. That who we are under the bright lights is determined by the work we put in in the dark. And that what we sow today, we'll reap when the time is right.
Today is an optimal time to impact others.
“You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.” -John Wooden
Today matters because today provides you with an opportunity to make a difference in the life of someone else. While your inner loser encourages you to focus on yourself - what you want or what you think you deserve or are entitled to, your inner champion encourages you to recognize the difference you can make today in the lives of those around you. Some days your opportunity to make a difference is massive. Most days it’s minimal. But even a small gesture of kindness or selflessness or sacrifice today has the potential to turn someone’s day or week or even life around. There’s no telling where or when that opportunity might come, but if you keep your radar up, I’m certain you can find it somewhere.
Today is another vote to cast.
“In many ways, each of us holds an individual election in life each day to determine which ‘us’ will govern our lives. Will we elect the best version of ourselves, or settle for someone else? Will we choose the champion or the loser?” -Hidden Talent: Uncovering What Really Makes a Champion a Champion
In my book Hidden Talent, I use that election analogy to illustrate the choice every one of us makes each day, whether we realize it or not. It’s one of the most important reasons why today matters, because regardless of what you're doing today, you are responsible for choosing who it is you’re gonna be - the best version of yourself...or someone else. The challenge is that as a candidate in this race, your inner loser is constantly running a dirty campaign. That message is filled with lies, with false hope and empty promises, and with the relentless reassurance that today doesn’t matter. Don’t fall for it. Instead, do what champions do. Recognize that today is another chance for you to validate exactly who you are and what you're all about. Sure, it’s just one vote, and it doesn’t hold any more weight than yesterday’s or tomorrow’s. But it is the only one you’ve got today...so make it count.