“The law of nature is, Do the thing, and you shall have the power: but they who do not the thing have not the power.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

He must always keep this copy of the law with him and read it daily as long as he lives. That way he will learn to fear the LORD his God by obeying all the terms of this law. (Deut. 17:19, NLT)

How committed do you feel you are to achieve your goals?

Yesterday’s devotional mentioned that Dr. Jerry Graham has been my primary coach and mentor over the past year. In September 2007, he and his wife Sharon began their own daily e-prayer devotional. Today’s message is taken directly from Jerry’s Daily Graham sent on March 17. 

What is the difference between the person who seems to consistently achieve their goals and the person who seems to consistently fail? Is it intelligence? Could it be talent? Is it their genes? Maybe the one is more blessed, more anointed, more fortunate, or some such intangible outside force?

Actually, it usually is none of those things. The difference is often just a series of simple, easy, “insignificant” actions done day after day after day. Yes, it’s the easy-to-do things that make all the difference in the world. The problem is that those easy-to-do things are also all too easy-not-to-do.

You see, the easy-to-do things done repeatedly begin to add up as the days, weeks, and months go by. They accumulate to make up massive progress toward the goal. Whereas, the repeated procrastination of those same easy-to-do actions simply because they are inconvenient, uncomfortable, or less fun than something else also accumulates over the weeks, months, and years to a giant zero. Successful people do what ever it takes to get the job done, whether or not they feel like it.

One of my favorite books is The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson. In that book he writes: “Why do you walk past the exercise bike? Because it’s easy. If you don’t exercise today, will that kill you? No, of course not. You know what you need to do to stay healthy and feel fit and live a long life. Get your heart rate up, a little over normal, for twenty minutes, three times a week. You know it, I know it, everyone knows it. And it’s easy to do.

“But it’s also easy not to do. And if you don’t do it today, or tomorrow, or the next day, you won’t suddenly drop dead, and you won’t suddenly put on twenty pounds, and you won’t suddenly lose all your muscle tone and flop around like a marionette with his strings cut off. But that simple error in judgment, compounded over time, will take you down and out.”

Bottom line…success at any goal is really pretty simple according to our good buddy Ralph Waldo Emerson…Do the thing! Do the thing today, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, ad infinitum.

Link of the Day
The Slight Edge Philosophy

Prayer Power
Lord, give us the grace to daily do those simple, little, insignificant things that will move us one step closer to that destiny You are calling us to.

Blessings on you as you commit to take that simple little step today…and tomorrow…and tomorrow…etc.

Opportunity
Today I am hosting a free online “UNCOMMON Internet Marketing Seminar” at Noon EDT. Learn more and register.