The wisdom in these three words is priceless. Where did I hear these three words? From a college football coach. I follow a team from the school that my son attended. I heard these inspiring words during a midweek press conference during the regular season. Coaches can and should be master-type mentors. They are in the unique position to motivate and inspire their players. Not only to be better players, but better people. Even if you’re not a sports fan, you can find value in using sports as a metaphor for life.
So, let’s use this metaphor. There’s a game on Saturday – one week away. “It starts today”, says the coach inside you. Whether it’s a game or some other goal, event or deadline, the way that you approach the goal is pivotal. One mindset in achieving success is starting. Today.
The words utter an urgency. Now. Today. Not tomorrow, or next week. This is crucial.
The words engender action. Starting. To do something. However little, you must act.
The words motivate. The principle of achievement is one of the most basic motivating factors in humans. To improve your performance on a given task – This is a fundamental incentive. It starts today. The game is seven days away. Begin honing your craft. Improve your knowledge and skill. Now.
When you act, you tend to attribute failure to luck or lack of effort.
When you avoid approaching the task proactively, its the other way around you tend to attribute success to luck.
Of course, most starts are just re-starts, or new beginnings. But that’s life. Constant renewals. To acknowledge the good positive stuff and let the past setbacks be lessons. When you belief that success and ability are causally linked to each other then you lock into a upward spiral of improvement.
Always learning and always growing. Take the first step.
McClelland 1985 “How motives, skills, and values determine what people do” in American Psychologist
Weiner 1992 Human Motivation