Every day we are presented with an opportunity, a choice, a fork in the road. We can choose to get better or get worse. Those are the only two options. There is no maintenance, no neutral, no staying the same. What happened yesterday has no bearing on today. Tomorrow will present it’s own unique challenges. Today is the day you have been given. What are you going to do with it?
Before moving deeper into this idea of Better Every Day, I want to point out that reflection on and growth from the past is a valuable use of time today, just be careful not to get caught dwelling or regretting. Make sure it is an objective and productive review of the past, understanding why you arrived at that outcome and how you can improve moving forward. Likewise, preparation for tomorrow is a vital use of time today but avoid getting caught up in perpetual planning to the point that you never take action. Planning is great, but action gets things done. Besides, plans are generally obsolete as soon as they are finished. Point yourself in the right direction, make sure you have a strategy to get there, then get to it. Finally, rest is a requirement for success, just be careful not to linger here too long to the point of laziness or procrastination.
Better Every Day is mindset and your mindset is a choice. Many people fall victim to focusing on things that are out of their control (like the past or the future) and they miss the opportunity of the day. Some days provide big opportunities, some small, but the chance to step closer to your dream, calling, and potential is not something to take for granted.
The time we have on this earth is finite, limited, and not guaranteed. Yet, we are all guilty of simply wasting time every day. Imagine if every minute that passed, you had to give a dollar to whatever was occupying your time. That would be $1,440/day you would have to spend, with no refunds allowed. How many dollars would you be handing over to Instagram, Netflix, or Fortnite? How about regret, shame, or anger? What about discontentment, materialism, or comparison?
On the flip side, how many dollars would you invest in your spouse, your children, your health? How about your work, your friendships, or sleep? What about your faith, your dreams, or pure joy? How many dollars would you reinvest in yourself?
Converting minutes into dollars can make it easier to grasp the value of time. We would all likely treat time a little differently if it was connected to our bank account. But we get lulled into complacency because our time appears to be endless. We also have certain social norms that make wasting time a normal part of life. Scrolling Instagram, binging on shows, eating poorly, and drinking too much, are all generally acceptable uses of time.
Let’s pick on social media for a minute. The average American spends two hours and six minutes per day on social media. Now, social media is not inherently bad, there is good, encouraging, and uplifting content floating around out there. But if we are honest, most of our social media time does not go into the “personal development” category.
So, what could you do with an extra 2 hours a day? What could you accomplish with an extra 15-20 hours per week? Could you lose the weight, learn the language, start the business, volunteer at the church, earn the degree, repair the relationship?
Could you get a little Better Every Day?
Do not get me wrong, this is not a vendetta against social media. Social media is the just primary timewaster of our generation. Television, video games, movies, magazines, and radio have all held that title in the past. All these mediums of news or entertainment are good in the proper place. These can all be beneficial during downtime or rest. Watching a movie with your spouse, catching the evening news, turning on the ball game on a Saturday afternoon, these are all right and good. Mindlessly scrolling social media for an hour, binging a show until 3 AM on a school night, skipping the workout to play the videogame, this is not good.
Every moment of every day we have a decision to make. Are we going to pursue our dreams and ambitions or are we going to watch another episode of The Office? Are we going to sit down to have a conversation with our spouse or switch on the Xbox? Are we going to fit in that workout or scroll Instagram for a few more minutes?
If you have a meaningful goal these decisions are easy. What makes a goal meaningful? The why behind it. Goals are the what, the meaning is the why.
Don’t tell me you want to lose 10 pounds. Tell me why you want to lose 10 pounds. If your why is because I think it might be kinda nice to fit a little better in my jeans, you’re doomed. If your why is because I want to set a good example for my kids and give myself the best chance to be as healthy as I can so I can get to know my grandchildren, there’s a good chance you make time for that workout.
You see the difference? Getting Better Every Day is a choice, but we are all human. We have good days and bad days, motivation comes and goes, we even lose sight of our dreams in the hustle of everyday life.
This is the why behind Better Every Day.
Better Every Day is not a self-help, personal development, rah-rah blog. Better Every Day is a community of people that have dreams and need the consistent encouragement to pursue them. Better Every Day is about the individual just as much as it is about the world as a whole. As individuals passionately pursue their Better, they repair relationships, overcome addiction, build business, improve their health, find financial contentment, and create space to serve in their communities.
Better Every Day is here for the person that feels like they are on an island, without positive influences, mentors, or coaches. We are here for the person stuck in a rut with no idea how to turn it around. We are here for the addicted that just need something positive in their lives. We are here for the discontented, disheartened, or disregarded. We are here to consistently lift each other up.
Better Every Day does not mean a magic pill or 5-step program that will fix all your problems. There is no such thing in this life.
Every day we are blessed with gives us an opportunity to pursue our Better. That means very different things to different people because we all have different whys and we are all broken in different ways. No matter our differences, we can all offer encouragement in the journey, share the burden of defeat, and celebrate the victories together.
Better Every Day is not a fad or catch phrase. Better Every Day is a movement. A grass roots, bottom up, wave of individuals pursuing their individual Better and, in turn, Bettering their families, friendships, communities, businesses, and cities.
I believe there is Better in all of us. Individually and collectively. I believe pursuing your Better is contagious and addicting. I believe one individual’s Better can reshape families and communities. I believe Better takes a team. Better takes courage. Better takes time. Better takes action.
Better is not perfection. Better is gradual, incremental improvement. EVERY. DAY.
How are you going to get Better today? Maybe it is as simple as putting your phone down for 15 minutes or turning off the TV for the evening. Maybe it means making that call or writing the resume. Maybe it means resting, regrouping, and planning for your next step.
No matter what your goals, no matter your dreams, your Better is anxiously waiting for you to make your move. Don’t let perfection get in the way of progress.
Start today. Right now. Begin your pursuit of Better Every Day.
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