It's In The Details!

Having a willingness to follow a sound business plan is like having a Career G.P.S.  ...When you become lost and off track ...turn it on and find your way home!

Have you ever wondered why achieving your goals can often take much longer than you planned? 

Many of us often set out on a certain objective or goal but, somewhere along the way, we encounter difficulty or challenges which were unforeseen.  Often under-estimate is the time needed to accomplish certain activities or even under-estimate the time needed to acquire the skill needed to excel.

When the progress is not swift or easy, many often just simply give up.  We spend our time looking for a short cut to success, when none exists.  We get impatient for the result to happen now.  This ongoing challenge with success reminds me of a story. 

Several centuries ago, the Emperor of Japan commissioned a Japanese artist to paint a particular species of bird for him.  Months passed and then years.  The Emperor was finally fed up with the delay and went to the artist’s studio to demand an explanation of the delay.

When the Emperor arrived he found the artist staring at a blank canvas on his easel.  The Emperor demanded the artist to begin his painting at once.  The artist began to paint the bird, and within 15 minutes the painting was complete.  The painting was an absolute masterpiece!  The Emperor was extremely pleased with the work but had to ask why such a long delay.

The artist walked over to the cabinets in his studio.  He proceeded to pull out stacks of drawings of feathers, tendons, wings, feet, claws, eyes, and beaks.  He pulled out drawings of every part of the bird from every angle.  He stacked them in a large pile before the Emperor.  The Emperor then knew why it had taken so long to complete the project.  

There are hundreds of small, little, detailed steps in creating a masterpiece.  You must become a master at performing the small details before you can create a masterpiece.  This artist spent a few years perfecting his skill of drawing this bird for 15 minutes of excellence.  Greatness in life is in the consistency and the details.

To achieve excellence in life, one must strive and focus on creating an excellent year.  Within that year, you must strive for an excellent month.  Within that month, you must strive for an excellent day.  To achieve an excellent day, you have to focus on creating an excellent hour.  The accomplishment of an excellent life is created moment by moment.  What is the sum of your excellent moments so far?

Next weeks Blog: Ten Steps to a Perfect Business Plan