Do You Have The Slight Edge
by Bill · Filed Under: Health and Wellness · Motivational Monday's · Success Startegy · Uncategorized
What makes some people so successful in their career or life’s pursuits where it seems that everything they touch turns to gold? On the flip side, how come a lot of other people we know seem to struggle and toil over the same issues time and time again?
Let me propose to you that the first person knows something or has something that the second person does not. Would you agree with that? I think most of you would. So what is it? That’s the million dollar question. If you could just find out what that thing is and how you can get it, that would be the real solution to all your struggles in life.
I’ll pose a few scenarios to you; And since this site is really about fitness, the first one will be about that …Why is it some people never manage the time to stay in shape, while others run a few miles each day even though their lives are just as busy? They have the Slight Edge! It’s there in your life whether you know it or not. It’s either working for you or against you. Your health is the most prized possession you have. Yet many people don’t give their prized possession the attention it deserves. You wouldn’t expect to eat a double cheeseburger for lunch and then keel over with heart attack from it. Not today and not tomorrow. But a lifetime of that type of eating will certainly put you on that path. So it’s not the 1 junk food meal, it’s the thousands over a lifetime. Eating fresh fruit, complex carbs, lean protein and such will give your body what it needs. It’s easy to eat right and it’s easy to not eat right. Both are easy, but in the long run they have dramatically different outcomes.
The same is true for exercise. Not doing a bit of exercise for a week or so, won’t put your body in sad shape, but a lifetime of no exercise will certainly put the pounds on. A few workouts a week, twenty minutes here doing a fast walk or run, doing some resistance exercises here and there, all add up to what your body needs. Both of these examples show the slight edge in our life. A little bit each day will either reward us, or put us on the wrong path. Yet the day we do it, just that one day in time doesn’t have much of an effect. The days add up and the slight edge has worked for us.
The second example is finances. It’s the same story a lot of you have heard. Two people age 24 talk about retirement and how to invest to make a million bucks by age 65. One takes steps, small as they are and invest 2,000 dollars a year for 6 years. The other just meanders through life not giving much thought to retirement and then meets his friend again at year 7. He asks his friend how he’s doing and how are his investment plans going. His friend says ‘I’m all done!” At age 65 by the magic of TIME his friend will have a million dollars even though he doesn’t have to invest 2 cents more here at age 31. So the friend who didn’t start investing wants to be in the same shape and starts his trek towards the million dollars at age 65. The only difference is, he now has to invest 2000 dollars a year until he’s 62 to reach that mark. His procrastination cost him 33 years!
So the slight edge in life can have a profound effect. But it’s never to late to start. It’s not simply “Will Power” that will get you there. All it is is TIME. Do a little each day, regardless of the goal and you will achieve it.
So get off your (you know what) and get on the “Slight Edge” of life and succeed!
If you enjoyed this post and hopefully found it useful, please take a moment and click “SHARE” below and give it a little Tweet up top. Thanks!
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Hey Bill,
I really enjoyed this post and you are absolutely right!! Its those tiny little steps we take everyday building up that make all the difference. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like its enough, but it soon starts to build up!!
When I wrote my first post on my blog it felt like a really hard slog, but nearly a year down the road and 75 articles later, it seems so much easier and more fun!
Thanks for sharing this and reminding us about ‘The Slight Edge’!
Sue
Hi Bill,
You are so very right on with this post. A little goes a long way in almost everything we do as long as we are consistent. The temptation is to go the other way, “this once won’t hurt” OR “I can skip a day” …and so goes the downhill slide. Good habits definitely pay off in the long run and it’s good to keep that in mind.
Bill,
Nice job on this post, The Slight Edge, I know we all have choices or priorities in our lives and putting Health, Finances, etc on the top of that list and take care of it every day , you will be on the top of your game.People that are in shape , have good health and wealth do it because they make the choice to make it happen.. Have a wonderful Weekend!
Well said Bill. This is so true. The person who invests in their future learns how to succeed in business and invests more because they want to get there faster and know how to get there. It really is about investing in the right kind of training that gives you the abundance mindset that some don’t really understand. That’s why it’s good to network with people like you, because it keeps us moving forward towards what we truly know is around the corner. Thats why attraction marketing is so powerful…because we don’t have to force our beliefs on people that think network marketing is a rip off. Thanks for helping us move forward in our dreams Bill.
Bill,
Great advice! No one would expect a person to exercise an hour a day if they’ve got business, home and family to take care of. But a small amount of time is achievable… and it does produce results!
Thanks for sharing this.
~ Pat and Lorna
http://TheCoolestCouple.com
Hey Bill, I really enjoyed this post! I am an exercise fanatic and I try to eat healthy. I really like the way you tied that into this post. So we all must invest in our future a little bit each day, in both our health and our finances. Thanks,
~ Joseph McDevitt
Bill, The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson is a great book and you have giving some great examples of how you to chunk away at ones goals.
Bill, You are so right. I have been taking those small steps in all of those areas (diet, exercise and finances) as well as building my online presence. It is all building, slowly, steadily – not in one fell swoop, but gradually. Patience and persistence are essential – and continuing to take those smalls steps.
Warmly, DrErica
http://budurl.com/HealingThroughLove
Hi Bill
It really is about doing a little every day for just about everything in life. I think also if we can educate our children about the importance of money management at an early age it sure helps as they don’t learn it in schools. How come all the important skills are no where to be since in schools. Parenting and how to earn a passive income are the two skills I say are most important.
Belinda
Hey Bill,
How do you eat an elephant? You just keep taking one bite at a time. Thanks for the great post, it is easy to get overwhelmed and not move forward simply because we see a daunting task in front of us. The best thing that we can do is start chipping away at it. Any progress forward is always going to be better than no progress, if we just keep chipping away at the mountain, eventually it will become a hill. Once it is a hill it is a lot easier to conquer.
Found you through the TSA< you have a really cool blog here, I will be back to visit and read some more.
Thanks,
Scott
Bill,
Another good post….. great food for thought this morning. You make such a good point about everyone having a busy life……. it’s all about how we choose to spend those 24 hours that produces different results. Just choosing to do a little bit more each day really does make a difference! I’ve got a couple of areas I think I’ll go apply that thought to….. thanks for the reminder!
To your continued success,
Robin
Bill,
I really enjoyed this post.
I made the decision a few weeks ago to start working out. It would be a great chance for me to bond with my wife because she tries to work out almost everyday.
It has been a few years since my 265 lbs frame was injured by a football shoulder injury. So now at 210 lbs. it was a new familiar experience. Like you mentioned, never to late to start over again. It is a total body workout and feels great.
Just like a business, it is never too late. I like to say, better late than never.
Have a great one,
Tommy D.
Hmm, let’s see. At 73 excising 20 minutes a day I’ll get in shape by 130. Hmm, step it up to two hours a day and I get in shape by 95. Okay I jump in and exercise 8 hours a day and be in shape by 80. Ooops I died at 73 plus four days of exercising. I really should have started this 50 years ago. Bill your conclusions are verified by my life. Great post and a great warning to those who are on the same path I took.
Bill, great post! When you do just a little more than what others do, you definitely have that slight edge if you constantly do it on the day to day basis, the results will start to show up.
Lori
Excellent post. Even if person number two does nothing for the first seven years, he needs to get going at that point. He then just has to wait another seven years.
If there’s a time to get off your butt I reckon the time is now.
This is a good post. Step 1 get up earlier. Step 2 get your workout clothes on immediately. Step 3 get going. Do not listen to self talk. If you hesitate you will not do it. If you can treat every day like this, one-by-one you will achieve your fitness goals. I’ve been a fitness professional for 25 years, so I’ve heard every excuse in the book.
Regards,
Mike
I like the Kaiser HMO tagline: Never, Never, Never Stop Moving. Variety works for me: a little, i.e. lots of yoga; some spin and outdoors cycling, some running, walking the dogs, and swimming a mile a week. Phewww, I’m “exhausted” just making that list. Only kidding. I would be an unhappy camper if I weren’t exercising every day.
I guess ‘just do it’ is a good motto. Sometimes the hardest thing is to just get going. It’s lots easier to dream of what might be instead of actually taking a step, then another, then another. Thanks for sharing your ideas.
Wishing you a song in your heart,
Leslie
Well it really is great to have another person’s standpoint on things don’t you think? Causes you to begin to think properly and also honestly, therefore i value your slant on things, even though I might not agree with all that you say.
Hello Coach Bill
This statement, “It’s not simply “Will Power” that will get you there. All it is is TIME. Do a little each day, regardless of the goal and you will achieve it.”, really stood out to me. It reminds me of my experience in TSA. Writing comments took forever and and at at first I would not write a comment. After telling myself to write a comment no matter what on every post I read, you know what happened. Overtime the task became simpler and simpler.
Thanks
Perry A Davis Jr
Music City USA
Hello Coach Bill,
I read a book a while back called A Slight Edge written by Jeff Olson.
I was in and promoting Pre Paid Legal in 2006, Jeff Olson was one of our many trainers. He would always talk about how doing the little, daily things, like pasiing out a couple DVD’s per day, handing out a sizzle card, any activity, but doing it regularly could lead up tremendous results after a while.
So many people complain they feel bad and need to lose weight, make more money or what ever, yet so few ever take the necessary, simple steps of trying to achieve anything.
I am quite busy, but I find time to walk a few timmes a week for 30 – 40 minutes. I am trying to learn how and build a business online.
It’s all about your priorities.
Great post.
Cheers,
Willie
Hi Bill,
The Slight Edge is one of my all time favorite books. The philosophy taught by Jeff can make or break it for us in all walks of life. Too often we think that one small decision will not matter, but over time it can have a tremendous impact on our life. Thanks for sharing. In fact, I just wrote an article on the very same topic. I will post it later.
Have a great life practicing the Slight Edge. If you do, you will.
Lynn