Tag / long-term

by Nathan Coumbe

Do the next right thing

Often we get so caught up in the future that it paralyzes us.

Or we feel so overwhelmed by everything we have to do that we accomplish nothing. Not the stuff we have to do… or that we want to do.

Our task lists, calendars, projects, dreams, and goals seem to cause more angst than hope. So we veg out in front of the television. Or mindlessly scroll on our phones.

Anything to avoid facing what we need to do.

The solution is simple: do the next right thing.

I’ve heard this phrase from both Julia Cameron and Michael Hyatt.

It’s a simple idea with wildly beneficial results. Rather than staying paralyzed and accomplishing nothing, the next right thing creates a tiny step forward.

It doesn’t feel like much, but then it’s not supposed to.

One step forward each day adds up to 365 tiny steps over a year. That’s a lot of progress.

When you’re feeling overwhelmed, ask yourself this question:

“What’s the smallest, easiest next step I can take?”

Then do that and only that. Afterwards you can reevaluate and decide whether to take another step or stop and chill out.

But at least you’ve taken that one step. And that’s one more than you would have otherwise.

Subscribe today for insights, resources, and inspiration delivered straight to your inbox!

by Nathan Coumbe

Nice guys finish

The saying goes, “nice guys finish last.” I say we drop the final word.

Nice guys finish; that’s what is truly important.

How can the idea of being kind to others, of being understanding and empathic, lead you astray?

You might be taken advantage of; you may not gain any immediate wins or notoriety by being the nice guy. But in the long term, you will come out ahead. You will finish.

You might be last, but you still finished the race.

Those who are overly aggressive, pushy, disagreeable, who stomp all over other people will get ahead of you. They are playing a short game. They’ll win the battle. But you aren’t a tactician: you are a strategist.

The strategist, the nice guy, takes the long view: he sacrifice the immediate benefits of imposing his will on someone else. He does not seek to win at all costs. He stays true to his principles and values, giving respect and dignity to others. The results of such an approach are increased trust and understanding between two parties, rather than a win/lose or lose/win situation.

So yeah, nice guys may finish last. But they make it to the finish line. The same can’t always be said for mean guys.