A Simple Three-Step Process for Achieving Long-Term Goals
Build a foundation for your future
Three men were laying brick. The first was asked: “What are you doing?” He answered: “Laying some brick.” The second man was asked: “What are you working for?” He answered: “Five dollars a day.” The third man was asked: “What are you doing?” He answered: “I am helping to build a great cathedral.” Which man are you?” — Charles Schwab
Achieving long-term goals happens when you zoom out and take a look at the long-term implications of your actions. This is hard to do. You can’t see the end of the journey when you’re at the beginning. And it’s hard to have faith that the actions you do in the short-term are going to pay off in the long term, but that’s the game.
Naval Ravikant put it well when he said:
“Self-help can be summed up in two words, delayed gratification.”
He’s right. Think of how many articles or emails you’ve read from me or from other people that talk about self-improvement.
We’re all coming at different angles to reach the same conclusion. The repetition is necessary because it can help give you the motivation to lay each brick.
