Great Days

Chapter 13: Get Better at Something

"We are what we repeatedly do." – Aristotle

"I do the very best I know how – the very best I can; and I mean to keep doing so until the end." – Abraham Lincoln

"Good, better, best,
Never let them rest;
'Til your good is better,
And your better's best."
– Julie's 8th grade English teacher

All of us need to be about the business of accomplishing something, of trying to improve in some area of our lives, and trying to be better today than we were yesterday and better tomorrow than we are today. Working toward a goal and accomplishing that goal gives us a sense of pride. We feel better about ourselves and our level of accomplishment.

Someone who truly exhibits the quality of constant improvement is my friend, Sid Mountain. Sid is in his seventies. He and his wife, Marge, live in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, and Sid could be described as a rather "colorful" character. My husband likes to say that Sid is the kind of guy who never lets the truth interfere with a good story. (Maybe you know some folks like that!) And yet, just about the time that you're convinced that Sid is pulling your leg, he comes up with some piece of evidence to prove that what he's saying is absolutely true.

Sid has had a number of interesting and unique occupations. He was a fighter pilot during World War II. He studied art in Paris; he was a minor league baseball player. He's been a college professor and a wilderness guide. But now Sid spends his time as a wildlife artist, and Sid Mountain is very good at what he does.

One of the reasons for his exceptional skill as an artist is that Sid continues on a daily basis a habit that he began when he was in his teens. Every day, without fail, Sid spends time working in his sketchbooks. The sketchbooks are amazing. There are dozens of them, a collection of years spent studying and fine-tuning his craft. On one page there are birds' wings, each feather sketched to perfection. On another, Sid has drawn the bark of trees, a study in lights and shadows. There are literally hundreds of pages on which this artist has practiced and perfected his craft.

One evening my husband and I were visiting with Sid in his studio. He was completing a very large painting, a magnificent mountain scene with an elk as its centerpiece. Being a city-dweller, a person always on a schedule and in a hurry and much too consumed with time, I said, "Sid, how long did it take you to paint that picture?" For a moment, Sid was silent. Then he looked me squarely in the eyes and said, "It has taken me 60 years."

What he meant, of course, was that it had taken him 60 years of building his skills to the point that he could create a painting like that, 60 years of working his craft, 60 years of being better today than he was yesterday and better tomorrow than he was today.

What about you? What have you done better today than the way you did it yesterday? Why just "get by" when you could be getting better?

"Needless to say, this experience was a big risk for me, but I feel terrific about myself! I feel like a new, more confident, poised person! I have five classes left to complete my Bachelor of Arts in Management, and I'm looking into many career possibilities with my company.

"Thanks for your advice about risk-taking. I am confident I will be a success at whatever the future offers."

What a great letter! Robyn discovered, as you will, too, that when you step out and take a risk in one area of your life, it will give you confidence to risk in others.

What do you want or need to do that requires a risk? I'd recommend that every day you do something that makes you sweat ­ something that's a little difficult, a little challenging, something that involves mustering your courage and reaching out beyond your comfort zone. You may surprise yourself at what you can do. Remember, turtles can't get anywhere without sticking out their necks; maybe the same is true for us.

Am I always courageous? Have I changed from being a coward to a dare-devil? Do I take the leap every time with no hesitation or fear? Certainly not. There are many times when I'm afraid to risk. I'm unwilling to chance loss or embarrassment or failure. But nine times out of ten, when I muster my courage and am willing to risk, I'm rewarded with feelings of self-confidence to take on other challenges. The same can happen for you.

Excerpt from Great Days: 50 Ways to Add Energy, Enthusiasm, & Enjoyment to your Life. Copyright, 1997.

Other Sample Chapters

Chapter 9: Laugh at Yourself
Chapter 19: Risk
Chapter 50: Look for the "High Point" of the Day

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