THE STORY
Simon Sinek and a friend participated in a race in Central Park. At the end of this race the sponsor was giving away free bagels. For this particular race, they had picnic tables set up for the participants. On one side was a group of volunteers, on the tables were boxes of bagels, and on the other side was a long line of runners waiting to get their free bagel. Simon pointed out the free bagels and wanted to get in line, but his friend looked at him and said, “Nah, the lines too long.” Again, Simon said “free bagel.” And again, his friend said, “I don’t want to wait in line.”
THE RULE
The moral of the story is that there’s 2 ways to see the world. Some people see the thing that they want and some people only see the thing that prevents them from getting the thing that they want. Simon could only see the free bagel. His friend could only see the line. The rule is you can go after whatever you want, you just cannot deny anyone else the right to go after what they want. You don’t have to do it the way everyone else has done it. You can do it your way. You can even bend the rules; you just can’t get in the way of somebody else getting what they want.
IDENTIFY YOUR "LINES"
Do you see the bagel or the line?
What do you want to accomplish? What is stopping you or slowing you down, your "lines"?
Identify your lines. Is it social media, Netflix, or a soft pillow on a warm bed? Is it a combination of things? I have a challenge for you. Over the next 30 days, make a schedule to replace your lines, your distractions with actions. Do the hard stuff. Struggle well. Do the work that will move you closer to becoming your future self, the best version of you. It is your practice and preparation that separates you from them. It is the defining characteristic of the professional.
For 30 days, I want you to exhaust yourself. Your wants, your needs, your Plans A, B, C and D, need to go into activation. I need you to want it. I need you to need it. Train hard. Recover hard. The time is now for you to exhaust yourself. It is time for your actions to meet your ambitions. Commit yourself to the next 30 days.
As you're on this 30 day journey to where you want to go; the path to who you want to be, there will be obstacles along the way. You may be sore, tired, or just not feeling it. Don't stop. We've all seen doors marked as "EXIT ONLY" but fundamentally, it's still a door. It's an entrance and an exit. Don't let obstacles keep you from your destination. If you have to, walk in through the out door.
Eat your bagel.