Every sunrise brings a new opportunity to seize control of our lives. It doesn’t matter where we live. We can always work toward becoming a better version of ourselves and the change we want to see. When we achieve small milestones, we open opportunities for more significant prospects in our future.
I learned that lesson from leaders while I served my sentence. Although I could not do the things I wanted while I served my sentence, leaders taught me that I could always prepare. For example, I wanted to write books to connect with others. If I could connect with others, I hoped to build a tribe of advocates. But I didn’t know how to get started.
Since I didn’t know how to write books, I trained myself to put words into sentences and sentences into paragraphs. I tried to learn new words. I forced myself to practice writing every day. That daily commitment helped me to open opportunities. Over time, I grew more confident. Other writers invited me to contribute to their work. Later, I wrote chapters for books that other people wrote. Then, those authors introduced me to their publishers.
Step by step, we empower ourselves. Daily training makes a huge difference.
Consistency unlocks the door to personal growth and self-mastery. By training every day, we build our confidence. We can accept that external forces do not determine our success. Our commitment determines our success. We build discipline and character. We learn to create joy out of progress and embrace the journey—even if that journey requires multiple decades in prison.
Daily training can fortify our mindset and sharpen our focus. It fights against the stagnation that can hold us down. If we work toward our goals in the morning, we can feel better about ourselves—as if we’re progressing toward success.
Today, after my early work in the morning, my wife rode our bicycles to Strand Beach in Dana Point, California. We ran and walked on the ocean sand.
After our exercise, we ate at Young’s Beach Shack, overlooking the white-cap waves. Then we rode home, swam in our pool, and I returned to my desk to complete my work. In the afternoon, I trained with my video editor to learn how to incorporate new technology into our recording studio.
All this work is part of my daily training. Writing these journal entries is part of my daily training. By forcing myself to write every day, record videos, and master new technology, I’m striving to show others that I would never ask anyone to do anything I’m not doing. Leaders taught me to train daily, and I do my best to pass those lessons to others. Daily training is essential to resilience.
Today is Saturday, a beautiful, sunny day in Southern California. Still, I woke to work toward my goals before 4:00 a.m., and my progress gave me the confidence to complete my tasks on time. Tomorrow, I’ll do the same. That’s what a daily commitment means.
Follow this plan of daily training, and you’ll empower yourself.
