Let Go of the Fallacy of Quantum Leap Success Plugging away at small tasks can yield big results -- over time. Just be sure to plan.
By Jeff Olson Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
The most powerful force for change is the element of time. When you make small positive changes on a daily basis over an extended period, you can achieve great results.
We live in a society of instant gratification where everything is about having something materialize right this very day, this very hour, this very minute or even this very second.
Although quantum leaps do happen, they arise as a result of lengthy, gradual applied effort. The right choices you make today, compounded over time, will take you higher up on the success curve. Stop looking for that quantum leap and start building for it.
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Leaving behind the myth of instant results. We have come dangerously close to losing touch with reality and believing that we always have access to the instantaneous. But that's not how the system works. There is a natural progression in life. You plant, then you cultivate and finally you harvest. Plant, cultivate, harvest. In today's world, everyone wants to go directly from plant to harvest.
Think about it: Every January in every gym across the country, thousands of people start over in a process that they will soon quit. The only reason they're going to quit is that they haven't set themselves up for the right expectations. They aren't looking for incremental progress; they are looking for results they can feel right now.
The seed is planted when they join the gym. Then frustration kicks in after a few days go by and there's no immediate fitness results. Don't overlook the cultivation process that ensues only after the passage of time.
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Know the secret of time. Arrange your daily activities so time is working for you instead of against you. If you stay on this road long enough, most likely you'll get the results you seek. It's not a question of your mood or feelings.
The small actions add up to bigger things over time. The "insignificant" little things I've been doing daily have added up over time to bigger things. Every day I read 10 pages of a good book. Over the course of a year, that amounts 12 to 14 books. Imagine if every first-grader were required to start reading 10 pages of a good book each day? Think about how their finances, health and relationships would change as a result.
Let go of quantum leap success. No success is immediate (and no collapse is sudden). Know that the power of your daily actions, compounded over time can result in success.
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