There is no "finally"

The Black Belt test was the hardest thing I’d ever done. I was 15, and at that point I’d literally spent half of my entire life as a martial artist. It feels like another lifetime ago. But even still, I can remember vividly just how physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausting the testing and training was. It was a Saturday. There were about 12 of us who tested for Black Belt that year, and everyone went out for pizza afterward to celebrate. The karate studio was closed on Sundays. Then, on Monday, I was back at the studio, training and studying for my 1st Dan test that would be in a year. Getting my Black Belt was a huge milestone in my life. However, though the belt rank was a goal, it wasn’t the goal. This is a huge mindset shift... You don’t show up every day, until. You simply show up every day. It’s a miracle that I was able to grab hold of that concept at such a young age. Even now, 25 years later (!), it’s still so easy for me to forget that life is lived in the day-to-day. There is much more satisfaction in the small daily wins and the joy of [consistently choosing doing the things which are meaningful](, valuable, and important. If you’ve got a habit of showing up every day then I guarantee you that along the way you’ll pass milestones and accomplish big goals. You’ll also have massive failures. Either way, be sure to celebrate your progress, learn from it, and keep on going. Don’t let the accomplishment (or failure) of your goals define your success. Nor should your goals be the primary factor upon which your happiness hinges. - "Once I get my black belt, then I’ll finally be a real martial artist." - "Once I get married, then I’ll finally be happy." - "Once I buy a nice house, then I’ll finally be settled." - "Once I get my dream car, then I’ll finally be able to have fun." - "Once my kids get older, then I'll finally get my life back." - "Once my newsletter has 10,000 readers, then I’ll finally feel validated as a creator." - "Once I find the perfect app, I'll finally be more productive." No you won’t. Once you get your black belt, you’ll discover just how much of a beginner you truly are. Once you buy that nice house, you’ll see that the new mortgage payment is double what your old rent used to be. Once you get that dream car, you’ll discover that it has car trouble, too. Once your website gets traffic and attention, you’ll discover there is a pressure to produce that can choke the creativity right out of you. Black belts, marriage, beautiful homes, kids, awesome cars, and huge audiences are all wonderful things. But these milestones — these goals — don’t define your worth, character, or happiness. They are milestones. You celebrate them. And then you get back to living your life. The reason is this: if you are committed to showing up every day, only until, then you’ve set yourself up for disillusionment. When you think about someone who is a black belt, you think about someone who has mastered martial arts. But the black belt test was the hardest thing I’d ever done. It was physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausting. I was tired and afraid and nervous. You’d think a "master" could breeze through something at that point. If you’re doing something that matters, there will always be resistance. Distractions, excuses, and challenges will always be right at your doorstep. Don’t wait for the fear to go away, because it won’t. Don’t wait for the risk to disappear, because there will always be risk. Show up every day when it’s frightful. When it’s risky. When it’s tense. When it hurts. Because it will always be that way — the "finally" moment never comes. Don’t seek to eliminate the tension. Instead, learn how to thrive in the midst of it. * * * This is why I created The Focus Course Thriving in the midst of tension is one of the primary themes behind [Focus Course Academy](. Over the years I have read so many books regarding creativity, productivity, focus, etc. And it made me realize that my own writing on this topic needed to be of a different kind. While a book (much like a website or an email newsletter), in and of itself, is awesome for communicating ideas and imparting inspiration. But then the action is left to the reader. There are many topics where ideas and inspiration are exactly what you need. But for topics such as doing our best creative work, overcoming distractions, breaking our inbox and urgency addictions, building our personal integrity, and defining what meaningful productivity is in our lives, it can be far more helpful to learn by doing. Enrollment is open for a few more days. So if you are wanting to join us, then now is the time to [sign up and save your spot](. thefocuscourse.com/academy/ — Shawn To unsubscribe, click [here](. Blanc Media, 714 Main St., Grandview, MO 64030, United States