How You Do One Thing is How You Do Everything

Jack Canfield has a chapter in his book “The Success Principles” with the same title as this blog post.

Another great expression of this principle (sort of) is in an axiom by jazz pianist Hal Galper – “Patience is it’s own reward.”

This thought is reiterated by Brian Tracy in numerous forms (paraphrase) “Losers do what is fun and easy, while winners do what is difficult and necessary” or “losers do what is stress relieving while winners do what is goal achieving.”

Lastly, my personal mentor Mike Longo said years ago “the warrior runs into the battle, the coward runs away from it.”

I guess studying these guys writings and teaching for a few years has gotten under my skin. While they differ slightly in tone and feel – they say essentially the same thing.

I have noticed this “do it now, do it right no matter how difficult it is” principle manifest in my life recently, not just with recording but with other aspects, trials and hurdles simply presented by life.

As I wrote in my last post I have had studio troubles in recording. Guess what? I’m sucking it up, re-recording on my own dime and doing it right.

I had to buy a vacuum yesterday and as usual there’s a decent cheaper one made of plastic with a 1 yr guarantee , or a German made Miele with metal housing and a 7 year guarantee and they can fix it in the store where I bought it – but for over twice the price. Suck it up again, Adam!!! I bought the good one.

Whether it’s a recording, a purchase or anything…how you do one thing is how you do everything.

So, in doing things right

– it may take more time
– you (and I) have to delay immediate gratification
– it may cost more

We must be on the lookout for our own:

– impatience
– trying to do things cheaply
– trying to do things quickly
– get immediate gratification

I suppose this comes with after the experience of the following: when one does things quick & cheap one has to do (or buy) a second time at the right price anyway. So “quick” costs more time, and “cheap” is often more expensive, in the long run.

Most importantly is the feeling of satisfaction when one does things properly and leaves no stone unturned. I am feeling this lately.

You see – you can’t be the same person on the inside and do an A+ job on a recording and buy a crappy vacuum. The same person would likely either do a great job at both or a crappy job at both. Scientific, huh? 🙂

How you do one thing, is how you do everything. Get it?

The boost in self esteem, and feeling like a winner just gets you (me) addicted to doing it right even more.

Happy Holidays!!!

Adam