The One Simple Lesson I’m Applying From 2020 to 2021.

We all hear lots of talk about “The Compound Effect" and “Try to get a little better everyday".

But honestly, it’s tough sometimes, there’s so much advice out there and from some very shady sources. So it can be tough to decide which ones to apply to your life.

I’m not here to tell you what to apply, this is just what I’ve experienced trying different things, maybe you can learn from my mistakes.

What’s so hard?

Many times, I’d be trying to get some things done at work or on a project, I’m giving it my all, but it just doesn’t feel like I’m making enough progress, it feels like a waste of time and like I’d be better off doing something else. The longer it goes on, especially when issues arise with whatever I’d been working on, it adds a mental and emotional weight to me. And it only gets heavier as time goes on.

Many times I end up moving on to other things, just to get away from the negativity I feel surrounding the project. It really bogged me down, and that started affecting other parts of my life.

When something starts to negatively affect multiple parts of your life, you know you’ve got a real problem on your hand you need to address.

So what did I find that works for me?

Well, I found time, I was impatient.

Especially throughout 2020.

It was a hard year for many people and it definitely tested me.

I was in debt, my car insurance payments were due, I had to get health insurance and do some dental work due to some issues I had with my wisdom teeth. With all this right around the corner, I got laid off half way through the month.

I didn’t expect this at all, I had been working hard to automated processes, reduce costs and help the company ride out the storm, but in the end, they said they couldn’t afford to pay me, so I was laid off. I had no hard feelings, but man was that terrible timing.

I dived right into my side projects which I had been working on slowly for months, hoping to complete them so that they could be my money makers.

I tried to look at it as a blessing in disguise but at the same time I was very concerned, as I had all these expenses with little income from my side projects. My savings would only last so long, 2–3 months.

I ended up overworking myself, causing health issues. Which added more expenses. I did make a lot of progress with my projects, however I can’t say it was worth the price.

After about 1.5 months I got another contract job, an hourly freelance job, the company had contacted me through LinkedIn and my friend was currently working for them, so I was familiar with the company.

This definitely put some ease on me and gave me some wiggle. However, it wasn’t smooth sailing, the company took quite some time to get used to, it was headache inducing to be honest, but I made it through and got that money.

I didn’t stop working on my projects though, of course the time I spent on them was less due to me having other things to attend to, that were actually bringing in money.

But, this time away from my projects gave me some perspective, when I look back at all the ups and downs and little strides I made over time, I think, Wow, I’ve done a lot.

Of course that feeling doesn’t make everything okay, things still need to get done.

But it shows me in practice that the saying is true, if you keep working at something, consistently, no matter how little you may get to do, it’ll build up.

It hits different when the lesson comes from something directly in your life.

So for 2021, this isn’t a resolution, it’s a declaration.

I’m going to get better. Every day.

Last year my motto was “Do Everything Like Your Life Depended On It.”

This year my motto is “Better Every Day.”

2020 was challenging, I thank God for all my blessings, it could’ve turned out so much differently 🙏