The Slight Edge philosophy is very simple. Use simple strategies, simple actions, and do the same simple things every day.
Success comes from repeating the simple, small, mundane things daily, monthly, and yearly. Every time you repeat a simple action it gradually becomes habit-forming and you get better and better. It is just as easy to do a simple task daily as it is just as easy not to.
One cookie today will not put on any extra pounds, but if you choose to eat one cookie daily on top of the regular food you consume, over time you could gain weight. On the flip side, if you desire to lose weight and you forego the daily cookie, over time you could be successful in achieving your goal.
"The Choice"
Jeff Olson used three stories for examples of daily actions and how they impact a goal. One of the stories he titles: "The Choice."
It is about a wealthy man and two sons. The father is on his death-bed and gifted his boys. One of the gifts was a choice between a million dollars in cash or a penny that would double every day. One son chose the million dollars, the other chose the penny.
Because of leverage and small steps every day the son who chose the penny became the wealthier of the two.
Remember the story of the "Tortoise and the Hare?" It is not always the speed in which you win the race, it is being steady and consistent.
"The law of nature is, Do the thing, and you shall have the power: but they who do not the thing have not the power." ---Ralph Waldo Emerson, Compensation (Essays: First Series, 1841) (Taken from Chapter 1 of "The Slight Edge" by Jeff Olson.
Attitude and Philosophy
To be successful you do need to learn and study the winning how-to-actions, but to really create the success it is your attitude and philosophy that puts everything into place. You can learn all you want, but if you do not apply on a daily basis the simple tasks, you will not succeed.
Outlined in "The Slight Edge" are 7 principles that can be applied right now and used as guide-posts. These 7 steps to success are goals you can achieve every day.
1. Always show up and be on time.
No matter what you are doing, school, work, or volunteering, always show up. You cannot get anything done if you are not present.
Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work: you don't give up." ---Anne Lamott
2. Practice consistency.
Showing up is very important, but you need to show up consistently. Jeff Olson goes into a couple of stories that illustrate this point very well.
3. Good attitude is a must.
Winston Churchill said:
Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.
Great advise. Jeff also warns us to beware of the "Cuckoos." It is fun reading about the "Cuckoos" in the world.
4. It is important to commit for a long period of time.
You cannot expect success, fame, or glory over night.
5. Develop faith and a burning desire towards your goal.
Desire is what keeps you going and motivated enough to overcome all obstacles that may come your way.
6. Be willing to pay the price for what you want to achieve.
A phrase that became a part of my life is: "There is a time and place for everything." If you are willing to pay the price up front, then in the end you will benefit.
7. Integrity is a must.
When a person practices integrity, then he/she will continue to do something even when no one is around to watch and observe. A person of integrity is a person worth being around.
Excellent book to read and apply!
The book has many testimonials from people of all walks of life who have lived the practices of "The Slight Edge." It is a book worth reading and is beneficial to all who choose to follow the steps and guidelines outlined and written by Jeff Olson.
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