February 19, 2016 - Connecting Dots

"You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life." - Steve Jobs

What a profound man Steve Jobs was.  This morning I was struggling to get myself up and running. I usually am up and out the door with the dog about 5 am. I wasn’t up until 6 today. Just in a psychological slump. Not good. Not combobulated at all.

I read that quote today and put it on my Facebook page.

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards.”  Yup. Yup. Yup. You can’t. I am entering a new and unknown stage of the game. I am walking into a business with a partner that believes in my abilities more than I do. I have always known that you can’t see into the future. Not even a second.

 I also believe that looking into the past can be dangerous. Focusing on the past can only keep you making the same “mistakes” (you may not recognize them as mistakes). You can paralyze yourself looking at the past and trying to judge where you need to be going. The future is a present to us.

Having said all of that, looking into the past can be helpful. Although those dots can’t be drawn into the future, studying the past, seeing where the dots connected can help see where they are headed. The course may not seem off. But, any small variance in direction can leave you miles off course at the end.

That is what today is for. Course corrections. Sure, look into the past but remember that mistakes are not failures unless they are not learned from or if they are repeated.

I’m struggling with a few things in my life right now. I tend to look at things too much in the future instead of in the present. I need to focus on today. On my diet. On my health. On my businesses. Most importantly on my family. Day to day. Improve day to day.

What is that saying? Yard by yard it is hard. Inch by inch anything is a cinch.

I’m just keeping my head up. Doing my best, doing better than yesterday and not as good as tomorrow.

Short post, but I have a huge to-do list today!

Take care and be well!

Peace.