| Gary Vaynerchuk is one of my favorite social media and marketing influencers. Why? Simple: His guiding principle is that it’s never too late to stop caring what others think and do what you love in life. Every once in a while, Gary will focus on the 50-year-olds of the world and preach to them: “You’ve got a long life in front of you," he says, "so instead of sitting at that job for the next 10 years thinking that this new world of technology isn’t for you, go do your thing.” I used to tune out when Gary ranted about the 50-year-olds. That all changed, however, when my mom went back to college to earn her bachelor's this past spring. Now I know that he’s right about the importance of "doing your thing." My Mom is living proof. Over the past few months, I’ve been blown away by how Mom’s journey back to school. She's been a living example of the core standards that some of the key influencers of our time share on a daily basis: Define your mission
Change your perception of obstacles
Experience the "point of no return"
Believe in yourself
Practice unmitigated daily discipline
These principles serve as a guide for how I want to live my life, and it’s been incredible to see my own mother practice them day in and day out.
In homage to her, then, and as added inspiration for you, I want to share her standards so that you can take your own life to the next level—no matter where you are right now. Standard 1: Define Your Mission
Onnit CEO and founder Aubrey Marcus often talks about how “your mission is your purpose in life,” and making progress towards a mission gives one a sense of purpose. He goes into detail on defining your mission in his book, "Own the Day, Own Your Life," which I strongly recommend.
I’m not sure if Mom sat down and wrote out her mission, but it’s nonetheless very clear to her: Help as many people as possible through the practice of nursing. For the past 30 years, that meant slowly working through the hospital hierarchy, first serving as a floor nurse and then a director of nursing. But in all that time, she was more focused on mission than title; recently, she realized that her impact could be amplified by serving in an administrative role. As you’ll see in the next section, these types of medical roles require the all-important bachelor's degree. But that meant heavy debt late in her career. So Mom revisited her mission and the obstacles that stood in her way. She decided that the degree was worth it—that it would keep her on the path guided by her North Star, her unfailing mission to help others. Ask yourself: What’s your mission? Are your daily actions moving you closer to that mission or further away from it? Standard 2: Overcome Your Obstacles
After countless failed interviews for administrative roles—despite 30 years in nursing—it was clear Mom needed a bachelor’s degree. Without fuss or complaint, she researched programs and enrolled. In a short time, she was a student. She knew that this would require a lifestyle change—new habits, difficult financial investments, sacrifices, and academic discipline. But these obstacles paled compared to her mission.
As Ryan Holiday details in his book, "The Obstacle is the Way," obstacles are the one constant in the pursuit of one's dreams. How one perceives, acts upon, and moves forward in the face of obstacles are the most likely predictors of success. Immediately after enrolling in school, Mom was questioned by her closest friends about her strange life choice: “You’ll be 60 by the time you graduate. Are you sure you want to do this? Plus, you have a great job now. Why are you leaving?” But she persisted, undeterred by these external doubts. Obstacles also came in form of academic rigor, something Mom just wasn't used to. I remember her starting off in a statistics class that threw her for a loop—she hadn't taken a math class in decades. But she made it through with good grades and a lot of momentum. Challenges, hurdles, and obstacles like these will continue to come at her every single day. But Mom's response is inspiring. She remains cool, calm, and unflappable. Why? Because she knows her purpose and her why. And she knows the obstacles are worth it. Ask yourself honestly: How do you think about and respond to obstacles? Do you welcome them, knowing that obstacles are merely bumps on a path to greatness? Or do you dread them, letting adversity guide your decisions and tear you away from your dreams? Read on at earlytorise.com: The 5 standards all entrepreneurs should have... | 