Epic – n. very imposing or impressive; surpassing the ordinary
Now we have something measurable:
Surpassing the ordinary.
So, I ask, what kind of life surpasses the ordinary?
One need only to look to those folks that we admire to find some answers.
- What is it that you respect in another person?
Or,
- What is it about that person that makes you want to spend as much time with them as possible?
This is a small list of epicness but an excellent place to start.
- Say, “I’m sorry.” How many people do you know that are quick to apologize? How many people do you know who refuse to? You decide which is epic. Apologize to someone today.
- Be willing to grow. I love meeting people who started out way over here, and ended up way over there. Their shifts in thinking change, and they become almost unrecognizable. They become who they are, but even that, is subject to assimilation at some other point if other factors are presented. Grow in some way today.
- Be a life-long learner. Grandma Moses was still painting at 101 years old. She was still learning. How many of us have stopped. Learn something today.
- Be healthy. You want to live an epic life? Put down the Dorito’s. Grab a handful of walnuts and go out for a run. Put on your mp3 and learn something while you’re at it. Helping yourself in three different ways, all at the same time…epic! Take care of at least one aspect of your health today.
- Help others. You don’t have to travel to India to help someone. A simple smile can make a difference. You can volunteer in your neighborhood. Coach, mentor. Have you found the keys to success in some area? Share it without charging. There are a lot of people waiting for you. Help someone today.
- Be an encourager. Some people go through life berating and chastising others. What a loss. Be different. Practice genuine compliment giving. Not to brag, but just to tell you that I want to live an epic life also, here is something that I do. When I hit the gym I scan it for overweight folks who are in there trying to get it done. I find a way to strike up a conversation (I might work out next to them or just say ‘hello’). Since I am there to work out, I make the conversation brief, but it is focused on encouragement. If they are receptive, I may throw in a pointer or two that can be put into practical use, such as: drinking a glass of grapefruit juice every day will create weight-loss without changing or adding anything else (up to eight pounds a month), or that an apple before a meal will help you eat less of the meal since the apple is a fibrous fruit (especially good if the meal is fried chicken!). It feels good when you see that someone has lost a good amount of weight and they thank you personally. Encourage someone today.
- Take chances. This may be the most important one on the list. To have any measurable success, one must take chances. We must flee our comfort zone. Nothing epic can be achieved by staying right where you are. Nothing. The people you read about and admire took chances. Join them.
- Be willing to suffer. We all will or have suffered in some way. Some was given to us by life, and others we asked for. We can’t do much to what life gives us except fight through it. We can eliminate a lot of the unnecessary suffering we endure by making better choices. There is a good kind of suffering, though. It is self-imposed and used for growth or success (or both). Some examples of this may be: shutting your favorite show off and doing something positive with the time, exercising or dieting, getting less sleep while building that business or going to class. These all will create some form of suffering. But they are all good reasons to suffer. Suffer today.
- Be persistent. Don’t be a quitter unless you want to be average. Look around. Do you notice those who have quit? Where are they? Have they named anything after them? Go after something. Use reckless abandon until you’ve achieved it. Then, go after something else. Start the habit of persistency. Be persistent today.
- Be a listener. Listen. Good listeners are worth their weight in gold. It is one the easiest ways to show a person that you care. Think about it for a moment. Which person do you enjoy spending time with, the one who cuts you off mid-sentence, or the one that actually listens, and then responds. Practice listening.
Well folks, this list is small but the impact, great. Let this be the encouragement you needed to live that life that has only been lived within the realm of your mind.
Take a small step today. And then, build upon it. Look back on this day as, THE DAY. The day everything changed by taking that first step.
Today does have power.
Live it LOUD!
Add your idea of epic living to the mix. Would love to hear your perspective.