Steve Jobs said make a dent in the universe.
Lots of people say follow your passion, make a difference, do big things.
I agree with them. But what does that mean I should do today? If my lifelong goal is to do stuff so big it changes the course of history, how do I make progress towards it today?
Lofty goals can make immediate action harder. Whatever you can do today will look like garbage compared to that lofty goal. I like to keep the lofty one in mind, repeat it every so often, write it down somewhere, and then file it away and focus on today.
One of my lofty goals is to make the world a freer place. How’s that supposed to guide daily action? Some days I begin by writing down the phrase, “Today I will live free.” That’s it. Just try to live as free as I can today.
I want to build amazing things too. Another lofty goal. But anything I’m capable of making today is going to fall short. So instead, I command myself to make something crappy today.
Of course it doesn’t have to be half-assed. Hopefully it’s at least sort of good. But the point is, making anything at all is better than dreaming about the perfect thing.
