Ordinary Beginnings

My five o’clock alarm announces the beginning of a new day every morning. On most days, I reflexively hit the ‘snooze’ button. “Just another ten more minutes,” I lie to myself. Thirty minutes later, I reluctantly drag myself out of bed, begrudgingly commencing the day. Unsurprisingly, such days come and go unceremoniously, leaving no lasting impression.

On some days, though, I wake up as soon as my alarm goes off – sometimes even earlier. These are often days that hold some significance in my life. I remember waking up excitedly as a kid to go on a school excursion; another memory of my graduation day echoes the same anticipatory feeling; another of a stage performance. It seems I don’t need an alarm to wake me on days I look forward to.

But aren’t the days worth looking forward to simply the culmination of boring, monotonous, insignificant ones? So why don’t we look forward to the mundane days where seemingly nothing of importance happens? Maybe it’s difficult to get excited about the ordinary; maybe it’s not about excitement at all.

It’s about discipline. The discipline to get on with the errands of everyday life is the principal driver for growth. By instilling discipline – waking up on time, working out regularly, eating healthy, attending Toastmasters meetings – we begin sculpting a better version of ourselves each day. Each and every ordinary day.

Every day is a new beginning, and I intend to make each beginning count. If for nothing else, to be better. Better than who I was yesterday. I’ll be waking up on time to an ordinary beginning tomorrow. What about you?

Box text: It’s about discipline. The discipline to get on with the errands of everyday life is the principal driver for growth.