"One way to instantly gain a competitive edge is to work on things that genuinely interest you. The person who is having fun has a better chance of winning because they are more likely to stick with it when things get challenging.
If it felt like a hassle from the start, you're likely to quit as soon as things get tough. But if you've been having fun the whole time, you're better positioned to work through the hard parts."
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"Stop waiting. Stop talking yourself out of it. Stop researching.
Go do it."
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"You have to run your own race. Problems begin the moment you start comparing your results to someone who is playing under different conditions.
The 40-year-old entrepreneur with three kids has different constraints than the single 27-year-old.
A painter with 20 years of practice shouldn't be the benchmark for someone in year two.
Someone caring for aging parents is not in the same position as someone with no obligations outside work.
Play your own game. Emphasize gradual progress and keep the comparison internal. Are you getting a little better today?"
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The 4th Earl of Chesterfield, Philip Dormer Stanhope, on cultivating small productive habits:
"Take care of the minutes; the hours will take care of themselves."
Source: Letter to his son (November 6, 1747)
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Writer Virginia Woolf offers a call to self-acceptance:
"No need to hurry. No need to sparkle. No need to be anybody but oneself.”
Source: A Room of One's Own
