The Desert of Arizona
Sunrise 25 Degrees
I’m in the middle of reading a new book by Craig Ballantyne, Editor of Early to Rise. (Thanks for sending me a copy Craig!) It’s called, The Perfect Day Formula.
It looks like this is not available on Kindle, but here’s the direct link to Amazon to get the hardback:
http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Day-Formula-Craig-Ballantyne/dp/1619613557
If you’re looking to make 2016 a great year, get this book. Because years like this one aren’t made up of “years.” They are made up of DAYS. And it’s through the power of the day that you can win.
Craig’s book is an important one, based on a very simple and powerful BIG IDEA. Craig didn’t invent this big idea, but his life and work is a demonstration of how he’s perfected it.
The premise is simple:
Design your “perfect day” based on things you control. Live that day over and over again and watch as it leads you to a life well-lived.
Unfortunately, this is not an “easy” book. Because in order to put it to work for you, you must allow your mind to accept a truth that you have been taught is not true. That truth is this:
Structure = Freedom
We’re trained to think that structure is constricting. But really the only reason we feel that is because, for most of our life, the structure we’ve been given has been created by someone else. And it’s been created to accomplish the goals of others, not the goals you have for you.
But when you create your own structure, the effects are quite different. You develop a feeling of freedom. This is something you must experience for yourself to believe.
One example of Craig’s “structure,” are the 12 rules he uses to guide his life. Craig’s 12 rules for his life are here. Do you have rules for your life? Today might be a good day to get some. These rules give you clarity. These rules give you a sense of confidence.
Most importantly, however, these rules give you a way to make better decisions for you, more easily. And really, the biggest difference between me, you and someone else is the list of decisions each person has made.
As the great stoic philosopher, Epictetus, recommended:
“First say to yourself what you would be, and then do what you have to do.”
The Perfect Day Formula is a formula based on things you DO control. As some people already know, that is a big secret to true success: focusing only on the things you control. Then you simply do the best you can with the rest.
Get the book, read it, use it. The way you live the “good life” is to do it one perfect day at a time.