What I learned this episode:  I begin by mention a few tips that I have been trying to implement in the new year resolution/system/goals idea.  This idea came from Gabe Bult - which I didn't mention in the episode and the youtube video is below.  First he says don't miss more than 2 days when you are starting a new habit.  The second tip was was the Clutterbug lady - She says she has 3 things that she does everyday - a load of laundry, the dishes and tidying up for 10 minutes.  And then another tip from Gabe Bult from the video below was to do go and do the popular thing.  I am going share a few tips each episode in January that I like and think might be helpful as you continue on your goal or systems and habit journey. 

I was reminded about the idea of 1 percent better.  It is so easy for me to get super motivated and go over the top with a goal and then get burned out quickly.  But with 1 percent better you can make small changes in a few different places and see how that can help you.  I reference episode 75 but it is episode 74 that is 1% better.  I also reveiw the CORE values that the coach of the Great Britain Cycling, Dave Brailsford team uses.  (Dave is no longer the current coach but the one that implement the 1 percent better) 

C  - Commitment - motivation can ebb and flow but commitment is key

O - Ownership - I really liked this quote 

"People don’t like to be told what to do and they don’t want to have non negotiated tasks to do. No one likes to be yelled at or say my riders or such.  Let the riders have a say in what they want to do and the coaches have a say.  Like everybody to have an opinion. Create and environment where people are free to speak - they don’t feel frightened”  From Dave Brailsford (you tube video below)

R - Responsibility and accountability

E - Excellence - Excellence for themselves

I also mentioned the quote from Wally Morton - the Cleveland State university Swim Coach for 39 seasons :  “'If you win each day with consistent preparation, work ethic, and expectation for excellence, the results will take care of themselves'."  

I liked that remembering that systems and consistent effort makes the process so enjoyable that you don't need to worry as much about the results.

Also that the experience of this life - all of it both the hard, good the wins and the failures will give us experience and lead us to the abundant life.  

Then I also loved the talk the I found from Thomas S. Monson, In Quest for the Abundant life. 

"The spirit of exploration, whether it be of the surface of the earth, the vastness of space, or the principles of living greatly, includes developing the capacity to face trouble with courage; disappointment with cheerfulness; and triumph with humility."   

Am I able to face my troubles with courage, my disappointment with cheerfulness and my triumph with humility?  Such great things to think about!

Then I also said this quote which I think is so great as well: "God left the world unfinished for man to work his skill upon. He left the electricity in the cloud, the oil in the earth. He left the rivers unbridged and the forests unfelled and the cities unbuilt. God gives to man the challenge of raw materials, not the ease of finished things. He leaves the pictures unpainted and the music unsung and the problems unsolved, that man might know the joys and glories of creation."

God understand how important it is to create things.  That there is joy is bringing something from and idea into a reality.  And we can take part in that in our lives.  

Then lastly this great quote from the end of the article about AI - despite this article coming out in 1988 - would there be a computer that could think for itself?  We have computers that can learn but I loved this quote:  "God made a computer once, constructing it with infinite care and precision exceeding that of the efforts of all the scientists combined. Using clay for the main structure, he installed within it a system for the continuous intake of information of all kinds and descriptions, by sight, hearing, and feeling; a circulatory system to keep all channels constantly clean and serviceable; a digestive system to preserve its strength and vigor; and a nervous system to keep all parts in constant communication and coordination. It far surpassed the finest modern computer and was equally dead. It was equipped to memorize and calculate and work out the most complex equation, but there was something lacking.

Then God “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (Gen. 2:7.)

This is why man has powers no modern computer possesses or ever will possess. God gave man life and with it the power to think and reason and decide and love. With such power given to you and to me, mastery of self becomes a necessity if we are to have the abundant life."

The abundant life comes when we are willing to try and create, build new systems and find new things that we love.  It all is because we have all we need due to God giving it to us.  What a blessing.  And as you think about your systems and new habits you want to work on this year remember it is more important to make progress and not give up.  You don't need to worry about perfection.