12 Years

I think it was almost twelve years ago that I first 'got' the concept and I use the term 'got' loosely since I appearently don't 'got' it down yet. I think his name was Bishop Kyle. He said, "Ryan, always keep the little rules and you'll never have any trouble with the big ones." I went to Rio de Janeiro for the next two years and did my best to follow that council. When I returned to the States my parents had just been introduced to a company called TPN by some family friends. The president of the company, Jeff Olsen, always liked to talk about the Slight Edge. Basicly the same deal...just worded differently. He would say it along these lines...There is a slight edge, a razors edge if you will, of difference between the people who do great things and those that don't. Those that do great things do the simple things that don't seem to make any difference in the act of doing them, but the compounded effect over time yields huge results. Then more likely then not, Mr. Olsen would talk about flying a jet and how it makes a million tiny corrections during the flight to keep on course. Then things start jumping out at you like this verse of scripture "...by small and simple things are great things brought to pass..." and "…do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way..." I think the most interesting thing is that you could share this simple principle with just about anyone and they'd say, "Yeah, of course that's true...it's kind of obvious." Yet, I see myself slipping up way to much considering what I know. I really think it's because it's so obvious and because it's so subtle. So why do I neglect to do the simple things that make all the difference? Laziness. I think that about sums it up. What is it? The second law of thermodynamics? The natural tendency of things is to break down. I have the hardest time when I let that law rule my life. The hopeful part is that it's not permanent yet and I have time to adjust my course. Recently (as in today), I've been thinking that if I can keep enough focus on the basic three things I need to do to step over that edge, the small rules and then get them so ingrained that they become part of who I am, then I can begin to focus on a new set of three and so on and so forth until I really start to put the rubber to the road. Hey this journaling thing is helpful!