02nd May, 2023
In my business, we regularly take out some time to reflect on what the past month, past year has been like.
Honestly, most times, it’s been a total mix.
Some good days, some great days, some okay days, and some pretty bad days.
When we have one of these bad days or even just an okay day, I can feel my negativity bias kicking in.
I start questioning my abilities as a wealth manager and a business owner.
It’s at moments like these that I often turn to mentors and other inspiring people in my life for perspective or advice.
Olympic athlete, poet, and filmmaker Alexi Pappas has nuggets galore when it comes to soulful advice to keep me grounded.
One lesson she shares in her new book ‘Bravey’ is called ‘The Rule of Thirds.’
When she was facing a difficult training period before the Rio Olympics, her coach (also an Olympian) told her not to worry, this was simply ‘The Rule of Thirds.’
He said:
“When you’re chasing a big goal, you’re supposed to feel good a third of the time, okay a third of the time, and crappy a third of the time…and if the ratio is roughly in that range, then you’re doing fine.”
This hit me really hard.
It’s a potent reminder that progress never feels linear. It’s often a whole lot of nothing, and then a big leap forward.
It’s also a reminder that finding the right balance in pushing too hard vs. not enough is tough.
If you’re working towards a goal, but are always feeling great about it, you might want to inch closer to your edge.
On the flip side, if you are having too many crappy days, it might be a sign of burnout approaching, or a need to relook at the strategy and the process adopted and a signal to pull back.
Above all else, ‘The Rule of Thirds’ can shift our perspective on the okay days, whether that is in a relationship, a job, an investment or chasing an athletic dream.
Those okay days aren’t something to shrug off, they are a part of the process of growth. By shifting this mindset, we can learn to love them too.
If you’re not terrified a third of the time, you’re probably not pushing yourself hard enough to reach your full potential.
Looking back, I finally realised that whenever you create something in life (a business, products, a presentation, public speaking, an idea, something at work, etc – it doesn’t matter, it can be anything) people are going to react in one of three ways:
Positive – 1/3 of people are going to be positive about it
Indifferent – 1/3 of people are going to be indifferent about it
Negative – 1/3 of people are going to be negative about it
As soon as you realize that this is the way the world works, the easier things become.
Hence, all of us have the moments of doubt before we embark on a challenge. The ‘Rule of Thirds’ is a simple reminder that such feelings aren’t just normal, but actively positive.
To have a great life, just be
willing to follow the ‘Rule of Thirds’ & stay blessed forever.