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Short-term sacrifice, long-term gain.

7/13/2015

 
How does investing work? Research shows that those who invest consistently in the short-term will reap long-term gains from their stock investments as a result of compound investing. Do a little every month and let it build over time and a few dollars turns into a gazillion dollars when I retire. Seems like an obvious principle of saving, right?

The same is true of exercise. Those who exercise consistently and put in a little effort daily will reap long-term benefits of better health. Some studies say 20 minutes of activity a day can have a positive effect in the long-run on your heart and greatly reduce the risk of life-ending disease.

Education works this way as well. We invest heavily in our children now so that in the long-term they can be productive, contributing members of society. Educate them daily and consistently and when they're 40 and no longer required to be in school they will ideally be a value-add to the world.

It turns out that leadership training is built on this same principle. Spending a little time each day improving yourself as a leader has serious long-term implications for those you lead. It's a short-term investment for a long-term gain.

I came to this realization as I was dying on my run this morning: Almost anything that matters in life is all about short-term sacrifice for long-term gain. Sacrifice now to have more later. As Dave Ramsey says, "Live like no one else now so that you can live like no one else later."

So do something today to improve your leadership. Not sure where to start? Here are a few recommendations:
  • Sign up for the Tip of the Day from the Harvard Business Review.
  • Read a chapter in a leadership book or magazine.
  • Write down your vision for yourself as a leader for the next year.
  • Set three goals that you'd like to accomplish this week to take care of yourself.
  • Reach out to someone you lead and ask them for feedback.
  • Read a leadership blog, like this one, and commit to do something different because of what you read.
Just as with exercise, or investing, or even education, it's not the amount that necessarily matters as much as it is the action and the habit.

Do something different today.

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    About

    Dustin Peterson launched Proof Leadership as a way to raise the bar for leaders in education. He is a leadership trainer, coach, and the author of Reset: How to Get Paid and Love What You Do.

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    I published Reset: How to Get Paid and Love What You Do as a way to help people get more out of their work. This isn't just a book for job-changers; it's for anyone looking to love what they do on a daily basis.

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