You can start right now.
You’ve got a great life to live so I’ll keep this quick.
A great life can only be earned and begins where excuses end.
Here’s what it takes to find yours…
Do great work.
You don’t need to do work that generates wealth, fame, or accolades.
You don’t even need to do work you love.
But a great life requires a commitment to do work you are proud of.
Work that leaves you — and the world — better for you having done it.
You don’t have to put a man on the moon or change the course of history. It doesn’t have to be life changing.
It can be as simple as sweeping the floor of a classroom to give children a better environment in which to learn.
All work can become great work if you commit to find the greatness in it.
Be great to your family.
Family is not just those who share your blood.
Your family is anyone whose support and love for you runs so deep that they have your best interests at heart and a willingness to do what they can to help you live a great life.
They deserve the same from you.
Be great to the world.
It’s easy to treat people who love you well — but what about the ones who may not?
A great life is one in which you treat strangers as loved ones and assume the best about the world.
Pessimists don’t live great lives.
Skepticism is dangerous. Darkness attracts darkness. The world is a reflection of what you believe it to be.
To live a great life you must choose to believe people are inherently good…even in the face of evidence to the contrary.
Some people will let you down and do unforgivable things.
You don’t have to forgive everybody or accept unacceptable behavior, but don’t write off the world because of the damaged few.
Be great to yourself.
You have plenty of reason to worry. To blame and doubt yourself for all manners of things that haven’t gone your way.
Your flaws will always feel bigger to you than they are, so don’t be too hard on yourself.
You’re the only one who can stop you from living a great life.
Nobody else controls what you choose to go after or how you approach your work, family, or the world.
You have what it takes to live a great life no matter your circumstances.
So go do it.