Be the First

In today’s society some people hate it when I or other says this, but “Oh well.” “Second place is the first loser.”  Nobody remembers who came in second in the Kentucky derby last year.  Nobody remembers who came in second at the Daytona 500 last year or the previous years.  Nobody remembers what team or individual came in second in almost anything in life.  Nope. The second place winner doesn’t have their name inscribed on any trophy or cup that sports or other competitive ventures use as a symbol of achievement for winning.

So why not be first in anything and everything you do?  Is it possible?  No, probably not.  I am not going to win the New York City marathon.  I am not going to win the Kentucky Derby.  I am not going to win the Daytona 500.  However there are lots of areas I can be the first in.

Here are a few:

• Be the first to show up at work…
• Be the first to get to the gym…
• Be the first to greet the stranger…
• Be the first to show appreciation to someone…
• Be the first to say Happy Birthday to a friend or colleague…
• Be the first to come back to the office after lunch…
• Be the first one up in your company…
• Be the first person at the coffee shop…
• Be the first person to say yes to the project…
• Be the first person to volunteer to stay late…
• Be the first person to take on the task that nobody wants…
• Be the first to congratulate someone on anything…
• Be the first at the networking event…
• Be the first to say yes to the new change…
• Be the first to welcome the new leader of your department…
• Be the first to ask someone what you can do for them…
• Be the first one to sleep at night so you can get up early…
• Be the first one in your family that buys their own home…
• Be the first to provide a solution to a problem…
• Be the first to save money for your retirement amongst your friends…
• Be the first to read the book and share the knowledge with friends and colleagues…
• Be the first to complete the required training at work…
• Be the first to respond to the boss…
• Be the first to speak up…
• Be the first to say YES…

My list is not an exhaustive list, but it is a list of Firsts that you can control in your life. You don’t have to be the smartest, the fastest, the luckiest to do any of the above.  Nope you just have to be willing to take the iniative and say I want to be first.

To your success and your future.