It was a typical Saturday evening drive. Except for the show the sun was putting on, turning the distant hills pink and purple.
Oh, and the massive two thousand pound bison sauntering past my driver-side window.
We were in Lamar Valley, the so-called Serengeti of North America, marveling at herds of bison and delighting in the pronghorns pinging across the landscape. One of the highlights of our recent trip to the Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks was observing the diverse wildlife that freely roam the parks.
Talk about a Wonderhunt! No bears were spotted, but we did see the aforementioned bison and pronghorn, as well as moose, elk, coyote, marmots, bald eagles, a pica…and people looking at wolves.
We were given the advice that the best time to see wildlife at their most active is at dawn and at dusk.
In other words, when you most want to sleep in or go to bed.
I can confirm the validity of the advice. We did see a few animals during the day, but the most exciting action happened early in the morning or around sunset.
It turns out what’s good advice for spotting wildlife holds true for succeeding in life, too.
I had two conversations recently with blue-collar business owners struggling like so many others to find and keep good people. They told me stories of employees who just stopped showing up for work, leaving them in the lurch. And others who get their first paycheck and don’t come back. And another whose wife just had a baby, but won’t work more than 17 hours a week, content to make ends meet by working the welfare system.
I guess that’s one way to go through life.
It’s always an option to do as little as possible while whining about an unfair system and lamenting other people’s “must be nice.” But while some have received a lucky roll of the dice, true success is no mystery.
The system can be hacked, but life won’t be cheated.
When are marathons truly won? When most people are sleeping in.
How do dreams come true? By staying up late working on your side hustle after spending all day working for the man to pay the bills.
How does one become successful? Being born with a silver spoon in your mouth is one way. But there’s another one, and it’s simple: Just be willing to do the things others aren’t.
Simple. But I didn’t say easy.
I was raised with a strong work ethic and can’t imagine going through life with minimal effort. But I do know the temptation of rolling over when the alarm goes off. I’m often tempted to opt for an easy task over one that requires more effort, and hey, let’s see what’s on Netflix!
Some have lamented that work ethic is at an all-time low. If that’s true, it’s good news for you because it means you have less competition. Opportunity is everywhere. Breathtaking success and a satisfying feeling of accomplishment are available to you.
Just remember the Yellowstone Success Formula.
Your odds are better if you’re up and at ’em when everyone else would rather sleep in or go to bed.
🤔 I wonder…what’s something you’re excited about right now that you’re putting extra effort into?