“Learn as if you were not reaching your goal and as though you were terrified of missing it.” Confucius
You need to be scared shitless of failure and as such push yourself to the extremes to succeed.
I’m not talking breaking the rules of the game by doping or taking steroids or insider trading or any other violation of the principles, but of the absolute terror of dying and facing your Maker and having them look at you and say “you could have been something special.” The drive that comes from hearing time’s winged chariot at your back and so every day you pour yourself completely into your work so that each moment is maximized towards your goals.
It is in the 4:00 am extra workout or 5:00 am study session because you can’t sleep that champions are created. In the extra rep or phone call, the sacrifice of short-term fun for long term glory that excellence is exposed. The mindset of continuously improving the skillset, when others are basking in small victories that distract them from the greatest wins of all.
Study your field with the intensity of a doctor with a mysterious illness devastating their parent.
Run like a soldier that needs to get behind THAT wall to be shielded from the bullets.
Work like the single mom of three kids that is going to school while working to build a better life for their family.
Push yourself daily, and build the life you desire.