(Part 1) The Third Day: The Decision Which Separates The Pros From The Amauteurs

Because I have A LOT to say on this subject, I didnt want to do it all in 1 piece of writing.

So if you enjoy this I'd appreciate it if you left a like at the end and this way I will know whether to continue it or not. Thanks :)

The Third Day

The Third Day is any situation in which you don't quite FEEL like and aren't so excited to work - but there is still work to be done.

And YOU are responsible for getting it done.

The Third Day is the decision that you make at that moment.

The Third Day is not an occurrence. It's a decision.

The decision to commit to the completion of a task even when you're fatigued and depleted.

The decision to hold yourself accountable - to your work, your schedule, or any other commitment — the same way a boss, coach or parent would hold you accountable.

The Third Day is your decision to act with urgency, fully utilise time, eliminate excuses, and not buy your own B.S.

The Third Day is self-discipline applied when you least feel like applying discipline.

Since we all have Third Days, The Third Day is the difference between our potential (which we all have) and fulfilment of that potential (which few ever realise).

The Third Day is the catalyst for the Separation Day, the tiny advantage you gain over the slackers when you show up and they don't.  (You'll learn about Separation days later)

The Third Day is the 1% edge that top-level professionals seek out just to get a leg up on the competition.

The Third Day is the difference between good and great, between temporary and long-term success, between amateur and professional, and, at the highest levels of performance where everyone has talent and experience and resources, difference between winning and losing.

" Do the hard work, even when you don't feel like it"

- Hamza Ahmed

You Know It's The Third Day When:

• Your alarm clock goes off - and you're not quite done sleeping...
• You had a rough day at work, and you know the next day will be even rougher…
• You accomplish a goal, realising that it was a lot harder and took a lot longer than you initially expected. Now you have to decide if you're willing to put yourself through it again to repeat your success...
• Your child wakes up crying in the middle of the night, and it's your turn (or always your turn) to quiet the baby...
• You had a tough game or practice last night, and there's another one today...
• You have a trainer, and the warmup alone is harder than the full workouts you're used to doing on your own...
• Expectations are higher and more ambitious than what you're comfortable with...

It's much easier to be motivated to handle challenges when your mind and body are up for it.

Nobody feels motivated about work every single day but when you're a professional, the work IS every single day, and it's not optional.

Your job can be one long Third Day in and of itself.

But that's what you signed up for.

The Third Day is when the novelty, newness and excitement of something new, goes away.

It's when that new car smell goes away.

The Third Day is when things aren't new anymore and you're driven by discipline and consistency instead of excitement.

For many people, when the excitement is gone, they quit. It's like people who start the gym on the new year and stop by February.

Third days happen everywhere in life.

Business, sports, fitness & relationships.

This is where you either:

• Quit
• Get into a rot
• Or you find a way to show up both physically and mentally.

The Third Day is the responsibility to still get the job done even when it's no longer exciting.

The Third Day is the decision that you make to show up and give your best effort when you least feel like it, especially when you going through one of “those” days.

This is what separates the pros from the amateurs.

After the Third Day comes the Fourth Day.

The Fourth Day concept is when the work hasn’t gotten any easier but it FEELS easy and you make it LOOK easy simply because you have built up your discipline and conditioned yourself to perform at a certain standard.

But to get to the ‘Fourth Day Level’ and to maintain it, you have to go through the challenging stuff (The Third Day) and sometimes multiple third dayS before you get to that point.

The Separation Day

This step is when you KEEP doing it. I call this The Separation Day.

This is when you've built such an advantage that even when your competition finds out exactly what you're doing, they're still not willing to do it. Thus, the gap widens between you and them.

No one wakes up in the morning and says, "YES!! Today I get to be DISCIPLINED!!"

Discipline is not loud, exciting, contagious, nor easily transferable. This is why it's unpopular and it never goes viral.

Motivation is like a popular singer coming to perform at a sold-out concert on a Friday night. Discipline is the library for next months exams on that same Friday night.

Which one draws more people? We both already know.

But, who does better on the big test? Again, we both already know.

Question: Doesn't everyone want to do well on the test, though? Why didn't they choose the library?

Answer: Because we're human. We like to do what everyone else is doing, and we like to be entertained. Who wants to isolate themselves doing relatively boring work when everyone else is out having fun?

For true professionals, doing what everyone else is not doing …..IS the fun.

Are there certain days and projects that are more enticing than others? Of course.

Are you ever extra-motivated for certain aspects of your work? I'm sure you have been and will be.

A true professional, however, does not depend on getting motivated to do their job. Motivated or not, the professional is expected to show up.

Someone who shows up and performs, to the best of their ability, every time - regardless of how they feel.

If you're a professional in your current line of work, then I'm sure you know that there are more long, hard days now as a pro, than there were back in your amateur / beginner / intern days.

A true professional can be motivated, but they don't NEED motivation.

Motivation is extra. Motivation is like a cherry on the cake.

Your reason for doing something today may not be sufficient for you tomorrow.

A person who's not in great shape can use their unhealthy, out-of-shape body as motivation to go to the gym... today.

However, It's discipline that keeps them in the gym and in shape, not motivation.

There are people who could skip the gym for a week and no one could tell by their appearance. They're going to the gym not because they're motivated, but because of their discipline.

Seeking a new motivation every day is tiring, unpredictable and unreliable.

What will you do on the days when you can't find one? Will you not show up to work?

If you want to read more, just leave a like and I will continue this series. I have A LOT to say lol.

- Till Next Time