My grandmother loved to print out inspirational quotes and phrases.

She’d either put them into the picture frames she bought at garage sales, or she’d just tape them up on the wall or refrigerator.

There was one printout in particular that I still remember well.

It had some of her values — the things she tried to live by.

They were short phrases:

“Be the first to say hello.”

“Compliment three people every day.”

“Live beneath your means.”

“Let the first thing you say brighten everyone’s day.”

“Always think the best of other people.”

“Don’t put off to tomorrow what you can do today.”

Lately I’ve been thinking about that last one…

“Don’t put off to tomorrow what you can do today.”

…and I think I may have had it wrong.

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My grandmother knew that tomorrow would have enough craziness of its own. So her advice was to not put things off if you can do them today.

But I always thought of that in the context of work…

My grandparents started a new business in their late 50s. After they sold that one, they started another.

My grandfather — who lived to be 100 years old — told me that he tried to break a sweat every day.

If my grandparents had anything, it was work ethic.

But her advice wasn’t just about work and business.

I think it was also about relationships, finances, and more…

Don’t put off encouraging someone else if you can do it today.

Don’t put off living beneath your means if you can do it today.

Not that I’m going to print out an inspirational quote anytime soon.

…but I do need the occasional reminder to be proactive with my time and energy if there’s something I can do about it today.

 

 

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P.S. If you also want to get better at doing what you can rather than putting it off, then I think this new class could help you tremendously.