Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 24oC, warm, sunny and overcast.
Another intense and invigorating workout in the morning: 45 minutes of skipping with intervals of other aerobic exercises totalling nine thousand steps. Not bad for a man who is almost sixty.
Two coffees in the Portuguese Bakery on the way home, and everything is good. A shower and a change of clothes and I am ready. To work. Two priorities for today.: 1. Give good classes like always, and. 2. Re-begin in site development and make an advance.
All the classes throughout the day were good, and I rarely have a bad class. However, it can happen occasionally. I also talked with Renato, one of my students who works as a web designer for an IT consultancy company. We had previously agreed to exchange web services and consultancy for classes.
He used to pay me, but unfortunately, his wife was having health problems and had to leave her job. Although he wanted to continue the classes, the financial strain was too much. To help him during this difficult time, I suggested that we continue with the classes, and when needed, he could assist me with web-related tasks.
I have done this a few times during my 25-year teaching career, offering free classes to pupils who could not afford them for some reason. Whenever I felt the person truly needed the classes but faced difficult circumstances, I offered my help.
I genuinely want to help anyone in need, and if I had previously enjoyed teaching that person, knowing that the classes were valued, it would be my pleasure to continue. If I did not enjoy teaching the pupil for some reason, I would not have offered to continue without receiving payment. I had made this agreement with Renato about six months before.
Still, I had never demanded anything until now from his part of the deal as he always has had problems at home, with his wife, or with one of his four children; I did not want to burden him with anything as his life seemed a little complicated. I have known him for over a year, and he has moved at least twice.
Now that things seem to be getting better for him and he is more stable, I am also making new priorities. Despite everything, I gave him a class today and then talked to him about his help in the next couple of months. He was receptive and more than willing to do his part.
I have noticed something today. I spent time learning about building a website and felt it was easier and clearer than before. It is as if the break of about a month was good, allowing everything to settle in the right places and making it more straightforward.
I was studying and everything I was taking in was easy, without any doubts. It seemed natural, logical, and very tranquil. Maybe life is also like this. We begin something, and initially, it seems confusing and strange, making it difficult to find the right way. We take a break from it for some time, and for some reason, everything is clearer and easier when we come back. We still have to do our part in learning and working on the subject, but it all seems to fit better.
I am pleased with my progress today with my projects and my renewed energy for getting things done. What I have learned is that progress does not happen overnight. It takes time and consistent effort to see results.
Consistency is the key. It is more effective than mere motivation, which can fade when faced with challenges. Even when motivation is lacking, sticking to a disciplined routine yields results over time. Consistency is crucial in all aspects of life, whether it is a daily task or a significant goal. Consistency is what makes the difference!
I am heading in the right direction, and it is mostly due to consistency, which is linked to discipline rather than real motivation.
In bed by 10:00 pm.
Thank you.
Thanks for taking the time to read this blog post. Explore my other posts and share your thoughts in the comments section.
Richard
