Every day is a fishing day, but not every day is a catching day

Every day is a fishing day, but not every day is a catching day.

I first heard this phrase from my friend that I swim with, Pete. I had asked him how his swim was and he told me that quote. He explained that some days you are prepared for a great day, but for whatever reason it does not happen- you go fishing and don’t catch anything. And then other days it does happen- you catch a fish! To be successful, you always have to show up and give your best effort. He said enthusiastically that it was a “catching day!”

At first I laughed and smiled and then I started to think about this on my drive to school.

The physics/why of the quote- Success requires two things:

• Show up every day
• Try your best every day

Theses are the non-negotiables of chasing your dreams. Showing up and trying your best are the two things that you can control. Similar to going fishing, you have to show up and be prepared to the best of you ability to catch something. Sometimes that happens and sometimes it does not, you have little control over that. But what you can control is putting yourself to be in the best possible position for success. Because you have shown up and tried your best you are that much more likely to be successful (as obvious as this sounds). Focus on the things you can control and waste no mental energy on the things that you cannot.

Your goals and dreams won’t happen unless you try to make them happen. You have to put yourself in position to be successful- show up and try your best. Life is made up of moment after moment. Success is made up of winning more moments than you lose. To win the moment, you have to be in the moment.

As my dad always says, “You can’t hit the ball if you don’t swing the bat.” Same principles.

Be Better Than Yesterday,

RLH