Watching Rick Beato this morning made me think of fateful days that changed the course of my life. Most seemed inconsequential at the time but led to amazing things. For Rick, it was the dates 11-15-94 and 12-15-25. Insignificant then, but due to stopping off to call a friend in Atlanta and then later posting an innocent one-minute video on FB regarding his son’s perfect pitch, well… here he is today with 5 million subscribers, with me being one of them.

What were some of the events in your life that altered history for you? Where were you? What did you do or didn’t do that changed the road you were on? For me, it was being coerced into attending a party that a friend was hosting in the apartment building on campus at the University of Eastern Michigan. It was a Saturday night, and after a long week of classes and studying, I was burnt out. The only thing I wanted to do was listen to music and chill. I had already informed my buddies on the first floor that I was being a no-show. “Oh, c’mon, it will be fun. We got a keg and…” Sorry, guys, maybe another time…

Where is your cell phone right now? If you’re working, creating, or relaxing, it shouldn’t be nearby unless you actually need it. I’m writing my May 2nd blog, so my phone is in the family room—out of sight, out of mind, and no interruptions.

Your cell phone is a distraction. Period. It robs you of your focus. How often do you think about it, even if it’s not currently ringing or pinging for your attention? Maybe I should check it right now, right? Do you pick it up to see if anyone has texted you? Ah, now it has your full attention. So, you turn it over and put it down. Damn, you’ve lost your train of thought. The sad thing is, how many times during the day does this occur? Add all those up, and you’ll soon discover how much time you’ve lost. You’re trying to multitask, and guess what? It doesn’t work.