What is So Hard?

A friend of mine gave me a book today, knowing that it fit perfectly with my interests.  He didn't know, but this book has been on my wish list for a while now.  I've heard from several people how awesome the book is. The book is The War of Art by Steven Pressfield.  Early on in the book, Pressfield makes a simple but profound statement:

"There's a secret that real writers know that wannabe writers don't, and the secret is this: It's not the writing part that's hard. What's hard is siting down to write."

This is most definitely true for anything important in life. If you want to be successful, it takes action.  Pressfield is a writer.  I'm an entrepreneur and software engineer.  It applies everywhere. The hardest part is taking the time to get started with whatever it is I need to do. If you have a hard time making the time for important things, or if you procrastinate in general, then this book is for you.

Small Things Add Up

Wow! Has it been that long since I've shared anything on my blog?  Time sure flies.  Speaking of time flying by, I was thinking of how the small things in our lives add up.

We get a lot of junk mail in our mailbox.  I'm referring to snail-mail, but it also applies to email as well.  If you don't have a system for taking care of mail, you end up with large piles that look terrible, you eventually have to take care it, and it's always more frustrating to take care of a big pile of mail than a few pieces.

The solution? Take care of mail as soon as you check it.  Trash it or shred it if you don't need to keep it.  If it's a bill or something you can pay right away, do it now.  If you need to keep it, file it or scan it now, don't wait!

This is related to so many other things in our lives. If we don't take care of things right away, they end up something a lot worse than they needed to be.  Some things just build up frustration, like mail, weeds, dishes, dirty or unfolded clothes.  Others can cost money like a leaky faucet, low air in the tire, a late payment, or a balance on your credit card.

What are some examples of things in your life or others that you've observed that has added up to much more than it should have?  Please share in the comments below.