You Can Do Anything You Put Your Mind To (Here’s How)
Nobody hands you a checklist for building a memorial golf outing out of nothing.
I’ve been thinking about that all week. This past Saturday was the fourth annual René Rangel Jr. Golf Outing, and I kept thinking back to the very first one. Before that first year, the people who built it had never done anything like it. It reminded me of something I believe all the way down: you can do anything you put your mind to.
I know, it sounds like a poster in a school hallway. Stay with me, because I’ve gotten to watch it happen in real life.
Three Guys, a Road Commission, and a Golf Outing
The outing was the brainchild of three men who worked with René. René was killed at work. It was a horrible situation, and it is still hard.
These three are amazing people. They are also normal people. They work at a road commission. They are not event planners.
I’m sure when they first said, “Let’s plan a memorial golf outing and raise funds,” nobody answered, “Oh, there’s a checklist for that.” There wasn’t one. They had to figure it out. How do you find sponsors? How do you ask people to donate? How do you advertise, gather prizes, and get people to actually show up? None of that is something they do every day.
Each of them pulled from different skills and different history. When they planned that first outing, none of them had done this before. They set their minds to it anyway, and they kicked butt.
"When they planned that first outing, none of them had done this before. They set their minds to it anyway, and they kicked butt."
And they are still kicking butt. Four years in, the outing just keeps getting better and better. It brings in thousands of dollars every single year for amazing charities, and this year it raised over $15,000 for the Jordan Thomas Foundation and Construction Angels.
It also does something money can’t. One day a year, we know we’re going to see René’s amazing fiancée, Stacey. We know we’re going to see her sister, Stephanie, and her dad, and the amazing ladies who are always there for her. We see people we don’t normally get to see. A lot of the people we work with are there too, supporting each other and supporting the cause. Not only do they raise money, but they bring us all together in a way nothing else could.
Three guys who had never planned an event like this, built that.
“How Do You Do All of That?”
Here’s another example. I hate to center everything around me, but it’s a question I hear all the time, and I wrote about it a few weeks ago in my post on time management. People ask, “How do you do all this stuff? How do you have more time in your day than everybody else?”
I don’t. I have the same number of hours you do.
What I have is something I’ve put my mind to, and I love it. Lead with Linnea has brought me joy in a way I never could have dreamed. I love working with teams and building them up. I love going into organizations that are struggling and helping them work through the tough things and come out better. I love the amazing organizations that aren’t struggling at all and want to take it a step further. I love watching the aha moments.
That is what motivates me to work hard. I’ve had to change some things to make it all fit, and I’m sure I drop a ball from time to time. But it gets done.
How to Do Anything You Put Your Mind To
Most of us don’t think we can do the big thing. We look at the whole mountain, decide we aren’t the kind of person who does that, and stop before we start. Four years ago, those three guys could have said the same thing. They aren’t event planners, remember?
I could have seen starting a business as a something I could never do, but I dug in and figured it out. One step at a time. The saying how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
Truly, you can do whatever you put your mind to. It is going to seem daunting at times. I know it does for me. Here is what I’ve seen make the difference.
Keep Your Why in Front of You
Why do you want to do this thing you’ve never done before? Find that motivation. Write it down. Put it somewhere you aren’t going to forget it.
Sometimes you don’t need it written down. With René, we are never going to lose sight of why we’re there. But in other cases, when the days are hard and the situation is difficult, it is so easy to give up. Keeping your why at the forefront is what keeps you going.
Find the People Who Can Help
You can do it. You just don’t have to do it alone.
"You can do it. You just don’t have to do it alone."
Those three guys couldn’t have done it alone. They need each other. They need their amazing wives and everything they do to help. They need Tracy, one of those wives, who does so much to get the prizes together and keep everything organized. They need Alyssa, who helps with the graphics and pulls all their materials together. They need the whole team they’ve built.
Now, not everything takes a team. Some things you take on by yourself, and you have to figure them out on your own. But when you’re doing something that requires a lot of hands, be happy to build a team. Find the people who can help you do it, and let them.
Break It Into Steps
You don’t have to know how to do all of it right away. You only have to figure out the next step.
"You don’t have to know how to do all of it right away. You only have to figure out the next step."
Figure out the different pieces you’re going to need. Then do one at a time. Or hand pieces to the team members you’ve brought in, so everybody is working on a different part. The important part is to start!
Give It Time
Don’t overwhelm yourself. You can’t do it all at once. It’s going to take a couple of days, a couple of weeks, a couple of whatevers to get it all done. Don’t be hard on yourself when it doesn’t happen immediately.
And it doesn’t have to be perfect the first time. That golf outing is in its fourth year, and it gets better every single year. You do it, you learn, and you do it better the next time.
What Will You Put Your Mind To?
Four years ago, three guys from a road commission had never planned a golf outing. Now they run one that gets better every year, raises thousands of dollars for amazing causes, and brings together people who wouldn’t otherwise get to be together.
So what’s the thing you’ve been telling yourself you can’t do? Find your why. Find your people. Take the first step, and give yourself time.
You can do anything you put your mind to. I’ve watched it happen.
What are you putting your mind to right now? Tell me in the comments. I’d love to cheer you on.
As always, carry social kindness with you everywhere you go. The world needs you and your positive mindset!
Connect With Me
If you want to consult on training or coaching for your team, please reach out.
269-621-5282
Comments