The one-year anniversary of this Optimistic Outlook newsletter came and went on January 20th, and I did not even realize it had been a year.
When I looked back, it stopped me for a moment.
The very first post went out to two people. It did have a 100 percent open rate, which still makes me smile. See the image below:
One year later, the newsletter went out to 1,264 people with a 45 percent open rate.
On the John Eades Podcast, Griffin Brand, author of Bring Your Own Pencil, shared something with me that I have not stopped thinking about.
“It’s important to look back at all the progress you’ve made. Sometimes you have to pause on the climb, turn around, and enjoy the view. You have to notice how far the ground level is and say to yourself, look how far I’ve climbed already.”
That idea, that your progress is only visible when you turn around, stuck.
The Optimistic Outlook started as a challenge from my daughter Lucy and turned into a daily discipline of capturing ideas and writing five posts every weekend. Recording a podcast so you can listen on the go. Eventually, turning the top 101 messages into a book.
How long will this go? I honestly do not know. What I do know is that I am somewhere on the mountain, and I needed to pause long enough to realize I am no longer standing at the base.
You should do the same.
Take a moment today and reflect on how far you have come at work, at home, in your marriage, or in a hobby you once struggled to start.
Be grateful for the progress.
Then go back to the work, because there is still plenty of mountain left to climb.
P.S. Thank you for being part of this journey. Reading, sharing, listening, or simply showing up here means more to me than you realize.
Your progress is only visible when you turn around.
P.S. The Optimistic Outlook is a Podcast! Leaving a rating or review wherever you listen to podcasts would mean a lot.
Use Your Gifts,
John Eades
Creator, The Leadership Lens & The Optimistic Outlook