(a repost from August 22, 2011)

Beats me.

It’s Sunday night as I write this and it will be Monday morning as many of you read this. The idea of coming up with eight great simple steps is way beyond me right now. I’ve had a weekend full of conversation and travel and new friends and old. I’ve taught and read and listened. And if I know myself, when I reread this in the morning, the last thing I will want is exuberance. All I’m going to be looking for is a cup of coffee.

I’d love 8 simple steps to greatness, of course. So would you. Recipes are fun to read. Lists make us feel better. Even when we aren’t willing to actually make the deep changes that we need to make, we feel better when we can read a list of ways to improve ourselves.

At least that’s true for me.

But someone quoted to me today, “It’s not the will to win that makes the difference, it’s the will to do the work that helps you win.”

So I decided to leave myself a note of some things on Sunday night that I want to remember Monday morning. Not simple things, not new things. But eight things that might make some Monday six months from now be the greatest day ever.

1. do the work that’s in front of you to do.

2. leave space to listen to God and to others.

3. turn off the screen for a bit.

4. Love God with all your heart.

5. and all your soul.

6. and all your mind

7. and all your strength

8. and love your neighbor like yourself.

I’ll be back to write for you tomorrow. I promise. Especially if I take care of my list on Monday morning. And again on Tuesday. And Wednesday.  And the rest of my life.