SuccessNet

The Day That Didn't Need Improving
Monday was a remarkable day.

Not because anything remarkable happened. In fact, that may be what made it so remarkable.

I started the morning playing tennis. Dawn and I had recently returned from a wonderful trip to Lake Tahoe, and we were settling back into our routines.

I had some catching up to do, including a few details associated with my new book. I took care of those and some other important priorities. By about two o'clock, I decided I'd done enough.

Not because I'd run out of things to do. That rarely happens.

But because I'd done what mattered most.

Dawn and I spent some quality time together in our library, enjoying good conversation. Later, we relaxed, savored a great meal, and had a quiet, pleasant evening.

Nothing spectacular. No big breakthrough. No major milestone.

Just a really good day.

And as I reflected on it, something occurred to me.

It was a day that didn't need improving.

The Endless Pursuit of Better
I've spent much of my adult life studying, writing, and teaching about personal growth, achievement, and creating a fulfilling life.

I'm a big believer in continuous improvement. There's always more to learn, more to accomplish, and more of ourselves to develop.

But there's a trap in all that striving.

We can become so focused on making tomorrow better that we fail to appreciate how good today already is.

There's always another goal, another project, another problem to solve.

And there's nothing wrong with that.

But when does better become enough?

When do we give ourselves permission to recognize that, for today at least, we're doing pretty darn well?

What Made Monday So Good?
As I thought about it, I realized the day contained several important ingredients of what I consider a great day in one’s Best Life.

Vitality. I was physically active, doing something I enjoy.

Achievement. I made meaningful progress on things that matter.

Freedom. I had the ability—and willingness—to stop working when I'd accomplished my priorities.

Connection. I spent meaningful time with someone I love.

Appreciation. Perhaps most importantly, I noticed how good the day had been.

Nothing extraordinary about any of those things.
But together, they added up to something pretty wonderful.

What If We Could Have More Days Like That?
We can't control everything that happens. Some days bring unexpected problems, frustrations, and disappointments.

Not every day will be a great day.
But what if we became more intentional about creating the conditions for good ones?

What if, instead of simply planning what we need to get done, we also considered what would make the day worth living?

Maybe it's a walk, a call to an old friend, an unhurried meal, something creative, or simply appreciating what we already have.

The ingredients will be different for each of us.

The point isn't to create another checklist or another standard by which to judge ourselves.

It's to recognize what makes our lives rich, meaningful, and enjoyable—and make room for more of it.

A Simple Question Worth Asking
Think back to a day you particularly enjoyed.
Not a vacation, wedding, birthday, or special occasion.
Just a really good, ordinary day.

What made it so good? What were you doing? Who were you with? How did you feel?

And here's the more important question:
What could you do today—or tomorrow—to experience more of what made that day so worthwhile?

You might be surprised by how simple the answers are.

I've long believed we have more influence over the quality of our lives than we sometimes recognize. And Monday reminded me of something important.

A Best Life isn't just something we're working toward. It's something we can experience right now.

I'm grateful for that day. And I'm looking forward to creating more like it.

After all, a well-lived life is made up of well-lived days.

And today seems like a pretty good place to start.

Make it great!
Michael Angier


P.S. My new novel, Weekends with Appa, officially launches next Wednesday, October 21. I'm looking forward to sharing more about it with you next week.

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The Best Life Chartroom gives you practical guides, tools, templates, and reflection resources to help you reconnect with what matters most, explore what’s still possible, and take your Next Right Step.

It’s a simple place to think better, choose wiser, and live more intentionally.

Full details at…

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Don’t Leave Your Best Stories Behind
Some of the richest things we can pass on are better shared while we’re here.
You can know someone your whole life and still not know much about the life they’ve lived. You know their habits. Their favorite chair. The stories they tell at every family gathering—sometimes with improvements.

But do you know what once frightened them? What they almost did? What changed their mind about something they’d believed for thirty years?

We know people as Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa. It’s easy to forget they had whole lives before they became those people to us.

And someone you love probably knows only part of your story, too.

That’s been on my mind while writing Weekends with Appa. After thirteen nonfiction books, I’m exploring some of what matters most through a novel.

A grandfather and his fifteen-year-old grandson, Aaron, spend a series of weekends going through journals, photographs, and keepsakes.

The objects start the conversations. But soon, the conversations matter more than the objects.

They aren’t really sorting through possessions. They’re sorting through a life.

That got me thinking differently about inheritance.

We usually think of inheritance as something we leave behind. Money. Property. A watch someone may or may not want.

But what about the things that can’t be listed in a will?

The mistake that changed how we treated people. The risk we’re glad we took. The dream we set aside—and still think about. The person whose faith in us helped us find our own.

Those are things we can pass on, too.

And we don’t have to die to give them.

A will can say who gets the watch. It can’t explain why you kept it for fifty years.

A photograph can show who was there. It can’t tell what happened five minutes earlier—or why that day changed everything.

We may carefully preserve the possessions while leaving their meaning unspoken.

In Appa and Aaron’s conversations, the discovery goes both ways. One has lived longer. The other sees with fresh eyes. Sometimes Aaron’s question helps Appa understand something he thought he’d already figured out.

That’s part of the gift: having someone care enough to say, “Tell me more.”

These conversations can also change what we do next.

An old regret may encourage someone to take a chance. A story about starting over may help someone begin again. Remembering what once made us feel alive may remind us that it still could.

The life we’ve lived has something to offer the life still ahead—for both generations.

We don’t need a dramatic history to begin. Or an announcement that we’re discussing legacy. That might send everyone looking for an urgent errand.

Start with a photograph. An old tool. A handwritten recipe.

“How did you get this?”

“What were you like at my age?”

“What’s something about your life I’ve never thought to ask?”

Then give the answer a little room.

I hope Weekends with Appa encourages those conversations. Writing it has reminded me how much can remain undiscovered between people who love each other.

Someone has a story you’d like to hear. Someone else might be waiting to hear yours.

Ask a question. Or say, “There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you.”

You don’t have to wait until you’re gone to give someone a piece of your life.

You might both enjoy it more while you’re here.

The book is in production now. Available soon. In the meantime, if you haven’t already availed yourself of our free navigational guide Get Clear on What Matters Most you can get yours now. It’s a practical guide for clarifying your core values and your plans for the next chapter. www.SuccessNet.org/wmm

Make it great!
Michael Angier