The-Slight-Edge

168 The Slight Edge
After many years of working in the real estate industry, i woke up one
morning and realized i couldn’t do it anymore. i was almost 40 years old,
and already in full burn out mode. i took a vacation to Montana to try to
rejuvenate and fell in love with ‘big sky country’ as it is called by many.
Everything about the mountains and rivers spoke to me, and i knew that
this was where i was going to live someday. i went back to Texas, left
the real estate industry and began my own business, rejuvenated by the
dream of ‘big sky country.’ i dedicated myself to consistent daily actions
and modeling myself after others who were successful.
i started dreaming big, real big. Real, real big. it was exciting. i thought
about a ranch in Montana in the mountains, backing up to thousands
of Forest Service acres with trees, rivers and streams running through
the property. i would have horses, of course, and lots of room for all my
friends and family to visit and enjoy. i would build a ‘convention center’
on the property so i could have retreats for women and hold family
reunions there all right there at the ‘ranch.’ Of course the reality of my
living conditions at the time of that dream was pretty stark in comparison,
but i didn’t pay attention to where i was at that time. instead i focused
goals every day and envisioned myself attaining them.
those years of planning and dreaming for the future, i kept working on my
business steadily and with intensity.
Then, you guessed it. One day i was taking a Sunday afternoon drive to
look at the aspen trees turning gold in the fall and literally drove up to
my dream place. it was in the middle of the national forest, with lots of
trees and a stream running beside it. And right on the fence post by the
gate was a for sale by owner sign. i drove up the hill and knocked on the
door, and as they say, ‘the rest is history’. Within 30 days i had purchased
a beautiful 80-acre property that looked exactly like what i have been
envisioning for over 10 years! i spent a year renovating the house to get it
exactly like all the pictures i had collected over the years.
A lot of my friends and family wondered how did she do it? i can tell you
exactly how it was done: by applying the Slight Edge in every part of my
life. From my beliefs, philosophies, actions, disciplines, every single day.
i changed language from ‘can’t, maybe, don’t know’ to ‘can, sure, i
The Slight Edge philosophy is life altering and now i am passing it on. i am
teaching my children and grandchildren the same principles so they can
be as blessed as i have been.
i hope you dream big and go for your dreams with your whole heart. if
you will consistently apply the Slight Edge in every decision you make you
will realize them very soon.
—Kathy Aaron, Helena, MT