Monday 5 Things with D. Paul Graham

“Uphill to T1,” this photo is referencing the first turn at COTA (Circuit of the Americas) located in Austin Texas. Over 130 cars broke the participating record last week in April at the North American Ferrari Challenge Race Series. Photography by D. Paul Graham, 2024

I really enjoyed where I spent time this past week. Time with the woman I love. Time with family. Time with clients that are making a difference with what they do. Time in the airport lounge. Time in the air. Time on track. Time working with some really talented people who are exceptionally good at what they do. Time on corners with myself. Time during race rain delays. Time to think. Time to query. Time spent finishing this week’s M5T and the questions I asked myself during these times.

1. ACT – What are you waiting for? Act on the things that are the most important to fulfilling your objectives and realizing your dreams. Start now. Right now. Push back against your fears and embrace a huge scary undertaking. Don’t hold back. Be aggressive. Stop procrastinating. Scale with scope, speed, and structure. Ask yourself, what will you act on today?

2. FOCUS – Push the positive forward in your mind and focus on your strengths. Mediocrity comes from focusing on weaknesses. Be accountable for your actions, your failures, and your successes. Be willing to fail, fail again, and fail for as long as it takes until you achieve your objective. Ask yourself, what strengths will you focus on today?

3. NO OFFERS – Don’t make broad offers to help someone unless you are prepared to do something about it. If you see a need, and you can do something about it, just make it happen. Give then give again just because you can. Without expecting anything in return. Ask yourself, what need can you fill for someone today?

4. KNOW YOUR WONT’S – What won’t you do? Who won’t you serve? Where won’t you spend your time? Know where you won’t go. Pick your lane and stay in it. Clear your head, heart, and soul of distractions. Pivot to “who can do it?” Ask yourself, what won’t you do today?

5. SO THAT – Your ‘so that’ is your reason for being. What you’ve been put on this earth for. It’s your vision. Your raison d’etre. Your foresight. Your passions. Hold fast to them, live them, and be relentless and unapologetic for them all. Every freakin’ day. Stand out. Stop chasing others, trying to be who they are and doing what they are doing. Use your ‘so that’ to be different and create value. Your ‘so that’ provides the fortitude to reject living a life that others expect of you. Your ‘so that’ gives you clarity of thought. Your thoughts. Your ‘so that’ allows you to recognize that it’s difficult to stop someone who knows where they are going. Ask yourself, will your ‘so that’ allow you to be difficult to stop today?

Here’s to taking time, to asking yourself questions, and then doing something about them. Starting today. Rinse, repeat, and revive. Every day.

For over 12 years, D. Paul Graham has published  Monday 5 Things , also known to readers as M5T. You can reach Paul by email at dpg@imagegraham.com. or catch him in the pits at any future high stakes European car race.