There is a price to be paid for everything. I was reviewing some notes in my journal today and came across a snippet in reference to success and the desire that must be present in order to achieve a life vision...
"Success comes when the fear of failing to achieve your dream is greater than the fear of the cost that must be paid"
I am not a big proponent of "fear" in general, but I understand this to mean, a) there must be a dream or purposeful goal present for there to even be a purpose and b) it has to hold enough personal meaning to create that feeling of a quest or a mission.
Today I saw the winner of the national spelling bee on the news. I don't know how old he is, but they asked him how he managed to win this time after all the spelling bees he has been in. Apparently over the last 3 years or so he lost on a word with a German origin, so he spent lots of time studying German origin words and he ended up winning on one this year. I think that kid was on a quest to accomplish a goal that had a lot of personal meaning. I can't imagine caring about something THAT much that I would want to spend the kind of time and energy it would take to accomplish that goal.
I keep trying to come up with my BIG dream. What matters so much to me that I can direct my energy and focus to that ONE thing that will make personal sacrifice worth while? Frankly, I am still working on it.
There is another note in my book that says, "design a future for yourself or others will design it for you." I have felt this to be true throughout my life - decisions and directions being handled for me, while I don't care enough or feel enough conviction to redirect myself in a different way.
Don't get me wrong, I have a blessed life and I am not complaining and, for the most part, I don't have a ton of regrets (maybe some); I guess I am saying there is just as high a cost associated with indecision as there is with sacrificing to achieve a dream - they just LOOK different.
At my company they often talk about pricing strategy when selling a home. Generally speaking, if your home is not getting showings and you don't have an offer in the first 2 to 3 weeks (the market is hot in Utah right now), your home is most likely overpriced and will require a price change to create interest and activity.
I think it is the same in life - if the price is too high there must be a reduction in the cost to achieve the ultimate goals and/or the dream or goal MUST be meaningful enough to endure the cost that will be paid to achieve it. For me, the trick is figuring out what that ultimate dream looks like...the sky's the limit.
I Am Grateful,
HB
Diva Quote: "You've got to be very careful if you don't know where you are going, because you might not get there." Yogi Berra
I know, the "BIG DREAM"..... I find myself periodically digging around for this also. The AH HA! There it is. This is what makes me a million dollars, or makes me complete, or motivates and drives me. I keep toying with this idea, or that one.
ReplyDeleteBut do we really have to have a "BIG DREAM"? We definitely need direction, and purpose.....
I think what drives me, is the desire to reach my full potential. We all know we are capable of so much more. We know we can do anything. It is just the figuring out, the deciding what it is we need/want to be expending our focus and energy on.
At other times, I try to remember, I don't need to make a zillion, or come up with the best wrap skirt ever, or write a book, or have a business. We have enough income, I can relax and do the things I enjoy and focus my energies on my family and my spirituality. Sometimes I feel like the constant drive to do and become is really just a big distraction.
Don't get me wrong, I am all about goals and being our best self, etc. I can't explain it.
That spelling bee fellow.....like you, I don't have that drive. I have not found my spelling bee.
It would be fun to have a live discussion on this in a month or so. How bout that?
Well said M...I agree with all of it and appreciate you putting it into words. I would love to chat "live" about it. HB
ReplyDeleteNo doubt, let's get to the live chatter already!
ReplyDeleteI loved visiting w Huggie and trav this weekend when we went to park city sans kids to celebrate lances B-day! It felt like the good old days when we spent every spar moment w my older sissy and her hub. Shooting the bull and giving each other crap about anything that wandered into the conversation!
I love you guys!
I tried to tell lance we should host a Chinese teaching assistant for Jenny p Stewart. But I think he's nervous she'd starve to death at our house- (not that he thinks I'm a bad cook!! Just that I don't cook that often! ;). I said she'd fair like the rest of us - do you want Ramon noodles or Paleo??! We're fine!