1. What's the hardest you ever worked towards a desired result?
2. Was it worth it?
3. What does it take to get what you want?
In this morning's 9am call I was on the phone with a client who is in the midst of his busiest season of the year: tax season. As a CPA, he knows to expect working 65 -70 hours weekly for at least 6 weeks up to April 15. Of course there are those who will need extensions filed, yet for the most part the pressure of that yearly deadline is off.
His strategy is to stay disciplined, purposeful and avoid distractions. And it's been tough. With 10- 12 hour days he deserves a break, which sometimes includes drinking with friends in the evening. Obviously the next morning he regrets this choice, yet he's not focused on tomorrow when he makes this decision. He's focused on the now - taking the edge off.
After a few mishaps, my client is now ready to refocus, reclaim his discipline and through it all, feel better about his accomplishments. That's the ultimate goal - realizing he is in control of himself. And with that realization, seeing value in who he is.
A few minutes ago I was on Facebook, where I saw one of my friends (Thanks Deborah!)focusing her status on being grateful for Good Friday. "Without Good Friday, we can't enjoy Easter," she said.
Of all days, today is the day to revisit what it takes to get what we want. Wow - huge motivation! Tonight we celebrate the ultimate sacrifice - giving one's life - for the good of others. What a selfless act. What does it take for us to sacrifice at that level?
For me, it's tough to be out of control. I want to be in the know, a part of the plan, a voice that's heard, and then I am willing to follow through. What did Jesus get? Was his voice heard before the plan was created that ended with his life on the cross for the good of those who didn't even care about him? No, and the thing is, that's what makes the act so beautiful. Self-less.
Today, as I ask myself, "What's the hardest you ever worked towards a desired goal?", my answer is, "Not hard enough."
As I ask myself, "Was it worth it?" I realize it is always worth seeing what I can do for the good of the people - ultimately it is also good for me.
So this leads to, "What does it take to get what you want?" forgiving myself for past stumblings, recommitting, and moving forward purposefully. Thank God.
