Do you love what you do?
When you love what you do, you are willing to do things others may not understand. You are willing to constantly update, upgrade, research and network. You are willing to sacrifice what others see as "fun" and substitute what your time is best spent on.
TV watching, Facebooking, yard work or shopping may all be put aside for other things like reading, reviewing, re-working or reaching for that next level of using your skills and gifts.
What does it take to get what you want?
Nobody has all the answers. What we have is a desire. My desire is to create peace for others while helping them speak with confidence. Those who want this peace are like me. They are introverts. They usually lack confidence while they prefer staying isolated. Yet when they are attorneys or running for political office, they have a conflicting need - influence people to either engage their services or to vote or financially support their campaign.
The only way I can accomplish my goal of supporting the introvert is to be out there, out on a limb. To do this I get to attend evening, morning, noon or other networking events. I get to present to groups. I get to write, speak, create programs and develop quality service for those who overlook their own value.
What am I sacrificing? I consciously decide whether to spend on self vs. spending for others. I consciously question how to take care of self so I can be there for others. My activities - answering my phone, responding to emails, keeping up with Facebook - have gone by the wayside. I am sacrificing "immediacy" for planned, scheduled time to connect with others.
I am sacrificing having a home full of valuable things. I live in a 1300 square foot loft with a very small storage space. My wardrobe, my pantry and my entertainment practices look dismally small and inconsequential. That isn't valuable to me, for it won't do anything for those I'm most committed to.
What I'm gaining is an appreciation for helping people. And that resonates with a supportive following. Short term sacrifice may feel like you're putting yourself out on a limb. Because you are. Yet it's a limb of beauty that won't break.
