Hopefully this Motivates :)
Everyone,
I've been at IM on and off for a year. I just got serious the past two months and I've started to make SOME money (not a lot lol) and a few sales.
I had a couple insights and wrote this post yesterday. I thought that it might help some newbies here. Excuse any typos.
It was originally called, "Comfort, Tests, and Other Random Things That Really Matter in Life".
I've been at IM on and off for a year. I just got serious the past two months and I've started to make SOME money (not a lot lol) and a few sales.
I had a couple insights and wrote this post yesterday. I thought that it might help some newbies here. Excuse any typos.
It was originally called, "Comfort, Tests, and Other Random Things That Really Matter in Life".
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Oh how things change. In the last few months I've been through a lot and still have much more to endure. I am by no means successful nor will I consider myself so until I accomplish significantly more than I have to date. I don't ever want there to be any misconception that I feel as though I am an expert...I'm just a man with an opinion. I have goals that I have set for myself and I have not reached that place where I feel like those outcomes have been attained. Until that point I will classify myself as, "Entrenched in the beautiful struggle". Which brings me to the title of this note. It is my belief that, in a world consumed with materialistic desires and other pleasures of life, those who are better able to deal with the discomforts of life often benefit the most from it. This fact is universal. It applies the superficial as well as the "deeper" aspects of life. Consider these multiple examples: -The gym rat is the one with the best body, six pack abs, or biggest bench press. -The so-called player is often not the most attractive male, but the individual whom has possessed the guts to approach the most girls (despite the butterflies) and has become comfortable/proficient at doing so. -The girl that appears to be the cutest at the workplace or on campus is rarely a complete natural beauty. She takes particular interest in her appearance, dresses in a flattering manner, and makes sure her hair, nails, etc are up kept. -Artists that are discovered usually are not the most talented, but consistently work on improving their craft and getting their work in front of an audience. -Couples whom have the best relationships aren't always the most compatible. They've suffered ups and downs. Relationships take "work". -Universities make you take numerous classes you don't care about nor have anything to do with your discipline in order to get a degree. -Even most religions are based upon not giving into what's easy (sin/the flesh) for a greater benefit (good karma, a better afterlife, etc). This brings me to my second point of interest: Tests. As soon as you decide what it is you want (or things you want), from then on you will be tested. Not only that, but you will continue to be evaluated, pushed up against, and knocked down until you reach what it is you desire. Friends will poke fun, parents will (no so subtly) encourage otherwise, outsiders will judge, and significant other's support will waiver. You will get tired, things will "come up", bills will come due, and inevitably "Sugar Honey Iced Tea" will find a way to happen. What will you do then? What have you done in those situations? I've been guilty of not following through in some occasions as well. But ask yourself: -How many books did you plan to finish that you didn't (or not even start)? -How many diets or work out programs have you failed to complete? -How many things are on your TO DO List and how long have they been there? -How many items have you checked off your Bucket List? I HAD TO CHECK MYSELF. I was surprised at how many times I hadn't completed something or not even started. Once I decided to 1) Prioritize what I wanted 2) Start on what I wanted to do and 3) Not focus on anything else until I finished it. I couldn't believe how productive I became. I also realized that many of the things that I didn't finish were due to the fact I didn't care that much about them in the first place. We all make time for what we really want to do. That insight helped me understand why some people that received very high grades could be bad at interpersonal relationships and why many millionaires were terrible students. A lot of the excuses I made went away too. I already told you how no having time went away...I made time. The money issue really shocked me. My bills always found a way to get paid. I budgeted. And when I needed money for the things I wanted to do, I just found alternate ways to pay for them (bartering, research, "sweat equity"). I had to re-evaluate what failure is. The people that we consider successful have failed at various things numerous times (common knowledge). But what most don't realize is the average person's definition of failure is really just a set-back. Chris Gardner of "Pursuit of Happyness" fame had his wife leave him, was homeless, jobless, and raising his son before he reached success. A lot of people give up during the time they're building their success story. The autistic children that have written best sellers, the blind guys that make music, the college drop outs that make BILLIONS. That's what makes the struggle "beautiful". Who really wants to hear about the person who had it easy their whole life? I don't know. I'm still figuring things out as I write this. But I don't ask myself "Do I want to be successful?" Everyone does. That's like asking myself, "Do you want to breathe?" These days I ask, "What steps are you taking to become successful?" "I really don't think life is about the I-could-have-beens. Life is only about the I-tried-to-do. I don't mind the failure but I can't imagine that I'd forgive myself if I didn't try" -Nikki Giovanni |
Kevin Franz