Wednesday Inspiration #28

It’s easier to numb out with food, drama, (t.v. or real life), over spending, depression, and even church than admitting that the daily investment you are making 40 hours a week at your job are just not worth it. Yes, your job allows you to pay the bills and take care of your family. That’s a good starting place. But if you are planning on investing 30+ years in something shouldn’t the return be greater at the end than it was at the beginning?

If you’ve been working for 5, 10 or even 15 or more years and the biggest return on that investment is that you are surviving, it’s time to change your investment strategy. Will it cost you to reinvest? Yes. Will it require sacrifice and discomfort? Yes. But the truth is you are already sacrificing (going without what you really want) and it can’t be comfortable living in survival mode week to week. You may be all too familiar with experiencing the negative side of sacrifice and discomfort. But there is a positive side to those as well.

Sacrificing in order to reach a goal is different than going without because you won’t do what’s required to get the resources or look for the opportunities available to you. It takes a lot of determination, effort and energy to go after what you want. Guess what – it takes a lot of emotional energy and effort to live below the level of your purpose too. And the stress that comes from being constantly in survival mode will eventually have a physical impact.

Stepping outside of your comfort zone or “getting unboxed” as I call it, may not feel easy. But there’s a positive pay off: you stretch, you grow, you learn, you feel alive, and you build your confidence having taken a step towards what you really want. One step closer toward your goals is 10x better than staying stuck where you are.

Reflect: What is your current sacrifice costing you? What intentional sacrifices are you willing to make in order to go after your career and life goals?

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