Hi Steemians, Uloggers, and Engagement Leaguers,
I owe yet another debt of gratitude to Steemit. Steemit led me to a new author and a book I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading.
Survival
I’ve just finished reading Neil Strauss’ latest book “Emergency: This Book Will Save your Life”. The $5 used book arrived in rough condition, but the words were all intact. This book is much more than a great story. Like this best of books, this one made me think.
What would my family do if the power went out for 7 days? Or more generally, what will you do when the music stops?
As they say in the Boy Scouts of America, “be prepared”. I’m obligated to prepare my household, and I’m also obligated to take care of myself so I can care for family. This is the main reason I’m marathoning (more on that later).
Sacrifice
Larry Winget, the pit-bull of personal development, prescribes a strategy for achieving goals. Take a blank sheet of paper and draw a line down the middle. On the left side write down what you want to achieve. On the right side write down what you will give up in order to get it. The point is most of things you want in life will not come to you without some kind of sacrifice.
I knew this when I committed to running a marathon next March. But I am still surprised but the form of sacrifice.
Sacrifices made for marathon:
- Sleeping in past 6am on Saturdays
- Time for reading, writing, blogging
- A great deal of comfort — replacing old routines with unfamiliar ones.
- More to come, I’m sure of it.
Success
In many other cases you may find that sacrifice is greater than predicted. But also keep in mind the rewards are also greater than predicted.
- New friends
- New experiences
- New knowledge
- A boost in self-fulfillment
- New stories to tell
- Strength and overall health (in my case)
So, be optimistic. When the going gets tough, the upside is greatness.
Thanks for reading,
Torrey
{Steem Original}
p.s. the picture is of me after running 5 kilometers in Las Vegas’s early morning dry heat.