Law of Sacrifice – Page 5

Stopping the Distraction

When I agree to something I really don’t want to do, it can remain on my list of things to do for a long time. It can make me feel unproductive. It affects my attitude about my day.

It’s funny that most of these commitments are made with myself. Repairs around my house that I need to do. Emails that I intend to write. Books that I would like to read. You get the idea.

All of these open commitments slow me down. The more I have open the less agile I am during my day.

The lesson learned for me is to not accept responsibility until I am ready to take action. Instead I keep a list of all the things I need to do, but not yet ready to start.

Then I focus my priority on three to five areas that need my attention. This system makes me more effective. I accomplish more within a shorter period of time. As I complete one item, I add another from my list.

Too simple? It is easy to manage on a daily basis. Aren’t the best systems simple?

If you feel overwhelmed with all that is on your daily agenda, maybe a similar system will help you. With this approach, I am able to stop distractions and create a sharp focus.

Are You Willing to Travel the Road to Success?

In a recent interview, when asked what he does in his spare time, Elon Musk said, “usually it’s work more.” Without a doubt, success is hard work. Most of us are not willing to put in the required work to reach the heights of success like Elon Musk.

Many people I coach have specific goals they want to achieve. Some are held back contained within their comfort zone. Others never test their limits because they just aren’t willing to put in the effort.

Successful people tend to be very focused and intent on achieving their goal. What we look at someone that is highly successful, we sometimes don’t see the sacrifice they have made. They may have sacrificed time, money, relationships, or hobbies.

Successful people still have those things. But along their journey they gave up something to stay focused on their goal.

We all want success, but there is a limit to how much we are ready to sacrifice. Having a limit is fine. Knowing that sacrifice is required, and our limit, shouldn’t we be able to make better decisions?

The Secret of Getting Things Done

When I was 9, my older brother was responsible for shoveling snow from the driveway after a snowfall. To me, shoveling snow looked like fun. When I asked to help, of course he said yes. But after shoveling snow for only a few minutes, I didn’t want to continue. It wasn’t fun. It was work.

If you are like me, some of the goals you have set for yourself feel as difficult as shoveling snow. We discover that some of them require a lot more work then we are willing to give.

I know that to accomplish a difficult goal, I must be willing to do the work. It can’t be any simpler. To accomplish something, I need to take action.

A few weeks ago, I was shoveling the snow from my driveway. The process was the same as it was 45 years previously. It is still hard work.

The difference now is I did not give up. I continued shoveling until I had cleared the the driveway, the sidewalk, and the steps to the front door. Why? Because it needed to be done.

It has made me reflect on my goals. Am I really doing the work required?

Sometimes we just need to get started. Sometimes we need to be reminded that it is not easy. Next time you feel stuck, remember what it is like to shovel snow for a few hours. And then get to work.

Intentional Sacrifice

When I was a kid, I used to collect marbles and baseball cards. Unlike my friends I did not like trading. I always wanted to keep what I had. Looking back I think they were happier with their collections, than I was with mine. They made multiple trades with good cards and bad cards, to get the few cards they truly wanted.

The Law of Sacrifice from John Maxwell’s, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership says, “A Leader Must Give Up to Go Up.” All through life we are faced with choices. We cannot continuously progress without giving up things within our comfort zone. It includes choices as simple as baseball cards, and as complex as our current job. But not making a choice is, by default, a choice to remain the same.

Change happens in our lives. We can’t stop it, but we can become more intentional about our changes. A coach can help us see opportunities by raising our awareness. A coach helps us see the decisions we made by default.

If you find yourself avoiding decisions, or only living within your comfort zone, then I would suggest you could benefit from some reflection on your opportunities. Opportunities you may not even see. If you feel stuck, finding a professional coach can help. All of us can be more intentional when it comes to The Law of Sacrifice.