The Courage To Sacrifice

Introduction:

Welcome my friend,

It's so fitting to be here with you on this last day of January, as we round up our series of discussions on getting started with the new year.

Sincerely, the fact that the first month has already ended is testament to how swiftly time flies, so that twelve (12) months in the year has been reduced to eleven (11) which is one less to negotiate our dreams, goals and plans.

So quite simply, we can say that time is ticking, an early reminder that we no longer have room for procrastinations and distractions but to diligently put in effort in the right direction.

Yet even if we can't, due to our health, finances, environment, position or other such circumstances outside of our control; that hinder us, we must be content with just staying alive.

After all, life's reality is such that it isn't every time that a person will fly, but let it not be that they're the ones clipping their own wings.

Which means that we're warned against being unduly harsh on ourselves yet, still encouraged to push ourselves to our own individual limits, being the best of who we are.

So my friend, it’s with these words that I welcome you to today's conversation.

Hopefully, it'll be worth your time.

Discussion:

The most painful part of growth and accomplishment is that it can require us to give up some other things in return, many of which we wouldn't want to do willingly.

Quite often, what we want or who we want to become isn't normally aligned with who we currently are, what we have, or where we are, which means that something has to give in.

This can be a huge dilemma.

How do we leave our current environment and friends to move to another place?

How would we fare in the new role or job?

What would our friends think of us?

How would we fit into new relationships?

Where do we find the discipline to adjust our diet or routine to train our body or mind?

Realistically, all these are very common questions we are confronted with, when we make the decision to improve our lives.

They're also tough to answer considering our sentiments.

Which makes the choice of giving up other things in the pursuit of what we truly want feel like a sacrifice.

■ Some Tough Choices We Make

To sacrifice in this context is to unwillingly give up aspects of our lives because they've become detrimental to our aims.

As we know, having a goal is one thing, having the means to achieve it is another, which leaves us with the responsibility of being proactive if we're going to realize it.

To be aware of our part and to play it.

To understand that wanting a different result means that change is compulsory.

Changes that can include;

▪︎ Giving Up Our Environment 

If interacting with our environment does not contribute positively to how we think and act, then it's not healthy to remain there.

To share the same space as folks who constantly inspire us to be our best with encouraging words and supportive actions is akin to regularly watering a flower.

It's how we build our self belief and refine our visions to continue to dream.

When an environment stifles and shrinks us, we don't have to remain there simply because it's where we were raised or somewhere we are accustomed to its lifestyle.

Quite often, leaving our comfort zone introduces us to a mental shift that aligns more with our goals than remaining there.

▪︎ Giving Up Our Relationships

Friendships are established by love, but the bond is strengthened by sharing similar values, aspirations and goals.

To watch our relationships drift apart can be painful but sometimes that's the only outcome when people no longer want to move in the same direction.

Truth is, we can still love each other but keep our distance because we have lost the understanding we once shared, without which it's impossible to achieve much together.

▪︎ Giving Up Old Dreams 

The reason it's difficult to give up our environment and relationships even when they've become detrimental is because it also means giving up the dreams we had with them.

Yet these things happen as we replace old dreams with new ones.

As we grow, learn, and evolve, we become wiser, redefining success from what we thought it was to what it really is.

Seeing it from our own standpoint and not just what the world thinks it is.

Once we make this switch, the things we wanted most no longer seem as appealing since we now want better.

▪︎ Giving Up Pleasures

Sometimes availing ourselves to our responsibility is missing out on our play time yet we have to do it because it's what the situation calls for.

Sometimes working with a target leaves us with little room for other things, and if we're not willing to make this commitment we come out short.

We should be able to rightly prioritize our activities in a way that we spend most of our time being productive.

While it's good to maintain a balance it's important to note that rest, enjoyment and pleasure is earned after we've successfully delivered on our job.

▪︎ Giving Up Our Ego

For those that have built their identity around an unhealthy obsession to be right, quitting a wrong course and starting afresh can feel like defeat.

Yet as it's said “every step after making a wrong turn makes the journey back home more expensive”

We can be dynamic and flexible without losing our core principles.

When we hold on to obsolete ideas and methods to prove the point that we're “rigid” or “tough” we show ourselves to be unwise.

Other times, we feel we're too big to start small yet not starting is what guarantees we remain small.

To reach our goals we need to be wise enough to be humble doing whatever it takes to continue getting better.

■ The Basis Of Our Sacrifice

When we give up one thing, what makes it worthwhile is the expectation that the reward is better.

When we give up one or more of the things we've discussed, let it be because we expect the rewards of happiness, peace of mind and freedom.

Happiness so that we're content with where we are and what we have even though not satisfied, hence the sacrifices we make to grow.

Peace of mind, so that we're not embroiled in neither little nor huge disagreements with anyone.

Then freedom, so that we can express ourselves freely and authentically while at it.

When we build our lives around these ultimate goals we learn to dream and plan other aspects of it effectively.

Summary:

It's been a few weeks now since our new year resolutions and some of us already feel bad because we've failed at keeping up.

Yet everyday is an opportunity to make a fresh start.

When we give up because we're unwilling to do the work it takes to improve, we miss out on experiencing a better version of ourselves.

This means that for us success is a matter of self respect.

So let's go out there and do whatever it takes to succeed this time, willingly making these sacrifices because we understand the rewards.

Master Apprentice.

www.x.com/truekingmaker