Hey Everyone,
So here’s the thing…
I feel as though an entire topic is often being neglected when it comes to setting goals. Simply put, very few people are talking about sacrifice.
Now don’t get me wrong, it’s important that you don’t dwell on all the things you must abstain from if you want to reach a goal. If goal setting were simply about resisting temptations for momentary glory, then I would say you should just ignore the practice altogether.
In my opinion and from what I understand about high-performers, setting goals should be about creating and achieving something that excites you.
And well… if you really want to get honest about what a goal is, then let’s just call it by its real name.
A desire.
And having a desire in life is essentially just a contract you make with yourself to be unhappy until you get what you want.
That’s the harsh truth.
And with that harsh truth comes another one.
You must be willing to make sacrifices to reach that desired future.
In other words… you can’t always be happy.
Nobody ever accomplished anything great by fitting into a mould or giving in to every little passing unhealthy temptation that passed through their field of view.
- Greatness requires focus.
- Greatness requires discipline.
- And greatness requires a willingness to make the necessary sacrifices to attain the highest level of excellence.
In the journey towards your ultimate goal, what are you willing to sacrifice?
If you can map out what that might be so you’re not surprised when those choices arrive.
* * *
So, that’s my theory on “sacrifice”. But, what about you? I would love to start a discussion on this topic and hear what you have to say on the matter.
- What kind of sacrifices should we be willing to make for a goal?
- Is it okay to be unhappy with not achieving something?
- Why do we glorify athletes who make sacrifices that cost them their relationships?
- Can you make huge sacrifices and still have a fulfilling journey?
This is a tricky subject and I think it’s becoming more challenging to navigate as we explore the depths of mental health and overall well-being.
What do you think? You can share your thoughts by commenting below.
-derek
For the most part I agree. I just don’t know if we have to be “unhappy” until we reach our goals. We can still enjoy the process and it doesn’t mean we have to be pissed off or angry that we haven’t yet attained our own goals. We can have both an enjoyable journey and a worthwhile thing to aim for in life.
I’m with you. Maybe “unhappy” isn’t the best word. But more so just unsatisfied and a belief in ourselves to get better. Simply something that is a relentless-self-sustaining internal drive that does not rely on external validation.
Sacrifices and our understanding of it rely on a few things:
– the passage of time (age & aging coupled with experience)
– our acceptance of surrendering something we ‘value’
– embracing the passage of time when you’re in ‘sacrifice’ mode.
There are athletes that give up damn near everything in pursuit of excellence – yes, we do glorify them. In glorifying that choice, we affirm the inevitable outcome of sacrifice, which is LOSS (of something treasured be it a relationship or another facet of their life). Sacrifice CAN become a vice if we don’t continually re-evaluate our goals, which are in tandem with our desire to sacrifice ‘things’.
GREATNESS does require discipline – but within that discipline exists a balance (I would like to think). It wouldn’t be discipline if it’s an all-consuming focus for one singular thing. GREATNESS is an expansive concept that requires a village to advance one person’s desire for it. Hence SACRIFICE relies on specific partnerships for it to continually exist. It is ok, to not achieve a goal (Olympians go through that all the time) – it simply opens opportunities for more growth and a re-evaluation of goals, hence the cycle of striving for GREATNESS begins again.
Hey Len,
Great response. I’m totally with you. So in a sense, it’s largely a matter of bringing self-awareness with you throughout the journey. But with that, also a healthy balance of external awareness as well. How are my goals affecting those around me? Are these sacrifices helping me in the short run, but hurting myself and others over time? Do I need to do this alone or can I benefit from going through this journey with others?
Asking these questions, and others like them, can really ensure you are making the right moves on a day-to-day basis. Would you agree?
-Derek