The Rut I Deserve

Some of my most glorious memories of my childhood come from summer vacation.  That was the time when the air was warm, sun was out, and the plans were slim.  It was during summer vacation that I never accomplished a single thing.  I would get up late, go to sleep late, and live according to the "come what may" philosophy.  It is with this understanding that now, as a success-focused individual, I know I can't live with similar principles to my vacationing adolescence.  It is easy to desire the care-free life, but without earning it, it will always be a fleeting season.

Time is something that the more you invest into it, the more it will give back.  Remember, if you want something, give it to others first.  You don't gain self-esteem by only focusing on yourself.  Yes, you do need to establish self-knowledge, but if you only see yourself all the time, you will be missing key points to your growth.

In the same way, indulging doesn't encourage self-esteem.  Many people fall into the rut that if they are giving in to what they want, they are believing in themselves.  In reality they are selling themselves short of their potential.  

Don't get me wrong, indulging is a good thing.  But only when it is earned.  You see, the very first time you decide to give in to what you "deserve", a mentality shift takes place.  You remember how great it feels to slack off and before you know it, you are navigating your way down the slippery slope of complacency.  Have you ever been on a very consistent exercise regimen, just to take an unplanned day off?  That day off was amazing, wasn't it?  And unless you are pursuing a very direct goal, a pattern of indulging becomes established.  Compromising your goals is always easier the second time.  And so on it goes.  The more you compromise, the easier it gets until mediocrity is the heading of your life.  

Still don't believe me?  Let me give you another example.  Alcoholism.  They have a strict 100% sober rule.  For life.  Anyone who has been through this system knows that the minute you step off the wagon, it is too late.  You have embarked down the road of compromise.  Not that you can't get back on the wagon, but if you decide to get back on you need to be able to remake the commitment to a sober life again.  I feel the need to clarify that there are exceptions to this rule.  But that doesn't mean that these exceptions had it easy establishing the willpower to quit after one drink.  More often than not, compromise begets compromise.  

Let me tell you what earned reward looks like.  You work really hard to achieve your reward.  Your success boosts your confidence and builds a foundation of success.  Because in the same way that compromise begets compromise, success begets success.  And instead of wanting to compromise again, you will want to succeed again to reach your reward.  This is how you build a life... and strong confidence.   

"When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned." -Romans 4:4