Here’s a concept that was difficult for me to get my head around for
a long time.
“The Work” vs “The Results.”
I can tell you that life will very rarely unfold the way we’re thinking or expecting.
“Why” you might be tempted to ask? Well, that is one of the questions of the ages.
The answer is, “because it doesn’t.”
The longer you live, the more you’ll understand that fact. So, what do we do with that information?
Well, I’ve found that doing my best to set aside expectations is probably the best bet, as we all know that expectations are just planned disappointments.
What if we just set up our goals, or maybe our intentions, which is what I’ve
done now for decades, and allow life to unfold how it unfolds, whilst I just
do the work that is in front of me to be done?
I can do this if I KNOW that I am moving toward my goals or intentions. It's difficult to do if I don't have that faith.
What does that accomplish?
It allows me to accept life as it comes, understanding I do not know the path
that life is going to take me to move toward my intentions.
What would happen if we didn’t know or understand the words “success”
or “failure?”
All we did every day was just show up and do the work, never judging a “win” or a “loss?” What a crazy concept right?
Let’s explore that a bit further.
I can tell you from experience that the most successful people I’ve ever met or been around, spend most of their time with their heads down and cranking out what’s in front of them to be done.
The concept of “failure” is more or less a speed bump or just another stepping
stone on their way to success. So, in essence, there really
is no distinction between the two.
So, what do the “wins” mean then, to a successful person?
Well, those are just a part of the journey as well! A steppingstone to another
part of the journey unfolding in front of them.
Do you think successful people stop when they experience either what we
might term “success or failure?”
No, of course not.
Perhaps they’ll take a little break and evaluate or enjoy, but they don’t stop.
What does that mean for us and our lives? It means, let’s do our best to be like the people we know who’ve achieved much, inside and outside themselves.
Head down, not deterred by what we might have previously judged as a
success or a failure. I’ve done this for a long time now and am here to report that it works.
When I say “works,” I mean it simplifies and beautifies the journey.
It allows the journey to be experienced and appreciated, spending much more time in the “now” of doing as opposed to the expectation of some far-off reward or regret at what we have surmised, “didn’t work out.”
Just do the work, do your best every day. Only we know what that is for ourselves and our lives.
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