I was having my weekly prayer meeting with my very close friends Matthew and John. We started talking about the balance in life connected to the accomplishment of goals. I’ve talked a lot, and written a lot, about goals and accomplishment and purpose. This was an interesting conversation and it highlighted some key notions that must be understood if you really hope to get somewhere.
Every choice to do something is equally a choice to NOT do something.
Last night, some other friends came over and we all started playing Guitar Hero 3 on our Wii (yes, Nintendo ROCKS!!). I am playing on medium and am stuck in the guitar battle with Slash. On easy I beat him in one pass, but I can’t seem to get it done. I really think what happened was I played far too much yesterday and by the time I was trying, I was exhausted (up at 5:45 AM, now playing at 10:30, still standing after teaching all day, yeah, pretty beat) and I could no longer focus. BUT, I could not put it down.
That choice to play was equally a choice NOT to rest, NOT to work on my website, NOT to prepare for my teaching at the worship service of my church!
The real decisions of life must be born out of this deeper purpose that drives me, but I must stay aware big choices are before me. There simply isn’t enough time to do everything! That fact will become even more true the older you get, the more responsibilities you take on.
Many of my students and friends have asked me “how do you get so much done?” I am the pastor of a church. I travel and speak. I’ve written 2 books just in the last 5 years. I am a full-time professor. I’ve contributed chapters to two textbooks. I’ve produced and played on 5 CDs over the past 7 years. I have 3 lovely daughters. I am happily married. Wow–how do I do all of that?
Well, I don’t get to watch much TV (sort of my happy choice, but also just the way it falls). I don’t get to read as much as I like (though I churn through several books a year). I only get about 6 hours of sleep (but I’m old, right?). I don’t get to play as much as I wish in gaming.
In other words, my choices to DO will become choices to NOT DO in other areas.
Do not lament over those things. Or, if deep inside it really bugs you that you can’t do X any more because you are now doing Y, then maybe doing Y is not a real passion.
In any case, remember–you can accomplish whatever you want. You simply have to decide to go 100% after that dream. You have to be willing to pay the cost for success. It will mean NOT doing other things. In the end, only you can decide if you really want to accomplish success or not.
I think you should go for it. I have been for over 20 years. It’s the best way to live!!