It’s Sir Isaac Newton’s Three Laws of Motion in Action. Objects in motion, tend to stay in motion. If you’re feeling stuck with some part of your life, the tendency is to wish things will change without doing anyting to change the situation.
If you’re feeling stuck, get moving!
Try something new you haven’t done before
Change up your routine
Quit something that isn’t working and move on to something else
There are no guarantees that things will automatically change. But there is little chance until you make some sort of change and get moving.
This tweet by Henri Nouwen struck me the other day. The work environment can be dominated by the urgent. How many times have you heard, “This job is hot!” from multiple people in the same day? We are very good at putting a high urgency on jobs, but not very good at tackling the important tasks. We end up stuck in the tyranny of the urgent.
The other day, I had a job that was suddenly hot. I soon found out that there were details missing that were crucial to the success of the job. If I had sent it to the printer without questioning the details, the job would have been done wrong. A rushed job done wrong will be late and will have waste. Urgency can cost us wasted money and time.
The temptation is to jump at the urgent. Take a breath, slow down and ask if this hot job is really important. And if it is, are all the essential details are there to make it a successful job.
There are times when we have legitimate fears. It can keep us from making foolish choices like betting all your paycheck on a horse, running in traffic without looking for traffic or speeding in a snowstorm. Foolish choices have repercussions.
There are other times when we make excuses for something we know we should be doing. Our imaginations work overtime while the rest of us are lazy.
The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion on the road! Yes, I’m sure there’s a lion out there!”
This morning, I smelled a skunk when I went for my run. I hesitated for a moment, then when I checked, it was obvious its stench was nearby while the lovely creature wasn’t. I could have used that as an excuse not to run the moment I smelled the lovely aroma.
We can watch out for excuses that keep us from our full potential. Yes, life is risky and we need to take proper precautions. But It is also good to take some risks and get out there, even if there’s a chance a lion, tiger bear or skunk may be on your path.
One of the many lessons I learned from running a marathon is that training matters. If you want to finish the race, blowing off long runs and failing to put the mileage in will cost you pain and the likelihood you won’t finish what you came to do.
If life is a marathon, then why do we coast? Why do we get comfortable and lazy? Keep pushing yourself! Do the work to stay competitive in the race of life.
Learn something new every day
Keep your eyes open to new opportunities
Take some risks that might not work but could pay off generously
Do something that requires faith
Keep your head in the game
Be positive
Be encouraging
Ask what if to possibilities, notwhat if to past regrets and mistakes
Look at every challenge as an opportunity
Embrace change
No one has ever fully arrived until they take their last breath. And if you are a person of faith, like me, the race is only beginning at that point as well.
Most days, I can awake and pop right out of bed on the first alarm. I know it’s annoying. I’ve been told that several times over the years by anyone who has lived under the same roof as me. I figure the snooze button is just delaying the inevitable. It’s not real sleep but a catatonic, zombie-like state between alarms. Besides, there are things to be done!
I’ve worked in creative departments over the years. It seems most creatives take pride in being night owls. That has made me a very annoying creature from 8:00 AM to noon. I thought I could help by being cheerful and enthusiastic. That is, until I read this proverb:
A loud and cheerful greeting early in the morning will be taken as a curse!
I still believe I get my best work out and am more productive the moment I first wake up. After all, I have gotten a lot out of Hal Elrod’s book, Miracle Morning.
I agree with the premise that starting the day with intentionality makes a difference. I love to write, have my devotions and exercise before it is time for the work day.
I am still going to get my day started out right. However, I resolve to be less obnoxious about it for the sake of others and for the safety of myself.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
