My sister tells a story of how when I was in middle school I wanted a desk for my bedroom. Not just any desk, an executive style desk. When we moved to Iowa and I got my own room my parents bought me a large desk and I was very excited. I spent hours at that desk creating big ideas and big dreams.
That early feeling of needing to move forward in order to fulfill my greatest potential is part of the fuel that drives my engine today.
Call it ambition, call it passion, sense of urgency, or call it a drive to a greater vision – one of the challenges of that feeling is it’s insatiable and sometimes exhausting.
As I’ve matured as a person and business owner I’ve realized that fire in my belly has been instrumental in my success and it must be managed, used carefully, and maintained properly to be sustainable, consistent, and enjoyable.
The paradox seems to be to achieve “more” you must also be content with what you have though not so content your complacent. The way I now see it, content peacefulness (acceptance) with where I am now is my foundation on top of which I add an eager excitement (not a stressed tension) for what the future may hold.
As you reflect on your January accomplishments notice – are you finding a balance between acceptance of where you are now and eager excitement for the future? Or are you off balance, perhaps judging yourself harshly for “failing” to accomplish your goals, or perhaps so eager for the future you feel stressed by not being there now. Or maybe you’re exchange comfort for growth and not owning up to that fact.
Success at the very top requires a level of consistency and emotional maturity. What can you do to help this?
