What are you willing to trade? – Part 1
So, you’ve set a goal. Fantastic! Growth is good! Maybe your goal is something dramatic, like heading off cruising (is that why you’re on this website?), or traveling to far off lands. Or maybe it’s something smaller, or closer to home. Both large and small are good, and when you think about it, major goals are often only achieved by breaking them into smaller, more-manageable chunks.
I’m going to assume that if your goal is of any substance, it’s going to take some effort to achieve, and perhaps will even require some changes to your lifestyle in order for you to make it happen. Most significant goals will. This, in my opinion, is an important thing to consider: What are you willing to trade in exchange for achieving the goal? Nothing is free, you know that, it will take something.
If, for example, your goal is better health and fitness, you’ll be forced to trade your Oreos and soft drinks for healthier alternatives, and also to exchange some of your time spent in sedentary activities with exercise. Most people can grasp this concept intellectually, but fall down in its execution.
If we’re talking about a goal that will require putting money aside to achieve, for example, purchasing a boat to sail off into the sunset, then you may find yourself trading restaurant meals for home cooking night after night, and hanging on to still-functioning electronics and expensive personal items rather than upgrading them. This is also an area that most people can grasp intellectually, but have difficulty putting into practice.
Recently, Rebecca and I have found ourselves working on goals in both of the above-mentioned categories. Sometimes, because we find ourselves opting to forego many of the organized social activities, both to save money, and to avoid situations where alcohol and/or unhealthy food are prevalent, we feel a bit like hermits. We deal with that though by keeping our focus on our goals. Is it easy? Even though both of us are very motivated, and have the support of one another, I’ll admit that, at times, no, it is not easy. As the saying goes though, if it were easy, everyone would do it!
I know that the image above is not a hermit crab. 🙂
I would gladly trade you my house in SC for your PDQ 32 and $150,000 cash. 🙂
Ah, sorry, a bit late. She’s already been adopted.
Yes, falling down on the execution is exactly right. ..and I can’t get up!
You can sign up for our online coaching class. It will help.
Nice upgrade to the site, Mike. Looks good. This post reminds me of a time in my earlier life. Early 1970’s, New Orleans, free time and a dojo to work out in. Echos of my Sifu.
Thanks, Dale!
Perhaps that’s where these posts come from. Once a teacher, always a teacher. 🙂
I’ll trade in the normal definition of stability for, my definition of stability, taking everyday as it comes and working with what it gives me.
Hippy. 🙂
I will probably have to “trade” my house. If I can do that, and put in the 5 more years to state retirement ( age 55) I will be rich , by my modest standards. Both of those things seem hard right now. If I don’t do one of those things. I can still make it – but will be low on cash. If I don’t do both of those things – “fall down in the execution” – I’ll be too poor to go anywhere and I will be lucky to have a boat at all.
I’m sure you’ll make it work.
Those 5 years are going to go by either way. May as well have a boat and the life you want when they’re up, rather than sitting around thinking about what could have been 5 years from now.