A Thousand Miles

 

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” ~ Lao Tzu

As I write this blog post, it is late, almost midnight. Last night I almost didn’t sleep. However, I just completed a project that had a hard deadline. It was not at all the project’s fault; I put it off too long and then time ran out.

The run to get it done had me thinking about perseverance and what it takes to stay the course until something is done. At the start point, it looks like the whole world of work is ahead of you, then one by one each task or section on the list gets done and dusted and soon it looks like the end is near. However, some of us give up mid-way or just after the start, or even, so close to finishing! What thoughts go through the mind of a person in the process?

Those are very specific to the person, but they can be guided to ensure you either succeed or fail. The project I just completed was a creative project that had some pattern reading that required concentration at the beginning. After the pattern was laid out, the finishing work was more rote and my mind was free to roam. And that is when I began to notice how tired I was, how far I was from completing, and how fast the hands on the clock were running. At this point, I had a choice to pick a rabbit trail and dig in or focus my attention on something more constructive. Most of us unfortunately don’t even notice that we picked a rabbit hole and went in. The thoughts just chase each other unchecked.

At some point, the muscles were screaming louder than my constructive meditation, and here I needed to work with my mind and body to ensure that they allowed me to complete the task and remain sane while at it. Do you have pre-picked distractions that will hold you up when you just have to stay the course in spite of fatigue? Audio books and music playlists do it for me. While relaxing, they can also allow you to switch to a relaxed state while you keep going with the task at hand.

A project is easy to plan for. What about life: when it presents us with twists and turns that force us into crevices we never intended to be in, or down lanes, we never expected to walk? Does that have to catch you off guard and throw you into a tailspin? Do you then throw your hands up and give up? Life happens and we should always be prepared, but, are we? When was the last time you tested your perseverance muscle? What weight of a load can it hold and is it currently in training or at rest?

Think about one or two of the following quotes this week. They might just be the preparation your muscle needs because a day is coming when you will be called upon to hang in there until . . .

“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” ~ Confucius

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” ~ Nelson Mandela

“It is not enough that we do our best; sometimes we must do what is required.” ~ Winston S. Churchill

“Continuous effort – not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential.” ~ Winston S. Churchill

“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing.” ~ Abraham Lincoln