Defiant Committment
Recently, we in Louisville, along with many across the eastern United States, have experienced the joys of January - snow and temperatures far below freezing. It actually began for us with over 24 hours of rain and mid 40 degree temperatures last weekend, which then plummeted into a 30 degree sleet/snow “wintry-mix” bundle of fun. From there, the weather ventured into single degree temperatures which the streets and highways iced over as quick as I’ve ever seen. A story which had been written before, but this one certainly was filled with “fun” depending on who you ask. Slipping and sliding, caution certainly had to be taken, or damage and loss could ensue whether you’re a walker, passenger, or certainly a driver.
Such is life, eh?
I’ll digress and just say, yeah, this scene is quite different from the December summer sun in Australia for me. Ah, the beach…
So back to this weekend in the USA. All of these events took place on Saturday, which meant the next day would be most likely a cautious day for most staying at home. No harm, no foul here - Sunday is after all a day of rest for many. It is most of the time for me, after all! The next day, of course, was Monday and with continued low temperatures, the roads were still icy and it was still somewhat dicey to travel on side streets until reaching major thoroughfares. Yesterday was also MLK day, so many were taking the day off in observance of the holiday, which is completely respectable. I definitely made it a point to spend time honoring Dr. King for all the progress his influence brought this nation during the civil rights movement. Again, a digression - indulge me!
Ok… Tuesday (TODAY!) comes; news flash: it’s still cold. Some spots are a little icy, but travel is manageable 99.9% of the way and movement is 100% reasonable.
Mind you, we’re 22 days into 2019 and New Year’s Resolutions, goals and dreams of the good life should still be fresh on the minds of most. One of the first signs of challenge show up and many say, ‘forget it. I’m not making it out today. I’m not risking it. It’s warmer in here anyway, and Netflix will help me forget about any troubles I have in my life. I know I set that goal, but this is an excuse I can convince myself of it’s validity. It’s too cold. It’s too dangerous. It’s definitely not convenient.’
“It’s too HARD.”
Look, I know many can block and tackle their ways towards their dreams in many different environments. They don’t have to go into an office. But I’ve had so many tell me this couldn’t be done, that had to be delayed, and so on, because of the most minor inconvenience over and over and over again.
How many roadblocks will you face on the path to reach your life’s goals? The weather is just one of thousands of factors that will attempt to throw you off from the path you’re on. As it relates to my world, in real estate investing, you might make a bad hire on a contractor or a property manager. You might miscalculate the cap-ex budget for your new acquisition. You might get sued. You might find out your partner had poor integrity or simply doesn’t add the value you thought was probable. You might have a massive vacancy that causes your cash flow to evaporate over night or even require you to support the asset until the ship turns around. A lot of this isn’t uncommon. All of these things, and more happen to real estate investors on a daily basis. It’s not a business for the faint of heart. If these investors give up with every challenge that comes their way, they definitely will not build a portfolio that provides financial freedom or much more, I can guarantee that.
In your life, there are so many things that happen to you that can derail you. Unexpected bills. Unexpected health crises. Family problems. The list goes on and on. Can we expect a life without difficulty at times? I’m going to go out on a limb and say absolutely not.
What I’ve learned is that these circumstances in life and in business are a blessing and not a curse. They are prime examples of life happening “for us” and not “to us.” The piece that we can control is how we view these circumstances. Do we have the victim mentality and woe is me? Or do we embrace the mindset of challenges create champions? Something else to consider is that whenever a problem is presented to you, likely a new opportunity is awarded if you’re patient and devoted enough to your ultimate outcome.
The world, the universe, life, or whatever you choose to call it, is testing you to see how committed you are to your dreams. How much do you want it? WHY do you want it so bad? Is it a strong enough reason? These obstacles are placed in front of you as checkpoints to make sure you’re fully committed to getting on the other side, where all of life’s treasures exist.
You must exude defiant commitment in times where it’s not at easy as you thought it would be setting out on this path. Commit to the mindset that anything that gets in your way will be overcome, and it will. Always be willing to adapt, absorb the blows, and push forward with gratitude for the lessons and excitement for the hidden blessings.
To me, defiant commitment means an aggressive pursuit of your objectives in the face of all adversity. It represents a relentless persistence towards getting the job done regardless of the challenges, roadblocks and imperfect circumstances. I am encouraged that God and the universe respects the wishes of my desires to test me so frequently.
This re-framed perspective can make all the difference. Here’s the best part - it’s not just a mind game - it is beyond true. Have faith and test it out yourself.
Join me and plant your flag that you will do whatever it takes, whenever it takes when the relentless challenges, struggles, or inconveniences continue to test your will. I’ll see you on the other side!