Like Big Sean said, “To get ahead, you gotta make sacrifices.” This is a tough pill to swallow and many of us often choke on it and can never get it down. We end up making the easier sacrifices that lead us in failing to change, grow, or get any better. We remain stagnant. We sacrifice what we want later for what we want right now in the moment. This needs to be the other way around to reach any goal.
I understand this is so much easier to say and to understand than it is to actually follow through with. I habitually sacrificed what I wanted later for what I wanted in the moment. Back in my college years I wanted to get straight A’s, but instead of studying, I often chose playing video games, consuming some alcohol, or indulging in the greens of mother earth. I knew none of those things would help me achieve my goal but I wanted to do them right then and there. I was sacrificing what I wanted later for instant gratification. The day I finally learned how to make the necessary sacrifices was the day I wanted to join the football team at UCONN. I stopped indulging on Mary Jane's sweet, sweet nectar and severely cut back on drinking. I didn’t miss a day of training, and in return, I achieved my goal. Direct correlation and causation.
It cannot be a spasmodic effort or a short-lived sacrifice only made once. In order to reap the benefits of sacrificing what you want now in order to gain what you want later, it needs to be consistent and over time. This means you will need patience, especially since it won’t happen immediately after you make the better choice to work towards your goal rather than plop yourself down on the couch. Patience is usually the missing key to achieving anything. Often the only difference between the person who succeeds and the person who does not is one person worked at it for longer and the other gave up because it seemed too far fetched. You never know how close or far you are from something, so thinking about the distance you need to go will not help you to stay consistent or patient. It always seems extremely far away when you start thinking about it. If it’s something you really want then you will find a way to be patient and to make the sacrifices that need to be made.
Most of us are greedy, and rightfully so. There is so much in this world to want. However, we cannot have it all, not all at once, at least. The toughest part about making sacrifices is some of the things that may need to take a backseat for a while may be something that you hold very dear to your heart. It is definitely not easy, but like they say, if it was easy everyone would do it. So whether it’s weight loss, muscle gain, passing an exam, getting a new job or advancing in your career, something's gotta give. For some of these goals you may have to sacrifice some of your favorite past times, such as binge watching netflix, smacking a pack of oreos weekly, the amount of time spent with friends or family, etc. None of those are easy sacrifices to make, but remember, if what you want later is important to you then you will have to give up some things for a decent span of time.
It’ll take true strength to have the restraint to stop doing what you want now in favor for what you want later. My job is to make you aware and to show you the Power of Strength. Your job is to be strong, make the tough choices, and reap its rewards.