#1 Working Hard

This is another series idea that I started on a tangential whim. Basically, I thought the idea was really cool and got started on it in the background. I figured I would make it another ongoing thread in my mind, but when I couldn’t decide what to write on next, I set my sights on finishing this one. 

The idea came to me as I have been making my reentry into the trade world. Trades are mostly older dudes, so I get to engage with a different way of thinking. But I’m also a dude in his 20’s, so I get at least part of the other side of things as well. I have been trying to carve out my own middle path between the two mindsets that I have been butting heads with. Sometimes, neither side seems quite right, and I have been trying to figure things out for myself. 

The example that I like to draw from is the story of the dork who broke down crying in the back of the Starbucks he was working in. He griped that he had to work 8-hour shifts, dealing with cranky customers and the like. Now, I don’t envy anyone who works in the coffee business. He’s right-those guys are total-turds, through and through. But I also don’t think the proper response is to claim that the world needs to change. 

I think everyone needs to work in the food industry for a time because it’s hard. People need to toughen up, to become accustomed to the big bad beast of trying work. On the other hand, every person has their limits, and if we ignore those limits for too long, we will snap-whether we like it or not. This is typically where my conversations start, and I eventually circle back to the question that I can never seem to answer fully: when am I allowed to quit?

So that’s where we will spend the next two weeks. We will explore the in’s and out’s of discipline, courage, and power. We will figure out how to stay motivated when your entire system feels like it’s crashing. We will talk stories of the battlefield of life, and how to condition ourselves for it properly. I think there are a lot of good things to explore, and hopefully you can find better means to boost your work ethic as well. 

Because, at the end of the day, I believe in discipline above anything else. If you can’t harness all the power that you have been given, you aren’t a mighty warrior. You are a child who can throw a tantrum. A rage like the Hulk’s is exciting for a time, but when you can’t control it, you’re leaving your life to a coin toss. We want to gain true power! We want to be courageous! And, above all, we want to be in control of ourselves at all times. 

So let’s get moving! I hope you are ready for a power-up, because I’m ready to give you one. And as we get started, spend some time thinking about the things that you truly want in life. If you were to give 100% of your power to one dream, no matter how wild, how silly, or ordinary, what would you give it to? Write a list of things that get you out of bed in the morning, or that you go to bed dreaming about for tomorrow. Keep that mental list handy, because we are going to need it for this series.

Until Next Time

May Peace be your Guide.