Are you living DEliberately?
"The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why." - Mark Twain
Someone once told me, "sacrifice the immediate for the benefit of the future." I listened for a long time, until now. Stop making sacrifices. Choose. Make a decision. 100%. Be deliberate in thought and action. Do not sacrifice.
What greater pursuit is there than a life lived deliberately? To pour one's entire energies into the tank of becoming the best one can be - footballer, scholar, writer, trainer, coach, parent, family member, friend...
Somewhere though, someone got confused. Instead of making decisions, he or she began making sacrifices. Instead of framing actions with deliberate intent, actions became sacrificial. e.g. "If I want to be the best footballer I can be - to pursue my maximum potential in the field - I must sacrifice all the above: free time, friday nights, friends, family, food, sex drugs and rock'n'roll, enjoyment of the immediate present now." FOMO.
Here's where I get confused though. When did the deliberate pursuit of something become a less than proposition? When did a life of purpose - a desire to maximise one’s potential - take a back seat to life's most immediate pleasures? When did a life lived deliberately become associated with sacrifice and loss instead of reward and gain? Since when did devoting oneself entirely to an idea - a purpose - become delusional?
Yet, heavy chunks of metal with wings glide effortlessly through the sky, the mere touch of a screen separates loved ones across the globe, and football boots are now neon green and orange high tops. When did deliberate lose its correlation with joy and happiness? Perhaps it’s that truly meaningful moments are made from years of deliberate practice, dedication to the craft, and determination (3de) despite the many road bumps along the way. Maybe? Who knows? An idea...
It is a beautiful privilege to discover purpose in life. Instead of "sacrificing the immediate for the benefit the future," frame decisions as deliberate and supported whole-heartedly. Accept the process. Commit to it. 100%. Enjoy the process. “What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” Do not sacrifice it away. Surely do not sacrifice your one wild and precious life.