A war is one through a long, sustained, series of battles. It is winning all the battles that hastens winning a war. These battles, big or small, will always pale in comparison to the war. Nonetheless, the battles must be fought and won. There is no changing that fact.
Of course, there are different perceptions when it comes to battles, conflicts, and wars. However, there is no escaping the fact that battles, conflicts, and/or wars must be fought. There will always be some conflict. There will always be some level of discord. There is no escaping the YIN and the YANG. In order to have harmony there has to be dissonance. Without dissonance how will anyone know what harmony is? It is inevitable and no amount burying your head in the sand will deny that fact.
This fact is important to remember, that while we may not win them all, the next battle is just ahead. This is not a pessimistic way of thinking. This is a realistic way of living. Our days are full of challenges with good and bad outcomes. However, we cannot let the bad over take us and just as we should never be complacent when it comes to the good. For those that feel they are too good to fail, then let me be the first to burst your bubble, YOU will lose. You will lose more times than you will win. How do I know this? I know this because I know I have failed more than I have won.
Failing makes me appreciate the climb and the small victories. While I may never win the war, I know that I have more failures ahead of me. I also know that I have more victories, as well. But in the end, there is no coming back from the ultimate and final loss. So keep kidding yourself but when the end comes, no one will care how much you won and most certainly no one will care how much you lost. It is over and there is no winning from that loss. See, in the end we all lose.
That is why celebrating the small victories, NOW, is just as important as celebrating winning the war. Make that trip memorable by having an adventure along the way. Do not see the trip as a means to an end (the destination) but see it as part of the entire journey (there and back). The same applies with experiences, competitions, and the like. Win or Lose; Rejoice in the fact that you are alive to experience the experience. Remember, while it may be an inconvenience, a flat tire is the moment to change priorities, you pivot and make the best of an unpredicted/unprecedented situation. You turn that detour into another adventure.
Then the celebration that follows will be even better. Of course, the small victories are just an excuse to celebrate. Winning the battle is just an excuse to celebrate. Waking up and putting your feet on the ground is just an excuse to celebrate. Here is a little-known fact: small losses are an excuse to celebrate. Losing a battle, losing a war are also just excuses to celebrate.
As we venture in our journey of life, there are somethings that happen that are meant to set us free, while others are there to anchor us to the world we live in.
Like a ship that is docked, it has ropes that keep it tied to the pier. That way it does not drift away in the night. When the ship is ready to set sail the lines are cast off and soon, it is on a path to places over the horizon on a course set by the ship’s captain.
The anchor is attached to a chain and when the ship is ready to temporarily stop, it drops anchor. When it is time to move on, hoist the anchor, and soon back on course to places over the horizon. Do you see a pattern there? If not, that’s ok. I am going to explain it anyway.
Ships are built to head to the high seas. Ships are built to withstand rough seas. Ships are built to not only move from point A to point B but are also built to stay afloat, to stay above water. As a Self-Leader you are also built to keep moving. You are NOT built to stay docked at any port for too long. You are also not built to stay anchored anywhere for too long. What does that mean? It means that you are built to continue to grow, to develop, to become better than you are now.
While all this might sound like something I have said over and over before, it is because I have said it over and over. I believe in what I say. I stand by what I say. I have this passion for people to step up and be the leaders they know they can be and are. I stick to my passion because the message I share is that important.
Over the decades I have been on this planet, I have witnessed good and bad. Good things, Bad Things. Good People and Bad People. Though it would be easy to say that I have seen just about all there is to see when it comes to Good and Bad. I promise you I have only seen the tip of the iceberg. Of what I have witnessed, rest assured it still surprises me to the levels of Good and Bad people can and do go to.
That’s ok, I know that as a human being I am capable of going to those extremes. I opt out of that. No one is, no matter how much they try to kid themselves, no one is perfect. I am not perfect. Sure, people can claim they live a pious life but are they really? A pious person would never verbally proclaim their piety for a truly pious person lets their actions and behaviors do all the talking for them.
On the other hand, there are individuals that revel in their unabashed devious behavior. The boasting and bragging of their deceit are certainly not something to be proud of or to be used as a tool to make others fear them. The pious and the deceitful have one thing in common.
They have their chains and ropes tying them down. Tying them down to live the braggadocios life they have chosen to use as a facade to mask their inability to cast off their lines and hoist their anchor to live a life they can freely choose to live. While some may argue that the pious or the deceitful are living the life they choose but at what cost? This argument can quickly become a circular argument thus, I offer this advice or words of warning:
As we venture in our journey of life, while there is no set time to cast off the ropes and hoist your anchor. You will know when the time comes. Only you will know when the time comes to set yourself free, especially when there are others trying to anchor you down or keep you tied to the dock in the name of keeping you safe. The world is not a safe harbor. The world we live in has rough seas as well as smooth swells all of which you are more than capable of handling. Get to work!
