The Long Game for the Win
We live in a culture of instant gratification, don’t we? We want it, and we want it now. That sounds like a line from a film (thinking face emoji!) In the digital age, we can snap a finger and get almost anything we desire, and I wonder if that hasn’t done us a bit of a disservice. Besides taking a toll on our emotional well-being, it might be robbing us of our resilience. Waiting can build patience and character. Which brings me to the subject of this post - the long game, and how it helps us “win.”
Whenever we set out to do anything of value, we need to take time to consider our route, our plan, the journey. Often, in our minds, we start at the end, imagining what it will be like when we reach our goal. We can see it shining away in the distance, winking at us. But then the work begins. Often it’s the cold reality of the work ahead that can stop us in our tracks. It’s not that we’re lazy or afraid of the work, we just might be distracted, or lazy, or afraid. Ha ha. Suddenly, our ideas and plans feel too far out there.
I feel like, these days, we’re less inclined to stay the course. There are so many distractions, so many things to pull us away from a long-range plan, or even current work. Search engines made it so easy to find anything we wanted. Now with AI, we’ll not only be able to access information at the touch of a finger, but we’ll be able to have a machine produce work for us, in a truly amazing (and slightly frightening) way.
But it’s the long game that produces the gold. It’s the years of experience, the nuance that comes from doing something over and over again, that makes someone an expert. What a shame if we let true human expertise lose its value. The subtlety of acquired knowledge is not only beautiful, it’s powerful. Do you feel like you have an awesome idea but are afraid of the time it will take to execute? Worried you might give up before you hit the halfway mark. Not sure your idea has staying power. Facing a blank page is never easy, but it can be invigorating if you recognize it’s just the start. Here are some tips for going the distance:
Give Yourself a Break
Guess what, you’re not perfect. Nothing wonderful ever started out perfectly formed. It’s a work in progress, just like you. So, go ahead, take a break, and give yourself a break. You’re going to get there.
Failure Can Lead to Success
Ok, the word success is totally subjective, but you get the idea. I’ve learned my biggest lessons from the mistakes I’ve made. Do I want to make mistakes? No. But I do. All the time. And if I let them “teach me,” then I will get where I’m headed so much faster.
Longevity Produces Resilience
Ok, resilience is clearly a good thing. But its real power is in how it helps you in ALL areas of your life. Resilience rubs off, making you stronger and more capable across all the points of your world.
Enjoy the Process
Yes, you have a goal, and it’s super exciting to imagine life when you get there, BUT the journey is MORE than half the beauty of what you are attempting to do. It’s where you learn, it’s where you grow, and it’s where you live. Being focused on the future can be productive and keep you moving, but don’t let it rob you of the moment. Because once it’s gone…