Close Enough

“Lots of people put in serious work for a while in pursuit of their goals,” Ben Bergeron said, “and eventually get to a place where they’re comfortable. They may not have achieved all their long-term goals, but they have achieved a good 90 percent, and they feel that they’ve checked all the boxes and are doing well enough to be satisfied.”

The people Ben Bergeron speaks of work hard. They get up and get after it day in and day out. 

The problem comes when they start seeing results. Just as growth is the number one killer of small business, results are the number one reason folks quit on their goals. 

They get “close enough” to their achievement and settle because the last little bit comes at the greatest cost. The first 80 to 90 percent is easy to work. Keep showing up and putting in the work and you’ll get most of the way there. 

It’s that last 15 to 20 percent that requires grit and perseverance. The ability to stick with it and keep putting in the work when results have slowed and it doesn’t feel like you’re taking ground.

True excellence is hanging in there and grinding through that last couple percentage points towards your goal. It is an unsatisfaction with anything less than your absolute best. 

You’re about to walk into a new week. It would be easy to settle this week and not push for that last little bit of growth. 

But you’re not interested in easy. That’s not why you’re here. You want excellence and are willing to stay the course, even when that voice in your ear whispers that you’ve come far enough. 

Blame

This blog is one about improving yourself mentally, physically, relationally and in every way possible.

It’s about helping you think differently about the path you walk. To consider ideas and perspectives that encourage and uplift you, but also challenge you to do things differently. 

You will fail in your doing, however. All of us do. 

But who’s fault is it?

Where do you turn for answers and most importantly who do you blame?

While there may be environmental, economic and physical reasons why things don’t go your way, there is ever only one person to blame.

You. 

Your failure is no one else's fault. It is wholly your own. 

The sooner you embrace that truth, the sooner you’ll be ready to do something about it. 

To correct course and move forward. 

As long as you're stuck blaming everything and everyone else other than yourself, however, you’ll remain stuck and unable to gain traction. 

Too many spend their lives playing the blame game. Don’t let that be you. 

Take ownership of everything in your world. The good, the bad and most importantly the path forward. 
 

The grind

The grind gets a bad wrap. 

Most people think of it as a negative thing. 

In fact, most hate it. 

It’s hard, uncomfortable and that’s the point. 

Hard things make you grow and easy things don’t.  

So embrace the grind. 

Learn that it doesn’t matter how you feel. 

Don’t give up, push through it and see how your life changes.  

All the growth you seek is found in grinding it out.

What gets tracked?

You’ve probably heard the phrase: what get’s tracked, gets managed. 

It reminds you of the fact that tracking and data are important. They inform decisions and help keep you on track. 

This same business rule applies to your life as well. 

If you want to make real and meaningful progress in an area, you’ve got to measure and track it. 

Keep notes on books you’ve read. 

Write down scripture verses you’re memorizing. 

Maintain a workout log.

Things are far more likely to improve when you take the time to track and measure your progress. 

Sadly, the opposite is true as well. The things you pay little attention don’t get better and often deteriorate. 

Comfort

It’s something the modern world, especially here in the west, affords you. 

The comfort of a hot meal, a warm bed, books to read, a TV to watch and so much more.

These things are so common you don’t even think about them day to day. 

You are fortunate.

Sadly, however, comfort lulls you to sleep. 

It takes your eyes off important things and limits your view. 

Comfort so often constructs the prison in which you gladly reside. See Huxley. 

If only you could grasp this one simple truth: comfort is not always your friend. 

He may seem polite and an easy companion, but that’s only while he fastens the noose around your neck. 

Discomfort on the on hand remains a faithful friend. 

He pushes you to think, to challenge, to grow. 

You don’t need to be protected from discomfort. You need to seek it out.

Seek out people, situations, conversations, and experiences that make you uncomfortable.

All the growth and change you seek is on the other side of those uncomfortable things.