I went for a run this morning. It was a pretty good run. It had a great mix of uphills, downhills, and winding paths through autumn-turned leaves. As I was pushing up one hill, something struck me: Oreo Cookies!
Before you say, “WHAT?!?”, Let me make myself clear. I didn’t want any Oreos. As a matter of fact, it is quite the opposite! The very thought of Oreos made me nearly throw up! This was alarming, because something that usually brings me so much delight, comfort, and pleasure, now was literally the last thing in the world i wanted. This was indeed disturbing. I needed to dig deeper to understand this anomaly.
So what was the issue? While my body was engaged in this vigorous workout, the goal was most definitely on the forefront of my mind: To make it home and survive. When the goal was so clear to me, the enemy of my goal was also so very clear to me. I knew that Oreos would directly destroy my endeavors.
Many things in my life, whether good, bad, or neutral, can provide me a source of comfort, pleasure, and entertainment. As I am in my dorm room not doing anything physically productive, Oreos, Video Games, Bacon, Television, Chocolate Chip Cookies (plural), YouTube Videos, and Facebook all seem like great ideas. It doesn’t matter how this will affect the big picture for my life because I am not trying to accomplish anything at the big picture level! Yet the exact same things in a different context with a different state of mind will cause me to gag. When I think about going to school and actually learning instead of merely passing, when I think about going to Grad School, when I think about leading a family someday, when I think about impacting a city, when I think about helping people who are less fortunate, when I think about changing the world-Any of the former things that will keep me back from accomplishing the goals, nauseate me! When my mind and life are engaged in what I want to do, anything that will keep me from it sounds disgusting.
Further, things that sound like a horrible idea when you are in a state of purposeless stand-still (running, sweating, studying, dieting, training, excercising) do not seem as bad when you are engaged. As a matter of fact these vital activities can even become delightful and exciting because you know they will help accomplish the bigger picture.
Isn’t it the same for you? When you are engaged in the very work you love to do, doesn’t anything that will hold you back disgust and frustrate you, no matter how enjoyable they may be at other times? When your dreams and visions for your life are on the forefront of your mind, don’t things that normally seem like useless burdens give you meaning and motivation? When any of us are actively pursuing the one thing that gives our soul meaning, will we not do whatever it takes to make it happen! I hope so...
When you are immersed in your pursuits your goals become your everything and it affects the way you eat, sleep, drink, EVERYTHING!
When I came back in the house, my mom was awake in the kitchen. She asked me, “Would you like some bacon?” I nearly threw up.
Gen. Ed. John-Michael Nallete
Before you say, “WHAT?!?”, Let me make myself clear. I didn’t want any Oreos. As a matter of fact, it is quite the opposite! The very thought of Oreos made me nearly throw up! This was alarming, because something that usually brings me so much delight, comfort, and pleasure, now was literally the last thing in the world i wanted. This was indeed disturbing. I needed to dig deeper to understand this anomaly.
So what was the issue? While my body was engaged in this vigorous workout, the goal was most definitely on the forefront of my mind: To make it home and survive. When the goal was so clear to me, the enemy of my goal was also so very clear to me. I knew that Oreos would directly destroy my endeavors.
Many things in my life, whether good, bad, or neutral, can provide me a source of comfort, pleasure, and entertainment. As I am in my dorm room not doing anything physically productive, Oreos, Video Games, Bacon, Television, Chocolate Chip Cookies (plural), YouTube Videos, and Facebook all seem like great ideas. It doesn’t matter how this will affect the big picture for my life because I am not trying to accomplish anything at the big picture level! Yet the exact same things in a different context with a different state of mind will cause me to gag. When I think about going to school and actually learning instead of merely passing, when I think about going to Grad School, when I think about leading a family someday, when I think about impacting a city, when I think about helping people who are less fortunate, when I think about changing the world-Any of the former things that will keep me back from accomplishing the goals, nauseate me! When my mind and life are engaged in what I want to do, anything that will keep me from it sounds disgusting.
Further, things that sound like a horrible idea when you are in a state of purposeless stand-still (running, sweating, studying, dieting, training, excercising) do not seem as bad when you are engaged. As a matter of fact these vital activities can even become delightful and exciting because you know they will help accomplish the bigger picture.
Isn’t it the same for you? When you are engaged in the very work you love to do, doesn’t anything that will hold you back disgust and frustrate you, no matter how enjoyable they may be at other times? When your dreams and visions for your life are on the forefront of your mind, don’t things that normally seem like useless burdens give you meaning and motivation? When any of us are actively pursuing the one thing that gives our soul meaning, will we not do whatever it takes to make it happen! I hope so...
When you are immersed in your pursuits your goals become your everything and it affects the way you eat, sleep, drink, EVERYTHING!
When I came back in the house, my mom was awake in the kitchen. She asked me, “Would you like some bacon?” I nearly threw up.
Gen. Ed. John-Michael Nallete
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