Our lives have many aspects including progress . They are things we want to do, have and be. Some of these desires sometimes conflict with each other – or at least seem to do so.
For example, I want to be a great mother and wife. Yet, I also want to trek in the Himalayas before I get “too old.”
I want to spread the mission that we can – and need to – make our brilliance scalable and immortal. I want to grow my business – and luckily, that is happening! Yet, I also desire what I call “dynamic work-life balance.” I seek the freedom that entrepreneurship potentially can deliver – if you play your cards correctly.
A dear friend who participated in a recent Brilliance Mining Cohort is writing not one, not two, but THREE books. She wants to create an impact on women in ministry. Her interests span from ministry and cooking to how to make your money go as far as possible. Yet, she is also planning to go on multiple cruises with her husband. She wants to explore parts of the world that always have fascinated her. Awesome!
The question is: Should she (or you or I) stop what we are doing to further our mission while we indulge in our other desires?
My thinking is that it is not an all-or-nothing type of scenario. You can always write one bullet (not even a complete sentence) per day about something that drives forward your mission while you are on your trek or your cruise – or whatever your mission may be (or while you may be preparing for it).
I expect to have a-ha’s while I’m trekking in Nepal. I’m committed to writing them down. Beyond that, I will soak in every moment of this adventure I have dreamed of since I was a teenager.
My point is: It takes some effort to get the “flywheel” of your mission to get moving. You push on it and at first, it barely seems to budge. You keep doing it. Finally, the flywheel moves a little. You keep pushing. It moves a little faster. You keep pushing. Over time, the “flywheel” is speeding up. It is moving!
Then you get tired. You need a break. Other things are coming up that need your attention. Some of them are dreams you have had for a long time. These are things you MUST do – just like your mission you feel called to do.
You Have A Choice
- Take a break and stop pushing your “mission flywheel.” Allow it to slow down. Risk of its movement stopping – leaving you in the position to get it to move again at a later time.
- Or: keep pushing it a little even while you are pursuing other dreams and adventures. I invite you to consider this option. Keep your “flywheel” (your mission) moving at least a little, even when pursuing other goals. That is SO CRITICAL!
I can’t tell you how many times I have seen people get so close to realizing their goals. Their flywheel is humming. They have put in the effort it took to get to that. Then they have a “distraction.” It may be an awesome one. Cruises to Alaska. Treks in Nepal. Things from the bucket list.
Should we stop nurturing our “flywheel”? We can keep putting in a little bit of effort to keep it moving while we do those other things. It makes a big difference. When we come back, the flywheel is still moving. It is easy to step back into significant action. Otherwise, it may be as hard to re-start it as it was the first time we tackled the mission.
I’m Curious
Which option do you find yourself selecting? Take time off completely from your mission (“flywheel”) or stay at it in a minimal way to stay engaged while you take time to pursue other dreams?
Dr. Stephie
P.S.: I appreciate you commenting and sharing this with others. Thank you!
