In Matthew Mcconaughey's book "Greenlights" he talks about the time he was planning to become a lawyer...but then completely shifted his life towards wanting to become an actor. When he told his dad of his intentions, his dad said 4 simple words...

"Don't half ass it."

Meaning, no matter what it is you go and do, make sure you give it your all.

That part of the story really hit home with me because it was the same way I was raised.

If I was ever going to do something, I was to be sure to put all my effort into it.

Recently, I have not been holding up my end of the bargain to this deal though.

Yet, it is not because of effort.

It is because I am trying to do too much.

I am well aware that our time on earth is finite.

So I jam pack the time I do have.

This has worked well for me over the years.

It has brought me joy, adventure, friends, new skills...so much abundance to my life.

It has not been until recently that I have started to consider the other side of the coin.

What has it taken away from me?

What I am starting to realize is that it has lead me to "half ass" it it multiple areas of my life because I physically cannot/could not put forth the required effort needed for everything that is on my plate.

This leads me to letting myself down over and over again. It leads to me being hard-pressed to be truly happy in the moment because there is always something I am juggling.

I cannot go on with my life like that. Running from my own true happiness all because of "goals" or tasks I have to knock off some fictional plate.

I am passionate about my podcast, yet I don't put my full effort into it because of everything else.

I love to write and want to write my book within the next year, yet I struggle to answer the "where will I get the time" question.

I am slowly but surely becoming a better athlete than I was when I was in college. What would happen if I actually didn't half ass it?

No more adding to the plate.

Instead, if I could only have the same plate for the next decade, what would I have to keep on it and still be able to FEAST on?

I know the answer deep down.

Telling you won't matter.

It is time to show.

What I want to ask you is the same question....

"if you could get rid of things off your plate to give you more room to operate on what you do have, what would it be?"

Go focus on that.

#thriveon

CJ

p.s. today I am grateful for the ups and downs of life. No matter what happens, we can always choose to see life as happening "for us" rather than how most view it as it happens "to us." When things happen "for you"... you are always able to take a lesson from it and apply it to your life so that you come out living in a better way.