When I wrote Finders Keepers, one of my goals was to talk about the underbelly of backpacking. No doubt, my trip through Europe was one of the best times I?ve ever had. I went places I had never even considered visiting, I met people I never would have met otherwise, and it taught some things about myself I don?t know I would have learned had I not gone.
But the trip wasn?t always easy. Far from it. Backpacking is hard work?physically, psychologically and emotionally. It takes preparatioWhen I wrote Finders Keepers, one of my goals was to talk about the underbelly of backpacking. No doubt, my trip through Europe was one of the best times I?ve ever had. I went places I had never even considered visiting, I met people I never would have met otherwise, and it taught some things about myself I don?t know I would have learned had I not gone.
But the trip wasn?t always easy. Far from it. Backpacking is hard work?physically, psychologically and emotionally. It takes preparation, stamina and flexibility, among other things.
There?s one day in particular I remember. I was coming up on one of my last days in Budapest, and I wanted to go back to a health I spa I had gone to a few days earlier with some friends I met. But since I didn?t know the city all that well, and I was coming down with what turned out to be the flu, I just couldn?t find the place again. For all I know I was around the corner from it, but my efforts just didn?t pay off.
But I didn?t want the day to go to waste, so I wound up climbing this pretty steep hill (the name of which I can?t remember; although it was sorta famous for Budapest), and at the top it offered the most spectacular view of the city. And at the time I remember thinking?who am I kidding, I was talking to myself out loud?that had I begged off because the climb was difficult, I would have missed out something amazing. That putting in the extra effort really paid off.
After that tough hike I insisted for myself that I would keep that attitude through the rest of my days?a little extra effort goes a long way. I meant it when I said it; I saw the results of my efforts.
But it just didn?t stick. That is to say, it was inconsistent and faded over time. It?s like when I would get bursts of determination every now and again about working out. Maybe I?d see some Abflex commercial or watch Rocky or some martial arts movie and think?okay, this is it. I?m totally getting into shape this time. For real. Totally. And then I?d work out for like one day, maybe two, and then I?d be back to doing nothing.
Back then?about 13 years ago?I wasn?t in a place where a lot of my life lessons were taking hold, especially those that had to do with personal growth. I was making some progress, but not nearly as much as I would have liked. For now I?ll chalk it up to some earlier struggles with maturity and responsibility?elements I also deal with in Finders Keepers.
Let?s fast forward to today, and a phrase that has become integral for me, thanks to one of my heroes, Zig Ziglar. He says that the price of success is far less expensive than the price of failure. When I first heard those words I though, ?Wow. That?s amazing.?
[i]The price of success is far less expensive than the price of failure.[/i]
And this time it stuck.
When my alarm goes off at 5 am it?s almost inevitable that I?ll mumble and grumble to myself about how much I hate doing this and why in the world do I need to get myself up at ungodly this hour. Even when I?m physically out of bed it sometimes takes me a few minutes of griping about how exhausted I am that I finally remind myself that I don?t get up at 5 am because I think it?s fun, thrilling or easy. And I don?t do it just to show that I can. I do it because if I don?t, then I have a much tougher go of it finding the time to write my books or develop my web site or get published.
Putting in the extra effort?in this way?helps me get what I want.
Zig also says again and again that consistent achievement won?t be easy, but if we stick to it, we significantly increase or chances for success.
So those words echo in my mind:
[i]The price of success is far less expensive than the price of failure.[/i]
What I realize now is that Zig?s words allude to a layer that my earlier thoughts?a little extra effort goes a long way?don?t quite reach. For me, Zig?s words suggest that there?s more than what you get if you put in some extra effort. To me, his words?the price of success is far less expensive than the price of failure?also implies that there?s something we might lose or forgo?whether spiritually, financially or otherwise?if we don?t put in the extra effort. It?s more than the potential upside if we put in that extra effort, but the potential downside if we don?t.
By putting in the extra effort, we allow for the increased possibility of growth and achievement in many ways, but by not putting in that extra effort, we can sell ourselves short. We deny ourselves the opportunity to become more than we are at that moment.
This isn?t to say that I always put in that extra effort. I don?t. But I do it more often than I ever did before, because I appreciate how my life improves when I do, and how I feel like I?m sagging when I don?t.
[i]The price of success is far less expensive than the price of failure.[/i]
Those words echo in my mind. I can hear them right now.
