“You can preach a better sermon with your life than with your lips. ”
Oliver Goldsmith
Never would I be one to discount the value of well chosen words. But at some point, “talking the talk” just will not cut it.
One must walk the talk.
Perhaps actions do resonate. Speak louder. Creating a durable, lasting and genuine example of intention. And one’s character. Especially when delivered as Mr. Goldsmith suggested; as a sermon.
Not as a directive from a bully pulpit. A shaming message born of the ego. But rather a gospel built with the love for another. Patiently constructed, genuinely delivered and exuding great faith. A testament of passion for the well being of another. Then fully lived out as the spoken word.
Not merely once. But over and over.
And over.
Practicing precisely what it is you have thus preached.
This isn’t to say that one should proceed without due diligence and your head up once you are resolved to a course of action. Rather, being resolved brings with it a sense of independence from the limitations and clutter imposed by indecision, waffling and second guessing. There be “no cares” in that you know where you are going, and how you are getting there.
And nothing will sway you away from that course.
So make it your mission, to not only discover something special each day, but also to rediscover something special within yourself as well. Two things that are only made possible if you are fully present and seize the moment. With both hands.
When you let go, and then go “all in” your resolve releases this exquisite level of energy. You set the tone, creating this powerful brand of momentum. One just made for overcoming the inertia of the day. Loosening its grip. Making it relent. And surrendering to your will.
As your hold on these moments increases, new possibilities emerge. Opportunities once hidden now become visible. As you proceed fully present and seize each day, you will be actively molding the future. Your future. For what you resolve to make of the present will eventually determine what is yet to come.
Think about it.
There will be no ambiguity in what lies ahead. No gray areas. For the thoughts, words and deeds you are choosing at this very moment help to shape the very next. Always in motion is the future. Your future. Its direction is largely your call.
It need not be some grand undertaking or the like. It can merely start as does the morning. Rise, embrace the moment and begin.
There is much to be said and valued with regard to taking on the day. Without fail, each thing, no matter how miniscule adds something deep within. It can be looking out into the back yard. Filling the birdbath. Tending to a few weeds in the garden. Watering.
All add to you. A sense of fulfillment. A source of joy. A foundation of serenity. Peace.
They take away nothing from others. They exist and are executed on your time. In the moments you find, encounter and embrace. Making you more of who you are and what you were intended to be. Nourishment for the soul.
In time, this approach will begin to add to others. They will come to recognize the sense of fulfillment in you. Joy. Serenity. And peace. They will want to find that in their days as well.
Be open to the blessings that abound in each moment. Accept and fill yourself with the grace freely given. Let it permeate your very being. Then pour it into all those around you.
Doing my best isn’t about some personal quest for perfection. That has absolutely nothing to do with this particular lesson.
Doing my best is the debt that I owe to others first, and to myself, second.
By doing my absolute best, I am showing others how much I value them; how much I love them. I am telling them in no uncertain terms that “you deserve the absolute best of me”.
You shouldn’t ever get this confused with commerce. For doing your best for others isn’t an interpersonal transaction; a “quid pro quo”. Giving others your best is never about expecting to get or getting anything in return. Giving your best to others is what you are made to do. It is the right thing to do, both for them and for you.
In doing my absolute best, I am also confirming the level of my own personal standards. It is a way of affirming what I know to be true; that I am meant to be extraordinary. The best possible version of myself.
By making a personal commitment to do my absolute best, I can be at peace with my effort; win or lose, succeed or fail. I can “look in the mirror” and see someone I respect for giving it their best.
By no means does this mean that I have to like the outcome. If I don’t, then I just need to work harder to do my best next time.It serves to reinforce in my heart, that my effort was the best I had to offer, when I needed to offer it.
The value of doing your best has ramifications far beyond the immediate. It sets the tone going forward, becoming synonymous with your name and your character. It precedes you everywhere you go.
By doing your best, you help ”coach up” others to aspire to always do their best. In the process, you learn what it takes to live and breathe that mindset. You gain a level of comfort operating within a personal universe marked by high expectations, dedicated to striving for optimal performance and pursuing excellence.
Once you get there, you wouldn’t want it any other way.
...my temporary assignment. 