We live in a profoundly overwhelming time. Even setting aside all the grave, urgent challenges of the world today and the emotional toll they take on us, we are inundated with news, requests, and possibilities for what to do with our lives and careers.
These are not solely obligations and responsibilities; they are often opportunities that feel genuinely inspiring and fulfilling: a new project at work, a new hobby, a relationship, a new wellness practice. The list goes on and on.
The onslaught of opportunities poses a critical dilemma in our purpose work: How do we stay clear and focused on what’s truly most important to us when the world is throwing distraction after distraction at us?
My personal life philosophy and my new program are built around the practice of sacrifice.
Often, when we hear “sacrifice,” we think of trading our own well-being and peace of mind to dedicate ourselves to something bigger than us. We think we are supposed to sacrifice our dreams so we can put food on the table. Or maybe we are supposed to sacrifice our mental health so we can accomplish some lofty career goal.
This is not the sacrifice I’m talking about. Rather, I’m talking about consciously saying “no” to a project or relationship in your life that you like and want. This allows you to focus your energy and attention on something you truly love and, in some sense, need to do to feel true to yourself.
This is perhaps the modern version of the ancient practice of sacrificing an animal to the gods. We intentionally kill something of value to us to declare our commitment to something even more valuable to us.
We simply cannot do it all. We cannot do everything we’d like to do without burning ourselves out. So we must choose to let many things go to more fully choose our highest vision of who we are and what we are here to offer.
This is a profound act of courage and trust. It’s scary. It’s hard.
But I promise: The clarity, focus, ease, and fulfillment you’ve been looking for are there waiting for you. You just need to start sacrificing all the life commitments you can do without.
