Donkey's Carrot

I don’t know where this random thought came from, but I have this image that I can’t get out of my head:

Going after goals WITHOUT gratitude is like a donkey with a carrot in front of its face.?

PERHAPS, if the donkey takes one more step forward, then he will collect the spoils of his effort.

“ALMOST THERE” he says, as he takes one step after the other.

“No time to celebrate, yet”.

After each step, he narrows his focus on the goal and says, “ALMOST THERE”, as he takes one more step, and the cycle continues. All the while missing every aspect of life that lie just in the peripheries of the this SEEMINGLY magical carrot.

Eventually, his DISCOURAGEMENT begins to grow as he sees the great effort that never seems to come to fruition.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve spent way TOO MUCH time in life and business blinded to the present by my fixation on the future..

CAN YOU RELATE?

There’s this end game and it SEEMS AMAZING, so we focus on it, we work towards it, and we push to the finish line, until we wake up one day,?NOT KNOWING?how we got to there, and WONDERING if it was all worth it.

Well, I’ve DISCOVERED something. I’ve discovered that GRATITUDE is the most effective tool to bring me back. Back to the present. Back to a frame of reference that reminds me what’s REALLY IMPORTANT.

Yes, the carrot is nice, but I’ve learned that it’s never as tasty as it looks while it’s dangling from that stick.

However, the knowledge that I AM enough, and that I have enough right here, right now, always seems to be the treat I’m ACTUALLY craving.

See, when we lean into gratitude, our happiness and contentment aren't tied up in the carrot itself. We can continue to chase the carrot with passion, while SIMULTANEOUSLY celebrating each step along the way.

It’s a kind of yin and yang, or balance between drive and presentness. ?

It’s in this space that I believe we can’t lose.

Perhaps this is why I write about gratitude so much these days. Focusing on gratitude may very well be the most POWERFUL TOOL I have in my tool belt to create a more joyful, contented, and fulfilled life?

So, what’s your “carrot”?

How close are you to finally tasting victory?

No matter the case, I have one last question…

WHAT'S PRESENT IN YOUR LIFE, RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW, THAT YOU ARE GRATEFUL FOR?

Write me back and let me know. I love hearing about all of your success! Yes, we may get that carrot one day and it will taste great for a moment, but in the end, the only way to truly live our best life, is to LOVE OUR JOURNEY FROM THE INSIDE OUT!

Here’s to your journey in our world my friend. Make it a fantastic Tuesday and I’ll see you soon.