New Home Forums Philosophy, Mindset & Preparation Struggle and Sacrifice

7 replies, 7 voices Last updated by  Bradley Morris 5 years, 10 months ago
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  • #75125

    Bradley Morris
    Mountain Guide
    @bradleytmorris

    Entrepreneurship is a heroic journey, not for the faint of heart.

    Turning big ideas into businesses that thrive, grow and work requires so much effort and patience.

    There are so many moving parts that must be taken into consideration, not just the creative stuff that is fun. And when one is being focused on, the other tends to go out of balance and get neglected.

    I’m having a day where I am exhausted. The amount of out-put to build Green Screen Magic, manage this community, work my other businesses, train for professional golf, play all these tournaments, build partnerships, move homes with and be a loving, present father and husband has me exhausted.

    I’m struggling for sure.

    I don’t say this to complain, I’m totally okay with it. I actually wouldn’t have it any other way.

    Because this is my struggle. All that I am struggling for is for a dream that I believe in through and through.

    In life we can either struggle for what we believe in or struggle for someone else’s dreams.

    I am grateful for this struggle. I am grateful for how hard my 14-years of entrepreneurship. I am grateful fro how my hardships have turned to wisdom and creativity and fuel for other entrepreneurs coming up the mountain.

    I am grateful for the exhaustion I feel in my bones and behind my eyes.

    This is life and it is sooo good.

    So if you’re struggling today, think about how you can be grateful for that struggle. Picture yourself standing on that mountain top far off into the future, looking back, reflecting on this struggle today, willing you forward to keep climbing, to take that next step and to find a nice vista to take a little power nap.

    Check in with yourself this weekend. Is what you’re struggling to create in your life what you really want? If the answer is no, then what would happen if you let it go?

    Thanks for listening folks. Sending love and strength to all of you courageous mountain climbers!

    #75128

    Laura Koller
    Adventurer
    @laurakoller

    I appreciate your struggle, Bradley!

    I have moments every day when I realize things could be so much simpler if I just let go of this one vision, to create and launch this course.  Certainly there is too much on my plate already!

    And then I realize how much richness this journey has added to my life.  It connects me to the people I’m helping now, the people who will benefit in the future.  It gives my life a deeper sense of purpose and meaning.  It’s enabling me to use the treasures I’ve discovered within myself in order to make a positive difference in the world.  That’s pretty powerful stuff.

    FYI last week I finished the audiobook of “Big Magic” and the author, Elizabeth Gilbert, shared a story that really resonated with me. In 1851 Herman Melville wrote a letter to Nathaniel Hawthorne, and in it he writes: ”In a week or so, I go to New York, to bury myself in a third-story room, and work and slave on my ‘Whale’ while it is driving through the press. That is the only way I can finish it now, — I am so pulled hither and thither by circumstances. The calm, the coolness, the silent grass-growing mood in which a man ought always to compose, — that, I fear, can seldom be mine.”

    The author shares this to point out that creativity is rarely something used to fill long stretches of empty moments; rather, expressing ourselves so often requires us to cram and squeeze it into any spare moment, to make sacrifices. We think our situations are so special and unique, and yet our experience is far from unique. The creatives and artists who have achieved such success are really not so different than you and I – not even Mr. Melville and his whale. It surprises me, really, to think about Melville back in 1850 complaining that he has no time to write, because:

    ”I have been more busy than you can well imagine, — out of doors, — building and patching and tinkering away in all directions. Besides, I had my crops to get in, — corn and potatoes (I hope to show you some famous ones by and by), — and many other things to attend to, all accumulating upon this one particular season. I work myself; and at night my bodily sensations are akin to those I have so often felt before, when a hired man, doing my day’s work from sun to sun. ”

    I found that so reassuring, that even those great men struggled with work/life balance and making the time for creative endeavors!!!

    One of the best things on this mountain is the support from this community, the knowledge that we are all here, that we are not alone.  This powerful mountain, the one that you initiated, the one that has brought all of us together here, right now, at this very moment.  Pretty incredible, really, when you pause and gaze back to savor the view.

    #75160

    Mars
    Adventurer
    @Mars

    I hear you @bradleytmorris Like @laurakoller I agree and love that we have each other for support.

    #75306

    Chris Gilmour
    Adventurer
    @ChrisG

    Thanks for the share @Bradlettmorris

    I certainly have up and downs with this as well, moments of feeling unstoppable and accomplishing crazy amounts in short periods of time and moments of being exhausted, scattered and almost frozen in Overwhelm.

    One piece I liked from your post was the quote “In life, we can either struggle for what we believe in our struggle for someone else’s dreams”

    When I was young I used to strive for some sort of illusion of utopian mindset and world, not getting there was depressing. As I get older I find a lot of peace of mind and comfort in actually embracing the struggles of life as part of life and knowing I have a choice as to what kind of attitude to face them with. I appreciate your piece on being thankful for the struggle because you are struggling for a dream and something you believe in. I know a lot of ppl who are struggling for visions that they do not even believe in and I imagine that must be way harder than my struggles.

    Just like @mars & @LauraKoller I am so grateful for this awesome community to share the ups and downs with and to keep lifting each other back up when we slow or fall down.

    I have been reading the works of many successful business folks and ppl lately and a common theme that also makes me feel better when I’m tired is to hear that all the successful role models I look up to struggle and have bad days too. But the reason they reach their dreams when so many do not is that everytime the slow down or fall, they pick themselves right back up and keep going.

    Let’s go, climbers, one foot in front of the other and remember to look around and enjoy the view, this is part of the journey and the fun of it all!

    Cheers,

    Chris G

    #75312

    Natalie
    Adventurer
    @littlemaetree

    Thanks @bradleytmorris
    Sometimes it’s nice to hear that I’m not the only one that struggles – all too often all that is presented is the motivational-high-energy-it’s-all-good-no-room-for-what’s-real thing (especially/even in yoga – sigh). It enlightening and lifting to hear that, so thank you for sharing.

    #75316

    Jennypim
    Adventurer
    @Jennypim

    I hear you too @bradleytmorris – you’ve a lot on your plate.

    And yes, like the others in the thread, it’s nice to know it’s not all a walk in the park (though all your stuff is positive!). So we know it’s ok to say if things aren’t as easy as we’d like.

    #75336

    Sara McCann
    Adventurer
    @saramccann

    I appreciate you sharing this so much Bradley.

    I wonder sometimes about how much you have on your plate, and how you manage to juggle everything, and well…. you always do it with a smile on your face and with a constantly lovely and helpful manner about you. I look at all this and try to measure myself up against it and wonder if I would be capable of all you do, and I am doubtful I could because I know I am struggling and so to hear that it isn’t as easily done as it looks, is actually very reassuring. It gives me hope that, just because I struggle, doesn’t mean I can’t ultimately succeed and maybe…just maybe…I might be capable of achieving more than I realise.

    Thank you so much for being real!

    #75352

    Bradley Morris
    Mountain Guide
    @bradleytmorris

    Thanks everyone. Appreciate all of the reflections, feedback and TRUTH.

    Entrepreneurship is tough. I feel much lighter this week and have reached out to 19 LMS partners to license Green Screen Magic. (11 today)  My mentor has given me the task of reaching out to 50 LMS companies by next Friday. On top of finishing Green Screen Magic when Blair gets back this Thursday, that is my other big task.

    It’s time for us to grow the bank with this company so we can serve all of you even more.

    High fives to all of you for the amazing work you are doing with each step you take and for your choice to stay true to your heart and vision. Your work matters, you matter and you have the strength to persevere through all of the challenges and triumphs in your path.

    And when you need a little help from your friends, you’ve always got the campfire!

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