Setting Appropriate Expectations for Success

Some people don’t have realistic expectations for life. Kip sent me this joke today that fits what I’m talking about…

Reaching the end of his job interview, the HR manager asks the fresh young engineer, “what starting salary are you looking for?”
The recruit replies, “$125,000 and a full benefits package”
The HR rep replies, “how about 5 weeks vacation, 15 paid holidays, full medical and dental, 50% match on retirement, and a company car.”
The engineer says, “wow, are you kidding?”
The HR rep says, “yeah, but you started it…”

One advantage teens have when they work is understanding what things cost.

However, I often think that many of us forget what things cost:

• Relationships take time to develop
• Schools take time to build a legacy
• It takes time to build a reputation
• A tree takes time to grow

In today’s world of instant this and instant that, people want a “just add water” success formula. Guess what? It doesn’t exist.

Success can take time – even if it looks fast, it typically takes time. Practice. Hard work. Sacrifice.

Sometimes we expect things to be easy and they’re not.

Decisions to Pursue Excellence Always Cost Something

Even now. I’m exhausted. I had a tiring day at school and had gate duty tonight. I came home exhausted. Kip fired up an old movie and I’m ready to watch.

However, I made a commitment to write once every day for 80 days and only to take off Sundays.  You might wonder why I’d do that – well, it was the result of praying, but honestly, I’ve been blogging so much about my podcast, that I had gotten out of the habit of just writing.

And it seems to me that I can’t write about excellence to you if I’m not willing to consistently work at it myself.

So, today’s challenge is this: Ask yourself what you’re taking time to build? Your health? What relationships? What dreams?

You are what you do consistently over time. So, examine one area where you are eagerly pursuing success and look at the habits you’re doing to help build that success. And then, expect that those habits will cost you something and prepare to pay the price.

Excellence has a price. Make sure the type of excellence you’re pursuing is worth it. And make sure that you expect that it won’t be easy. In fact, succeeding is often very hard.