You have dreams, aspirations, and desires. That's a good thing.

Maybe it's a job title, a certain amount of money, finding a spouse, or a specific car. The ambition itself doesn't matter. The fact that you want something, that should be celebrated. It’s difficult to create a desire in someone else.

But getting what you want requires something in return. Something most people are unwilling to pay. A mentor of mine has a line I've never forgotten.

Think about that for a second. Doing exactly what you're doing now probably won't get you what you want. If it were, you'd already have it.

Which means you have two choices. That's it. Increase the sacrifice, or reduce the desire.

Sacrifice takes one of three forms: time, money, and effort. My favorite definition of self-discipline captures it well. “Self-discipline is the willingness to sacrifice what you want now for what you want later on.” Can you give up the short-term feeling of satisfaction for the long-term gain of actually getting there?

Most people can't. Not because they're weak, but because they never made a clear decision. They stayed in the middle, wanting something badly enough to feel the gap, but not badly enough to close it. That middle is where dreams go to die.

So here's the question. Are you going to increase your sacrifice, or reduce your desire?

P.S. The Optimistic Outlook is a Podcast! Leaving a rating or review wherever you listen to podcasts would mean a lot.