The Real Con: sacrifice

“A man cannot do everything; but this cannot be an excuse for doing bad things.” -Henry David Thoreau

At the age of 17, Benjamin Franklin decided he no longer wanted to live in Boston. He needed to escape the prospects of taking over his brother’s debts at his print shop in town. The life of an indentured servant did not seem appealing. He decided he was going to sneak away. After selling some books to raise some money, a friend helped him take a small boat to New York. Three days later, he found himself 300 miles from his home, with almost no money in his pocket, in a city where he knew no one.

He tried to find work. But no printers had any openings. He heard from a local printer that a shop in Philadelphia needed help. So he set out again by boat, traveling another 100 miles further. 400 miles later in a strange town, he would change for the better.

His entire life, Franklin was a man of action. He knew the importance of putting ideas into practice. 

“Well done is better than well said.” - Benjamin Franklin

When you practice and develop any skill, you sacrifice. You sacrifice your focus, your time, your other wants and needs. 

Benjamin Franklin sacrificed the familiar for the unfamiliar. He sacrificed his future of indentured servitude for a chance at a better life. He sacrificed a known job and income for the unknown in a new city where he was a complete stranger.

“One can have no smaller or greater mastery than the mastery of oneself.” -Leonardo da Vinci

Sacrifice is necessary for growth. Sacrifice is necessary for progress. Sacrifice is necessary for mastering yourself.

Imagine how it would feel to be hundreds of miles from home as a young teenager, looking for work. Franklin knew the importance of sacrificing simple comforts for a better future. He constantly found time to review his performance. He read widely and constantly. He studied great successes and failures that came before him.

Too often we find ourselves unwilling to make the tough choices. We become frozen in our decisions. We need to consistently practice sacrificing comfort for growth. It is up to us to find ways to make progress. It is up to us to find ways to master ourselves. It is up to us to develop our skills.

Why? Because if we can sacrifice and grow, our teams can grow too. 

Better individual performance almost always results in better team performance.

What are you working to sacrifice? In the end, it requires direction and action. 

Stay sharp,

Michael

#073

The Real Con

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