Have Questions~Have Answers #19- How far should we push ourselves?


In the past few years I have come across people who seem to work pretty much 24/7. Is this good? Is this what it takes to be successful? Should we be following this example?

Of course the answer is very individual and 4 hours sleep actually suits some people- Will-i-am being a case in point; eternally busy he doesn't believe in wasting time. But what constitutes a waste of time? Supposing you crash out on the sofa and watch TV for a few hours- is this a waste of time?

The answer is that we choose how to use our time and provided we make an effort to choose we are not wasting it. If we have no idea what to do and lack drive then it's fair to say that day after day is wasted, unless the mind or body are in need of rest for some morbid reason such as depression and genuinely need space to chill out and recover. There are also times when we have seriously over-stretched ourselves and wind up with tired eyes, low energy and a seemingly dysfunctional brain- errrr what was I saying?

The answer is to work smarter rather than harder. When we have energy we give it our all; when we are given an opportunity we grasp it. We must also allow our minds time to be still and think, mull over the current state of affairs and generate some new ideas. Obviously there will be times when it's all go but once things calm down, make use of the time to relax and prepare ready for the next round.

If 'push' refers to a challenge there will be times in life when we are ready to accept the challenge and times when the idea is too daunting. You are the only person who knows how you truly feel and when something is right for you. Sportsmen live for challenges and thrive on breaking existing records- maybe we can take this approach and set ourselves realistic challenges of a different nature. To be consistent in something may well be a challenge but we should not have unrealistic expectations and expect a robotic performance! Consistency could be 6 days out of 7 which is still a good achievement.

Wize-Dome living life normally between Crisis'
When it comes to pushing beyond our limits I hold up my friend Philip, AKA Wize-Dome The Lyricist, as an amazing example of strength and endurance. Phillip has Sickle Cell Anemia and is in chronic pain pretty much constantly. Despite frequently going into crisis and being admitted to hospital, Phillip spends most of his time with his family and teaching his children how to make the best of life. In addition, he shares his experiences on Facebook without complaining and also shares his incredible garden. Phillip has green fingers and grows fruit and veg that look perfect to my eyes. On top of this he has written inspiring poetry hence the lyricist. 
Perfect cabbages!!!
We will interview Phillip shortly to share more about this terrible disease, his personal experiences and how he finds the courage to be positive and mentally push on through. Wize-Dome The Lyricist Facebook

Unlike Phillip, most of us can't begin to be classed as super-heroes and need to operate within the limitations of our bodies and minds. That does not me that we should be happy as we are, it means that striving to achieve more is a necessary process for human growth however when we over-do things sometimes we set ourselves back rather than assisting the process. Being realistic is the best option. If it's night time and you are tired, try getting up just a little earlier rather than struggling and you will probably manage to get through far more. This is called compromise and provided we achieve the desired steps at each stage of the journey we will reach our goals.

Jaz McKenzie
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