The Law of Sacrifice

To pick up one thing, you may have to let go of another.

The Law of Sacrifice: Simply put, to get what you want, you will have to sacrifice something else in return. You’re going to have to give something up to get something else.

Think about it like this. You have two hands, and those two hands can only carry so much. You will reach a point in life, as you’re holding all the stuff you’re carrying, where you need to put one thing down to add anything more.

What’s all that “stuff” we’re carrying? In our personal lives, that stuff might be our relationships, marriages, kids, friendships, hobbies, and dreams. Professionally, that stuff might include your career, your ambitions, and the areas where you want to expand your expertise. As a business, that stuff may encompass all the products and services you offer or your goals for growth.

Too often, we spread ourselves thin, trying to hold too much stuff. The result? We end up as wide as the ocean and deep as a puddle. We never go deep, or realize the true potential life has for us, in the areas that matter. Because we’re not willing to sacrifice anything, we sacrifice everything.

There are some great quotes on sacrifice…

“If you don’t sacrifice for what you want, what you want becomes the sacrifice.” – Unknown

“Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness.” – Napoleon Hill

“When you go in search of honey, expect to be stung by bees.” – Joseph Joubert

So, with that in mind, what are you willing to sacrifice? Or, in other words, what are you willing to set down so that you can hold on to what’s important? Here are three questions we should all be asking ourselves…

1. What areas in our life or business do we value the most?
2. Are we carrying all of those areas well today?
3. Are there things we could set down, and if we did set them down, would we be able to carry what matters with more strength?

Too often, we avoid sacrifice so we can try to be everything to everyone. The result? We leave potential on the table because we are unfocused. The light from the sun, because it is so unfocused, does not burn. The light from a laser becomes very powerful because it is focused. The Law of Sacrifice challenges us to find those areas where we’ll apply laser focus in our lives.

Call-to-Action

Ask yourself or your business those three questions above. Then, make some moves to find your laser focus… the results will follow.