Many people want all the good things in life simply because others have them. It never occurs to them that the people they admire, probably worked their butts off and made great sacrifices to earn all they possess. If you believe things should come easy then you need to think about what you really want in life and are you willing to make the sacrifice?
Don’t get me wrong…it’s understandable that everyone wants the best in life, but it’s unreasonable to expect great results without earning them. The fact is, results aren’t there for the asking; they’re given to the deserving.
You may be thinking this message is limited to material possessions, but it's not. The fact is, lasting friendships, business relationships and successful and long-term relationships don’t just happen. They’re the result of hard work and commitment. Plus, you must be willing to make sacrifices if you want success in your relationships.
All Great Achievements Require Sacrifice
Every relationship, romantic or otherwise, requires a level of sacrifice to achieve success. When you care for someone, you’re willing to make these sacrifices because you have their best interest at heart. This doesn’t mean you have to give up on all your needs or abandon your principles, but relationships thrive when you build mutual dependence in which you build something better together than you would have apart.
Friendship. There’s a difference between a friend and an acquaintance. As a friendship develops, each person becomes more invested in the relationship. That means trust, respect, selflessness, and commitment become critical. That doesn’t just happen. It requires hard work, dedication, and sacrifice on everyone’s part.
Business partnerships. A true partnership is a win-win rather than a winner-take-all arrangement. That means not trying to gain the upper hand, but rather, compromising and sacrificing for the good of the whole.
Marriage. Marriage is not a living arrangement or the combining of finances; it represents the ultimate commitment. Marriage is a huge promise to share your life with another person rather than going it alone. That means putting your heart into the relationship and embrace a mindset of “we” rather than “me” and of “what’s mine is now ours.”
How Giving Enriches You
Life is all about choices; you get to decide what you’re willing to give up in order to gain the things that you value the most. If you’re not willing to sacrifice, you’ll get what you deserve.
Some people think the world revolves around them… their comfort, their preferences, and their happiness. Although they want healthy relationships, they’re not willing to make the effort or the sacrifice that’s required. Instead, they’re more likely to exploit every opportunity to get what they want…but at what cost? And there is a cost to pay.
If you want to build trust and earn the respect of others, you have to earn it. No one wants to be friends with or work alongside people who are egotistical or selfish. Good people make sacrifices for others. It’s that simple. Be willing to make the first kind gesture and watch something magical happen. Whether it’s for your neighbor, family, or country, people with strong moral character make sacrifices for the greater good and because it is the right thing to do. They give freely of themselves without any expectation of personal gain because they’re as excited about the success of others as they are about their own. Give of yourself because it’s the right thing to do and more often than not, it will come back to you. Sacrifice for the greater good AND for your own good.
I can apply this rule to any area of life. Whether your relationships, personal health or even material possessions. In the end you have to choose what you value most and what sacrifices you are willing to make to achieve it.
So are You Willing to Make the Sacrifice?