He stood at the corner. The sign he held in his hands spoke volumes. Times were tough and money hard to come by. He hadn’t bathed in a week. Lord only knows where he had slept the evening before, if he had slept at all. Didn’t he have a home he could go to? What brought him to this corner? Where did he get the marker and the cardboard for his sign?

His tired shoulders slumped as the cars passed him by. The hunger pains racked his body, but not as bad as the despair did. Times had not always been like these. There had  been another day, years before. Before the women. Before the booze. Before the needles. Before despair.

He lifted his face. The streetlight changed to red once again. Slowly he panned the cars for generosity. A window rolled down and he walked to the  person seated in the car. Two dollars. That was better than most people did. He muttered a thank you as the car drove away.

The streets were wet from the rain of the day. His clothes were sticking to his body, but at least it was cooler than the normal heat of an August day. How had he sunk this far?

He had been comfortable once. He had lived in luxury. His father had a strict set of rules that he chose not to abide by though, and in anger, one day, he demanded his share of the inheritance and left. Never to look back. Never to be constricted by those rules again.

The thoughts of years passed flashed through his mind often as he watched the cars go by. Arrogant people passed by every minute. But he knew well that very few had been as arrogant as he. Thousands of dollars he had, all of it he squandered. In a short amount of time he had nothing.

Too ashamed to go home, he stayed where he was and tried to work to make his way. Habits die hard. Expensive habits die painfully. His life was now broken and, he thought, wasted.

There had to be a better life than this. The life of one of the workers in his father’s employ was so much better than what he was now doing. Even if he couldn’t return as a son, he would ask his father for a job. It had to be better than his life now.

So, he picked up his backpack containing everything he owned in the world. It was many miles back to his father’s house, but the journey was underway. It would take several days to make it back, but it had to be better. It just had to.

His legs were tired. His feet sore. He climbed the hill in front of him. His father’s house was down on the other side. It wasn’t much further. As he reached the top of the hill he paused for a moment to catch his breath. He looked down on the valley where he grew up. It was familiar, but he knew it would never be as it was. Never again would he take it all for granted, even though none of it was his.

He started walking down the hill. To his amazement, he saw a man running toward him. The man was older and well dressed. Why was he running? Who was this? It was…his father. His father was running to him. Immediately he felt fear, but that was soon gone as he realized his father was smiling…and crying.

With a swift embrace, the father took the son in his arms and pulled him close. The son’s clothes did not stop him. The smell of the man did not stop the father. The father’s son was home and he rejoiced and cried as he held him.

“Father, please forgive me for my stupidity. I have come back to ask you for a job. I don’t deserve to be your son, but I will gladly spend my life working for you to repay the cost I have been to you.”

“Son, I have waited for you. Every day since you have been gone I have searched this road for you. I believed in my heart you would return. Now you have. You are my son and you will always be my son. I love you. Nothing has ever changed that. You may work with me as we live our lives as family. Come, we must celebrate for you have come home.”

You hear it every day. People strive for perfection—a pinnacle of achievement where everything is in its right place, and there are no more errors or areas for improvement. It is a nice thought isn’t it? Is it really possible? Truthfully, no. It is unattainable and the pursuit often becomes a paralyzing force, hindering growth and progress. It’s crucial to recognize that progress, not perceived perfection, should be the goal. Have you ever felt stuck in the pursuit of perfect?

The Myth of Perfection

Perfection is not humanly possible. It’s an unachievable standard that varies from person to person depending on various opinion. It is a myth that can prevent us from appreciating our accomplishments, focusing instead on what’s lacking, leading to dissatisfaction and a sense of inadequacy.

The Power of Progress

Contrastingly, progress is tangible, measurable, and infinitely more satisfying than the mirage of perfection. It represents the real, incremental advancements we make towards our goals, acknowledging every step forward, no matter how small. Progress is rooted in the reality of our journey, celebrating growth and learning from setbacks. It’s about evolving, improving, and moving closer to our aspirations with each action we take.

Why Progress Matters More

1. Keeps the Focus on Growth: Progress encourages a growth mindset, where challenges are viewed as opportunities to learn and develop. Each attempt, successful or not, is a chance to gain insights and improve.

2. Builds Resilience: Embracing progress helps build resilience, as we learn to navigate setbacks and continue moving forward. This resilience becomes a cornerstone of our character, empowering us in all areas of life.

3. Enhances Perspective: Recognizing and celebrating progress gives us perspective. It allows us to see how far we’ve come, instilling a sense of achievement and motivating us to keep pushing forward.

4. Encourages Innovation: The pursuit of progress, as opposed to perfection, fosters an environment where experimentation and creativity flourish. It’s in this space that breakthroughs and innovations occur.

Embracing Progress

As I have shifted to a progress mindset, I have had to consider the following:

Setting Realistic Goals: Am I breaking down my larger goals into smaller, achievable steps? Am I celebrating each milestone to keep myself motivated?

Be Kind: Am i kind to myself? Am I acknowledging my efforts and progress, even if things don’t go as I planned?

Cultivate a Growth Mindset: Do I view challenges as opportunities to grow? Do I embrace learning? Am I open to feedback?

Reflect Regularly: Am I taking time to reflect on the journey? Do I acknowledge the progress I’ve made? What adjustments could help me move forward more effectively?

The idea of perfection is alluring, but it is not achievable. It’s the pursuit of progress that truly moves us forward. By valuing each step forward, learning from setbacks, and celebrating our growth, we can achieve a deeper sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.

Have you struggled with chasing perfection? How would a shift in this mindset help you?

See you on Day 16.

I wrote the lyrics to this song in 2005. My favorite thing at the time was driving with my bride by my side. It is still one of my favorite things. Let me know what you think.

By My Side

Verse 1:

The sun is shining through my window. I can feel its sting on my arm.

The radio’s up, music blasting, I’m singing the words to every song.

There you are beside me, feet up hair blowing in the wind

We’re racing down the interstate ready to see what’s hiding around the bend.

Chorus:

It’s a good day, riding with my baby

Petal to the floor and the road flying by

There is no other place that I’d rather be heading

Than down this road with my baby by my side.

Verse 2:

Out here on this road there is nothing that can stop us

Nothing in our way blocking our path

It’s just you and me out here with our freedom

Driving hand in hand hoping the daylight will last

Chorus:

It’s a good day, riding with my baby

Petal to the floor and the road flying by

There is no other place that I’d rather be heading

Than down this road with my baby by my side.

Bridge:

Though the day is getting late, we just keep on driving

Running as fast as we can, so happy to be alive

Chorus:

It’s a good day, riding with my baby

Petal to the floor and the road flying by

There is no other place that I’d rather be heading

Than down this road with my baby by my side.

© 2005 David Willis

Do you remember the movie Sabrina? Not Humphrey Bogart and Audrey Hepburn. The 1995 version with Harrison Ford and Julia Ormond. My wife and I have seen that one more than a dozen times. My favorite line in it is about marriage, given by the character David, played by Greg Kinnear.

Yeah, its that thing where you hang together a lot and sleep in the same room and button each other’s hard to reach buttons. – David Larrabee, Sabrina

I love this explanation of marriage. Obviously it is not complete, but it captures one of my favorite things about being married to my bride: she is my best friend. We do get to hang together a lot and do all those other things too.

I think it is easy for people to forget that marriage has to be built on a solid relationship. Not just a relationship, but one that has priority over all others. After my relationship with God, she comes first. She is before my family or other friends. She is before our son. She is priority.

I think most people start off this way. We truly want to be together and we make each other a priority in the beginning. Then, as familiarity sets in, we start to pursue other things. Before we know it, we are roommates in the same house and out of touch with each other. Has this ever happened to you?

How do we go back to the beginning? We have to make our marriage relationship the priority. How do I find that it works best? My wife is my best friend. She is the one I want to spend my time with. She is the voice I want to hear. Her arms are where I most want to be. I tell her and I show her daily.

To my bride, thank you for being my best friend and partner through all of everything. I am thankful every day that God put us together. I treasure you and am eager to spend each day with you. I love you.

The first hour of the morning is the rudder of the day. – Henry Ward Beecher

I start my day the same way every day. I open my phone. I squint at the bright screen. I press down on the app icon. The Bible app opens and I start reading. I have found it is the best way to start my day. Why is this? Let me explain.

As a Christian I believe that God has invited us to have a relationship with him. He is not off in some distant place. He is not removed. He is near. We can learn about him and learn from him. We can have a relationship with him through his son Jesus.

Just like any relationship, it takes an investment of time and attention to make it grow. You can’t keep friends if you never spend time with them or talk to them. You can’t have a successful marriage if you don’t spend time nurturing the relationship. The same is true with a relationship with God.

How do we nurture a relationship with God? The best way I have found is through reading the Bible and prayer. The Bible has 66 books in it. It is a compendium of who he is and how much he loves us. You have to read it again and again and still it has more to offer. It is the word of God.

Now, notice what I didn’t say. I didn’t say you have to understand all of it the first time you read it. The Bible was written by the inspiration of God on a different continent by over 40 authors over thousands of years. There are vast amounts of history and context you have to study and understand to get a full picture of what is being said and to whom it is being said. It has to be read over and over again.

More than that though, through reading it you get a picture of who God is. You see that the Greatest of all loved us so much that he gave his Son to save us from our sin. You learn that he rose again that death would no longer have power and we could be with him.

This God wants to have a relationship with us. For that reason I set aside the first part of my day to read my bible and pray. I want to know him better and better.

What do you do with the first hour of your day? How has it made a difference?

See you on Day 13