I am tired. It has been a long journey and there is still some to go. I am going to admit it now, I am definitely tired. However, I am not tired in a worn out sense. I am tired in a content way.

Does that make sense? We spend our energy every day. We either work on things that get us to our goals or other things. If we are going to be tired, we might as well be tired working on things that carry us closer to where we want to be.

That was my excuse in the past. I was busy. I was tired. I had other things that had to be done. They were not leading me where I wanted to go. I wanted to feel proud of my accomplishments, but somewhere inside I knew something was missing.

For this reason, these past 82 days have been so different for me. They have been purposeful. They have been full of activity. I have been beyond tired many days, but I am tired and content. It is a better way to be.

Do you have a goal you have been putting off? What will it take to get there? I am ecstatic with how fast things have changed for the good. I have a feeling you will be too.

It appears my resolve is about to be put to the test. I have made it 81 days into my 100 Day Strong journey. Over the next week I am taking part in my church’s Christmas musical. There will be some days where time will be very slim. However, the goal marches forward.

My thought is this: if I can make it through these days and keep my goals in check, I should be able to handle most anything. That has been the ultimate goal of all of this. Consistency.

Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out. – Robert Collier

That is what I have been doing. Small efforts every day. Where has this gotten me? I have lost over 30 pounds. I have written every day. I have consumed 100+ ounces of water daily. And many other things. It is starting to add up. Slowly. Consistently. Awesomely.

I am about to be tested. I plan to pass this test with flying colors.

Repetition. It seems tedious. It seems boring. It is also so important to improve at anything. You have to get purposeful repetitions.

That is one of the lessons that I have learned throughout my 100 Day Strong challenge. Could I actually make it 100 days and accomplish the tasks I set out? So far I am 80 days in and still going strong. How? Repetition.

This is the beauty behind the List I made at the beginning of this journey. The reason the List works so well is because it lays out specific tasks to accomplish daily. I have gotten repetitions at those tasks. After 80 days many of them are becoming second nature.

I can look back over my life and see where repetition has worked for me. I remember practicing for hours in high school to become a better singer. After a lot of repetition and hard work I received a full scholarship to sing in college. To go from where I started to where I ended up, it took a lot of reps.

Where has leaning into the details and being willing to get reps worked for you?

I am sitting in a musical rehearsal. It is the week before show and we are working through placing the sets on stage. Translation? I am sitting in the crowd watching folks place sets where they will go. At some point they will call my name and I will get to help.

This is the part you don’t think about when you go to see a show. If the cast and crew do what they are supposed to, you get sucked into the story and you don’t notice the mechanics of the show. It just flows.

It has given me a great appreciation for the folks behind the scenes. They work hard. They make the show happen. Without them, the show would fall flat and the audience would not see a great show.

It has also given me an appreciation for all of the folks behind the scenes in life. From waiters to grocery checkers, fast food workers to medical workers and everyone in between. There are so many people that make life work and we never even notice.

I am reminded to stay grateful. Just like the backstage crew that gets the performance ready, there are people we never see that keep us moving forward. Gratitude is the way to be.

I am reading a new book called The Dichotomy of Leadership. I am only a chapter in, but so far am totally fascinated. The authors are Navy Seals who led troops in Iraq. In the book they dive deep into the different dichotomies of leadership.

What does this mean? First, let’s define the word dichotomy:

Dichotomy- (Noun) – a division or contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or entirely different.

Two things that are represented as being opposed. Let me put some context around this. As a Seal commander, the author had to deal with the dichotomy of looking after his troops well being while also leading those men into battle to accomplish the mission. The missions they undertook could injure or cause the death of those troops. The commander had to hold both things in his mind and still get the job done.

In truth, those two positions were not opposed to each other. They were both important. There had to be a balance where both objectives could be achieved. It is a fine line for sure, but there are valuable lessons here.

While reading, my thoughts drifted to the dichotomies that exist in parenting. I want for my son to be safe and to keep him from being harmed. However, for him to grow into a truly productive member of society and to take his place as an adult, he has to face adversity. He has to be have to hold that dichotomy of caring for him and also letting him try things and potentially fail.

I am eager to read more. Gaining clarity on how to deal with these dichotomies will only be beneficial. I am sure it won’t make the situations easier, but it will give confidence that making the right decision is worth it.