ENGAGING THOUGHT
So, are you bored yet? Is that a crazy question? I mean, how could we possibly become bored if we're pursuing God's DREAM for our life, right? Yeah. If only it were that simple. In a perfect world, any time we're doing something like pursuing the very purposes for which we were created it will, of course, energize and enervate us beyond any possible drudgery. Good thing we live in a perfect world, huh?
So, for the rest of us (who don't wake up in Eden) what do we do when we find that the tasks of pursuing aren't holding our interest or gripping our hearts as they did at first? First-off, I think it's vitally important that we allow ourselves to admit that we may have become bored with certain aspects of the pursuit. Maybe the specifics of your DREAM require a season of study or reeducation - that sounds fabulous for bookworms and studious types - but not so much to others. Maybe you're trying to develop a skill-set that requires repetitive actions. Ho hum. I truly do not think you're in danger of a derailment just because you can say that this particular task isn't exciting - in fact I'd even say that unless you do call the boring tasks "boring" you run the risk of a false enthusiasm that can't withstand the real difficulties.
Just because you have the freedom to declare a task boring, or to recognize that you're staring down the monster called "Drudgery," doesn't mean that you have any intent of giving up on the pursuit, does it? Do the same thing you did to the monsters under your bed or in your closet as a child: call it by name and state clearly that it's free to hang out there, but that you aren't the least bit afraid of it. Tell it to go ahead and "roar" - or make whatever sounds drudgery makes - but that you'll still continue trudging through until completion.
I think drudgery is most effective in dissuading us when we forget why we're doing the boring or repetitive tasks. We sometimes forget why we're doing these things. Does a homemaker find that laundry or cleaning is the most satisfying of tasks? Hardly. However, when they remind themselves that this is part-and-parcel of caring for their family and providing the environment for family-life to thrive, those tasks take on a different light.
Perhaps you should remind yourself exactly why you are performing whatever it is that has lost its luster. "I am studying this horrendously boring material because it prepares me for fulfilling God's DREAM for my life which is to..." - then go ahead and repeat the DREAM. That's the key, I think: keep the boring tasks attached to the DREAM. Never let them try to become separate from the DREAM; never let them try to redefine the DREAM or convince you that the DREAM might also be boring if parts of the pursuit are boring. Even Superheroes have to do their laundry once in a while.
Maybe, when you're bored with a task you should just stop for a moment, tell whoever is around (family, pets, strangers walking by) that, "I am bored with this task, but I will continue it through to completion because I am serious about pursuing God's DREAM for my life which is to..."
So, for the rest of us (who don't wake up in Eden) what do we do when we find that the tasks of pursuing aren't holding our interest or gripping our hearts as they did at first? First-off, I think it's vitally important that we allow ourselves to admit that we may have become bored with certain aspects of the pursuit. Maybe the specifics of your DREAM require a season of study or reeducation - that sounds fabulous for bookworms and studious types - but not so much to others. Maybe you're trying to develop a skill-set that requires repetitive actions. Ho hum. I truly do not think you're in danger of a derailment just because you can say that this particular task isn't exciting - in fact I'd even say that unless you do call the boring tasks "boring" you run the risk of a false enthusiasm that can't withstand the real difficulties.
Just because you have the freedom to declare a task boring, or to recognize that you're staring down the monster called "Drudgery," doesn't mean that you have any intent of giving up on the pursuit, does it? Do the same thing you did to the monsters under your bed or in your closet as a child: call it by name and state clearly that it's free to hang out there, but that you aren't the least bit afraid of it. Tell it to go ahead and "roar" - or make whatever sounds drudgery makes - but that you'll still continue trudging through until completion.
I think drudgery is most effective in dissuading us when we forget why we're doing the boring or repetitive tasks. We sometimes forget why we're doing these things. Does a homemaker find that laundry or cleaning is the most satisfying of tasks? Hardly. However, when they remind themselves that this is part-and-parcel of caring for their family and providing the environment for family-life to thrive, those tasks take on a different light.
Perhaps you should remind yourself exactly why you are performing whatever it is that has lost its luster. "I am studying this horrendously boring material because it prepares me for fulfilling God's DREAM for my life which is to..." - then go ahead and repeat the DREAM. That's the key, I think: keep the boring tasks attached to the DREAM. Never let them try to become separate from the DREAM; never let them try to redefine the DREAM or convince you that the DREAM might also be boring if parts of the pursuit are boring. Even Superheroes have to do their laundry once in a while.
Maybe, when you're bored with a task you should just stop for a moment, tell whoever is around (family, pets, strangers walking by) that, "I am bored with this task, but I will continue it through to completion because I am serious about pursuing God's DREAM for my life which is to..."
ACTION STEP
Your ACTION STEPS for today is simple and profoundly important:
1) Take a look back to the ACTION STEP on Day 12? You made a list of ridiculously positive encouragements. This is one when you need those.
Also, take a perusal through your thoughts from Day 35 and recall how you felt as you were about to jump off the cliff into your full-fledged DREAM-pursuit.
2) Either restate/rewrite your positive encouragements again, or jot down some new (more informed?) ones to keep you moving forward.
Your ACTION STEPS for today is simple and profoundly important:
1) Take a look back to the ACTION STEP on Day 12? You made a list of ridiculously positive encouragements. This is one when you need those.
Also, take a perusal through your thoughts from Day 35 and recall how you felt as you were about to jump off the cliff into your full-fledged DREAM-pursuit.
2) Either restate/rewrite your positive encouragements again, or jot down some new (more informed?) ones to keep you moving forward.
Tomorrow we get to be hypocrites! On purpose, even!!
No comments:
Post a Comment