Shooting For The Moon (and Hitting It)

Whenever we start something (a new job, a new semester at school, a new diet, etc.), whatever it may be, we just can't help but have expectations. We expect things to go well. We expect to be successful. We expect to get "straight A's." We expect to move up the corporate ladder (and not fall or get kicked off). We expect this or that or the other thing ~ usually good. We are encouraged to set the bar high. (Right?) We are encouraged to shoot for the moon. The problem arises, however, when we forget about the discipline it takes to actually hit the moon ~ achieve whatever expectation we have in mind. (And maybe we don't forget about discipline too much. We just don't think about it like we should.)

I want to lose 20 pounds. (Not really. It's a hypothetical.) But if I don't discipline myself to lose 20 pounds (exercise, eat better and say, "no," to chocolate), I'll never attain that expectation. I'll never lose a pound, let alone 20. (I know you know this.)

Discipline never feels good at the time, is always painful, will challenge you to the core, will entice you to quit, but if you want to hit the moon, there's no other way.