If You Really Want Something, You'll Find A Way. If You Don't, You'll Find An Excuse.

An old friend of mine reached out over the weekend. He reads my blog posts and checks out my personal Facebook wall several times a week. Amid his lengthy emails, he always brings up various things I've written about in my blog columns or posted on my Facebook wall. His last email was no exception.

"It's obvious you and Lisa are keeping busy, including the weeks that Lisa was on vacation. From what I've read, you have a handful of people who are continuously advising you to take a break, slow it down, have some fun, and take an actual vacation. 

I'm going to be the oddball of that bunch. I'm not going to tell you to slow it down and take vacations. In fact, I'm going to preach the exact opposite. 

I'm going to be 80 soon. Everything that I've done and accomplished and the goals I've reached in my life have all happened because I worked hard. 

I remember when I was a teenager, I wanted a certain type of bicycle. Although my parents could have swung the expense, they didn't. Instead, they told me I had to earn the money to buy it. My mother used to tell me that I would learn nothing about life or the real world if everything was handed to me on a silver platter. 

I spent an entire year earning the money. I mowed lawns and shoveled driveways. I ran errands for my neighbors and helped those same neighbors tend to their gardens and help them build fences. 

During that period of time, most of my friends were out having fun at baseball games and hanging out at the beach. I'll admit, at times, I was envious, but I really wanted that bicycle.

The day I had enough money, my father took me to the store. The price of the bicycle had gone up a smidgen. I was a few dollars short. I was prepared to walk out of the store and earn what I needed, but my father threw in the extra. He knew I had worked my tail off. He was proud of me. I was proud too.

You and Lisa work hard. I know of the goals you have as a Work at Home Dog Mom. I know that you're working towards those goals every day. And, I know Lisa is hard at work with the indoor and outdoor projects around your home.

What stands out the most is that amid all the work, you manage to have fun while doing the work. You play cards at the table while eating dinner and you occasionally sneak out together to scope out yard sales and run errands. 

Keep doing what you're doing. Work hard for what you want. If you want something bad enough, you'll find a way to reach that goal. I have faith in the both of you."

My old friend's email reminded me of a meme I stumbled upon recently. It said, "If you really want something you will find a way. If you don't, you'll find an excuse."

At the end of the day, it all boils down to that.

Just. That.

It doesn't matter if that something is running a marathon. Getting a job. Saving money to buy your first car. Hiking a mountain. Losing 20 pounds. Starting a business. Cleaning out the garage. Etc.

If you really want to do it, you will find a way...

You will make the time. You will put in the effort. You will scrape the bottom of the barrel for that last bit of motivation. You'll sacrifice sleep. You will save money. You won't care about the temperature indoors or outdoors. You'll trudge through the chronic pain. You'll work through exhaustion and hunger pangs.

If you really don't want to do it, well... 

You'll make excuse after excuse. You'll lie. You'll avoid taking those first few steps. You will put in the least amount of effort if any at all. You'll start criticizing and distancing yourself from those who are actually striving towards the greater good. You'll continue to play your game. You'll continue to expect people to support you and provide for you.

My old friend keeps me in check. I'll be the first to admit, I have my days when I need to be reminded that if I really want it, I'll find a way. If not, I'll make an excuse.

I've made my fair share of excuses in the past.

I'm human.

What fuels my fire is knowing the greatness and success that happens when I don't make excuses.

And, the support we have surrounding us.

That's my path. Our path.

Face forward. Onward march.