“Enough is never enough” is a statement I have repeated to myself many times in this life. The context for which it is used is paramount because it is important to note that I am not suggesting that I AM not good enough. It is about pushing to the next level.
There are few things I settle on as I can always find another inch to push harder. Yes, this can be exhausting but it is where character is created. This is also not to say that I am striving for perfection as that is not a standard I value.
Enough is suggesting there is nothing more. Very few things in life are exhausted including the human condition. We always have more to give; whether you have the motivation to do so or not is the difference. There are things we settle on not because it is enough but because we don’t value the additional mileage.
In my life there have been many places this theory has existed. Some examples include:
- In my running I have not found enough. My goal was to finish a Half in less than two hours. I have not done that yet and it’s important to me so I continue to push. I hear people tell me all the time that it is “enough” however it is not, because after all I decide.
- In my career I have pushed hardest than in any other effort in my life. There were so many FINISH LINES along the way that could have proven to be “enough” but it simply wasn’t at those times. As I look back at my career path I am so grateful I never settled. Fast forward to today it has taken some effort to “settle” down. I have reached the role I was striving for and now that I am here it would seem to be enough, but…
The reality is that it is about passion and what fires you up. What serves you is what “serves you” and decides where you put your time and energy. In the examples I offered both running and my career are what fires me up. They both serve me well on many levels. The love of this is that it does not have to have value to anyone else and the sacrifices I make are not yours to judge.
I would be remiss if I did not offer the concept of “enough is enough”. In my definition of the theory offered there is a place for “enough is enough”. It goes back to what serves you. When something no longer serves you it is time to call it enough. Some examples of that include:
- I am a student at heart. It was my long-term goal to get my PhD one day however after achieving degrees in Hospitality and Leadership I came to realize that the additional investment to go further in “formal” education was not going to serve me. The reality is that despite my “want” the “expense” would be greater than the reward.
- I have also learned the theory of “enough is enough” in my relationships. It is one of the harder things to come to terms with that there are relationships that you simply have to walk away from and say “enough”. When you are giving more than you are getting and it is not serving you well it is time to move on. I was thinking about this the other night and realizing that this theory continues to create stress for me as I try to “solve” for that which there is no solution. It is okay to be grateful for the time the relationship serves you as a memory and let it settle there.
In today’s world I decide what is “not good enough” and when “enough is enough” in my life. That is not to say that I don’t hear those messages offered to me from those that know me best about what they believe is enough for me. While I value those opinion I will continue to value my choice to decide what is “good enough” and ultimately when “enough is enough”.
Life as I see it and I decide is enough — L.
Originally published at http://alwaysstarting.com on September 25, 2019.