A Mission In A Tagline

The tagline for this blog is more than simply, Thriving In Hostile Terrain; it is also the mission. There are so many ways the world makes us feel as if we can barely survive, let alone thrive. So often we think about just getting through the day or making it to the weekend. But sometimes, we look back on our lives and realize that we have lived weekend to weekend for years. And, while keeping your head above water in dire circumstances is an incredible feat, we were not meant to live that way indefinitely.

Surviving Is The Base Model

I was speaking to someone the other day who felt lost. They had been on “The right path” and “doing well” until something tripped them up. In the end, they felt stuck, demotivated, and directionless. “I have no motivation anymore,” they said.

Motivation As A Byproduct

I thought about that statement for a moment and then got very honest. You don’t need motivation. What you need is discipline. Discipline is what gets you out the door pushing that giant boulder up the hill in the rain, blistering heat, and bitter cold. Motivation is what happens after you get it to the top and tap it over the edge. Then you can ride that motivation momentum halfway up the next hill. But it’s the discipline that gets you there. Thinking you need “motivation” makes you feel bad about yourself – like you lack in some way. Understanding that it’s just disciple – something you don’t have to want to do or yearn for – simply the thing which needs to get done doesn’t make you feel bad – it just is. Discipline takes the next breath, the next stroke, the next step toward the future.

Thriving In Hostile Terrain

Nobody finds a life without hills. It’s impossible and, I’d say it’s less fulfilling without them. The trick is not simply to survive the hills and valleys – but thrive throughout the experience. Thriving is about celebrating small victories. Thriving is taking time to enjoy where you are and how far you’ve come. Survival sees only the tops of the waves as they crash over you while thriving looks ahead. Looking for the opportunities, lessons, and beauty in our situation lays the groundwork for an attitude of Thriving, not merely surviving.

What’s Your Story?

I’d love to hear how you have Thrived In Hostile Terrain, too!