Effort to the Limit – ElPropósito3 min de lectura

How do we act in ways that actually deliver results?

Photo by Tobias Tullius on Unsplash

One of humanity’s great strengths is our ability to adapt. Look closely at everything we’ve lived through, and will probably keep living through, and one thing stands out as being pushed to its limit: effort. So how do we keep pushing ourselves in a way we can sustain?

Effort is physical or mental action aimed at a specific end. It means investing energy to get what we want, which is why it matters to know where to point that energy, use it well and, above all, manage the limits life is asking us to work within.

The first strategy for success is clarity about the result, or results, we’re after. As Covey puts it, begin with the end in mind. Whether or not we’ll get there (and those thoughts burn energy too), this is the time to dream with our feet on the ground.

Those results are far likelier to happen when they’re in tune with our Life Purpose. They can’t fall into the trap of doing for the sake of doing. Just as we know what we want once we arrive, we should know from the outset that these results connect us to the deepest part of who we are and will most likely make us better people.

Pushing ourselves to the limit also takes determination. That resolve has to hold through the ups and downs (and there will be plenty, in every shape), and it’s what keeps us on our feet. Determination grows out of clarity and purpose, and it’s how we absorb life’s blows. Together, the three form a solid base for staying on the road.

We find fulfillment when what we do ultimately serves someone else. The same works in our favor when, even while giving everything for what we long for, we ask for help and it arrives. Asking for help opens our minds and our paths, and it carries us much further toward success.

Finally, we need a responsible awareness of our own actions, switched on at all times. It lets us see how much we’ve grown while pushing our energy to the limit. It’s also the voice that tells us when to recharge, when to stop and, in the best of cases, when to celebrate.

How hard are you pushing yourself to reach what you long for?

Warm regards and all the best,

Rodrigo Baccaro

This week’s VELA:

• What I’ve been Viewing: Reading is a lifelong human need. An excellent interview with Dr. Francisco Mora. It gave me the explanation I’d been looking for about what goes on in my son’s mind during his online classes, and what I can do as a father to support him. One of the best videos I’ve ever seen.
• What I’ve been Listening to: Memescuchan. One of the best gifts of this pandemic has been meeting wonderful people with a deep desire to serve others. One of them is Meme Zarco, creator of this great podcast, who had me on this week together with my close friend Luisa Zamora. Subscribe and enjoy the wonderful content Meme is putting out. A big hug, my friend.
• What I’ve been Reading: Sophie’s World. I’ve reached Aristotle, and this is still one of my favorite novels. I’ve committed to reading it at least once a year, because it points me to the philosophers whose ideas I want to dig into.
• What I’ve been Learning: Onion soup. A classic French dish. This video is one of a kind and I loved it because it’s made by a Franciscan friar; the whole YouTube channel is run by Franciscans. Fantastic, because every recipe comes with its history and is explained in rich detail. One note on onion soup: the original recipe calls for three hours of cooking.

Author: Rodrigo Baccaro

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