Sacrifice – ElPropósito3 min de lectura

The bridge to a higher purpose

"Sacrifice will improve the future," says Jordan Peterson. As the year winds down, it’s easy to get caught up in how fast it went. For many of us it felt like the blink of an eye. This time of year we tend to focus on next year’s plans and forget everything it took to get here. The challenges, the effort and, above all, the sacrifices we made get left behind.

Sacrifice deserves a closer look, because it runs deeper than effort. To sacrifice is to knowingly give up something valuable now in the hope of gaining something greater later. It’s a deliberate choice, often a hard one, and full of meaning. Peterson calls it improving the future because, when we sacrifice, we’re betting on a better reality, one more in tune with our values and goals. Closely tied to sacrifice is delayed gratification: putting off a pleasure or reward today to gain something worth more over time. Saving is the classic example, skipping certain expenses now to build financial security later. The idea reaches well past money. We apply the same principle to our relationships, our careers and our personal growth. We invest time, effort and energy in things that don’t always pay off right away, knowing they’ll have a lasting impact.

Interestingly, we’re not always aware of our sacrifices. We give up small things almost on autopilot: rest to finish a project, fun for a family commitment, comfort to reach an ambitious goal. Other sacrifices run deeper and are more deliberate, and they call for serious reflection: what am I willing to let go of to build a more meaningful future?

At this point in the year, the question goes beyond what we achieved. It’s also about what we left behind to achieve it. Reflecting on our sacrifices helps us value the road we’ve traveled and see that what we gave up was never wasted. It was an investment in our purpose.

As we look ahead to next year, it’s also worth asking:

• What am I willing to sacrifice today to get closer to my goals?
• What truly matters, and what can I let go of to get there?

Sacrifice is hard. It often brings uncertainty, discomfort and even fear. Yet it carries a powerful truth: everything worthwhile in life asks us to invest ourselves. When we embrace that, we improve our future, strengthen our character and give meaning to our present.

The year that’s ending leaves us with achievements and with sacrifices. Recognizing them lets us see them as steps toward something greater. What will your next sacrifice be?

Warm regards and all the best,

Rodrigo Baccaro

P.S. I dedicate this post to my brother Charlie, who turns 50 this week. May God and the Virgin bless you today and always, and may you live 100 more years.

P.S. 2. I also dedicate it to my son Juan Diego, with all my love and the most eternal sacrifice of all.

Author: Rodrigo Baccaro

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