Awaken Your Day - Feb 10 - To Rust or Not to Rust

"Most people rust out due to lack of challenge. Few people rust out due to overuse."
- Unknown

Lack of Challenge?
I believe it is safe to say that we are not short on Challenge in these times.
Aside from the long reach of the economics issues, we see challenges in our relationships, our faith and even our personal development.

However, some of these challenges become routine, and thus, they do not take us by surprise...and with that, we still run the risk of getting a bit rusty on taking control when suddenly the unexpected pops up.

For instance, I work in an industry that contains many variables. Variables that I may not play any decisive role in at all. But they certainly decide things for me. I have seen challenge every time we would get close to closing out one contract and we would wonder when or where the next one would take us. How would we pay the bills? Could I plan for this or that?

Well, the last four years, things have been pretty steady. A person in my position could not really complain. And then suddenly...we see our old nemisis start to roll in. We hear things are supposed to be 'okay' even in the midst of the industry seeing struggle. And then the unthinkable happens and things take a drastic "How could that happen?" turn. I am faced with Challenge. Not just any one, but one I used to be familiar with, and one I had learned a while ago to be prepared for. If only I could find that chapter in my old book of wisdom.

I can honestly tell you, nope...not fully prepared. And in this case, I have run the risk of rusting out. You see, we can look at today's message in two ways. We hear about how we settle into a self made mediocrity if we don't challenge ourselves to become, or learn or do more than our comfort zone allows. In that sense we rust out from lack of proper use. Our imagination, and our dreams...two working gears in mind...begin to lose lubrication and we push on less and less.
We strive or reach for less and less.

The other way, is we get rusty running in the same track, around and around. We slowly forget the lessons that we had learned in order to even get on the track...and we see each day like a routine run. So when adversity hits, we grind to a halt from the friction...and the lack of the lubrication we need from all the previous lessons learned. And we not only run into the "How could this happen?", but we are now seemingly lost and totally dumbfounded in the "What do I do now?"

We have been thru tough times. Each and every one of us. We have skills that go beyond our present occupation or tasks. We have stared down adversity before. No matter if then was different than now....we did it. Look at your personal triumph resume that spans a lifetime. You and I have the tools, to bring the Challenge to a smooth stop. Assess and analyze. Discover what it truly is, what tools we have in the back; and just what screw is loose.

What ever the analogy - the bottom line is, we have the knowledge to think clearly. We just need to polish off some rust and not focus on the grinding unknown.

Challenge is healthy. Because each time we face it we are reintroduced to a part of us that we may not give enough credit to. You have the power to overcome, and prosper.

It is tough times. But I believe it is time to knock some rust off of this equation.

Good morning.

Pierre Couturier
Author - "All She Is..."
Entrepreneur
The Card Connection