My dad used to say this a lot: "Keep on keeping on." I remember him saying this a lot after he would pick me up from football practice and I would complain how hot it was or how tired I was or how I don't think I could do it another day. He'd say it a lot especially in the summers when we would work out together and I was just exhausted and didn't feel like lifting anymore. Summers were the worst. All the working, all the running and for what? There was no immediate benefit to my efforts. No game that week, no goal to hit, nothing to really shoot for other than just getting better. -Keep on keeping on, he would say.
It would take me a while to get the full breadth of what Pops was saying. Keep doing what you're doing. When there's no immediate reward, when there's no finish line in sight and even more, when you know there's no guarantee of a reward at the end of the race. Keep doing the right thing. I learned this last year when God was really dealing with me in the area of being a man of character. One day I remember him very clearly putting this in my heart -would you still do whatever you're doing if there was no reward? Would you still chase me, would you still be faithful and diligent and obedient if there was no reward to it? Would you still do the right thing if no one ever found out you were doing the right thing? What if no one even cared about your character and integrity? That's integrity. Doing the right thing when there is no promise of a reward. No guarantee of a shiny medal. No accolades, no recognition. Doing the right thing because it's the right thing to do is the definition of character and integrity.
I feel in my heart that that's 2012 for me. If 2011 was a trying year, a strengthening year, 2012 will be a building year. This will be a year to lay the foundation down for a lot of what God has called me to and a lot of what he has for me. This is the year to put some action behind my dreams and desires. While it is absolutely true that God is faithful to his word and he gives us the desires of our hearts, I also know that sometimes that is presented as God giving us the opportunity to chase down our dreams and desires. That's 2012 for me. I never make resolutions because maybe I'm a little jaded, but I think if you're not already pursuing a goal, a simple change in the calendar won't flip some magic switch that will all of a sudden give you drive and discipline to pursue those. But I do set goals. And maybe because I'm a bit of a perfectionist, I actually get pretty angry with myself if I don't reach those. Last year I reached all but one of my financial goals, and I was pretty upset about that one I missed (I didn't buy a motorcycle like I wanted to).
I think most of us start every year with a bit of expectancy and anticipation about what's to come. And at the risk of sounding inflated or hyperbolic, I really think 2012 is going to be the best year yet! Yeah 2011 was great. It was really good to me. And I'm thankful for that. But honestly, looking back, it was a bit of a trial. Crazy work hours, not seeing a lot of friends or family, not really having a home church, a non-existent dating life. Personally, it wasn't the greatest. Professionally, it was amazing! I can almost hear my dad saying that to me this year. Keep on keeping on. Keep up what you're doing and do more. Build on your successes. Stretch yourself. Challenge yourself. Do great things. Dream big dreams. Impress yourself. So, I'm excited about 2012. I don't know what exactly it holds for me. But I'm not hedging my excitement. This is going to be a great year. Professionally, personally, spiritually, this will be the best year of my life so far. And maybe there's a little bit of speaking it until I believe it and believe it until I achieve it alchemy to it, but really isn't that the key to a lot of what we do? So I encourage you--I challenge you. Take all your wins and victories from past years and add to them. Build on them. Challenge yourself. Write down your goals and chase them down. Inspire and impress yourself. Keep on keeping on.
