Treasure Your Loved Ones

This past month my wife had a big milestone birthday so I threw a huge party for her complete with a lavish spread, entertainment, and friends from all over. It was such a joy to see her surprise and delight at walking in on such an affair. But it still seemed like such a small thing considering how much she has done for me. Not only has she stayed by my side all these years but she has been my primary support in all the many endeavors I’ve gotten into, she’s kept me in line when if I’ve gotten a little out of hand, and, most importantly, she believes in me and the life we share.

I am not sure how much I would have accomplished without her. I certainly would not have enjoyed all I’ve done nearly so much, nor pushed myself quite as hard, as I have with her by my side. But we have all seen too many remarkable people jeopardize the very relationships that give their accomplishments that greater, personal significance and satisfaction. Consider carefully who you want to have by your side when you reach your goals. Would it be your spouse who has seen you through the hard times and truly knows how important what you have done is to you, or a stranger who came around just as you were reaching your pinnacle of success?

I simply want to say that no matter what you do, no matter how hard you have to work, or how your life changes as you progress towards your goals, do not ignore or forget the people that have stood by you. Do not work so much that you don’t have time to spend with your spouse and kids or that you forget to share all your little successes with the people most important to you. Reaching a long sought after goal is a tremendous feeling, but ultimately it is an empty accomplishment if you don’t have the people you love close to you when you reach it.

If you haven’t done so already, be sure to add to your B-RAM list how your goals will improve the lives or support the dreams of the people you care about and how you will feel when they see what you have accomplished. (See Chapter 7 in my book, How to Ignite Your Passion for Living on how to develop great B-RAM lists) And always treasure the ones you love.