One Of The Greatest Lies Ever Told

by Michele Boy | August 4, 2022

One of my first columns a couple years ago discussed “have to” vs “get to.”
  Well last weekend I missed a family camping trip to put together the fair edition. I barely left my chair for days. And then after a short break I had to put another paper out. And I wanted family time before school starts and blah, blah blah.
  I was pretty cranky inside and jealous of many who were off enjoying a break from their hard work.
  But I kept remembering have to vs get to. 
As much as I complained I had a lot to be thankful for. 
 It was a great fair. And we built memories as family and friends. And by the end I wanted it to be longer to have room for more. However time constraints made that difficult.
 I listened to my first podcast on Sunday. A famous livestock judge was talking about the secret to success.  There isn’t one. 
He mentioned a painful difficult childhood and all the reasons he could have dropped out. Restraining orders aganist people being ugly and hateful towards him.
  But he didn’t quit. He kept going. He pursued what he loved and he followed his dream.
Today he is well known in the ring for the time he takes with the kids and inspiring others.
  I think one of the greatest lies ever told is “It’s too hard.” 
How many times do we quit or give up because it is harder than we imagined. 
 Our expectations aren’t met. Someone is difficult. We think a relationship is harder than it should be and we stop. 
The judge in the podcast talked about wanting something means sacrifice. It means pushing through and working harder than others. 
  When I look at last weekend as “I had to” work, it made my weekend harder. When I looked at my weekend as “I get to,” I was happier and enjoyed that I “got to” put the fair edition together and how appreciative I am towards the sponsors who help make it happen and how it celebrates all the hard work of the kids.
So in some ways this is a repeat or maybe a reminder. 
 For the most part, I have a lot of freedom in my work. I can leave to run my husband to a pickup if needed, or get my daughter to the pool. I can grab lunch at 3 pm if I need and I have flexibility to be at most of my daughter’s school and 4-H events. 
 Yes I won’t lie, missing our annual family camping adventure was tough. But maybe my husband and daughter needed that time together.  Maybe there is a reason. 
  And I get to do something I love. 
In the podcast, he mentioned how many great leaders today in all sorts of fields learned that lesson as a kid - hard work, sacrifice and pursuing your dream regardless of the world around you. 
  I think about my first apartment and how I ate ramen noodles and 25 cent cans of tomato sauce. I think about the focus I had that I was going to make it no matter what. 
 I hope however hard things are for you today you can find your passion to set your goals and pursue them. 
I hope your “have to” become “get to”.
  Somewhere someone is envying your life right now. 
So if you are tempted to give up or quit, remember your “get to’s.” 
  And maybe get a nap. I am going to publish this and take a nap.