I always cringe a little when I hear people say, “I bought myself a birthday present.” or, “This is just a little something for me.” So, I don’t want you to think this is one of those things. Here’s the deal. I turn 44 tomorrow, and I decided to give myself two presents. One, is to be a somewhat different man by my 45th birthday, and the second gift is a quest, a quest filled with challenges I believe are necessary to become that man.
Inconsistent Rascal
While I can be pretty disciplined in a given area, like running, I find myself to be the most inconsistent rascal around. I have very few routines in which I might legitimately claim to be consistent, and all of them are negative. Beer? Pretty much every evening. Burgers? Nachos? Everyday. I read the Bible, but, not quite daily. I can run pretty far and have even done a few ultras. But I have no daily exercise regimen. I love reading and writing, but do everything so sporadically I rarely complete anything I start.
What? Want me to stop yammering about all the things I do or don’t do? Me too, I am already bored with this line. On to the quest:
The Journey is the Quest
Resolved: (as they say, and by they I mean nerds) Each day, and every day, for one year, I will do the following:
Read the Bible, study, and pray.
Read with my youngest, both Bible and great books.
Abstain from alcohol.
Exercise: Run or workout each day.
Create: write, build, repair, organize, etc., something each day.
Buy nothing for myself ever. **This one needs a caveat, something to the effect of: This doesn’t include signing up for races, or buying garden tools, or buying anything for the business, or buying running shoes – I do intend to put hundreds of miles on them in a couple months – food, etc.
That’s it. That’s the quest – a quest for daily consistency and discipline. It will not be easy, but if it were it would not be much of a quest.
Today could’ve been day one, but it’s really my birthday eve. Better have one last beer!
