Temptations and Things That Keep Us From Our Dreams and Goals
Temptation (noun): the act of tempting or the state of being tempted especially to evil, something tempting.
Does it surprise you how quickly temptations pop up? Temptations come in many different shapes and sizes. Here are some examples:
- the carton of ice cream sitting in the freezer or the box of donuts a coworker brought to work when you're trying to cut sugar and processed foods from your diet
- the remote control that is just inches away from your fingertips
- the new movie that came out on Blu-ray that you're dying to see
- the shiny new book that arrived in the mail
The thing about temptation is that more often than not, it comes as a distraction and may even have a negative result. We caved and ate the donut we were planning to avoid. We decided to have a drink when we knew we shouldn't. We spent way more time on social media than we had planned and now we're too tired or uninspired to do any productive work.
Sometimes it's ok to be tempted by certain things. It's really not the end of most worlds when we stray from our diet or when we have that drink. But what really matters is our view of it. Did you consume or do something that you thought you shouldn't? Did you regret a particular action? Did you have to justify your action in order to make it appear "right"?
When we know right from wrong and when we have particular beliefs about things, and we still choose to go against our better judgment, that's when we mess up.
The other thing about temptation is that when we mess up, other people are watching. I don't mean that in the nosy-neighbor sense. I mean people, both young and old, are seeing how you respond to difficult or tempting situations and are being affected in some way by them.
If you feel so strongly about maintaining a healthy diet and then you give in to temptation and eat that carton of ice cream, what message are you sending to your kids?
If all of your friends are getting divorced, doesn't it affect you? If they're all doing it, then maybe it isn't so bad after all. Right?
How are you affecting those around you?
If any little thing keeps you from pursuing your dreams and goals, how does that affect the people who are watching and being influenced by you?
You never know who may be watching. If you cave whenever temptations come calling and if you give up on your dreams and goals, you might be sending the wrong message.
Our world needs more people who believe dreams and goals are not just possible but also worth pursuing. How can you send a positive message to those around you? How can you encourage them and help them to work toward their own goals?
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