Pursuing what is right

I had an experience this week that served as a great reminder of how easy it is for people to get wrapped up in the pursuit of something for the wrong reasons.

I think I am a fighter or at least put forth valiant effort in situations where I want something bad enough. I have even been known to achieve things, with a certain amount of success, just because someone told me I couldn't do something. It seems however, that the longer the pursuit for what you want the more frustration you can experience if you are doing it for the wrong reason. If I want something bad enough I will hang in there and keep pressing forward. Every once in a while there will be a definitive halt to the pursuit of what I want. The decision maker says "no" or the circumstance needed to get want I want are just not possible. In these situations I tend to accept things as they are and either move on or regroup to find another way to approach the situation later. It doesn't feel good to give up but it is a release for my conscience and it allows me to focus on the next thing.

But what happens when you don't give up?

I came across a person this week who would not accept "no" as the final answer and was willing to take extravagant steps in order to continue the pursuit of what they wanted. While on the surface this seems heroic. This person could be called persistent, dedicated, or courageous. This kind of effort is how people overcome illnesses, achieve remarkable feats, or win important competitions. America has a long history of people who didn't give up and went on to become important examples of how to pursue your hearts desires.

What if the pursuit isn't for health, achieving impossible dreams, or beating incredible odds? What if the pursuit is based on just the success of the pursuit? Your ability to get what you want is the only reward. Is it still noble and worthy? My answer--no... The line between taking right and wrong actions becomes very thin when the outcome you are pursuing is not a worthy cause. Getting what you want just because you can get it is not a noble cause.

Not Giving Up + The Pursuit of a less than noble cause = Dishonesty and Greed

Based on my experience this week, I feel like I have to re-evaluate all of the motivations behind my goals and the things I am trying to achieve. I witnessed how easy it was for someone to want something so bad that they lost sight of what was right and wrong because of the formula mentioned above. The value of the item they wanted was less than $10 and they simply did not qualify to receive it. In turn, they invested hours and hours into finding a way to get what they wanted because they just wanted it. The result of this pursuit: lying, asking others to breech confidentiality, providing false information, and eventually the receipt of the item they were pursuing. They got what they wanted and probably slept well that night but I wonder exactly what feelings they experienced when it was all over. Was it a sense of accomplishment? Were they truly happy? Did they really feel good telling everyone about their achievement? How long did the positive emotions last?

Imagine what could have been done if that time had been invested into something noble. I would like to encourage everyone to look at your own life and make sure that you have your heart in the right place when you are pursuing the things that you want the most. Don't pursue things just because. Make sure they are noble and worthy.

Ask yourself:
Will it make your parents proud? Will it make you a better person or help someone else in a way that they couldn't help themselves? At the end of day, will it be something that sits in your closet or on a shelf? Will it wear out or goes out of style? Or will it be life changing, make a difference, or be considered a priceless gift?