“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” -Philippians 3:12-14

I want to be better.

That’s not an unusual desire for someone like me, who has nudges of perfectionism oozing out of their pores.  Things must be JUST right.  All the time.  If I’m submitting work, it needs to be excellent.  Why? Because my name is on it.  I want my name to be associated with quality.

This is a great desire to have in a place like school or work, where you can be constantly rewarded for your excellence; thus feeding this sense of perfectionism in a way that can be unhealthy.  But in life, it’s a little different.

It’s so easy to settle.  So much so that it’s frustrating.  I often lament my frustration as I watch beautiful, intelligent, wonderful women settle for guys who are SO undeserving of their time and energy.  Or watching students settle for a B (or lower) because they don’t want to work for the higher grade that they are capable of having.  In today’s society it requires a lot of discipline to refuse to settle.  And unfortunately, discipline isn’t taught or practiced like it used to be.

But I want to be better.  Better disciplined at my life practices.  Better focused on my dissertation.  Better at managing my finances and building wealth.  A better daughter.  A better sister.  A better friend.  A better me.

I’ve started by being better at my health, and getting back on the workout routine after abandoning it in the busyness that comes with starting a new job, moving, and getting settled.  I’ve been eating better, getting more sleep, watching less television, and being more active overall.  And I already feel better.

With anything though, I have to remember that this is a marathon, not a sprint.  And as such, I have to pace myself.  Will I always be perfect?  Not at all.  But I’ve got to keep moving, keep learning, keep growing; keep desiring to be better.

Here’s to pressing towards the mark- in all areas of life.

Until next time…