The Other Side of the Achievement Coin

There are two aspects to achievement – reaching your goal and getting safely back home again. One is incomplete without the other! - Sir Edmund Hillary

In today’s world we frequently push so hard to achieve our goals we forget to stay grounded. As Edmond Hillary reminds us it is never enough to merely set a lofty goal. It is important to focus on your goal with intensity and a conviction that you will succeed. But it is just as important to have a vision and a plan for what we will do once that goal is met.

Time and again people forget the real power of any objective is not in the achievement itself, but in sharing the result with others. The return home provides an opportunity to share the fruits of our journey and the lessons learned.

Stay in touch with your community, and your family. As far back as biblical times we are reminded that it is not enough to gain the world and lose ourselves. By bringing the power of our dreams and the potential of our skills home we can achieve more than in any other way.

So my challenge to you this month is to get involved. Reach out to your community. Find neighborhood projects where you can make a real difference. Volunteer in your schools and hospitals. Share your talents and time more than you share your dollars and cents.

In the 1960’s, President Kennedy challenged America to “place a man on the moon and return him safely to the earth”. Well we have been to the moon. Now it is time to fulfill the second half of the challenge. Over the next several weeks, lets all find ways to return safely to the earth and bring the power of our imaginations to making it a better place for all of our sakes.