They say you have to sacrifice in order to become successful, you have to sacrifice in order to have a better life. Yeah it is true but you still have to choose what sacrifices are you going to do. You can't be suffering forever without getting something. And sometimes even if you sacrifice, you still can't get the reward because you choose the wrong sacrifice.
While most sacrifices work, some also don't so you better be careful in making sacrifices because it will waste a lot of your time and energy.
The way to choose a correct sacrifice is think if that sacrifice will give you good feelings in the end. A good example is exercise... it is hard isn't it? doing exercise will make you think if you will do it or not because admit it or not... just starting it makes you think twice. But after you finish it how does it feel? it feels good right? you feel lighter, happier and proud of yourself because you finish an activity that is hard to do.
Even brushing your teeth is already a sacrifice, the moment you are so sleepy and you haven't brush your teeth yet... You just want to lie in bed and tell yourself "I'm just gonna brush my teeth tomorrow" If you don't brush your teeth, when you woke up in the morning... you feel disgusting, you feel that your mouth is full of dirt and it really stinks. But how about forcing yourself to brush your teeth even if you are so sleepy.. when you woke up it feels good right? even if your breath is not smelling good, it still feels good. You feel somewhat clean.
Those are just little sacrifices that makes you feel good when you do it. It means it has a reward. Even if the reward it only small, it still makes you feel good. And that is a big key to success... doing little sacrifices that makes you feel good in the end. If you keep on doing it and adding those little sacrifices, it will give you a big reward in the end.
If you are making your body strong or developing a skill because you are competing for something, you are also doing a sacrifice. But sometimes the drill that you are doing is not making you feel good after doing it so it is only giving you lesser results. For example, you are doing a lot of squats, it is painful so it is considered as sacrifice. You are doing it because you know it will make your knees strong and legs strong but after doing it... you don't feel good, instead you feel worried because your knees were aching so much. This is what I am talking about, you have to be careful on what sacrifice are you going to do. If it is not making you feel good afterwards then it is not effective. For some it is effective because they feel light and powerful that is why it is giving them good results but each of one is different. Just because it is working for others doesn't mean it will also work for you.
Another example is you are making a sacrifice for your friend. He is asking for a help, he is borrowing some money, which a lot of so called friends does. And because you are very kind and nice, you lend him some money even though you know that it is possible that the money will not return. So how does that made you feel? did you feel good after lending him some money? is the sacrifice worth doing? does the sacrifice give some contribution to your life? The lesson is you have to make sacrifices for people who will also make sacrifices for you. It is not being conditional, it is only being smart and realistic. How will you feel if you are the only one suffering and the other people is enjoying the fruits of your labor? Don't act like a saint who is martyr and will do anything for the sake of peace and order. This world is mean so you have to be smart and careful.
It is true that you can't get something from nothing, you have to make sacrifices in order to get something in the future. But I will repeat it again that not all sacrifices will work, some sacrifices are just there to make your life miserable. Sacrifices like doing wrong practices, doing wrong drills, making sacrifices for parasite friends, giving time for wrong people, working for a company that will not contribute to your growth and any other sacrifices that will only give pain to your ass.
The big lesson here is if you will accept pain make sure you will get something in return.
