As an ambitious young woman, I often struggle with finding time for all of the things I want to do. I want to get another degree, I want to get experience working in a lab, I want to get a promotion at my day job in human resources, I want to volunteer with kids, I want to coach gymnastics and horseback riding and I want to train everyday to maybe win a few horse shows this summer. Plus I want to do yoga and kickboxing and go skidoo-ing and travel to Europe and… you get the picture.
With only so many hours in the day, and limited energy to spend on your commitments, is it a question of finding time to do everything you want to do? Or is it a matter of picking and choosing the things you feel most passionate about, and dedicating your time and energy to those activities?
I work hard for what I want. If it’s not in the budget, I will find extra work, so that I can get what I want. I wanted a horse. So I started working an extra 10-20 hours a week at a barn to pay for that horse. I want to pursue a second degree. So I picked up some hours tutoring to help me pay for classes. I wanted a skidoo. I saved up by working Sunday mornings at a farm and bought a skidoo. Now some things are easier to save for or budget for than others. The skidoo was a one time purchase. I saved up, I bought it, and that’s that. The horse cost me money up front, and costs me some more money every month. Now, all of this sounds manageable if you do things one step at a time. But I have a habit of wanting everything all at once. So I work my full time job while squeezing in time to work 20 hours a week at a barn and tutor and volunteer and go to school and train my horse and go to yoga and sometimes I even find time to sleep!
Throughout this entire working, saving and spending cycle, I have learned that with hard work, I can get whatever I want. i just need to be patient.
I’ve learned that I can get what I want by focusing on what is necessary, or most important to me at a given moment. At times, my focus is my horse. I spend money on lessons, on tack and clothing, or on saving up for larger items, like a horse trailer. Other times, my focus is on paying for school and advancing my education. I’ll finish the degree eventually, but if I want to spend the summer focusing on my horse, then I need to accept that the graduation date for my second degree is slightly farther away than it would be if I were to focus on school for 4 years straight, without allowing myself time for my horse.
Yes, getting everything you want sometimes requires sacrifice. But sacrifice doesn’t mean giving up on what you want. Perhaps it just means sacrificing some time, so that you can get what you want a little later than you planned. Are you someone who has trouble picking just one interest or priority? Tell me about your goals, interests and sacrifices in the comments!
Read: How to Prioritize/Pursue Goals and Focus When You Have Multiple Interests
Brittany Fex - B. Fex Horsemanship and Equitation 