it's all about the big picture ...

Did you ever think about what it would take to get the life that you want? What would you make a priority? How would you get there? What would you be willing to do to make it all happen? Would it be worth it?

Each and every day, I work on the details to get us a future that we hope for. Sometimes, J and I look around and have to ask ourselves if it's worth it. If the choices and actions we take today are actually going to pay off. Sometimes, it's clear that they will. And other times, I'm sure we are wasting our time. It's moments like those that I get caught in the details and I get overwhelmed, absolutely convinced that nothing is going to work out.

But, then I have to remind myself that the choices we make are just part of the big picture. One misstep isn't going to ruin it all and on the contrary, one success isn't going to guarantee another. Ultimately, we are just striving for our individual concept of perfection, even if it's unattainable.

Just ask yourself, "What would my perfect world look like?"

In my perfect world, J and I don't have to work. We'd have investments upon investments, all of which someone else is managing and we never have to think twice about them.

In my perfect world, I'm naturally a fast runner with six-pack abs that I didn't have to work for.

In my perfect world, my children never face adversity. They are passionate and successful and they have a better life that I had.

In my perfect world, my children have perfect manners, never misbehave and listen to me the first time.

In my perfect world, someone else does all the cooking and the cleaning giving me a wealth of free time dictated my no one's needs but my own.

In my perfect world, everyone sleeps through the night, cleans up after themselves and never gets sick.

Unfortunately, it's not a perfect world. In fact, my perfect world isn't even a perfect world, it's a dream world. None of those things could ever really happen. At least not without some serious sacrifices. Sacrifices I'm not willing to make (like giving up chocolate and cake - I'd never do that, even if it meant that I'd always have a six-pack).

But that doesn't stop me.

I know that reaching for that "perfect world" keeps us accountable. It helps shape us into the best people we can be. The successes teach us that there are great possibilities in this world and the failures remind us to be humble, to appreciate what we have and to get back up when we fall.

Life is in the details. But, the details mean nothing unless they add up to a big picture that you'd actually want to be a part of.