Bigger Challenges

“Give yourself an even greater challenge than the one you are trying to master and you will develop the powers necessary to overcome the original difficulty.”  --William Bennett


I argued with my DH because he couldn't understand why I always had to have an "A" in my classes.  I finally found the words that made sense to me.  I didn't need or even care if I got an "A" in a class.  When I chose to invest my time in a class I usually took it to get a certain amount of information.  In my quest for knowledge the teachers required less for an "A" than I expected to get out of the class.  I was furious the semester that a grad student blew off the class taught us only half the information and gave everyone an "A".  I may have gotten an "A" but he cheated me out of the information I was supposed to get in the class.  I still found the information but I paid for the class and felt I shouldn't have to go somewhere else to learn what I wanted to know.  Now I have a big challenge.  How do I approach this so that what I am striving for exceeds expectations?  I learned that when I aim for past the mark I go further than if I just try to do enough.  I have written here before that sometimes average or good enough is all I need to do.  I learned to choose my battles.  I don't have enough energy to win every battle so I look for the most strategic ones I need to over come.  I am astounded when I look back and see some of the things I accomplished.  One of my favorite comic strips is Garfield the Cat chasing Odie dog up a tree.  Arbuckle explains to the treed Odie that dogs can't climb trees.  Garfield's bubble proclaims, "It is amazing what one can accomplish when one doesn't know what one can't do."  Joel in his impossible blog challenges people to reach farther than they ever reached before.  I am finally getting to the stage of acceptance where I am getting ready to work and work hard.  I am working on other things to get the finished to clear my calendar to get ready for what comes next.  I appreciate mulderfan reminding me that I need to enjoy the day.  I am still working through a lot of emotion.  Takes time.  That's ok.  I can do this a bit at a time.  Need to sleep now.  Good night.