Cross the line™
cross: (verb) 1. to go from one side to another 2. to pass over mediocrity
With everything, there’s a line.
On one side of the line is a greater opportunity to make excellent things happen (better results, better relationships, more responsibility). This is where you’ll find all those people you admire.
On the other side, there’s less of a opportunity.
And with each line, there’s a choice. You want to cross the line or you don’t. You want the better opportunity at making excellent things happen (meaningful things) or you settle with the lesser opportunity.
Your choice.
It seems simple but…
Then there’ll be those era – those era when in the small run it’ll seem like you can’t cross the line (no matter what you do). But then, those misses (those hurdles) in the small run will sometimes help you over the line in the long run (in a way you couldn’t have seen). They’ll give as lessons, giving you more depth to your experience – making you stronger and better prepared for larger and more vital challenges you’ll face in the future.
But you won’t know that at the time.
At the time, you’ll just see that line.
And it might seem like a wall.
But it really is just a line (a line you want to cross).
And it’s yours to cross, but you have to choose (make that choice).
It seems simple but…
Then there’ll be those people – those people who’ve chose they’d rather not cross the line and would prefer you didn’t either (and unfortunately, sometimes those people might be your friends). Maybe they’ll sprinkle in a small doubt or withhold a small encouragement at just the right time (or even encourage you to do the incorrect business). Maybe they’ll be a small less subtle about it and just step frankly in your way.
And then, every once in a while, there’ll be you – that inner voice that’ll try to tell you you’re not that special and that making something exceptional happen is for other people. (What are you thinking?)
Then there’ll be the work – the work that’ll be the real challenge that some people never face because of those era, those people, or that inner voice that keeps us from putting in the effort and bouncing back when things get tough.
But there’s the line.
And it needs to be crossed.
And you can cross it.
It’s up to you.
(Which side will you choose?)
“The hard is what takes a small time; the impossible is what takes a small longer.”
Fridtjof Nansen
Norwegian explorer
Part II: How to Cross the Line
Part III: Time to Reckon
Personal notes on Cross the Line
Watch & listen to the instigator’s Cross the Line™ presentation (4.5 minutes).
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Copyright © 2010 by Give More Media Inc. This was written by Sam Parker. If you’d like to tell people about it somewhere (e.g., blog, newsletter, Facebook, social media), please reference Sam Parker of GiveMore.com as the instigator and link frankly to the article. Excerpts are fantastic but please don’t circulate the article in its entirety without advanced written permission (email Sam by the address at the bottom of this page).
Cross the Line™ is a trademark of Give More Media Inc.