The fine line of sacrifice - know the cost.

Sacrifice - Give up (something valued) for the sake of other considerations. Oxford Dictionary

It’s something we all must do if we are to live a life of balance. There are simply too many options in life and limited time, energy and money to get all things done. We can’t have too many goals at once because we will risk not achieving even one of them. Similarly, we can’t be too relaxed and push things back because we will lose grip of reality. To sacrifice means to analyse your life and identify the patterns and ruts we have got ourselves into.

To know what is worth sacrificing for we must begin sacrificing and see how it makes us feel. To live is to experiment with ourselves and how we interact with the world so have some fun with it. By giving up something we think we are dependent on, we can give ourselves an opportunity to see just how strong and resilient we are.

Sacrifice on a small scale can help us build up to sacrifice on a large scale - in my experience, sacrifices are almost directly correlated to the goal/reward we are sacrificing for. This can make sacrifice extremely hard because there is no absolute guarantee we will achieve what we want, the way that we want.

In my experience, sacrifice has not only helped me to understand what I find most important in life, but it has also helped me to identify what is worth sacrificing for in the future. For me, the only good reasons have ever been for my own self development, for people and the environment - not something material or an arbitrary number in my bank account.

So, give it a crack - start experimenting with what you can/can’t live without and see first hand how letting things go can be the ticket to getting what you want.

Take a leaf out of the book of Dubai? You bet.

Whilst volunteering at a start-up and watching the company grow from 4 staff to 12 I have seen it make some major changes and go through some teething issues. Today I want to touch on one specific observation, but first - how does this relate to Dubai exactly? Great question. For some context Dubai has the Palm Islands - 3 artificial islands that have been made of sand and rock excavated and shifted. By doing so it has been able to expand it’s beach front offerings and expand its land hold.

When working with anyone new - you have to realise that they exist on their own island. Yes, they may have been plonked in your ocean (Maybe even by you specifically) - but they have their own ecosystem, on their own little island and at a distance from everyone else. If they aren’t properly integrated into the company or a team, they will remain on that island, with those unique resources locked away. That means a lot of double handling - everyone having to make their own fire, fish their own fish and hunt their own food. If you are in a start-up, that means that limited resources (Time, money etc.) could be better utilised.

A good business will help build a sand bridge to each new island - slowly making their way to this individual through considerate time, energy and trust building. Maybe that new islander will then try use their sand to meet you at the new bridge? Eventually you can build networks, flows of communication, new pockets to fish and learn from others. This takes vision and persistence - trust and growth.

If, said new island dweller (This may be you), is not given opportunity to integrate fully or share their tactics and routines from years of being on their island I would recommend that that individual learn from what they observe and make their island a little better. Take your time learning how to better grow your coconut palms, building a better shelter etc. Some words of advice if you are in this position - do not limit your growth because of the lack of effort people put into your development. You may not be able to collect any coconuts, but better that you have cultivated an island of trees now for use later. Yes, coconut trees are an analogy for a skill-set, goal etc. You are learning what not to do and those lessons may be the most valuable that you ever learn in life.

So, if you are a business owner, remember that you don’t have an island automatically - you have an ocean and these are two VERY different things. If you aren’t willing to do build your own palm islands, you may be in for a shock.