Again and Again

If only the simple laws of physics applied to all human endeavor. If only an outcome or product was proportional to the input of energy or effort. For people, the predictability of outcomes never follows the fixed rules of science. If I work at my peak capacity and maintain my aim squarely on the desired goal, I should be able to obtain that goal, maybe even know my arrival time.

But, the efforts of a man are rarely linear and never proceed in a vacuum of space. There are too many variables exerting influence. Some things can actually bleed the system, robbing it of precious and necessary resources to reach the goal.

Sometimes the goal is just getting by.

There is a feeling of injustice when you know you have invested everything into something and ended with less than what you started. Everything gets consumed in the process.

I am a firm believer that outcomes equal effort. Life and a life’s work is about putting in the time and effort. While it is true that even with great effort applied one can still fail, the inverse is not true. It is rare that one is successful simply by standing still and wishing it so. Life is not magical. There is no fairy sprinkling magic dust over us to make us capable of calculus, speaking Spanish fluently, playing the guitar, throwing a curve ball or baking a pie. Just wishing for something is not enough. One must practice and try and fail, repeatedly. Hopefully the repitition eventually results in fluency and mastery. Success is built upon a mountain of failures.

But in the run up to success, the failures can crush the spirit. It is hard to focus beyond the repeating disappointment. Yet, it is what is necessary. There is hope in the knowledge that NEXT TIME may be the time I get it right. Next time. And there must be a next time.

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