Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 723 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Pushing Through – Ask Gramps

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 723 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series.

Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. Starting this week and for the foreseeable future we are going to initiate a new series called Ask Gramps. This is a time when Gramps will answer questions that you would possibly like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, are unable to.

No matter how old we are, all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or Gramps questions about life in all areas. We will address areas such as finances, relationships, health/fitness, business/work, home repairs/renovations, seasons of life, spiritual/Biblical growth, and any others areas that come our way.

As your fellow sojourner and mentor on this trek that we call life, it is my goal to provide you with practical wisdom and advice about any area of life. It is crucial that I receive a constant flow of questions, so please submit your questions to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com, send me a message at the bottom of any page on wisdom-trek.com, or text me at 740.350.5732, and I will answer them on our Friday podcast. I hope that this will become a highly interactive and informative time.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. It has been a much cooler, and somewhat rainy week here in Marietta, and the leaves are starting to fall. I mulched, vacuumed, and hauled away six large loads of leaves last weekend. This weekend does not look real favorable as more rain is predicted, but we will invest our time when the opportunities present themselves.

One thing that I have learned over the years is that the leaves will remain on the ground until I am able to get them, so it is not something that will cause any stress. In fact, even as dusty and difficult as the task is at times, I do enjoy getting outside and getting to do some more physical work than most days allow me to. Sometimes it is difficult to push through each day with so many competing demands for our most limited resource, which is time. So here is our question for today…

“Hey, Gramps, how do you continue to push through each day even when you are tired and don’t feel like it?”

Pushing Through

I have to admit, some days are easier than others. While it is best not to compare ourselves with others, it does appear that I tend to be more disciplined than many people.  So another question would be, is it my genetic make-up or habits that I have infused into my life over the years?

It goes back to the nature versus nurture scenario, and as with most questions like this, it is probably a mix of both. As I analyze this question, I have come to the conclusion that it largely boils down to WHY you practice certain habits.

Since I can only speak for myself, because I cannot really get into the mind of another person, I will answer for myself. I have found that I work best with at least some structure in my life, but not so rigid in that structure where I cannot adapt. I have practiced the habit of rising early throughout my adult life.

Currently, I get up at 4:45 am Monday through Friday. After getting dressed and taking care of bathroom functions, I start about 1.5 hours of exercising which currently includes pull-ups, leg lifts, push-ups, ab workout, stationary bike, weight machine, and treadmill. During this workout time is when I listen to Bible reading, other devotional emails, and podcast or audio books on my phone.

So what drives this, or WHY do I do this? For me, the sacrifice of getting up is offset by the physical, spiritual, intellectual, and emotional strengthening that I am able to receive. Do I jump out of bed all happy and ready to go? No! I usually feel tired and would rather stay in bed, but I do get up and push through because my WHY is greater than the sacrifice.

I try, not always successfully, to be asleep by 10 pm, because adequate sleep is equally important. Now on the weekends, I do sleep in some to recharge and relax from my daily routine. So I work towards balance. I realize that God is ultimately in control of my lifespan and will determine when I die, but I do have a goal to live to at least 125. That helps me to put life into perspective, that I could have another 64 years to which I could positively impact my world. That drives my WHY I do what I can to take care of myself.

The same habits apply to how I eat, what I allow to go into my mind, and what I focus on during the day. Many times the anxiety, self-doubt, and discouragement all of us experience is based on what we allow into our minds, including our self-talk. We need to make a conscious effort each day to focus on what we can control and allow God to work through us on all that we cannot control.

Do I get tired and feel like quitting? Certainly, sometimes multiple times each day. My work schedule is usually from 8 am to about 6 pm. It is not always as structured as I would like, so I have had to learn to be more flexible. I also have to work many Saturdays to keep up with the load. On a daily basis, I push through even when I don’t feel like it.

My WHY is to serve others for a purpose that is greater than I am. To help other companies succeed. To be able to assist family members and friends that are in need. To be able to further God’s kingdom throughout the world.

To sum it up, this is how and why I continue to push through each day even when I am tired and don’t feel like it.

As Galatians 6:9 tells us, “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”

Next week we will have another question to “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that I trust to provide you with practical wisdom about any area of life. Please submit questions that you have to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com, and I will answer them on our Friday podcast with wisdom and philosophy that Gramps has gained over years of experience and study.

I know you will find these insights interesting, practical, and profitable in living a rich and satisfying life. Our next trek is Mindshift Monday where we will help you live differently by thinking differently. So encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on Monday for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of the past daily treks or read the associated journals, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. You can also subscribe through iTunes or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek of life together, let us always:

1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
2. Love Unconditionally
3. Listen Intentionally
4. Learn Continuously
5. Lend to others Generously
6. Lead with Integrity
7. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you on Monday!