SACRIFICE......How much are you willing to "give up to go up"?

Good day friends. First I want to specially apologise for my absence here in the last one month. My gratitude also to those who cared to find out why I had to take a break. It means a lot. I really do appreciate it. I am back now and I hope we will continue to share knowledge. Now let’s get going...

Many are quite unfamiliar with the Law of Sacrifice; “To attain something of greater value, one must give up something of lesser value.” However, just like the Law of Gravity, it doesn’t matter either you believe in it or not. Indeed, sacrifice is a 'recipe' for success. Unfortunately not too many in our generation are willing to make the necessary sacrifice(s) needed to achieve their goals in life. Sacrifice can be defined as destroying or surrendering of something for the sake of something else (something often greater). There is no success without sacrifice. Sacrifice involves giving up something for something else. If you are experiencing success, it is either because you have made sacrifices or someone else sacrificed for you in the past. And if you are not experiencing success, perhaps it is because you are sacrificing for someone coming after you or you or someone else have failed to sacrifice in the past. Just like freedom, whatever freedom you enjoy today is because someone else paid the price for it. No Freedom is free. Just like they sacrificed in their generation for our freedom, we must sacrifice now for the future generation.

Whatever it might be, we all have a vision. Something we really want to achieve or something we want to become in life. Something we are ready to do almost anything to achieve. Sacrifice is directly connected to Vision. We all have the Vision of a greater accomplishment ahead in the future, a vision worth giving up momentary privileges, in order realize it. There are also moments when we do not mind giving up the large paved road and taking the narrow dusty one because we are convinced this will take us to a greater destiny. Sometimes we do not mind giving up what could be today for what will be tomorrow when otherwise too many people will just take what is at hand now and never get what could be tomorrow because they were unwilling to give up to go up.

Sacrifice is a gift not only to another, but also to oneself. It involves self-denial. Without sacrifice, no vision will be accomplished. Believe it or not, you either “pay today and play tomorrow” or “play today and pay tomorrow". You have to make sacrifice today for what you want to become tomorrow. Whenever you give up something you gain something else. So always think of sacrifice as trading something for a positive future outcome for yourself or others, be it your time, money, or opportunities.

How good are you in making sacrifice? Are you ready to forego some of the things that you like best so that someone you love can have a better life? Have you ever dropped something you are doing just to cater to the needs of someone? Have you been unselfish enough to give a part of your life to someone you care about? How much are you willing to sacrifice a part of your life, your time, your comfort, or just a slice of yourself? How considerate are you towards others who are less privileged, less informed, or who have less in life? Are you unselfish enough to share what you have with others? These and more related questions clearly describe the true essence of sacrifice. Truly, you give love and affection when you sacrifice something. You will be happier and more complete when you share your life time, money, joy etal with others. Above all, you become greater even with just a commitment to do a little sacrifice. 

Every true leader must resolve to make regular sacrifice. As parents you have to make sacrifices for your family. As a spouse you will know that the best marriage is founded on selfless service and sacrifice for the needs and betterment of your other half and a better future together. The person who loves enough to sacrifice is the person who truly loves. The only thing that you should never sacrifice or compromise are your good virtues and character.

Note that there is a profound difference between sacrificing something and having something taken away from you. It involves not doing what you want to do but what is necessary to become the best. History has shown that those who will make the plans and make the personal sacrifices necessary to succeed, go on in life to be successful. I once heard the story of how a great footballer denied himself of basic needs like clothes as a kid just to buy a ball to practice with. Keep your focus on the prize. Set your dream, your goal ahead of you, and then stay focused on it. Be committed to a cause bigger than you and be willing to sacrifice big for it. Remember, almost nothing great can be achieved without a sacrifice. Believe me friends, there is no greater force against a people who are willing to die for a cause.