#secondmile

Sure, shortcuts are fun, but are they really worth it in the long run? No. I want to work smart and hard, but not reinvent the wheel.

Today marks the seventh book I have read in the past month. A book a week. It's doable. It's tough. But it's rewarding.

Today I read my weekly leadership image, from Tim Elmore, about shortcuts versus the second mile. It originates from centuries ago during the Roman Empire when citizens would carry weapons and supplies for the Roman military. Some citizens carried more than the required mile, and they wanted to. 

Why is so easy to be self-absorbed? I heard from Myles Dyer on Youtube about the idea of Selfless selfishness. Helping and serving others to help yourself. I love to believe in that idea. It's expanding what you can do and how much positive influence you have.

By the way, selflessness doesn't mean that you think any less of yourself. It means that you think of yourself less of the time. You spend time and money on other things.

Gandhi threw away his other shoe when one of his shoes dropped out of reach at a train boarding station. Why? Because a pair of shoes is better than a single shoe. He couldn't have both, so why separate them if someone else could end up finding them? 

Shortcuts really don't reach things. I shorten the journey and pay the price later on. Albert Mensah, who I saw speak at a national leadership conference for FCCLA, told me that I either pay now and play later, or play now and pay later.