Team Player part 5
Its finding the balance between giving it everything you've got, and knowing when to say when. That's what's important. Because if you stay too long in a bad situation you might never forgive yourself. And, listen, I'm a loyal guy. I always say, "I've got your back." And I always mean it. So if you push me away... I figure that's on you. And that's kind of the line that I draw; I'll give it my all... but once I do, that's either enough, or it isn't. And if it is, great. But if it isn't... then that's fine too. I don't think we should ever put ourselves, or keep ourselves, in bad situations. Now, listen, we CAN learn from adversity. You can't learn from your mistakes if you never make any mistakes. You can't learn and grow if you always stay in your comfort zone. And that's the tragic part--we get comfortable with things that we probably shouldn't. We settle. We refuse to stand up for what we believe in. We let things happen. Here's why that's tragic: What you allow is what will continue. Sometimes we think, "Well, I'll just keep on keeping on. Things are bound to get better, right?" And sometimes they do. Sometimes your effort pays off. But I'm convinced that there are some people in this world that I, personally, can't reach. I'm not for everybody. And sometimes the harder I try the worse off things become. Sometimes less is more. Sometimes you gotta, like I said early, know when to say when. So give it your all. Maximum effort. Love the hell out of people. But don't let a misguided sense of "loyalty" keep you in a situation where you're miserable. And I put it in quotation marks because--and I'm guilty of this--loyalty isn't something that should be given out haphazardly. Some people don't deserve your loyalty. Now, listen, that's different than love. Everybody "deserves" love because deserve has nothing to do with it. But you can love people from a distance. You don't have to keep pouring your love into a black hole. One more time, give it all you've got... and let that either be enough, or not. See a need and meet it. But don't be disappointed if the people you help never return the favor. Don't expect that. Don't expect anything. But DO respect yourself enough to break the cycle when things are past the point of no return. Sometimes you can stand your ground and fix things. Sometimes you can't. Wisdom is knowing the difference. Knowing when to hold 'em, and knowing when to fold 'em. You can't win every hand. You don't belong on every team. Trust your gut. Follow your heart. Let love lead the way. Do things because they are in your heart to do them, not because you think you will get something back from what you give. That's not love. That's an investment. Love is giving simply because you have something to give. Because you have what people need. So be a team player. But find the right team. Get in where you fit in. Don't settle for less than your worth. Be where you're celebrated, not where you're tolerated. And certainly not where you're used and abused. If you're miserable where you're at... change where you're at. Do what you can do. Don't stay stuck just because you got stuck. God allows U-turns. In fact, I believe He encourages them!