The Reality of Balancing One's Goals.

I remember hearing Gary Fisher, one of the Father's of mountain biking quote an old engineering saying. When it comes to building mountain bikes:

"Light, strong, cheap. Pick any two."

When it comes to a bike, it can be light and strong, but then it won't be cheap. Or it can be cheap and light, but it won't be strong. Etc., etc.

The idea that you can have several ideal goals, but that you must always sacrifice one also applies to life. I'm working through this reality right now.

I have three big desires. I would like to graduate this year (I need to get 10 courses done). I would like to excel in my courses (especially my time intensive practicum). And I would like to be financially healthy (able to pay my monthly bills and not go into debt). Unfortunately it seems that I may have to "pick any two" and sacrifice the third.

I can excel in my courses and remain financially viable, but the time required for both means that I won't be able to graduate in April. Or I can excel in my courses and remain financially healthy, but then have to delay getting my degree by at least a semester (the end of summer). Or I can get excel in my courses, graduate in April, but I will have to get a loan to accomplish it as I won't have time to work at OG (or at least not enough to cover life expenses). I also may be able to graduate in April by getting all my courses done, and remain financially healthy, but I will do relatively poorly in my courses and not really get the learning that I wanted (or needed) out of them.

You see my dilemma.

Don't feel too sorry for me, though you may not realize it, you are probably in the same boat (in some way). I believe that we all face choices like this in our lives. We want more then we can realistically accomplish with our limited resources of time, money, skills, etc. We want to serve our churches, be a great spouse/parent, successful in our careers, financially secure, in great physical shape, etc, etc. The truth though is that unless you are Superman (and even he has balancing issues!) something will always have to be sacrificed. There is only so much time to do these things. It's better to accept this fact and to choose wisely what you will focus on then to let the stress of not being able to do everything destroy you. You have finite abilities and resources. That's OK.

Just choose wisely. And while you're at it, pray that I will choose wisely as well!

May Light increase!