The Nail

"We all must suffer from one of two pains:  the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.  The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons. I

- Jim Rohn

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Late one afternoon, a package delivery man needed to make a delivery to a farmhouse in the country.  Upon approaching the porch of the farmhouse, the delivery man was greeted by an old farmer.   While conversing with the farmer, the delivery man could not help but notice the farmer’s dog.  The dog was lying on the front porch whining and howling.  The delivery man politely said, "Sir if you don't mind me asking, why is your dog whining and howling?"  The farmer responded, "He's lying on top of a nail."  The delivery man, in a confused tone, asked, "Why doesn't he move?"  The farmer responded, "Best I can reckon, it doesn't hurt that much."

How about you?  Are you like the farmer's dog?  Do you whine and complain about things, yet doing nothing about them?  For most people, it takes a great deal of pain to initiate change in their life.   To them, it's far easier to complain about things then to take action.  Taking it one step further, they have found that pointing fingers and/or playing the victim absolves them from any responsibility.   Just like the farmer’s dog, they would rather lie helplessly on the "nails" in their life than do something about it.

Do you have any bad habits or "nails" in your life?   Far too often, one waits for a tragedy or some other unfortunate event to occur in their life before they get off the proverbial nail.  Perhaps the most telling example of this might be a person who has survived a heart attack.  For them, it takes a "near death" experience to convince them that a change is in order.  For example, one day a person is complaining about being overweight, anxious, fatigued, short of breath, and a host of other ailments.  The next day, by the grace of God, they are fortunate enough to seriously contemplate significant lifestyle changes: dietary changes, exercise plans and smoking cessation.

We have just two choices when it comes to the "nails" in our lives; both involve a degree of pain.  We can do nothing, which will inevitably subject you to the pain of regret.  The pain of regret generally does not show up for years later.  When it does it manifests itself in anxiety, misery, and depression.  Or, you have the choice to change your present condition, which requires taking action.  Changing your present condition (getting off the nail) requires that you endure the pain of discipline.  The pain of discipline is immediate and requires commitment, hard work and perseverance.  The pain of discipline will eventually manifest itself in happiness, contentment and a sense of accomplishment.

Getting up off of a "nail" requires action and a unrelenting commitment to a better way of living.   Once you commit to action, you may experience significant pain.  The pain may be so intense that you feel compelled to just lie back down on the "nail."  When this happens resist the urge!  Stay focused, knowing a better life awaits you.   When you come to the realization that you're moving in the right direction, the pain of discipline will gradually subside. 

Keep in mind that the benefits from the pain of discipline will always outweigh the short-lived benefits of the pain of regret.   Complaining, finger pointing and avoidance behaviors cause no pain initially; they're evasion tactics.   However, as time progresses, the "wouldas," "shouldas," and "couldas" begin to haunt you and will give genesis to the pain of regret.   Unlike the pain of discipline, the pain of regret worsens over time.  The pain of regret takes it stronghold when a person realizes it’s too late to make a change.   Unfortunately, the pain of regret often leaves a person depressed and embarrassed about what their life has become or not become.  The pain constantly reminds them that things could have been different if they had only made the choice to “get off the nail.”

 

Don't wait for tragedy to strike in order to make a change.  I urge you to examine the "nails" in your life.  What are you complaining about on a regular basis?  Is it a relationship, your health, your job, your finances, your education level?  How much longer are you going to choose to lie on the "nail?"  Today is the day to take action; “get off the nail,"  pound it down, countersink it, and fill it in so that it can no longer cause you any more pain!

It's your life: live it, love it, & celebrate it!

MJD