Man of Depravity - Tyler Braun's posts on Church Ministry, Worship, Seminary, and Theology.

Sacrifice

2010 January 04

by Tyler

I’m slowly learning that while I may have a desire to be good at everything, it is much better to be excellent at a few things.

I get caught up in the desire to be an avid sports fan, be knowledgeable in politics, know all the latest music, be adept at video games and board games, be a theology buff, get A’s in all my classes, stay up to date on the latest smart phone, and stay in shape through running and biking…and still desire to be able to relax now and then

Many people say the biggest enemy of great is good. I often want to be good at many things and I end up never being great at anything.

The only way to be great at something is to sacrifice the thing that you could be good at.

After a lot of prayer, conversation, and thinking I’ve decided not to pursue doing the Ride:Well Tour this coming summer. In light of my new position at Sunset, I feel like I’d be failing the students and key volunteers by leaving after 6 months with them, and not just leaving…leaving completely for 2 months.

So I’m giving up riding across America in order to be great at my job instead of what I feel would just be doing my job to the potential of “good” not great.

It probably isn’t the biggest decision I’ve ever made, but I do sense it was an important lesson for me to learn.

Maybe I’ll do Ride:Well the summer of 2011…we’ll see.

What is something you’ve had to sacrifice in order to be great at something else?

Filed under: the rest...

http://gr8-g8.blogspot.com eric lopez

self focus
Alan Wilkerson

A business leadership book I read a while ago said we have to decide what parts of our jobs [life] demand “A” work; which part demands “B” work and what can we let slide into the “C” category and ignore.

That went a long way to freeing me from an expectation of perfection. Sounds like you’re making those tough mature decisions that come with life-experience.

Peace and good choices.

Alan
secondchair

A local radio ad says something like, “You don’t become an expert by doing 12,000 things but by doing 12 things 1,000 times. You’re making a wise choice to “go deep” in what is most important in front of you right now. That will pay off.
http://davidgoodwin.com David

Sacrificing time on my own creativity to be a great producer for our church album; giving up the “me, just me” time (and some “me+wife” time too…which hurt more) in order to be a great leader and mentor for the team.

I just hope great is the result, too.
kirk

Interestingly, it’s also said that the enemy of good, is the perfect. I suppose, in order to align this with your statement, it can also be said the enemy of great, is the persuit of perfection…

Therefore, “great” is attacked from both directions.. the attainment of perfection, which is a fruitless persuit, and from the marginal (or good enough), as you pointed out.

Such as dilemma