Subordinate Yourself to a Greater Mission (40)

An act of courage can bolster the resolve of others. But an act of oblation can halt it. Bravery is accepting the challenge, in the face of doubt. But also understanding and preparing for battle. Fortifying the battle field, yet leaving a path of retreat.

Diving in head first, without thinking about the consequences is not what I am talking about. We often do this though. We overestimate our endurance. Our passion is expansive, our purpose narrowed and defined, but our time might just prevent us, from accomplishing every aspect of our multifaceted mission.

A calling, per se, does not mean don't screen your calls. It means find the opportunities that not only matter most to you, but that can make the biggest difference. The ones that fulfill you but also balance with the rest of your life. Filter out the noise and hone in on the consistency, the frequency that resonates. As educators we do this a lot. But we also try to hear all the pulsations and this disperses our resolve.

We ask ourselves what we can do that will make the most impact for our students? What can we do to help every child feel welcome and safe? But, do we also ask ourselves- What do I need to focus on, what do I need to let go? A mission is an objective, a pursuit and we have to sometimes make sacrifices, in order to complete it. We find purpose, set goals and begin our quest- yet we rarely let the side ventures go, in order to commit fully to our mission. 

We want to do it all. Be active on social media, write, mentor and coach extra-curricular clubs and competitions. We want to go to conferences and teach at professional developments days. We want to plan fabulous lessons- every single one exciting, engaging and purposeful. We want to get to know every one of our students, and form an extraordinary bond with them and their parents. We literally want to be a superhero. Yet, even a superhero, could not manage all of this- especially with a family.

Dedication and adherence can often lead to collateral damage. We neglect other parts of our lives. Balance is a myth. Nothing is ever truly balanced, at least not for long. There is constant give and take. Moving a gold coin from the left scale to the right. A constant leveling out. We are eager, passionate educators- but we are also a part of a loving, nurturing family. 

We have to ask for help sometimes. But, we also need to take stock, of our commitments and choose to subordinate, to our mission. As educators, we all have a mission, our students. PERIOD. Our colleagues, parents everything else is a close second. Our students are our mission. But if we are stretched thin, and we begin to satellite ourselves out in every which direction- how can they truly stay our mission?

Subordinate yourself to a greater mission and find time to be a celebrity. Subordinate yourself to a greater mission- be connected with family and friends. We have two missions and both revolve around relationships. If we make those the priority: parent, sibling, spouse, friend- teacher, mentor- the rest can align. But, if we are searching for something else, we need to choose to be that instead. No sacrifice- only subordination to what we really want, need and love.