Excuses. There’s Never a Shortage

Our gym has a minimum age and Son No. 2 achieved it this year. When school let out for summer, he said he wanted to work out with me, so I bought a summer membership for him. He did not realize how hard this was going to be. I work out early, and now when 5:30 rolls around and it is time to get up and go, I hear a litany of “reasons” why he needs to skip. This morning took the cake: “I have to clean the couch today, so I need to stay in bed for now.” 

So, we had a discussion on the way to the gym. Discipline is one of the keys to success in life, and the essence of discipline is the ability to force yourself to do things you don’t want to do. I told him I am preaching to myself as much as to him. As it happens, I nearly stayed in bed today myself. The alarm went off and a fierce argument erupted in my head. Get up! No, I worked hard this week; I need rest. Get up! No. The first time is the hardest; failure always gets progressively easier.

That last one usually convinces me, and I rolled out of bed. I am glad I did and I am glad for the coincidence (Providence?) that caused me to struggle so hard the same day Son No. 2 advanced his “clean the couch” argument. It presented a golden opportunity to talk to him about my own struggles. I hope he took it to heart.