Pick a moment. Set an intention for it.
Give up comfort for that moment.
Give up any pleasure in that moment.
Accept discomfort.
Accept displeasure.
Act.
Sacrifice Leads to Peace
As you give more of yourself to a cause and decline to pursue other paths, your contribution increases indefinitely. The same is true of personal peace. Suffering in the world is limitless and the mind reflects that which is around it, so there is no limit to how much can be given up. The more you sacrifice in service of others, the greater your peace.
Yet sacrificing what’s bad is not enough. Decline to engage with all of the world’s vices and you’ll still be left with infinite options for noble action. All but a handful of these options must be foregone in favor of your chosen aims. The alternative is making insignificant contributions to many causes. Every common cause — ending world hunger, curing all disease, etc. — is an inexhaustible pursuit. No matter how much you pour into them, they will not be satiated. So if you are going to pour yourself into a cause and you aim for profound change, accept that your energy and resources must not be squandered on other noble, likely bottomless wells.
Sacrifice Great Things
Once you have a singular focus, the first thing that must be given up is time. Schedule a block and tell yourself: “whatever else comes to claim this time, I will give it up for __.” Great things and thoughts may assail the sanctity of that block. Those great things must be sacrificed. Suppose you schedule time to exercise in the morning. You wake up groggy and feel — wouldn’t it be great to just lie back down and rest a little longer? Yes, it would. That’s the point. And the point of Marcus Aurelius, Jocko Willink, David Goggins, among countless others.
That sort of greatness is false. It must be given up to achieve true greatness.
If you are ambitious, it won’t be enough to give up false greatness. Even true greatness will have to go. You have time scheduled to exercise, but your best friend invites you to see a movie you both love. Wouldn’t it be great to go see it together? Yes it would, and there’s nothing false about that. Staying true to your plan, suffer the discomfort, and you’ll be closer to your dreams. The good news is that most sacrifices, though they feel heavy and permanent, are temporary and ultimately light. You can sleep later. You can rearrange your schedule and see that movie with your friend in a few days. The impact of sticking with your priorities, however, transforms your life over time.
Give up everything, and receive the world in return.