By Craig Hysell

The hardest thing you will ever have to do, oddly enough, is the one that leads to happiness the most.

You MUST commit to action AND act on your commitments.

It will be difficult. The “map” isn’t always easy to read. You will veer off course. The path will have challenges and, sometimes, you will have to make a new path altogether.

It will take a massive amount of discipline.

You will want to give up. Many, so, so many, will give up far too soon and beg you to follow them.

You will have to think long-term.

You will have to endure.

You will have to be self-aware, patient, forgiving, grateful and humble.

You will have to put in ungodly amounts of sweat equity and toil in obscurity for years and years… maybe all your years.

You will have to struggle with self doubt, criticism and questions with no current answers.

You will have to become comfortable with “failure” in public.

You will get spread too thin.

You will have to cut back and refocus on what’s REALLY important.

You will have to realize what you are willing to sacrifice… and then sacrifice it.

You will have to learn that complaining, gossip, mass media consumption and even some governmental, religious and societal constructs should be avoided at all costs.

You will have to investigate on your own. You will have to come to your own conclusions. You will have to make your own decisions.

You will be lonely. You will be laughed at. You will be afraid and lost sometimes.

You will have to understand that wealth does not always include money, fame, trips and social media likes.

You will have to be present. You will have to chuckle with Death.

You will have to understand that most people will decide not to go through what you have decided to go through and that this does not make you better than them. You will have to know that you can learn from all people and kindness is something you give before you get.

You will have to live a life of service.

You MUST understand this one, irrefutable law to succeed in your endeavor: the solution will always be to commit to action and act on your commitments.