Do you remember a few years back a certain credit card company had an ad going with the tag line "Priceless"? There were several different ones running. One ad would flash the little stuff you might spend to get ready for a vacation. Each item would have it's price. Each frame built up to the very last frame ending with a picture of a family moment labeling it priceless. Admittedly, some could be tear jerkers. They knew who their market was. The credit card company got it's point across though. Everything has a price and how much are you willing to pay or in this case charge for it? There is a real truth in that idea. Everything of value has a price and the more you value something should determine the price you're willing to pay for it.
My wife tells a story from when she was 11. There was a doll the that she wanted. It was a big deal for girls her age to have an American Girl doll. She wanted her parents to buy the doll for her birthday. She actually placed catalogs in strategic places through out their house so her parents would pick it up and see the dog eared pages. The doll wasn't cheap and neither were it's accessories. Her parents told her that she would have to earn the money herself. So that's what she did. She worked that summer doing odd jobs for family and friends. And finally saved one hundred dollars to buy the doll. She kept it high up on a shelf so it wouldn't break. She didn't even play with it and still has it today. Now I can't relate to spending money on a doll, but I know she worked hard and paid the price for it.
There's no getting away from this truth. It touches all facets of our lives. What or who we value will determine what we pay for it. What we hold in high esteem will cost us much. It can be as simple as saving for a family vacation or as hard as trying to shed some pounds. It can be building a family or building a business. These things will cost us our time, money, and require sacrifice. The higher value you have for something it wont matter how long it takes to get it. High value requires effort, sweat and hard work. There are no "real" shortcuts. You can't "charge" it like in the commercial, because then it's not really yours, right. There's risk involved, because YOU are putting all you have out there on the line. Giving all you have to see something through. Risking it all means we're putting everything on the line for the things and people we value the most.
So why are people willing to pay the price for something when sometimes it seems to take so much from their lives? I think another truth will answer that question. With great risk comes even greater rewards! Think on it again...with great risk comes EVEN GREATER REWARDS!!! The pay off! That goal, that business, that relationship you worked so hard for will be yours because you never quit. Because you did give your time, money, and sweat. You saw the value and you paid the price. The method is not always fun or easy but the outcome is always the same. If there is something you've been trying to achieve for a while and have not had the success you wanted think on what price you've paid recently for it's success. We all have things we want, dreams, and goals for our lives. Asking ourselves these two questions might bring fresh perspective. Give it a try this week and see if it helps. What do you value and are you paying the price for it?
So, leave a comment! Let us know what you value the most in your personal and business life.
**photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/losttulsa/3086353114/">Lost Tulsa</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/">cc</a>
** http://www.flickr.com/photos/losttulsa/3086353114/
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