I have a long-standing joke with my wife that started years ago. She is a former athletic trainer and worked with collegiate and professional athletes for about 20 years. She is conditioned to stop whatever she is doing and snap to attention whenever she hears the word “TRAINER!”. We were out on a date one night and I saw a girl with huge holes around the kneecap area of her jeans. I yelled out TRAINER and my wife snapped her head around. I pointed out the girl and told my wife that she must have fallen badly and needed medical attention. I got the stare and an eye roll which was just as good as a laugh. For any of you who love to tell dad jokes, you know what I’m talking about. Here’s one for you…

“Where does a dad store his jokes? In a dada-base!“

Later in our marriage my wife bought me some nice jeans with some tears on the leg, so I asked her if she got them on a discount or if she still had to pay full price. I got the stare again. She really liked the jeans, but after a while I donated them to Goodwill. I reasoned with her that I’m a blue-collar guy from a small town and where I come from you needed to earn your holes. Those holes came from hard work and typically it took a long time to wear your jeans out. My Old Navy jeans that I wear for yardwork are an example of that. I think successful people have the same qualities as an old pair of jeans. Here are 3 ways you can earn your holes in life and find great success along the way.

1. Work Ethic

I am the manager of the Yuba-Sutter High Wheelers in the Pioneer League and Tuesday was our opening day. I sent a message to our team about two months ago to remind them that activity in not necessarily accomplishment. I was referring to the way they train in the offseason and to make sure they are doing it in a way that will get them ready for our season. Their workouts are very sports specific and detailed to their position on the diamond. It’s one thing to work hard and put the time in, but the pitchers will have a much different way they prepare compared to our middle infielders.

A strong work ethic is great, but we need to make sure we prioritize what is important. We need to be intelligent with how we spend our time, be efficient with it, and get the most important things done first. Having a clear purpose and direction in our work will keep us on track. Sometimes we get caught up in just being busy, which can be dangerous. I remember a sermon once where the pastor said that BUSY is an acronym that stands for Being Under Satan’s Yoke. I for sure don’t want to be hanging out with him, so work hard, be efficient, and stay focused on what is important, and success will come in time.

2. Perseverance

I really love a quote that I heard recently about perseverance: “It’s not a matter of how many times you get knocked down, but how many times you get back up.” It reminds me of my friend and mentor Bill Crawford. He is a black belt in martial arts and used to box when he was younger. He told me his nickname should have been “canvas” due to all the time he spent on it after getting his bell rung by an opponent. He taught me about taking punches in life and that when I focused on honoring God with what I did versus searching for personal accolades, I could never fail.

Working smart and hard is really important and one of your first steps to success. When you feel that is all dialed in, and you are not seeing success is when doubt can creep in. You may even start to wonder if all the work is worth it. That’s when we persevere. My sister Mary taught me that anything worth having usually doesn’t come easy. We learn through trials and tribulations and sometimes we need a furnace to remove the impurities in our plan. Continue to push through difficult times and revisit what you’re doing to see if you need to make a course correction in what you are doing.

“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.”- James 1:12, BSB

3. Patience

We are starting to grow into a society that wants instant gratification and their $8 coffee without waiting in line for it. Some people have a sense of entitlement and expect things to be given to them. They want the promotion before they have earned one and if they don’t like the situation they are in, they just find the next best thing. It seems like patience is no longer a virtue and dedication is something that happens when they build a statue in your honor. This can lead you down a dangerous road career wise and in relationships. 

Once you get to the place when you are locking in your work ethic and persevering through tough times, we learn to stay patient. Instead of trying to find greener pastures, I encourage you to bloom where you are planted. It’s normal to want success but realize that maybe you still have things to learn before you get to your desired destination. The farmer sows the seed first, then waters, and in time enjoys the harvest. God is always working in the background and preparing you for what’s next so enjoy the present and avoid trying to skip steps to get to your future.

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