What Price did you pay for your success?

NewLIFEstyle4ME

We live in a day and time where sacrifice, paying full price for something, saying no to yourself and others, trying to "get by" in the least painful and the fastest & easiest way possible is not only rule of the day--but to attempt to succeed in any way other than what makes one "feel good" is the only way to truly succeed, that paying a hefty (perhaps unpopular) price for success is considered Draconian at BEST and foolish/counter-productive at least.

That makes me wonder...

What price did you CHOOSE to pay for your success? Your success in weight-loss and perhaps NSV's even in getting out of debt or some other high and worthy/lofty goal you've set for your life and won by paying a price? Or did you have to pay a price?

Do you think you can be successful in accomplishing your goals in life without paying a price? If so, How and why?


Let's discuss!

binglebandit

I can't hide behind myself anymore. I think that's really the only price paid. I'm much more aware of what I'm doing with myself and had to face the facts of my horrible habits. Otherwise I feel everything has really been a gain. I jog or use exercise videos from netflix, which I already pay for. I suppose the biggest price is having to buy new clothes when the old ones don't fit. But then again, I'd have had to buy new clothes if I had continued to gain weight like I was anyways.

I suppose another price for me is that I'm more aware of some of my flaws. I have some vein damage in my left leg from a previous DVT which has always made my leg two inches bigger than my right leg. The more weight I lose the more obvious those two inches are and the harder it is for pants to fit on my left leg. Then again, since I've been jogging that leg has gotten much stronger than it was before and I feel that my circulation is improving. So in a sense it too is a gain and another mark of what I've overcome.

I don't really feel like it's a price, just a change in life.

Aquarian

The price I paid for my weight loss is having to control my intake of favorite foods, and watch my portions.

The price I paid to reach my career goals is sheer hard work.

I am proud to have been able to pay those prices, honestly.

CJisinShape

I suppose it depends on what you define as success. I have been very thin before, and I was unhappy. So I know from experience that you may be unhappy with your weight, but losing the weight isn't going to make you happy.

I'm a goal setting type of person. That's just a habit of mine. I often don't meet those goals and have to keep remaking the same goals. Is that success or failure? I'm always growing, learning new skills, doing new things.

I'm happy. That's a type of success, but what did I do exactly to get here? Nothing - it is a gift from God. To receive that gift, I had to forgive people that hurt me. I had to let go of my pet sins and obsessions. I had to choose to be content with my life.

I have kids - for women, that's considered a type of sucess, but again, children are a gift from God, not something we can make ourselves. I had a very difficult time carrying them, as they were all 90+ percentile for height and weight. It was a sacrifice.

I've been married for a long time, and again, that's by the grace of God. It's hard for two flawed human beings to go through the ups and downs of life. It means having to overlook their faults, apologizing when you hurt them, forgiving them when they hurt you. It means, in some seasons, you have suck it up and think more about your commitment than your feelings.

So, in my experience, it appears that to be successful, you have to have persistence, and know that it's God that gives you the ability to do anything and enjoy life.

NewLIFEstyle4ME

I can't hide behind myself anymore. I think that's really the only price paid. I'm much more aware of what I'm doing with myself and had to face the facts of my horrible habits. Otherwise I feel everything has really been a gain. I jog or use exercise videos from netflix, which I already pay for. I suppose the biggest price is having to buy new clothes when the old ones don't fit. But then again, I'd have had to buy new clothes if I had continued to gain weight like I was anyways.

I suppose another price for me is that I'm more aware of some of my flaws. I have some vein damage in my left leg from a previous DVT which has always made my leg two inches bigger than my right leg. The more weight I lose the more obvious those two inches are and the harder it is for pants to fit on my left leg. Then again, since I've been jogging that leg has gotten much stronger than it was before and I feel that my circulation is improving. So in a sense it too is a gain and another mark of what I've overcome.

I don't really feel like it's a price, just a change in life.

Beautiful! Thank you so much for posting!

SHHitsKaty

The price I paid was not getting what I want which is really just a great lesson in all of life. I went my whole life until I was 23 being able to drink and eat whatever I wanted. Now at 26, I'm realizing that I can't be at the bar every night, eating Taco Bell at 3am 3 nights a week without it showing up somewhere on me.

Although it was a sacrifice, it's made me grow up, realize how waking up without a hangover and being motivated to lose weight and tone up, was worth the sacrifice.

jrutledge01

time and effort

PJ64

I didn't pay a price. I gained a fortune

BritneysStuntDouble

Add this gal: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/SofaKingRad_

She paid quite the price to lose almost 200 pounds, including losing a leg.

You will NOT find a more inspiring friend here!

NewLIFEstyle4ME

Add this gal: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/SofaKingRad_

She paid quite the price to lose almost 200 pounds, including losing a leg.

You will NOT find a more inspiring friend here!

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Is that your mom, she looks just like you

BritneysStuntDouble

Add this gal: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/SofaKingRad_

She paid quite the price to lose almost 200 pounds, including losing a leg.

You will NOT find a more inspiring friend here!

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Is that your mom, she looks just like you

Rude.

NewLIFEstyle4ME

Add this gal: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/SofaKingRad_

She paid quite the price to lose almost 200 pounds, including losing a leg.

You will NOT find a more inspiring friend here!

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Is that your mom, she looks just like you

Rude.

Awww, what's the matter? You can dish it out but can't take it? :smooched:

Awkward30

The price I pay is ongoing. It's the time commitment, it's the "abnormal" priorities that frequently make me different in social situations. My week days are crazy long because I choose the gym, even when I've worked a 10+ hour day. I can't go out too late on Friday nights because I hit the gym early on Saturday morning... just in general, there are a lot of constraints that I put on myself, and I've never been happier. I love being me, I love my life, and I love paying the price for being healthy

BurtHuttz

In UK parlance, I paid about 37 pounds.

Blastastic

I got so obsessed with going to the gym I started spending too much money on membership upgrades. I couldn't do without my cardio, tanning and Zumba. This ultimately led up to getting divorced, losing my house, losing my job from skipping work to go tanning and getting my car taken by the repo man for late payments! But damn do I look good!

freddykid

Price I paid was portions size. I still eat whatever I want when I want but I have to change my entire day around it if I choose to "pig-out" That price is much lower than the past several years feeling like I was a fat dude and hiding from pictures. Well worth it to me.

djames92

my price was the mass amounts of money i had to spend on new clothes because none of mine fit anymore

mfpcopine

I don't think this is a helpful way of framing the issue. I would ask instead:

What choices have you made,

or

How have your priorities changed?

Duck_Puddle

For any that have achieved success through any kind of sacrifice, the opportunity cost of the sacrificed object is less than that of the end goal. Over time, the value of the sacrificed item decreases (as doing without that item becomes the norm and the desired end goal is within sight), and by the time success is achieved, the sacrificed item holds negligible value. That's my view anyway. If you have achieved success by nature of sacrificing something, you value the end goal more than whatever you gave up in order to achieve the end goal. In my case, I gave up eating like a fraternity brother and loafing around on the couch watching ncis reruns all weekend. No biggie-pretty sure I've seen all the episodes of everything USA airs anyway. I gave up fat clothes, a fat face, always being the fattest person in the room, having people on my flight sigh with relief when I walk past their row knowing I won't be infringing on their seat. I gained my life back-including scars on my face that are infinitely more noticeable now-and I gained the ability to embrace them as part of me. That's me-and I'll gladly continue to make the same choices over again. And I don't miss the ncis (or law & order or csi) reruns.

RoadsterGirlie

What a great thread!

The price I have paid is watching my portion sizes and being careful about my food choices. I also put in 5 hours a week of my time working out.

That's the price I've paid to lose 90 lbs of fat.

My marriage is better, my self confidence is better, and I enjoy being me. Well worth it!

RobynLB

law school = $180,000. Yeah I had to pay.

BritneysStuntDouble

Add this gal: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/SofaKingRad_

She paid quite the price to lose almost 200 pounds, including losing a leg.

You will NOT find a more inspiring friend here!

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Is that your mom, she looks just like you

Rude.

Awww, what's the matter? You can dish it out but can't take it? :smooched:

That was a mean thing to say about my friend.

NewLIFEstyle4ME

For any that have achieved success through any kind of sacrifice, the opportunity cost of the sacrificed object is less than that of the end goal. Over time, the value of the sacrificed item decreases (as doing without that item becomes the norm and the desired end goal is within sight), and by the time success is achieved, the sacrificed item holds negligible value. That's my view anyway. If you have achieved success by nature of sacrificing something, you value the end goal more than whatever you gave up in order to achieve the end goal. In my case, I gave up eating like a fraternity brother and loafing around on the couch watching ncis reruns all weekend. No biggie-pretty sure I've seen all the episodes of everything USA airs anyway. I gave up fat clothes, a fat face, always being the fattest person in the room, having people on my flight sigh with relief when I walk past their row knowing I won't be infringing on their seat. I gained my life back-including scars on my face that are infinitely more noticeable now-and I gained the ability to embrace them as part of me. That's me-and I'll gladly continue to make the same choices over again. And I don't miss the ncis (or law & order or csi) reruns.

:flowerforyou: Vitaminddd :flowerforyou: ....WOW!

WOW! I can NOT fully express how much what you said here means to me
"For any that have achieved success through any kind of sacrifice, the opportunity cost of the sacrificed object is less than that of the end goal. Over time, the value of the sacrificed item decreases (as doing without that item becomes the norm and the desired end goal is within sight), and by the time success is achieved, the sacrificed item holds negligible value. That's my view anyway. If you have achieved success by nature of sacrificing something, you value the end goal more than whatever you gave up in order to achieve the end goal.

I reckon I "knew" this kinda sorta, but the way you've worded this is like a super "light-bulb" moment or something with me--this is really DEEP and so totally inspirational and encouraging to me, I really really appreciate you posting here so much--THANK YOU!

poedunk65

my price for losing weight is it pissed off my wife. She is so jealous of the amount i have lsot. I tell her if you worked as hard as i do you might lose more too. She has old habits that she just always goes back to. I completely changed the way i eat.

NewLIFEstyle4ME

Add this gal: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/SofaKingRad_

She paid quite the price to lose almost 200 pounds, including losing a leg.

You will NOT find a more inspiring friend here!

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Is that your mom, she looks just like you

Rude.

Awww, what's the matter? You can dish it out but can't take it? :smooched:

That was a mean thing to say about my friend.

Really? Well, tell your friend that I said beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I think you, your mama and your friend is beautiful in your/their own very special way :smooched:

NewLIFEstyle4ME

What a great thread!

The price I have paid is watching my portion sizes and being careful about my food choices. I also put in 5 hours a week of my time working out.

That's the price I've paid to lose 90 lbs of fat.

My marriage is better, my self confidence is better, and I enjoy being me. Well worth it!

You KNOW you're one of my Mfp shero's too! You so rock! :flowerforyou:

RobynMWilson

I don't consider it paying a price for success. The price I've paid is always trying to take the easier, softer way or going for instant gratification. When I went for things less than healthy for me I paid DEARLY.

As for eating healthy and exercise, I no longer feel I've had to pay a price or sacrifice. My body is looking and feeling better than it ever has! As for building my business, again, I don't feel like I'm sacrificing. I just wish I had "sacrificed" (IE got my priorities straight) a lot sooner than I actually did!

So, really, it's your perspective...how you look at things!

NewLIFEstyle4ME

I suppose it depends on what you define as success. I have been very thin before, and I was unhappy. So I know from experience that you may be unhappy with your weight, but losing the weight isn't going to make you happy.

I'm a goal setting type of person. That's just a habit of mine. I often don't meet those goals and have to keep remaking the same goals. Is that success or failure? I'm always growing, learning new skills, doing new things.

I'm happy. That's a type of success, but what did I do exactly to get here? Nothing - it is a gift from God. To receive that gift, I had to forgive people that hurt me. I had to let go of my pet sins and obsessions. I had to choose to be content with my life.

I have kids - for women, that's considered a type of sucess, but again, children are a gift from God, not something we can make ourselves. I had a very difficult time carrying them, as they were all 90+ percentile for height and weight. It was a sacrifice.

I've been married for a long time, and again, that's by the grace of God. It's hard for two flawed human beings to go through the ups and downs of life. It means having to overlook their faults, apologizing when you hurt them, forgiving them when they hurt you. It means, in some seasons, you have suck it up and think more about your commitment than your feelings.

So, in my experience, it appears that to be successful, you have to have persistence, and know that it's God that gives you the ability to do anything and enjoy life.

W W...THIS is so utterly Wonderful, profound and TRUE to/for me...I LOVE IT! Thank you ever so very much for posting!!!! :flowerforyou:

love22step

I gave up Farmville and other computer games for MFP--no big loss there. I've spent quite a bit on smaller clothes, but I've saved money eating less fast food and junk food. I gave up leisure time because I can work harder since I have more energy and move much better. I've given up mediocre things for good things. I gained a lot more than I gave up. I love my running time, because it gives me time to think, pray, plan, and just sort things out in my life. My husband was always good, but, now, he's proud of me again. I'm proud of me, too! I can do things I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to do again. I'm running further than I ever ran in my younger days. I roller skated for two hours with the grandkids yesterday. I have a lot more life left in me than I realized! I wish every project in life paid off as well as this one has.

NewLIFEstyle4ME

The price I pay is ongoing. It's the time commitment, it's the "abnormal" priorities that frequently make me different in social situations. My week days are crazy long because I choose the gym, even when I've worked a 10+ hour day. I can't go out too late on Friday nights because I hit the gym early on Saturday morning... just in general, there are a lot of constraints that I put on myself, and I've never been happier. I love being me, I love my life, and I love paying the price for being healthy

Wow...absolutely amazing--thank you so much for posting!!!!!!!