On coffee and Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela foregoes freedom for 20 years to see a better future for himself and his country. His family gets harassed during his time in jail. Not even that could push him to trade in his freedom for a life didn’t want. Comfort did not cloud his vision for a better South Africa.
He is now remembered as one of the greatest people to have ever lived.
Today marks the end of a 30 day caffeine free challenge for me. Much can be said about the benefits of steering clear of coffee. All I can add to that fact is that there is one more way in the books to torture somebody than jail.
So what was learned from the experience? It was that when the external pleasures are taken away, what do you still believe in with unwavering excitement? When you are taken out of your comfort zone, what are you willing to stick it out for? That is what you should pursue. That is who you are.
My passion to make something greater than myself passed the test. My day job did not. I could not see myself through it. All I realized was that coffee is probably the only thing that made me stick out an entire day at work. So I quit.
Mandela famously said: There is no passion to be found playing small — in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.
What is your coffee? And if that coffee was taken away, would you still do what you are doing today?
