Do you remember cramming for an exam back in your school days? Do you recall that stress of trying to get all that information lined up properly in your head so it could spill out onto the test paper?

As I read G.K. Chesterton in my prayer time this morning (check out that hair),

I came across his definition of cramming. In The Universe According to K.K. Chesterton, he wrote:

Cramming: the tendency of a man to give everything to what he is studying except time, patience and reverence. It is a great mistake to suppose that people only cram for examinations; they cram for culture, they cram for success in life, they cram for Imperial wars, and morally and spiritually speaking, they cram for the Day of Judgment.

I’ll leave the Day of Judgment to you, but let’s talk about cramming for success in life and work. Do you give time, patience and reverence for the most important things? Do you even know the most important things?

I challenge you (and me) to invest time to live an examined life. Think about what things will help you move from where you are to where you want to be. Make a plan, then devise some strategies for the various ways your plan will likely fail.

Remember, failure doesn’t really matter. Your response to failure does.

If you want some worksheets to help you devise a plan, download this free copy of  Joyful Living: Build Yourself a Great Life!