### Fall Seven, Rise Eight
There is a Japanese proverb that states, "If you fall seven times, you must rise eight." This succinctly encapsulates my life. There are numerous barriers, countless hills to climb, and many moments when I feel like quitting. This applies to my professional life, personal life, and personal pursuits. As Churchill said, "If you’re going through Hell, keep going."
Where to begin? Let’s talk about consistency. One day, I’m certain I’ll achieve the following I dream of, and people will notice the time gaps between these blog posts. My lack of consistency is evident in my gym routine, reading to my kids, and the books I read. It’s pervasive, and I’m aware of it. There is no such thing as a normal day in my life. Unless you count the routine of going to work before the sun rises and leaving after it sets, which leaves little room for what we might call a successful life. Yet, each day I rise again with the unwavering belief that it is a day of opportunity, though I remain skeptical about how much I will accomplish.
Let’s discuss dedication. I am often surrounded by self-doubt. Am I a good leader? Am I the best father? Should I do something differently for my wife? I blame the Philip Seymour Hoffman and Meryl Streep movie *Doubt* (2008) for the line, “I have so much doubt.” If the road to Hell is paved with good intentions, then I have my golden ticket punched. Still, I must rise each morning and do the work of a man.
I often wrestle with the thought that I don’t need to be doing most of what I’m doing. I could ride out my time in the Navy by doing the bare minimum. I don’t have to seek all these roles and positions, and I certainly don’t need to be doing what I’m doing now. I experienced a taste of that a few years ago. It was a time I wrote about at the beginning of *The Whiskey Journal*, when I believed with all my heart that I was at my last duty station before being unceremoniously shown the door. The irony is that I was miserable. God gave me two working hands and a brain, and it would be a shame not to use them to improve the lives of those around me. Just getting by isn’t an option for me, but in contrast, I overfill my cup and overload my plate, leaving me with a plethora of choices about what to drop, compromise, or table. Some may call this a good problem, but I carry shame for not living up to the expectations I set for myself. Too often, my ambition writes checks my abilities can’t cash.
So, I pray a lot. It’s usually just me in my chair having a silent conversation. Some may accuse me of daydreaming, and although they are not entirely wrong, I’m likely speaking with God. Not for a lighter load, but for broader shoulders. This world is real, and I must keep going because I feel my work isn’t done. Not that I compare myself to Oskar Schindler, but there’s always at least one more person to help, one more project to accomplish, one more horizon to chase, and one more mountain to climb. I just have to do it one at a time.
