Seth Godin notes that when the first thing you do is measure a new opportunity against the list of why you can’t, then the list is the most important thing in your life. An economist would call this revealed preferences.

Yep, my kids prevent me from giving up entirely when life seems unbearable, because quitting would be worse. There’s always a “worse:” know what yours is. I know it’s really freaking unlikely that I’ll ever be as broken down as I was walking up the damn TVD that day in Mountains, when I was reduced to setting goals of a few yards, then a few feet, then a few steps, and then one at a time.

For some, the “worse” is physical, emotional, mental, spiritual. But we all have our bottom lines. When you get close to that bastard, bend your knees and try to push off. Use yours like a trampoline, giving you energy and confidence and faith from remembering what’s important, from brushing up against the greatest part of your life.