In 1990, I made my first trip to Boston to teach at a now-defunct learning center. I had spent several days with my friend Chris in Connecticut and then took the bus to Boston, arriving early in the evening.<\/p>\n
\u00a0When I got off the bus, it was sleeting. I began walking to the YWCA, the cheapest place I could find to to stay. The streets were getting slippery, I was carrying heavy luggage, and my glasses kept sleeting over. There were few people around and the ones I asked for directions couldn\u2019t help me. I must have walked in circles for an hour until I finally located the Y. I was in tears when I checked in.<\/p>\n
\u00a0My relief was short-lived as soon as I saw my miniscule room which resembled (I imagine) a convent cell. The bathroom was a larger shower\/toilet facility down the hall. I spent the weekend wondering if I had taken leave of my senses.<\/p>\n
\u00a0A dozen years later, I recalled this experience as I flew to Boston again. The Boston Center for Adult Education, where I was teaching this time, had reserved a room for me at the Westin. \u00a0When I entered my room on the twentieth floor \u00a0I discovered it was the most gorgeous hotel room I\u2019d ever stayed in. It was dark when I arrived this time too, but now I had a view of the city lights which was breathtaking. Spending the evening in all that splendor was a sensual pleasure.<\/p>\n
In the morning I got up and walked to the window to open the drapes. I pulled them back and laughed out loud when I noticed a sign not two blocks away that said YWCA.<\/p>\n
\u00a0I don\u2019t know how you measure progress, but I know that moving from the Y to the Westin looks like progress to me. I also know that if I hadn\u2019t been willing to put up with the Y in my early days, I wouldn\u2019t have made it to the Westin.<\/p>\n
\u00a0So what discomfort have you been avoiding that\u2019s keeping you from realizing a new dream? The enemy of success isn\u2019t failure, after all. The enemy of success is comfort which keeps us tethered to a bearable, but not soul-thrilling life.<\/p>\n
With the brand new decade ahead, this is the perfect time to commit to taking on a new assignment\u2014one that takes you higher and farther. Are you willing?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In 1990, I made my first trip to Boston to teach at a now-defunct learning center. I had spent several days with my friend Chris in Connecticut and then took the bus to Boston, arriving early in the evening. \u00a0When I got off the bus, it was sleeting. I began walking to the YWCA, the…<\/p>\n