What wage are you asking of Life?

Below is a poem by J.B. Rittenhouse called My Wage. I read it in the book, The One Thing.

I bargained with Life for a penny,
And Life would pay no more,
However I begged at evening
When I counted my scanty store.

For Life is just an employer,
He gives you what you ask,
But once you have set the wages,
Why, you must bear the task.

I worked for a menial’s hire,
Only to learn, dismayed,
That any wage I had asked of Life,
Life would have willingly paid.

What we ask of life is the absolute most that we’ll get. If you expect things to be lousy, then that is the best they will be. If you accept that your lot in life is sub-par and there’s nothing you can do about it, then you won’t be able to change it.

However, if you dream big, if you believe you can accomplish your goals, if you truly think you can do better, then at least you’ve got a shot. And in my experience, life will provide opportunities for you to succeed.

But you gotta believe.