There are two people you can go the extra mile for: yourself and someone else.
Going the extra mile for yourself means you try a little harder to get the task done — you give more of yourself, your creativity, your effort. You’re not settling for “good enough.”
Going the extra mile for someone else means you sacrifice for that other person — that time you need for yourself? You give it to that other person. That creativity that is one of your best qualities? You bless them with it. Your effort is focused on them.
Going the extra mile . . . it’s all about more, not less. And it’s funny how that part of the road is less-traveled.
In Your Words: When was the last time someone went the extra mile for you? Stop and think for minute: Is there someone who needs you to go a little further for them — give a little more of yourself — so they can succeed?
When have you gone the extra mile for someone? Click to Tweet
Going the extra mile is about more . . . not less. Click to Tweet
Where have I been lately (besides this blog?): I was invited to be the guest author for Southern Writers’ “Last Word” column for their May/June issue. I wrote about how my goal as a writer isn’t to arrive — but to keep on arriving (and how I remembered this truth during a week where everything I wrote was deleted. Again and again and again.)
Comments 14
My children always go the extra mile for me, taking care of my needs. I help them whenever I can as long as it is not money. And, would love to be able to help there too, if only I had it. I try to encourage them in whatever the need is. Also my friends. And, I pray for others. Maxie Anderson
Author
Prayer is a wonderful way to walk the (eternal) extra mile for people, Maxie.
Going to be thinking about my person today. I am helping a friend paint so she can move (wah! second one to do this to me) today. Hoping I’m a help.
~ Wendy
Author
Oh, it’s so hard when a friend moves! And I think helping someone paint is definitely going the extra mile!
Well-done & glad you appeared at Southern Writers. Any 2nd mile is easier w/ friends at our side and be amazed that time has passed and we’ve reached our destination while enjoying the journey. My then teen-age son learned butchering from a skilled friend and was given a sizable pork roast he stashed in a snow-bank for freezing. Except spring thaw came, not all of meat got used, & it was a problem. I was wrestling this item out of the snow bank when a friend of mine appeared over the brow of our hill and without either of us saying a word, came, grabbed the other side of the carcase that I couldn’t budge, and together we hoisted it into our adjacent flaming burning barrel. I truly appreciated my friend.
Author
I love your stories, Dee, I do, I do.
And it’s so nice when help is given when it is unasked for but oh, so needed.
I’ve had writing friends go the extra mile for me in giving of their valuable time to help me work out a story knot. This has been priceless. I also have a friend who offers to take my kiddos so I can write for a few hours.
I’ve taken the same friend’s kiddos when she’s got tight deadlines for her work. Loved this post today, Beth!
Author
Your friend who watches your kiddos so you can write? She’s a friend in deed! 🙂
Going the extra mile isn’t always easy, but oh, so rewarding. Thanks for the reminder, Beth. And I love the quote from Roger Staubach.
Author
It’s a great quote, isn’t it, Pat? And I was intrigued that Roger S. said it.
I met a writer a while back who I was sort of intimidated by. (I know, bad grammar. Whatever.) Over the months we got to know each other, whether by email or Facebook, she was always ready with encouragement and wisdom. She never failed to answer my clueless newb questions and routinely upped her answers to what I was about to ask next.
Then after a while, the Q and A’s evolved into chats about life and family and before I knew it, I had a new friend.
Making a new friend is awesome. Making a new friend who gets why you need to know how to kill people is even better!!
I find myself more and more willing to step out of my comfort zone, because I’m finally comfortable. (She says from the safety of her home!) I enjoy helping people, whether it’s encouragement or critting their work in an effort to make it sing. Or making them smile when there’s not much smiling about.
Going the extra mile defines true friendship. Taking the time and effort to become involved in their lives (and allowing them into yours) creates bonds that last. A long time. In some cases, a lifetime. Time to put on my thinking cap to see how I can do that for a friend now…
I’m sure others have gone the extra mile for me, but I may not have realized it. A mentor went to bat for me when I submitted an application to teach at a popular writers conference.
As for me going the extra mile for someone else…I don’t really think of it like that. I just do things for them because it blesses them…and me by proxy. It’s nothing I’ve kept track of, so I guess I don’t have a good answer for that part of the question.
Love the quote and picture, Beth. You always give me something to think about.