I'm in Dallas. At the American Airlines terminal at DFW.

Again.

When you live in northeastern Louisiana and travel American Airlines, you first fly to Dallas.  

Always.

It makes sense if you're flying west.

Not so much if your destination lies in the direction of the other compass points.

This spring, for example, we flew from Louisiana to South Carolina.

By way of Dallas.

You know you've spent too much time at DFW Airport when, one, you instinctively know the gate number of your connecting flight; two, you know which toilet wiggles; and, three, the gate agent greets you enthusiastically and invites you home for Thanksgiving supper.

As much time and effort as it takes to get to Dallas, it feels as if the trip from Louisiana to anywhere really doesn't begin until I arrive at DFW. DFW becomes the Point of Engagement.

It's a bit like annually reading the Bible from cover to cover following a daily schedule.

In January you get Genesis and Exodus. But, come February, Leviticus.

To the novice, Leviticus can feel like reading The Code of Federal Regulations, Volume 21, Section J.

For several years I initiated my daily reading with earnest--no, not my cousin Earnest--on New Years Day. Just weeks later, in February, I'd lose my enthusiasm and abandon the effort.

And so, every year--as much time and effort as it takes to get through Genesis and Exodus--it feels as if my reading doesn't really begin until I arrive at Leviticus. Leviticus, like Dallas, becomes the Point of Engagement.

Difficult tasks begun but abandoned at a place of challenge or tedium often, similarly, develop a delayed Point of Engagement. It's not until we successfully navigate the all too familiar obstacles--those places early in the journey where we have previously and perhaps repeatedly abandoned our resolve--that we feel we're at the Point of Engagement. "Now," we declare with gratitude, "I can really get started!"

These delayed Points of Engagement create a curious paradigm shift. Most difficult endeavors require our determination to carry out the resolve long after the compelling emotion has faded. By contrast, when the Point of Engagement has been pushed out in the journey, it takes gutsy determination just to get to that "begin again" place before the compelling emotion is renewed. It's a mark of maturity to reach and "blow through" the delayed Point of Engagement. 

Where have you experienced delayed Points of Engagement? On a journey? On a project? Developing a new habit? In relationships?

What's your energy like until you get to the "begin again" point? What might make it better? What would it take to remove the angst around the delayed Point of Engagement?