This morning during my exercise I noticed a neighbor’s sprinkler sprouting water on their lawn (between 30 and 50 psi). When I got into my shower to freshen up, the water was a different pressure allowing me to enjoy a soothing experience (40 to 50 psi). The pressure in the toilet tank did not need as much pressure as the other two situations because the target was different (10 to 15 psi). We all have witnessed firefighters in action, be it on a television screen or in person, and the water from their hoses blasting with a sense of urgency (between 116 and 290 psi).

Who wouldn’t love to rapidly go from modest means to millionaire, or from novice in a chosen skill to mastery? Yet various objectives require varied amounts of effort (psi) and focus to produce the desired result.

Even if the water pressure is appropriate through say a hose, with a nozzle you change the flow rate. If the desired space is now smaller, concentrating the water flow through it effectively increases the force of the spray. In money terms that’s called leverage. If you are not getting the results you want, it is because there is something you don’t know or aren’t executing. Try adjusting your effort or even forming improved alliances to give you more leverage.

Today assess your water pressure to determine if you are exhibiting sufficient concentrated and leveraged effort to acquire your target result. For the sprinkler, the result was a wide spray to saturate the lawn, for the shower it was moderate rain to wash off dirt, for the toilet it was a casual flow to fill up the tank for the next flush, for the fire hose it is high pressure to extinguish a fire rapidly. They all start with a sprinkle though.

But you, be strong and do not lose courage, for there is a reward for your work.

(NASB, 2 Chronicles 15:7)