Obstructed by The Obvious

Last week, I was reminded of a metaphor that compared the jellyfish to the salmon. You see, the jelly just floats where the current takes it, while the salmon works to fulfill its calling despite the current.

We all experience those moments when clarity of responsibility meets the convenience of circumstance.  It's that moment when you know what you must do within the realm of your responsibilities, and or pursuit of your goals, but there is a fatigue factor that overstates the rationale for not doing the work. In other words, you allow yourself an excuse to be common.

Extraordinary is uncommon for the simple fact that most will operate in the ordinary currents of life. Excuses can become justified to your own conviction because they appear to be obvious obstacles to others.  Pulling the wool over ourselves, the substantial change of current can make us feel justified for bypassing the opportunities to dig deeper.

It's no wonder why television networks continue to pump out crime series such as C.S.I (insert your city here)...we all admire those professionals that will go beyond the obvious to solve the mystery! Most will continue to be obstructed by the obvious road blocks, while a few uncommon will own the moment and dig through the inconvenient to find the edge. Make no mistake, it is easier said than done, but it still remains a matter of our will. A will that is, and always will be, ruled by our moment by moment choices.

Win Today!

Victor

An Uncomfortable Truth

"One of the most difficult things everyone has to learn is that for your entire life you must keep fighting and adjusting if you hope to survive. No matter who you are or what your position is you must keep fighting for whatever it is you desire to achieve.” -  George Allen

I've often heard it said that in order to achieve we must first get comfortable with the uncomfortable.  I firmly agree, and have concluded for myself, that the first step in finding this comfort zone is to first agree that life doesn't have an arrival point. There will never be day on this earth when you will wake up to the crowning announcement "You arrived...now sit back and relax." You can win the lottery, marry the person of your dreams, and even win a Super Bowl, but still, you will wake-up the next day to new challenges that will call you out to keep growing.  

The legendary football coach George Allen points out that the struggle hasn't singled us out for misery.  On the contrary, once we can make peace with this uncomfortable truth of life, we can then adapt and avoid the get rich quick mentality that the generations of renown never tolerated.

Win Today!

Victor

 

Over watering?

If you are going to grow a garden, one would think that an abundance of water would always be a key ingredient to its success.  Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting the owner of a nursery who informed me otherwise.  As my wife and I shopped the floor of the nursery showroom, the owner was busy hosting a workshop for the customers. As he presented, his energy and zeal for growing plants overflowed when customers asked him to discuss his profession.  While I enjoy working in the yard, unfortunately, my enthusiasm for plant growing is overshadowed by the fact that I have more plant and flower tombstones in my backyard than actual plants.

As I listened in to the owner's conversations that he was sharing with his customers, I was struck by the discipline to never over water a plant.  Certain plants that he was selling appeared parched to my untrained eye, but I quickly learned that the condition of the soil of these plants was in fact healthy (If that plant was in my backyard it would be damp 24/7).  Needing to know more, I then piped up to express my gardening ignorance about watering.  Stan looked me in the eye with all of his conviction to say..."That is the number one reason plants die."

While our intentions may be well founded, it is quite possible that we are over watering our own lives and the lives of those we are responsible for.  Comfort is quaint, but comfort has never been equated with growth when you and I read about success stories. It may be that our constant quest for comfort is in actuality rotting our potential. If challenges are in the midst, embrace the learning and adaptation that the situation may be igniting, instead of defaulting to the over watering dysfunction that comes so easily.

Win Today!

Victor

Isn't your life worth gold?

The 2012 Olympics are here. With it comes the demonstrations of our worlds finest athletes showing off in a matter of seconds, the fruit of a life-time of preparation.  As the multiple countries cheer on their champions, we are reminded through competition the commonality that borders can't erase, which is our humanity. No matter the flag that they represent, the back stories are all threaded with a common theme. Each athlete had to make the decision to wake up each day over the course of the last four years of training, and re-affirm their own exhausted nervous system that "this is worth it."

It's inspiring to us all when we watch others perform at their best. What we often forget is that their "best" performance had more to do with the multiple days in the dark where the only crowd cheering was the lone voice of self as a reminder to not give up. 

We can easily correlate hard work and self-sacrifice with athletic achievement.  However, when it comes to the "routine" measures of life, the correlation suffers to connect self-sacrifice to the value of personal achievement. Athletes, will say "No" a thousand times to the any decision that can be disruptive to the pursuit of gold, while others who compete daily in the zero sum arena of life may choose to flow like water and fall into the current of comfort and convenience.

Seek out gold with our lives, since a well-lived life is far more valuable and influential than a medal.  Each decision we make can alter our existence for the good or bad. Perhaps not for ourselves, but for for the loved ones who are counting on us. The sport of rowing is a great example of what it means to prepare, compete, and coordinate the actions of conscience. Below is a behind scenes look at the level of commitment and dependence that the Canadian rowing team had to give each day to be prepared for their next opportunity.  It is a reminder for us all that someone is counting on us today to be our best. Your life is worth gold...Win Today.

Win Today!

Victor