Too often we live our lives by judging ourselves based on where we are. We take a look at ourselves, our physical appearance, our circumstances, our self-esteem and self-confidence etc. and conclude there is no reason to try to be different. We are paralyzed by “today.” For instance. Today, I am ugly. Today, I a weakling. Today, I am not qualified. Today, is all I can look forward to. In effect, we have settled due to a thousand little bits of discouragement. These bits of discouragement have stolen our dreams and our aspirations to be something better than we are.
The really sad thing is that we have developed a personal narrative that gives us a ready made excuse to not try. Example: Oh, I don’t want to look like that. I just don’t have the discipline to make this happen. I hurt my knee the last time I tried to get into great shape andI am afraid I will hurt it again. The list of excuses is legion! Each excuse becomes a truism that we hide behind to dismiss ourselves from going after the great things that are bubbling inside us to accomplish.
Truth Number One:
We have to understand that we “can” do anything we set out to do. Where we are is only the beginning of the journey to greatness. We have to imagine that the starting point is similar to pushing off the bottom of a swimming pool to the surface. Once we shove off the bottom we are on our way. But shove off we must if we are to avoid drowning in our decision to be nothing more than who we are.
Truth Number Two:
We have to fix our end result firmly in our minds. We cannot forget what we want. We have to devise a system to bring our goal to remembrance especially in times of great discouragement or during circumstances that seem to threaten our progress to the winners’s circle.
Truth Number Three:
No matter what we have to construct a plan of action that has our beginning and our end goal in mind. We have to drop our plan to paper and then commit ourselves to following the plan and trusting the process to reach the goal.
Truth Number Four:
As soon as the plan is in place you must immediately begin the journey. Nothing gets in the way of executing the plan. Each day is a battle to progress. Each day, a document must be generated to record our progress. Everything has to be brought to bear on the end game. Nothing is left to chance.
Lastly, wisdom is earned by effort and experience. Everything else is window dressing as we close in on the goal. We must not be afraid of effort and we have to trust the process that we have put into place to win. We have to look back and understand that we are changing into the winner that we never were before. This is our time and nobody can take it from us. We play to win. We do not play to NOT to lose. We only advance by being on the offensive and we dare not retreat. Imagine winning! Never lose that image——ever!
When we have finally attained our goal we are winners forever. You and I will never go back to the beginning and settle for nothingness. It’s absolutely vital that we embrace effort and expect to win. Life is not to be lived vicariously through others. This life is mine and I’ve come to take all the things they said I could never have.
I am a bodybuilder. My coach, Justin’s Dees says, “You can say it all you want, but you have to do it.” In other words, talk is cheap but actions define me. This year I am going to out work and out perform all of my competitors always because I have to prove to my coach that I want to become a pro bodybuilder more than he does.
Stay tuned! You have your challenge and I have mine. Let me know how you are doing and best of all tell me what you have accomplished and how you did it.
Until next time, I remain, Douglas E. Graham, Lt Col, USAF, (ret), MHSM
Six Pack and Senior 