On Fridays I like to share experiences I’ve had during the week with patients and in my personal life that I’ve found significant. I like to share them in hopes that you might find value in them and have something resonate with you in your life.
A saying I love. “We came to prove it.” This is a simple statement and one I love to use for myself and preach to my oldest sons. This is a way of saying that we do not want or expect anything to be handed to us. Instead, we are fully expecting and willing to put the time, effort, and heart into what we’re doing to become successful.
In essence, all we can hope for from a coach, employer, etc. is an opportunity to show what we’ve got and display our value. It is important to expect that such an opportunity will arise, and our job is to be ready when that occurs. That happens by being proactive and training our bodies and minds intensely daily so that we are strong and ready when our number is called.
Something that has stuck with me. When I was playing high school and college football, I remember coaches constantly telling players “You can’t make the club in the tub.” That meant that if you were hurt and sitting out (in the hot or cold tub), you would not be moving up the depth chart and showing what you could do. Coaches would say this because they had an idea of who was truly injured and who might be milking it to avoid the tough practices. To some, this may seem harsh, but I love it and it has stuck with me.
When we aren’t at work, on the field, at the gym, or doing what we should be doing, we lose ground. Progress stalls, opportunities are lost, and we must begin playing catch up. Sometimes it is obvious that we can’t do something, perhaps we’re very sick or truly hurt. Those situations are easy to identify. However, sometimes we magnify a small issue and pretend it’s something serious because deep down we are tired, nervous, self-conscious, scared, worried, etc. and so we stop what we should be doing. Those are the times when we absolutely must trudge on because they are the moments that display our capabilities and create grit. You can’t make the club in the tub, and you can’t be successful in an endeavor in which you take yourself out of.
A frequent reminder for me. I work out every morning, usually before 5:30am. Sometimes I will head into my home gym and not know exactly what I’m going to do for a workout. I’ll pace around, come up with ideas, spin my wheels, and fail to get started. This happens a few times per month, and I have found a solution. The second I feel myself wandering mentally and getting off track, I just begin doing something. It doesn’t matter what it is or if it’s the best thing, I just start doing anything. Without fail, each time I take this approach my mind clears immediately. I can come up with a better approach after thirty seconds of activity than I do of ten minutes of over-thinking it.
This same principle applies to life as well. Sometimes we wait forever for the right time, motivation, knowledge, permission, and the like. We get nowhere and become frustrated quite easily. Instead of doing this, just get started. Don’t worry about anything other than putting in a bit of energy and effort. That simple action carries a profound benefit. It removes a barrier your mind creates that prevents you from progressing toward a desired outcome. Once you begin, positive things will start to happen, and you’ll be on your way.
Something I believe. We all encounter pain. It may be physical, mental, or emotional but at some point, we all experience it. Two things I believe to be true about pain are that most people are so soft they will do anything to avoid even the slightest bit of discomfort and second, pain can be recycled into something greater.
Most people are so scared to feel even the slightest discomfort in their mental or physical state that they hide from pain. They seek out pills to mask it, withdraw from situations, avoid challenges, and more. I understand no one wants to be hurting and there are situations where these things are necessary, but by and large as a society we fear even basic discomfort. My belief is that all pain can be transformed into greatness if utilized properly. It can be used for motivation, as fuel to alter stagnant or ineffective routines/habits, a catalyst to gain knowledge, and so much more. I can’t think of any triumphs I’ve had that weren’t preceded by a period of pain, it’s just part of the process. If you are experiencing a difficult time, do your best to recycle it into something better and make that pain worthwhile.
Some quotes I love.
“Tell me I can’t. Watch as I do.”
“People do not decide their futures, they decide their habits, and their habits decide their futures.” – F.M. Alexander
“The master has failed more than the beginner has even tried.”
“Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection.” – Mark Twain
“We are not bestowed with inherently good or bad lives. We are granted a life, and it is within our control to determine whether it becomes good or bad.” – Marcus Aurelius