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.
Something I hear often. I would estimate that at least 4-5 times per month, I speak to a man that tells me he doesn’t take care of himself like he once did because he’s married and/or no longer an athlete. The implication being that staying in shape is no longer relevant once you’re in a long-term relationship or not actively participating in athletics. You will not be surprised to hear that I do not care for this way of thinking.
When I hear this from other men, it always sounds like a form of giving up and complacency to me. Caring for yourself physically and nutritionally goes far beyond esthetic benefits. It is a form of self-respect that you are displaying (or not) to the rest of the world. When a person takes diligent care of themselves, they are more likely to enjoy the people and events around them more because they are happier, more confident, and energetic. For these reasons, anytime I hear someone tell me they no longer intend to care for themselves, I always urge them to reconsider.
Something that motivates me. There is a quote from Vince Lombardi I have loved for years, “Fatigue makes cowards of us all.” As we get tired, we lose our drive, focus, motivation, level of commitment, and more. I’ve seen this countless times in athletics, but it has applications to daily life as well.
For me, the potential for fatigue comes in the form of excessive stress, poor nutrition, lack of body movement, exhausting relationships, negativity, too much social media, and the like. That fatigue has the potential to make me a “coward” with my spouse, children, patients, and players I coach. Specifically, I would not have the energy to go the extra mile for them when I’m needed most. Therefore, to avoid fatigue I do my best to eat well, exercise often, spend time around those people and groups that uplift me, and avoid staring into my screen and pointlessly scrolling too often. Consider how fatigue might be affecting your life, output, and relationships and take steps to improve it.
A good reminder. Earlier this week I was speaking with some friends about an organization we are all familiar with. Each of us cares about this organization but unfortunately, all had recent experiences with them centering around lack of follow through, not honoring commitments, and a lack of appreciation for those trying to help. My friends attempted to make excuses for this poor behavior and asked if I agreed. I did not.
Principles and integrity cost a business nothing. You can have no employees or money in the bank and still be able to follow through on your word and say thank you to someone helping you. When this is not done, it is a giant red flag. To me, this is a sign that there are problems at the top and things are drifting off course. It may not be noticeable immediately, but eventually will show in terms of attendance and/or finances. Forgetting who you are and not prioritizing the people and things important to you is a path to the destruction of any business (or person).
Something I believe. When someone says that they are competitive, there can often be a negative connotation associated with it. As if it means you automatically overturn a table if you don’t win at Monopoly or freak out if you make a mistake. To me, that is being overly emotional and irrational. Being competitive is much different and I believe crucial.
Competition in my eyes involves being able to put forth your best effort in whatever you do. It raises the stakes and forces you to consider what is required to improve upon past performance. This can be true in competitive sports, work, or a run around the block. Being competitive trains you to have higher standards and expectations for yourself. Furthermore, it creates more comfort in challenging yourself because you understand you can always improve, even if you are to fall short in something. Regardless of what it is, be competitive in how you approach anything because you will find it leads to greater outcomes.
Some quotes I love.
“You have within you right now, everything you need to deal with whatever the world can throw at you.” – Brian Tracy
“In the long run, we only hit what we aim at.” – Henry David Thoreau
“Kill them with success and bury them with a smile.” – Usain Bolt
“Eating junk food is so common that eating healthy is labelled as dieting.” – Jonathan Goodman
“Hard choices, easy life. Easy choices, hard life.” – Jerzy Gregorek