Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot
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’m looking forward to. In August 2020, my brother-in-law, Sam died unexpectedly at the age of 32. He was my wife’s youngest brother, and we became very close in the time I knew him. He was my assistant coach in football and business partner and co-founder of Mile High Cryotherapy. February 4th is his birthday so last year I began the tradition of doing a “Sam Run” each year in his honor. Therefore, each year on his birthday, I create a route and run my own “race” equal to the age he would have been. This year will be 34 miles which I’ll run throughout Highlands Ranch along trails and roads.
I understand this isn’t how most people would honor a friend, but it works well for me. I am not someone that complains or dwells on things (even something as tragic as this). Therefore, the miles are my time to process my emotions and to visit with him in my own way.
When I run long distances, my mind becomes clearer than at any other time. In this case, I use this clarity to think about my friend and by the end I’m at a better place than when I started. This is my therapy, and it helps keep me positive and productive even when dealing with such a significant loss.
Something I believe. I had two separate conversations with people this week that had embarked on what I would call a lifestyle transformation involving exercise, nutrition, mental, habits, and more. I talked to the first person and asked how their program had been going over the first couple weeks and they told me it was hard, but they were seeing excellent results. The second person also told me it was hard, and they’d quit and then proceeded to give me 4 minutes of reasons why.
Both conversations reminded me of a saying I like to use, “If it’s hard then do it hard.” If you are going to embark on any worthwhile challenge, it is not going to be easy. Most people quit when the first challenge hits. To be the type of person that accomplishes the extraordinary, you’re going to have to be tough, gritty, persistent, and tenacious. If you’re not, you will not succeed in the long run.
If you’ve outlined a goal that is important to you, prepare yourself to keep going when things get so tough you don’t know if you can go on, because that will happen. The effort it takes to attain a lofty goal is like a gas tank. Most are willing to give a quarter of a tank. Be the person that is willing to run until you’re on fumes and even push it in neutral if you must. That’s what it takes.
Something I loved. My oldest son and I were having a conversation and he mentioned a kid in his strength and conditioning class. He told me that even though he was skinny, he is always taking furious notes in their strength and conditioning class, and then working ridiculously hard when they get to the weight room. I love hearing stories about people that don’t complain about what they didn’t get genetically or ability-wise, while at the same time maximizing their production through effort and consistency.
I told my son that as a coach or business owner, I’ll always take people with a desire to learn and great work ethic over people more talented. People like that tend to not make excuses and work the hardest because they don’t have the same level of natural ability to fall back on. A saying I love is “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”
An excellent lesson. My oldest son and his friend love to go house to house and shovel driveways when it snows. They work hard and do excellent work. They’ll usually do 8-10 driveways and charge $20. My son told me that when they offered their services to one guy, he told them $20 was too much and that $15 was the right price. I think this shook him a little and he asked me if he was charging too much and what my thoughts were.
I explained to him that by the fact people were hiring and re-hiring he and his friend so often, the price was not an issue. They provide a great service and should be compensated for their time. Next, I told him that one person wanting to pay less for a service is not a reason to sacrifice your own time and effort for less than you deserve. Finally, I told my son that if he were to lower his price based on that guy’s recommendation, he’d regret it. When we do a job the best we can but for less than we’re worth, we can become resentful. Offer the best service you can, make sure it’s as high quality as possible, and then charge what you’re worth for it!
Some quotes I love.
“If you feel it in your stomach, it’s your intuition. If you feel it in your chest, it’s your fear. Pay attention to your body. It is your guidance system.” – Rich Lopp
“What would the world be like if people stopped avoiding the things they knew they should do?” – Jordan Peterson
“I don’t think people’s opinions need a warning or disclaimer label. If you’re offended or upset about other’s words and opinions, don’t listen to them. Or do and get over it.” – Ryan Michler
“Life is a book. Every day is a new page, every month is a new chapter, and every year is a new series.”
“Every next level of your life will demand a stronger you.”
Want more?
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