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 lesson I’ve never forgotten. In my early twenties, I asked someone I respected to help me with my nutrition. He agreed, and we sat down with pen and paper so he could teach me the basics. It was not fancy but it was effective, and from that moment on I have used what he taught me. What I remember vividly is him telling me that the information he was providing was not complicated and would work for everyone. However, he also explained that for every ten people he gave the information, only one would follow and stick with it.
Having worked with thousands of patients and clients since that time, I can tell you that he was correct. With nutrition, exercise, or any form of self-care that requires consistency and discipline, most will not stick with it. People make excuses, get lazy, become complacent, or find any number of other methods of self-sabotage to halt their progress. If you are struggling in these areas, give thought to whether the problem is with what you’re doing or if it’s you that is perhaps the culprit. Results may not come easy, but they are possible if you figure out what to do, then actually do it.
Something I believe. Twice over the past month I have been at events where the speaker talked about some critical issues and the need to take immediate action. In both instances, he promised to provide action steps to help improve those issues but never did. This got me thinking about something I find vital.
I believe when it comes to the most important things in our lives such as family, health, finances, spirituality, freedoms, and more; we do not have the luxury of time. These areas require immediate and constant attention because the stakes are so high. There is no time to waste being timid or weak. If it’s something that matters, action must be taken as soon as possible. If it involves something or someone you care about, be desperate, deliberate, and relentless in what you do so that you don’t waste opportunities or time.
A good reminder for me. I was out for a run this week when I inadvertently reminded myself of an important lesson. Along the trails I run, there are several points where you can either take a shorter or longer route depending on the path taken. In other words, you can go one way and make it 3 miles or go another and make it 6. As I approached such a point in the run, I found my mind telling me “Take the shorter path, you trained hard for 6 months and ran a 100 mile race last month.” In other words, my mind was trying to make things easier and using past actions to justify it.
This is a dangerous way of thinking because it creates complacency. You become willing to take your foot off the gas, give yourself credit for the past, and ignore the importance of the present (and future). When I found myself thinking this way, I made sure I tagged on the extra miles. I did so to remind myself that what I’ve accomplished in the past no longer matters. What I achieve today and going forward should remain my only focus. This lesson applies to everything in life.
Something I loved. I was speaking with a patient this week that is successful in real estate. She mentioned she’d just left a conference with other high performers in her industry and how much those meetings inspire and help her to progress in her endeavors. She referred to those people as “humble bad asses” and that resonated with me.
Most people I look up to in business, life, athletics, and more are not the type to talk about themselves and tell you how great they are. Instead, they hold themselves to high standards and quietly go about following them with no regard to who notices. People like this are most concerned with their processes and outcomes rather than accolades or attention. Humble bad asses are the epitome of those who would rather show you what they are about than tell you. If there is something you are trying to achieve, focus on working hard, remaining consistent, and targeting specific outcomes. If you do that, credit will come later.
Some quotes I love.
“Be careful when you blindly follow the masses. Sometimes the M is silent.”
“Difference between school and life: In school you’re taught a lesson and then given a test. In life you’re given a test that teaches you a lesson.” – Joe De Sena
“Quality is not an act; it is a habit.” – Aristotle