"Know your limits, then ignore them" ~John Mason
Sometimes it is good to not know how far you can go. Then you will surprise yourself by how far you can go. Lets say that you are invited to run a marathon. You say yes knowing you have never run that kind of distance before. You get on the starting line and start running when you hear the signal. You will be pleasantly surprised how far you can run without stopping. Then you will be surprised that you are able to walk the rest without stopping. Then you will be able to tell everyone that you have completed a marathon. It may take you 6-8 hours to complete the marathon but that is OK. You did it, and that is all that matters.
Now that you have an idea of what it is like to run a marathon, you know what your limits are. You will know what it takes to get yourself to the next level. Now all you have to do is train yourself to get past those limits. You start running everyday. You start to rat better, making sure you eat things that will give your muscles the nutrients they need to take the punishment you intend to put on them.
Instead of waiting for someone to invite you to run that next marathon, you start searching for the next one you want to run. You make plans to be at that marathon, and you set goals to get you to the point to run that race. When the day comes you start running, and are amazed when you pass the 5 mile mark without feeling too much strain. You keep running till you can't run anymore. Then you walk the rest of the way. When you finish, you find you have shaved off two hours off you last marathon. Now you know what your new limits are and you can plan for the next one.
Showing posts with label live for today. Show all posts
Showing posts with label live for today. Show all posts
Friday, October 14, 2011
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Don't Walk Backwards
I walk slowly, but I never walk backward - Abraham Lincoln,16th U.S. president
Always take steps forward. You may have to tread slowly to make sure you are moving forward, but moving ahead slowly is better than having to move backwards. I think that is what our great leader was trying to say.
There are so many of us who are so used to taking two steps forwards and one step backwards. We try so hard to move up in our lives that we end up falling down and having to pick ourselves back up. Sure there are times in our lives when we should take chances to get ahead, but there is no reason to fall if we can see the obstacles ahead of us. If we can move a bit slower, we will move forward faster even though we are taking slow calculated steps.
I think the easiest example I can think of to illustrate my point is relationships. Think about this a minute. Let's say you meet someone you like and you ask them out on a date. You have a nice time, but you are so anxious to be in a romantic relationship that you push a kiss on her within the first hour of the date. You start holding her and hugging her and making her feel very claustrophobic. The next thing you know, she's not feeling good and asking you to take her home. Then there is no second date.
What if instead, you let things happen on their own. You go out on a nice date, you maybe hold her hand, you have wonderful conversation and have fun. Then you walk her to the door and ask her for a second date. On the second or third date, when you know that she is enjoying the time she is spending with you, you close in for that kiss. She returns the kiss and the relationship becomes what you were hoping it would be.
You will get a lot further if you let things happen in their own time. If you rush things, then things will change, possibly change for the worse. You can take advantage of the opportunities, but make sure the opportunities are there to be taken. If you jump the gun, you might have to start all over again.
Always take steps forward. You may have to tread slowly to make sure you are moving forward, but moving ahead slowly is better than having to move backwards. I think that is what our great leader was trying to say.
There are so many of us who are so used to taking two steps forwards and one step backwards. We try so hard to move up in our lives that we end up falling down and having to pick ourselves back up. Sure there are times in our lives when we should take chances to get ahead, but there is no reason to fall if we can see the obstacles ahead of us. If we can move a bit slower, we will move forward faster even though we are taking slow calculated steps.
I think the easiest example I can think of to illustrate my point is relationships. Think about this a minute. Let's say you meet someone you like and you ask them out on a date. You have a nice time, but you are so anxious to be in a romantic relationship that you push a kiss on her within the first hour of the date. You start holding her and hugging her and making her feel very claustrophobic. The next thing you know, she's not feeling good and asking you to take her home. Then there is no second date.
What if instead, you let things happen on their own. You go out on a nice date, you maybe hold her hand, you have wonderful conversation and have fun. Then you walk her to the door and ask her for a second date. On the second or third date, when you know that she is enjoying the time she is spending with you, you close in for that kiss. She returns the kiss and the relationship becomes what you were hoping it would be.
You will get a lot further if you let things happen in their own time. If you rush things, then things will change, possibly change for the worse. You can take advantage of the opportunities, but make sure the opportunities are there to be taken. If you jump the gun, you might have to start all over again.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
How Your Destiny is Shaped
"It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped." ~ Tony Robbins
Do you know how to make a decision? Are you someone who continuously has to think about something over and over and over pounding his own brain trying to figure out what the outcome of each decision might be? Well I don't think that is any way to live.
I have found that if I sit there and think about a problem for hours before I make a decision, then not only do I become a tortured soul, but so does everyone else around me.
Have you ever sat at home with your loved one and tried to decide what you want to do for dinner. You all know you want to go out for dinner, but you can't decide where. You bounce ideas back and forth but neither of you want to make the final decision, sometime because you want the other person to be happy with the choice; sometime because you don't really have a preference. Whatever the case, you spend more time trying to figure out where you want to go than the actual time it takes to get there and eat.
I think the best thing to do it to lay out the best things about each decision down on the table, then make a gut choice. Just choose the one that feels right. If they both feel good, then it doesn't really matter which one you choose, just pick one randomly.
After you have made that choice, stay with it. Once you make the choice, it is too late to go back and change your mind. See that choice through. Whatever the case (unless you foresee something horrible happening) do not change you mind. Just move forward and enjoy the choice you made.
Do you know how to make a decision? Are you someone who continuously has to think about something over and over and over pounding his own brain trying to figure out what the outcome of each decision might be? Well I don't think that is any way to live.
I have found that if I sit there and think about a problem for hours before I make a decision, then not only do I become a tortured soul, but so does everyone else around me.
Have you ever sat at home with your loved one and tried to decide what you want to do for dinner. You all know you want to go out for dinner, but you can't decide where. You bounce ideas back and forth but neither of you want to make the final decision, sometime because you want the other person to be happy with the choice; sometime because you don't really have a preference. Whatever the case, you spend more time trying to figure out where you want to go than the actual time it takes to get there and eat.
I think the best thing to do it to lay out the best things about each decision down on the table, then make a gut choice. Just choose the one that feels right. If they both feel good, then it doesn't really matter which one you choose, just pick one randomly.
After you have made that choice, stay with it. Once you make the choice, it is too late to go back and change your mind. See that choice through. Whatever the case (unless you foresee something horrible happening) do not change you mind. Just move forward and enjoy the choice you made.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Begin Your Life Today
Don't be afraid your life will end; be afraid that it will never begin. -Grace Hansen
I see so many people living for the future. It is important to plan for the future. I will admit to that, but I think a lot of people focus on the future so much that they forget about today.
The biggest example I can think of this thinking is with religion. People work so hard to make sure they are going to heaven, that they forget to think about what is happening right now. They forget to live. Sure planning for the afterlife is important and going to church is important, but you only get one life. You need to live it to the fullest. If you don't then what is the point in living? That is what God put us here to do, right?
I know people live in the past as well. They feel guilt or anger over what has happened to them or what other people have done to them. They let those emotions run their lives and they don't realize they are missing great opportunities in their lives today.
My best advice is to look at today. See the opportunities that are passing by you. Then move on those opportunities. It doesn't matter what has happened in your past, or what you are planning for in the future, if you take advantage of those opportunities, then great things will happen for you.
I see so many people living for the future. It is important to plan for the future. I will admit to that, but I think a lot of people focus on the future so much that they forget about today.
The biggest example I can think of this thinking is with religion. People work so hard to make sure they are going to heaven, that they forget to think about what is happening right now. They forget to live. Sure planning for the afterlife is important and going to church is important, but you only get one life. You need to live it to the fullest. If you don't then what is the point in living? That is what God put us here to do, right?
I know people live in the past as well. They feel guilt or anger over what has happened to them or what other people have done to them. They let those emotions run their lives and they don't realize they are missing great opportunities in their lives today.
My best advice is to look at today. See the opportunities that are passing by you. Then move on those opportunities. It doesn't matter what has happened in your past, or what you are planning for in the future, if you take advantage of those opportunities, then great things will happen for you.
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