It's Not A Sprint

This one might be loaded with corny cliches and quotes you'd see those motivational posters.  You know, the ones with the rock climber, holding on by only the grip of his finger tips and still has another 500 feet to go and it reads "PERSEVERANCE"  blah blah blah.
I actually like those though.

I have about a dozen scenarios spinning around me right now, some are more intense than others.  Some have a little more on the line than others, but all point to the same poster quote.
Life isn't a sprint... and its not even a marathon.  It truly is a journey.

The irony of this entry is, its the anti-goal blog.
I had a conversation with someone who was having a mental issue with the speed of her results, or lack of speed I should say.  She tends to bounce around with her meal plans but always works hard.  And today as she was venting, I couldn't help but think "settle down... yes, I'm aware the goals are important, but you also need to be mindful of the actual progress you ARE making and stop looking at the progress you THINK you should be making.
Think about that.  In reality, the progress is there.  But she's so blinded or preoccupied with her expectations, the story in her head, shes missing out on all the enjoyment of the process.  And I know shes absolutely not alone, probably 80% of the people I talk to would say the exact same things she said to me.  

We're just piloting these vessels... (Sidenote:  This has zero to do with the training programs.  Everyone knows I do not prescript any "3 weeks to ripped," plans.  I prescribe life plans.)
I see this in yoga often when people get tied up with a pose and "I wish I could get this pose right," and I just want to ask "why?"

I understand my opinion, my angle, is in the minority but it doesn't stop me from wondering what it is inside of us, that makes us talk to ourselves the way an asshole parent or coach would.  That's really what it seems like.  "Why didn't you do it like that?"  "Why didn't this happen?  You said you'd do it."

For a minute, right now... think of time or something you;re currently going through where you talked to yourself... how did you sound?  What was your tone?  

So funny... just today, I was going through a pretty grueling circuit at the gym.  I grabbed a pair of dumbbells and lunged down 20 steps.  I got to the end then hit 20 push ups, 20 sit ups, 20 squat jumps, 20 shoulder press and set the dumbbells down the barely breathe... I walked off a few steps in one direction then turned and headed back for the dumbbells and round 2.  I picked them up, and stared at my Gatorade and water... just 20 lunge steps away and heard a voice, my voice, saying "No problem at all, 20 steps and go get a sip..." very, very calm, very cool and I was off and it was so enjoyable.  In the past, it would've been "WTF are you doing standing there, you dumb.... (expletive)," and on and on, but that voice is gone and a new one is here.  The new voice is a teammate, a great coach, a leader, and a friend and you have to be all four for yourself.  

I was talking to friend who's going through some things... and we're talking through situations and role playing and such and early in it, I could see the doubt and worry.  In his mind, someone just whispered "It wont work," and it was all over his face and body.  But before the end of the day, through conversations and some quiet time, something switched inside of him and I noticed he was standing taller and the gravity I heard in his voice just a few hours before was gone.  I asked him how he felt.  He said "optimistic, lighter, better than before."

Our minds are the absolute trigger point that controls every single thing.  The voice in our head needs to be on our team.

We also need to be surrounded by great people and our environment is crucial.  

Have you ever been in a great mood and then you're around someone and nothing crazy even happened but all the sudden, your mood is just gone?  Just sucked right out.  All the enthusiasm you had, just vanished.  Be careful of these mood suckers.  Maybe its not even a person, maybe its a place.  

Question is, when can you change your atmosphere?  When can you really change a person?  Can one person impose their will and change the scene?

Someone asked me this recently and I replied "When you're truly powered by love and truth, its not possible to wrong a wrong decision." And I see it like the wind at your back... everything moves faster and your right there with it, you're in the zone.  The words are right, the timing is right, the pauses are right, and they can feel the vibe, and they want some too.  Who wouldn't?  

It doesn't matter whether you're with me in a yoga room, on a football field, catch me at the day job, the weight room or showing a house, you're going to get the exact same guy, me, because I know when the mission is to help, to serve, to give, and to do it with truth and love... Things happen easily.

And here's the tie in... It doesn't always go how the voice in my head said it was supposed to go.  And that's totally ok.  Because this isn't a sprint.  So many of the things we go through are just tests.  That's it.  Literally.  It's like one huge test with infinite choices.  We're tested, we choose... yeah!  We got that one... lets move on to the next.  We're tested, we choose... ooops.  But a few moments or days or months later... we've moved on.  We learned, we enjoyed, we grew.   

Again, our minds are the absolute trigger point that controls every single thing.

Last thing... we have these roles, right?  We wear all these "hats," and play particular parts.  And often, we don't really choose them, they've been chosen for us based on the needs of someone else.  But we're in there.

Be mindful of the day the roles dissolve.  Don't be left wondering who you are ro where your worth lays.  No matter what your role may be for others, always continue to grow and evolve and learn and connect.  Be human.  There are too many distractions and ego based booby traps that can mislead us, don't fall for them.  The dark ego wants you to succumb to greed and selfishness and power and bully tactics.  Don't fall for it.  Remember, truth and love will always be the wind at your back, easing you along, guiding you right into your sweet spot.  

Enjoy the ride.

Peace, love and empathy.