Don't Save Anything for the Swim Back

Have you ever almost drowned?  If so, you will know what I'm writing about.  If not, just try an experiment right now...  Yes, right there in your chair is fine.  Now, Stop breathing!  As the seconds tick by you will begin to experience some physiological changes in your body and your mind will start to race.  You will become aware of your heart beating LOUDLY.  Pressure seems to build within you until you feel your head will BURST.  You need oxygen! You WANT oxygen!  You control how long you will try this experiment, so you can take a breath anytime you want, but imagine if there were an attacker trying to choke you, cutting off your air supply.  How hard would you fight back?  Is there anything you wouldn't do in your attempt to take your next breath?  I don't think so.

Now ask yourself if there anything else you are as deeply committed to obtaining as that oxygen?  Anything that you are so focused on achieving, such that nothing can get in your way?  Have you ever observed someone who is so laser focused on a goal that they don't turn to the left or right -- they just press forward, steadfast in the direction that will lead them to victory.  Because of their determination you just know they will win.  Deep down we all probably have something that drives us in this manner.  The key to achieving our personal best in all the important aspects of our lives is identifying that "something" and then harnessing the associated will power exhibited in those situations, so we can leverage it in all our endeavors.

Gattaca is a movie I like because it depicts someone with extraordinary will power.  Vincent is someone who is not expected to amount to a hill of beans because he doesn't have the "genetic" superiority that is required to be great.  He shows what happens when we dream big, setting our sights on the stars, when we work hard and never give up.

As you watch the clip below you will get a sense for Vincent's unconquerable spirit, especially as he interacts with his brother, Anton, whose genetic makeup was manipulated to produce a superior human specimen.  I love watching  the segment where it all clicks for Vincent and changes the course of everything for him.  I've had a couple of similar "break throughs" in my life where I have realized that I was not as weak as I thought.  I am in search of more of them, and also love to help others recognize the strengths within themselves.  Enjoy!

A Clean Slate

There are a few times in life when a particular event causes one to reflect inward. It could be a tragic event, such as 9/11, turning a particular age, the death of a loved one, marriage to a sweetheart, or in my most recent case, the birth of a child. My wife and I were blessed with another little girl a little over a month ago. Even though we've now been through this four other times, I had forgotten how tiny a newborn is, and how absolutely dependent they are upon their mothers.

Reflecting on my own life, and recollecting my earliest memories, I had the thought -- Knowing what you know now, would you want to do it all over again? I don't have a definite answer yet, but I'll share some of the things this question has made me think about.

First - I believe we all existed as energy forms or spirit beings before being born into this mortal life. I believe there is universal free will, or agency, which governs each of us -- even allowing us to have some level of progression and make choices during that pre-Earth life. I believe this is why we are born with different talents, personalities, etc. (I can speak from experience that each of our five children is unique... eventhough they each come from the same genetic pool). Our mortal bodies are the physical "homes" for our spirits as we continue our progression during the journey here on Earth. At death our bodies and spirits separate; the physical body is buried, but the spirit continues living. I believe there will be a resurrection, or reuniting of the spirit with a perfected body, at a future time after death and that this experience is all part of God's great plan for mankind, and part of our collective and individual progression.

Second, with the gift of free will that we all enjoy, I believe we are prone to make mistakes while we progress through our Earth life. It is through those mistakes that we learn (and hopefully don't repeat the same mistakes more that once), but it is also how we experience the opposites in Life; Joy and Sorrow, Pleasure and Pain, Happiness and Sadness. It is the gift that allows us to grow through hard work, getting smarter, and overcoming obstacles. I believe our greatest challenge comes with the required changes that are necessary when we recognize we have made mistakes. Those changes often require us to break bad habits, step out of our comfort zone or traditions that have been created, face embarassment or make restitution. If we simply step back and face our challenges and mistakes with a broader, eternal perspective and recognize that God has prepared a way for us to experience the positive effects that come from correcting our wrong choices, and make the change permanent, then we progress.

So, knowing what I know now, would I do it all over again? It depends. While this may not be the perfect analogy, I will use it anyway to explain my thoughts. When I go to an amusement park I love to ride the rollercoasters. They have lots of ups and downs, twists and turns, loops and corkscrews... just like Life. From that perspective, I guess that wouldn't mind doing it all over again -- I enjoy the experiences I have had. But, on the other hand, I often leave the rollercoaster thinking that the ride was too short. While thrilling for the moment, I recognize that all I am really doing is going in circles. From that perspective, I would not want to do it all over again -- I would be right back where I started.

So, as I look at my daughter and recognize that she has started mortal life with a clean slate, I am awestruck with the potential that lies within her. She has a spirit that is strong and willing. I assume right now her physical body is placing limitations on her ability to progress consciously - she can only express herself with being quiet or crying (not even any babbling yet). She is however, growing and developing at a rapid pace... imagine all the neuronal synapses that are forming and dying each second from the onslaught of information her neural receptors are collecting. Absolutely amazing!

I also recognize what awesome potential I have if will approach each day, hour, and minute as an opportunity to wipe my slate clean and start anew anything that I discover needs to change. As I step off the circular rollercoaster, that doesn't get me anywhere, and onto, what is referred to as the straight and narrow path (eventhough it still has Life's ups and downs; twists and turns) which has a forward direction and eternal perspective, I am pursuing excellence and perfection.

Two quotes come to mind in closing this post; Louise Heath Leber said, “There's always room for improvement, you know-it's the biggest room in the house.”

And, as the Greek Philosopher, Heraclitus, taught "The only constant is change itself!"

Extra Effort (1", 1%, or 1°) Makes all the Difference

I remember watching my Mom cook when I was younger and occasionally I would help out. I always thought it was interesting to watch the hot water on the stove in preparation to dumping in the pasta noodles. As the water would get hotter and hotter, little bubbles would form on the bottom of the pot and then they would begin to release and float upwards. This continued until more and more bubbles were release and the pot would come to a "rolling boil". This was the point that the water became hot enough to cook with.

I came across the following site www.inspireyourpeople.com a few months ago and the principle behind its message resonates very well with me, so I wanted to share.

Here are two quotes that express my thoughts related to giving the extra effort required to make change happen.

"No one ever attains very eminent success by simply doing what is required of him; it is the amount and excellence of what is over and above the required, that determines the greatness of ultimate distinction." Charles Francis Adams 1807-1886, American Statesman, Diplomat

"All endeavor calls for the ability to tramp the last mile, shape the last plan, endure the last hours toil. The fight to the finish spirit is the one... characteristic we must posses if we are to face the future as finishers."
Henry David Thoreau

Excellence is not achieved by just having talent and skill, but through the ability to get up one more time when we are worn out, to go the extra mile in helping a stranger, to give the extra degree of effort to finish a task ... to do whatever is hard, especially when we are ready to give up. Time to turn up the Heat!