I use this blog to express my thoughts around self-improvement and personal development throughout life. To share challenges faced and how they have been overcome. My hope is that readers will find motivation and encouragement here in their pursuit of excellence, just as I am pursuing my personal best.
Life is very interesting! Sometimes you have a feeling or desire to do something that you have no idea how you will accomplish it. There may be fear and apprehension associated with the goal. There may be hard work required, but deep down, you know you want to conquer the task.
Then, out of nowhere, a glimmer of hope appears! Rekindling the spark that may have dulled over time. That's what has happened to me with the prospects of competing in the 2013 Ironman Championships in Kona, Hawaii.
Last night I submitted a video application for the opportunity to accomplish a B.H.A.G that I set on April 18, 2003. Now I wait to see the outcome of creating this fun video. In the meantime, I will be training... you can follow my progress at http://www.facebook.com/My90Days
My video will be judged on the following:
Demonstration of commitment/passion to take on the challenge of becoming an Ironman (25%);
Relevance to Search Theme (25%);
Originality and Creativity (25%).
On-Air Presence (25%)
This video (below) is the opportunity which has presented... Hines Ward,
sponsored by GotChocolateMilk, is looking for two contestants to train
and go the distance.
I hope you enjoyed watching as much as I had making my video. Let me know your thoughts and what is something you are working towards. Best wishes in your pursuit of your personal best.
This morning I came across a commercial and really enjoyed the message about finding our power within. To me, this is what achieving our personal best is all about.
The commercial depicts Patrick Willis of the NFL thinking in retrospect of his life as a little boy... facing the challenges of growing up. Perhaps the reason I like the video is because of the memories this picture brings to me. Growing up in rural Virginia, there were many times when I just ran through fields or pastures because there wasn't anything else to do. I often used my imagination to create scenarios with my brothers as we would play Hide-and-Seek, play Army, or Cowboys and Indians. Those were great times and were my foundation for developing my power.
I particularly like these words in the commercial, "I don't know if I was because I was running towards something or running away from it. But, that didn't matter. What I did know is, that when you run into something, something bigger, something meaner, something with the power to knock you down... You have to trust in yourself! Trust that you can get back up! And, not give in! Ever!"
"Cause power isn't just about going forward... it's about not letting anything hold you back. You find it within yourself and you can go anywhere you want."
Finding that power is a daily task. We can't give up if we want to succeed. I'll share what I've been doing lately in my journey to continue my path to success in another post. I'd love to hear what my readers are doing. Please share!
It's Saturday morning, July 30th, 2011. I arrive in Guerneville, CA about 5:30am. It is dark and misting. I find a place to park my car on the side of the road and begin to unload my bike from the back seat (I must not to forget to thank Jim Green for letting me borrow his bike... I'm so grateful for that gesture of kindness... Thank You!) Other triathletes are walking past loaded up with all their gear, pushing their bikes in the dark towards the main street in town. I put on the tires and inflate them to 110 pounds. I make a final check of everything and mentally run through the sequence of the day and ensure I have everything... wetsuit, cap, goggles, towel, bike, helmet, bike shoes... then I start walking in the same direction as everyone else. I remember that I forgot to get my heart rate monitor and watch from the front seat, so I retrace my steps and then hurry quickly to catch up to where I was before.
I find myself in a long line of triathletes waiting to get into the transition area where we can rack our bikes and lay out our gear. There is an announcer giving directions over a loud speaker, so as I get closer to the entrance of the swim-bike transition area, I can understand what he is saying. "There will be over 1,000 participants today." "Swim starts will be 3 minutes apart, and you must start with your age group, wearing the appropriately colored swim cap." Since I am 40 my cap is yellow and I will start at 6:33am. "The water temperature is 72 degrees, so by USA Triathlon Rules, wetsuits will be allowed." Good thing that I rented one!
By the time I get in the corral, it is starting to get light. Among the many many rows of bike racks, I find the section that has been assigned to my age group and I begin to lay out my gear. This is now my Transition 1 territory! (I set up my Transition 2 territory last night at Windsor High School... That's where I will get off the bike and start the run ... some triathlons are situated where both transitions occur at the same place, but not today... that means that I'll need to come back to Guerneville and pick up my car later tonight).
The time is going by pretty quickly and I realize that I only have about 10 -15 minutes before start time. I quickly rush to the portable toilets one last time and return to put on my wetsuit and then head down to the water. My wetsuit is just about 1 inch short and 2 inches too tight around the chest, so I have to get help from someone to zip me up. Now I'm all set and finally the moment arrives where we are told to get in the water and wait for the count-down... 3- 2- 1 - GO!
The water in the Russian River doesn't seem very cold (thanks to the wetsuit), and I find that I'm floating a lot easier (again thanks to the wetsuit). I start swimming. There are arms and legs kicking everywhere... I don't want to get hit in the face! I'm getting brushed by others and I'm bumping in to them as well. The water is dark, so I can only see people beside me when I take a breath and when I lift my head to sight in the open water and make sure I'm heading in a straight direction. I am feeling pretty calm (considering that this swim portion of the Ironman has been THE major fear that has kept me from attempting this earlier in my life). I start a rhythm of stroke - stroke - breath that I plan to do for the next 2.4 miles. I have a goal to complete this portion of the race in around 1hr 45 mins. After a while I see athletes standing up and walking. I find that rather strange until I start to hit the gravel on the bottom of the river with my hands and realize that the river is very shallow in some parts. So, I stand up and walk for a few yards as well... trying to find deeper water. The rocks are sharp and don't feel good on my bare feet... besides isn't this supposed to be the swim leg? I feel like I'm going faster when I'm swimming vs. trying to wade through the water. (This happens about 5 times throughout the swim which is two laps up and down the river) I also find that my neck is starting to burn on the right side. During one of the times when I stand up, I discover that the velcro strap for the wetsuit is rubbing my neck raw everytime I breath and turn my head to the right... Not very comfortable, so I attempt to modify the fastener which helps a little, but the major damage has already taken place. Oh well, deal with it! I'm not letting that stop me!
Eventually I near the final few yards of the swim. It doesn't seem like it has been that long since I started. Perhaps it is because my mind has been focused on avoiding getting kicked, or the constant sighting to stay on course, or the general excitement all around being different than swimming laps at the pool. I exit the water and realize that I finished the swim portion in 1 hr 18 mins. That's at least 20 minutes faster than I was planning on! Good way to start the day! Now, how do I get out of this wetsuit? Luckily I hear a volunteer say they can help, so I readily accept, and am soon next to my bike, rinsing the sand and dirt from my feet, putting on socks and bike shoes (while stuffing my face with a banana and some cashews and macadamia nuts). I grab my helmet and start walking my bike up a hill toward the Bike Out exit and to begin the next 112 miles on the bike.
The bike has a computer to tell me mileage, speed, etc., so about 2 miles into the race I realize I need to reset the computer so I'll have accurate readings. I start sipping water and taking a few electrolyte pills; a routine that I plan to do every hour. It's still early so traffic is not bad. Police officers are at all intersections controlling traffic, so that is really nice... no stopping, unclipping, starting. I don't really know the course since I didn't have time to drive it the day before, but the turns are marked and volunteers are everywhere directing us the right way. Besides, there are other cyclists all around, so I don't think I'll get lost. I'm making good time. I look at the computer and see I am averaging 20 mph. That's a little too fast than the pace I was thinking of, but I'm feeling good and don't feel like I am pushing hard, so I just keep the pace. I'm hoping to complete the 112 miles in under 8 hours... I calculated that in order to do so, I need to average around 15 mph, with hills and everything.
Suddenly a bike passes me around Mile 7 and I notice the man only has one leg. (Take a glance at the picture to the right and you'll see his right hand and crutch -- that means he swam faster than me as well!) He is clipped in and is just powering through with one leg. I have to take a picture of this, so I reach down and try to get my phone quickly before he's out of site. He ends up in front of the guy in the blue shirt (pictured below) in front of me... He's blocked so I can't get a good picture, but here's what I took. While I'm at it I snap a picture of me as well (at least I tried to while pedaling down the road)
I begin to ponder if my Ironman challenge is really that big of a deal? When I see someone like that (a one-legged man passing me on the same challenge) it makes me stop and think about my tiny impact. Life really is interesting and can teach us great lessons if we're ready to learn. We should all be trying to get better, to improve upon where we currently are... in all aspects of life! When things happen that may get us down we still have a choice on how we will move forward. Attitude is very important! Determination and Discipline are as well! Even though I'm still in the first several miles of the bike portion of the race, I am motivated by seeing this man and more determined to complete my goal at all costs.
A little after these thoughts settle into my mind, I'm ready for some water. We are going up and down hills and around curves, through the woods... really a fun ride so far. After I replace my water bottle I go over some bumps... out goes my water bottle! "Goodbye!" I say, because I'm not stopping to go pick it up. I look at the guy next to me and say, "At least I just got to take a drink first, huh?" He says nothing, just keeps pedalling. I'm not too worried about the water, because I know there is supposed to be water and Gatorade at mile 28. Sure enough there is, and as I ride by, I grab a bottle of Gatorade from one of the volunteers outstretched hand and keep going. The next 20- 30 miles is pretty much the same routine.... keep pedalling! Going up hills, down little hills. The terrain seems to be mostly neutral... maybe slightly more uphill on average. The weather is perfect, slightly overcast. Just a perfect beginning to the day in Napa Valley. I make it up a long hill and have a fun fast ride down the other side... I got up to 38 mph going down! I pass through another aid station, but don't need anything... Pretty soon, I realize that I'm half-way through. But, I also realize that this is the furthest I've ever riden a bike in my life... Only one other time I rode 60 miles... and that was July 4th 2011. (I've tried to be pretty conservative in my riding because in the prior two months after borrowing the bike, I tried to increase the mileage pretty quickly... That, combined with trying to do the same intensity with my running, generated stress in my right knee and created IT Band friction pains... so, I pretty much kept to only 20- 30 miles on my training rides, once or maybe twice a week). It's kind of hard to find a free 4 to 6 hour block of time for training while managing a family with five active kids, full time work, etc. !
Knee pain is not good... not for biking or running... actually not good for anything! Of course, I have concerns about my right knee acting up on the ride. So far it's holding out really well. The chiropractic adjustments and the deep tissue massage that I received earlier in the week to break up adhesions seem to be paying off for my right knee. But, what is this little pain that is starting in my left lateral knee joint? Soon, I find myself heading up Chalk Hill, a fairly steep hill on the course. By the time I reach the top, I start to get a little concerned about the left knee and begin to slow down my pace to conserve energy and to try to reduce the stress on it. I decide that I will stop at each aid station and stretch for 8 to 10 minutes, to break up the repetitive motion, and to allow my body opportunity to try and replenish energy stores. As I pass through the miles around the half-way point and as begin to think more about the knee pain, my mind begins to entertain thoughts of doubt and fear. I start to feel the impact on my body and wonder how I will even finish another 50 miles, and then run a marathon? I decide to stick with my original plan of hydrating and consuming calories: I eat a Cliff Bar, take some electrolyte pills, and a glucose tablet. I soon begin to recognize scenery and a portion of the road that I know I passed ealier in the morning. I now know that I am on the second lap and I begin to anticipate some of the hills and aid stations. I decide to use this familiarity of the course to my advantage. I adjust my mental perspective and just focus on what is coming up. About this time, I hear sirens wailing in the distance. They are approaching quickly and soon a fire truck zooms passed. I'm wondering, where is the fire? About a mile or two later, I catch up to the firetruck parked in the middle of the road and notice they are attending to a cyclist lying in a fetal position on the side of the road. Is it heat exhaustion? Did he get hit? What happened I wonder as I cycle by?
It is now around 1pm. The sun has been out for over an hour and I notice the temperature has warmed up quite a bit. I continue my hydration, mostly water now. I keep a bottle of Gatorade on the bike, but bike while holding a bottle of water. This water is handy for rinsing my sticky fingers after eating another Cliff Bar. I begin to squirt water on my head through the slits in my bike helmet. This feels pretty good! I squirt some water down the back of my neck and let it run down my back. My neck begins to sting and I realize it is from my skin having been rubbed raw during the swim. It's OK because it takes my mind off my knee.
I continue on... up and down familiar hills... I arrive at the same aid stations and joke with some of the volunteers that I'm back. They offer me a chair to sit down, and I tell them, No. I've been sitting on a bike saddle for 6 hours by now (thank goodness I broke down and bought the tri shorts with a padded seat), and besides, if I sit down I may not be able to get back up!
Chalk Hill seems to be a little steeper this time around. I strategically use my gears differently on this ascent and I stand up as I slowly climb the hill. Strange as it may seem, I am passing 5 other cyclists... how is that possible? Soon after coasting down the other side I start looking at the odometer and begin calculating the remaining distance... Only 25 more miles... Only 24 more miles... Only 23 more miles. I realize that this slow count isn't really helping because I have a route at home that is about that long and when I do that loop twice, I can become very tired... time to focus on something else. I find that it is easy to let my mind wander. Some triathlete passes me; I look at their bike; I sense how hard they are pedalling. I pass someone and I wonder if they are in pain? What's their story? Is this their first attempt at an Ironman as well?
Soon I pass through the half-way point marker again and realize that I only have about 13 miles left. My instinct is to pick up the pace. I hold back knowing that I need to nurse my left knee (which is starting to become more and more painful). I start to think more about the 26.2 mile run and formulate a plan for dealing with the pain. I resolve to pursue a walk -run strategy, and as I finalize those thoughts I find myself in the last miles leading up to T2 (transition from bike to run).
I dismount my bike and walk through the spaces to the rack where I have left my running shorts and shoes. I decide to snap a quick picture! (I guess I forgot to say Cheese!)
I quickly step into a changing tent and emerge dressed as a runner. As I am walking toward the transition exit to begin the marathon, I hear an announcement... The first place finisher has just crossed the finish line, just under 9 hours. That means that I biked the 112 miles in 7 hours 12 mins... I'm pretty happy with that because that puts me ahead of my expectations by about 1.5 hours! My energy level is great. My legs don't feel too wobbly. My knee does hurt a little as I walk on it, but I feel pretty good about my plan to walk the first two miles then alternate running 4 miles/ walking 1 mile for the rest of the race.
I pull out my little bag of Pringles and start walking. I figure the carbs, fat, and calories that I need are packed in those little chips. There are tons of spectators and volunteers along the side of the road. One lady says, "Now that's my kind of runner!", as I munch on the chips and walk by. I just smile and think to myself, "If only you knew what I'm really like." I'm now strolling quickly, eating, and feeling really awkward to not be running. (I ran Cross Country and Track in High School and have done some other races throughout my years at Brigham Young University and Life West Chiropractic College. I've always been in the front quartile and would consider running one of my strengths.) That being said, it seems that my running ability has declined over the years. Partly because I have kept a busy work life, I find myself sitting behind a desk and sitting while commuting so many hours a day, that it has affected my muscle strength and endurance and thus has impacted my running ability. This is very frustrating to me... knowing my capability and potential and not living up to it is miserable to me. I just can't seem to be satisfied with accepting the "You're getting older" or "This is normal" kind of talk that is so common now days.
I'm now at mile 1.5 and am bored out of my mind walking. Seeing others pass me is excruciating... just a little more so than the knee pain, so I decide to break with my walk/ run plan and start to run. I only get a few strides into a run and feel the pain in my knee flair up. I keep running thinking the pain will magically disappear, or that my prayers for the pain to go away will be answered. I alter my gait a little trying to take the pressure off, but nothing works. Those 50 yards is enough of a test, to let me know that my run/walk strategy is not going to work. I continue walking thinking of other strategies, but now realize that my goal of finishing under 13 hours is not going to physically be possible. I start to calculate the distance in my head -- the timing necessary for me to complete the Ironman in the alotted 17 hours. I've never "walked" a marathon, but have heard it takes about 8 hours. That puts me right at the cut-off mark... that's cutting it too close for my comfort! So, I slightly increase my walking pace.
As I'm doing so, I mentally try to relate this experience to a vacation in Italy we had a few years ago, where my wife and I walked all over the cities of Venice, Florence, and Rome. We didn't want to spend money on transportation, so we just walked everywhere. And, we saw practically everything that others would see... we just walked fast to get to all the places. My only problem now, was I didn't know if my knee would continue to get worse, or if I had enough time to finish by the cut-off time. The only way I will figure out my pace is to keep going! So, I do.
The run course is set up nicely. It is a three loop, out-and-back course (the only bad thing is the turn around point which begins each loop is only 25 yards from the finish line -- it kind of gives you a feeling of mockery as you come in to start the second and third loop). However, with this setup there is practically an aid station at every mile... I really didn't need to bring any food with me, and there was plenty of water and Gatorade to stay hydrated. The sun is out and shining bright! It really is a perfect day to be out for a nice run. The scenery is beautiful and reminds me of my trip to Italy. Everything is great, except I can't run!
I reach the first far-end turnaround point and soon cross the 5 mile mark... I continue walking and soon complete Loop 1. I get a bracelet indicating that I am now on lap 2. I calculate my time and realize that it took me 1 hr 50 mins to complete the almost 9 miles... I'm making pretty good time! (just for the record I ran 9 miles in under an hour back in February, so this is a little frustrating) Still, I am somewhat relieved now, knowing that all I have to do is keep walking and I will be an Ironman... just a couple of more hours! On this second lap, I begin to recognize other athletes. Many are doing a run/walk strategy as I had originally planned. I find myself passing some of the walkers, only to have them pass me shortly thereafter as they jog by. But, then a few minutes later... I pass them walking again. There are a few individuals that I continue to pass/be passed by for the rest of the race.
Going downhill is very painful for my knee! I find that this is the worst part about the marathon walk so far. I pass the 13 mile mark and am happy to know I'm half-way there. The song by Bon Jovi... "Half-way there... Living on a prayer..." pops into my mind and I sing that in my head for a while. I'm jolted back to reality as I go down one of the steeper hills on the course. The pain has increase as the irritation and stresss on the joint is exacerbated with each step. There are points along the way where I consider stopping. I notice another pain developing. This one is a searing, buring pain on my left pinky toe. I know I'm getting a blister, but continue to walk on. After a few more miles, I ask for a bandaid at an aid station. I sit down to wrap up my toe. I shouldn't have sat down! As I stand up I notice that my hamstrings on both legs have tightened and now they start to burn and pull with each step as well. What's going on with my body I begin to wonder? I'm nearing the end of the 2nd loop (18 Miles) and see all the spectators lining the last 1/2 mile stretch leading up to the finish. They are cheering everyone on, but it seems they are cheering on those who are trying harder. I get fewer comments it seems, perhaps because I am walking.
At this point, I don't really care. This is an internal competition for me, and the external cheers won't make a difference. I do start to look for my family in the crowd. They were planning to come up later in the day after finishing with Swim League Championships. By this time, I estimated that the girls swim meet is over and they have driven the 100 miles to be at the finish as planned. I don't see them! I guess that means no pictures! Sometimes when we are accomplishing a big goal it is nice to document the moment... to have a momento to look back upon as a source for future inspiration. That's what I was hoping for, but I guess it's not going to happen... in the end I have my memories and mental pictures.... I have all of the thoughts that have crossed through my mind as memories, and you can't even take pictures of those. As I continue walking, I think of how blessed I am. I am grateful for a healthy body that allows me to even attempt this journey. My emotions well up a little as I consider how great my Heavenly Father is, with all his creations, me included. I soon take note of a lady who cruises by on her hand-bike. She obviously is a parapalegic, but is out there giving her best. Another moment of gratitude and inspiration sweep over me!
I am now on my final loop. My pace has slowed down a little. The 2nd loop (about 9 miles each) took me exactly 2 hours. If I can pace out another 2 hours, I will finish at 9:30pm. I discover I have two major competing pains now. The left knee and a new pain on the ball of my left foot. I know this is the formation of another blister, but there is nothing I can do about it now. It is caused by my altered gait that I have developed as I try to compensate for the knee pain. Each step feels like someone is filleting the skin off of my foot, followed by stabbing me in the knee joint with an icepick. I have passed the final turnaround and am heading back for the final 4 or 5 miles. It is completly dark now, and I'm just walking and walking. I continue to pick up food and drink at each aid station and consider that my nutrition plan worked out very well for the day. I pick up a cup of ice and begin to chew the ice as I walk. I try to freeze my tongue to take my attention away from my knee and foot. It works for a few seconds.
I finally pass my last aid station and head down the last mile. As I approach the area where all the spectators have been, I notice that the crowd has thinned a little, but there are still a few die hards who are still rooting us along. A guy passes me running only to stop a few yards away and starts walking. I catch up to him and say, "Just a few more blocks." He say, "Yah, I thought this was the last one." I pass him for a few minutes, until we turn the corner which leads directly to the finish line and he runs past me. I finally make it to the carpeted area, which leads to the finish arch and hear my name announced, "Jason O'Connor from Antioch, CA... Come on Jason, Bring it on in! There we go!" So, I create some kind of gallop- limp- run and cross over the finish line. I now hear my kids yelling my name. I look over behind the fences and see each of them along with my wife smiling and saying things like, "Good job, Daddy!" "Are you done?" "How was it?"
So, in what seems just like a second, it's all over. I've finished the 140.6 mile distance. I can now call myself an Ironman! Tons of thoughts are racing through my mind, What a great day! It's late! I need to go get my car. I need to find all my gear. And, I should really find some ice for my kneee! As these thought occupy my mind, it feels like my body also knows that I am done. I am starting to get tight... We'll it all seems to work out... just like the race did... I find all my stuff, I get ice for my knee, we find my car, I drive home and arrive around 1:30am, take a shower, and crawl into bed. I sleep pretty good tonight!
I awake the next morning, ready to go to church. Yes, I have a few aches and pains, they will start to go away as my recovery begins. In the back of my mind, I know what I need to do next.... I have to do set some new goals, strengthen some muscles, work on my endurance and, Yes, I will have to do another Ironman to improve upon this performance. That's the way I look at things. That's the way I pursue life. Little by little, this pursuit of my personal best and the transition from Ordinary to Extra-ordinary will happen. Good luck to each of you as you continue along your own journey. Perhaps our paths will cross in the future!
If you are like me, I was scared of the swim... It kept me from participating in a Triathlon for many years. Do you have hesitation or apprehension about competing in a triathlon? I enjoyed this video produced by Cliff Bar and wanted to share. I am interested in hearing your stories (good and bad) about the swim leg. Please share by posting a Comment.
How many of you used to play Superman when you were little. I can remember tying a towel around my neck, running down the hallway in my home toward the living room, cape flying in the wind. Upon reaching 3 -4 feet in front of the couch, I would launch and fly over the arm of the couch landing prone on the seat cushions. I would have endless hours of fun playing superheros as a kid.
Did you ever think we would actually be able to fly solo? Take a look at this video... Lesson learned is never set your sights to low as you are trying to achieve your personal best.
With Thanksgiving upon us tomorrow, I cannot help but reflect on the many blessings in my life! As I journey through life, my focus is usually on the future... what do I need to do to improve (fill in the blank), how do I get better at (fill in the blank), etc. In order to pursue our personal best however, we must occassionally look backwards and recognize what we are trying to improve upon. Never underestimate your potential for growth and never devalue the progress you have made.
When we think of the things we are grateful for, we automatically put ourselves in a positive state of mind. Whe we think positively and with optimism we are able to tap into our creativity, which will bring new ideas on how to improve and achieve a personal best.
So, let this Thanksgiving be an opportunity to grow by showing gratitude. As I progress through the next year, I am going to work on develop a consistent attitude of gratitude and can't wait to see the growth that results. Just remember that you don't have to be great to get started, but you have to start to become great!
Many times in life it is our attitude that determines the outcome. Henry Ford is quoted as having said, "If you think you can, or you think you can't... You are right!"
When I was going through Chiropractic School I had an experience that I will share. I had finished my 2nd year and was getting ready to enter my clininical internship which would run for the next 2 years. We found out that my wife, who had been working while I was in school, was pregnant with our first child. With all the excitement that comes with the prospects of becoming a father, I was a little nervous because I knew that when the baby was born, my wife would be home taking care her. That meant no income! Sensing my responsibility to provide for the family I was concerned with the timing... I still had at least 2 years before I could begin my Chiropractic practice.
It was the beginning of Summer Quarter and I had about 7 or 8 months to work with. I took a look at the clinical requirements that were needed and decided that I would complete the 2 years worth of work before baby was born. I didn't know how I would accomplish the task. Not being from the Bay Area, I didn't have any patients lined up. There were plenty of things that could have put doubt in my mind or derailed my plans, but I simply went to work and began to care for my patients one at a time. Before I knew it I had surpassed my goal and subsequently was able to spend more time being a Dad allowing my wife to continue working on a part-time basis until I graduated!
When I saw this movie, Facing the Giants, it reminded me of the fact that sometimes to achieve our greatness, we need to just put on blinders and go for it! The "never quit" attitude will carry us far. Enjoy the clip below and remember to check your attitude in your pursuit of your personal best. And for the record, You can count me in too!
In our pursuit of improvement and acheiving our personal best the principle of forgiveness cannot be overlooked. One of my favorite stories, that illustrates the various facets associated with forgiveness, is the story of Jean Valjean in Les Miserables, written by Victor Hugo. My first introduction to this wonderful story was through the movie. I highly recommend becoming familiar with this story through the book, opera, or video... Warning: It will make you cry and will motivate you to excellence!
If one is to progress... one must become better than one was before...which requires change. Change requires that we recognize areas for improvement and the mistakes we have made along our way. Improvement also requires that we learn from those mistakes, rectify any wrongs, and do not repeat them again. For this positive change to take full effect in our lives we are required to forgive. In the book, The Miracle of Forgiveness it says, "He who will not forgive others breaks down the bridge over which he himself must travel." Forgiving others can be difficult, but just as difficult, if not more, is the requirement to forgive ourselves.
Another one of my favorite stories, which illustrates the spiritual changes that take effect when we practice forgiveness to its fullest is found in The Book of Alma Chapter 36 Alma shares the gamut of his feelings and records, "And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain! Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy."
Forgiveness truly is an amazing gift, that we must both give and receive, which helps us grow in our pursuit of becoming our personal best. I know from personal experience the feeling of joy that Alma describes when a burden has been lifted off my shoulders, or the weighty thoughts have been eased from my mind. I invite readers to feel free to share feelings and how Forgiveness has assisted in your own pursuit of personal bests.
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!
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!"
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!
Last Saturday my 3 daughters competed in their swim team League Championships. Each of them achieved "PBs" (Personal Best) by beating their best times of the season. In doing so they each placed in the finals in their respective age groups (means they were one of the top 8 swimmers of the league).
Pictured to the left is my youngest daughter - the one I wrote about in my first posting 8 months ago. What an inspiration to see her work hard and reap the rewards for doing so. And, to see her confidence grow and see her satisfaction of knowing that she did her personal best is all that a proud father can ask. I'll share what has impressed me the most from her results last week -- the effects from over 2 years of working with her to overcome her obstacles to her greatness.
I have attached a video of her final swim of the season in the freestyle event. She ended up placing 9th overall based on the heat finals, so she did not actually get a chance to compete in the 6 & Under Freestyle Finals. Who knows if she could have beat her personal best again? I believe she would have. [She is in Lane 5, the yellow starting block in the center of the screen. Her time was 22:27 - Sorry for the fuzzy video - just an old camera]
Here are the things that I am most impressed with about her performance:
1. She is no longer fearful of the water
2. She is confident around other children and adults
3. She picked something she wanted and kept working hard to get it (Her goal was to get a "Bag/ Towel" Time)
4. She can swim the entire 25 yrds without taking a breath (not too bad for a 6 yr old!)
5. She actually placed 3rd in the league in the Breast Stroke Finals - I'm not even writing about that.
So, enjoy the video! This is proof that personal success will be achieved when we set our mind on a goal, work hard, and never give up. Now, go out there and get a PB!
This is the motto from the Olympics which means "Swifter, Higher, Stronger". Think of the Olympian, who by definition is one of the world's elite athletes, arriving on the competitive stage with all the other elite athletes from other countries. The focus that each competitor must have is surely intense. What could be a better mantra to focus on than, Citius, Altius, Fortius?
As I work toward my pursuit of personal excellence, I have to constantly remind myself to avoid complacency. I think it is a natural tendency to relax our focus at times - especially right after achieving a monumental goal. It is difficult to only have a brief celebration and then engage 100% again on a new goal.
I have heard this explained as the "Thermometer Effect". Basically it is assumed that everyone has a "setting" at which they operate... just like we may set the thermometer for air conditioning or heating. As we go through our years of work, we find that we have instances where we may be above the setting, or below the setting. An example could be that in sales, we are working hard to win new business, and meet the quota, etc. We may put in extra work that results in achieving an outcome high above the goal - We may have become HOT! So, our thermostat kicks in and begins to "COOL" us down subconciously. We may find that our efforts are more relaxed and the ensuing results bring us back to the average setting at which we are comfortable.
So, how do we reset our thermostat? Using a reminder, such as "Citius, Altius, Fortius" may be the thing we need. Especially if it links us emotionally to the big hairy audacious goal we are aiming for. As I am pursuing my personal best in many aspects of my life, I am looking for those emotional anchors that will allow me to consistently attain my objectives more frequently and at a more rapid pace. Be Excellent!
I heard this phrase so many times as I have played sports through the years, especially from playing highschool basketball for four years. A Coach's job is to develop each individual player to perform to his/her best and to help the team work as a cohesive group that performs at an even higher level together so they can beat all opponents. In life, we must develop that coach within ourselves.
During basketball season, our practices consisted of running drill after drill, scrimmaging, running plays, and then repeating for about 2-3 hours everyday. At the end of each practice, we would line up on the baseline and run "suicides". [This is a drill in which you run back and forth touching all the lines on the court in under 30 seconds] After several of those, the coach would pick a teammate and have them shoot a free throw while they were tired. If the shot went "in" we were done and could go shower... If the shot missed we ran more suicides. Coaches would always share analogies about our work ethic in practice and how it would relate to the game situations and real life, and I remember them saying when we were dead tired to "leave it all on the court".
We can apply this concept to our lives - work, relationships, family, volunteer work, church, etc. Last week was one of those tough weeks for me... I had so many different things to do, important presentations to prepare and deliver, something crucical for each of my clients that needed to be done NOW. As I spoke with my manager throughout the week, he realized that I was putting in the 15 -20 hours each day to get everything done. One night I woke up at 2:30am thinking about what I was going to present at noon the next day - I had not prepared the slide deck that was to be delivered because I could not decide on the right way to deliver my message. But, at 2:30am the ideas started to flow. As that happened, I lay there thinking how I wouldn't be able to fall asleep again for another hour, which would only leave another 30 mins before I was going to get up at 4am... So, I decided to start my day at 2:30am. I remember thinking that I can only do my best, and if it weren't good enough then I could be content knowing that I did everything that I could. I had laid it all on the court! I got up and went to my office and got busy -- prepared my slides and delivered my presentation to my client at noon. All went extremely well!
So, at the end of the week was I tired? Sure. The physical laws of nature and biology didn't evaporate. But, did I survive? Absolutely! And, now I am on to another week that was built upon the last. There is still a huge mountain to climb in front of me, but I know that I can conquer that mountain one step at a time. And, I know that I am not the only one who faces these types of challenges, so I hope any readers of this blog will gain the courage to keep pressing forward in their goals. Onward and upward!
Ok. Now off for a quick 5 mile run before sitting back down to do some work!
Do you have a Big Hairy Audacious Goal? I was introduced to this concept from my previous employer who promoted the books written by Jim Collins. Even though the book focuses on what makes companies great, I think the principles shared can be applied to the individual pursuit of personal excellence.
A BHAG is a form of vision statement "...an audacious 10-to-30-year goal to progress towards an envisioned future." "A true BHAG is clear and compelling, serves as unifying focal point of effort, and acts as a clear catalyst for team spirit. It has a clear finish line, so the organization can know when it has achieved the goal; people like to shoot for finish lines." —Collins and Porras, 1996
I am working on developing my own Big Hairy Audacious Goal which will encompass all the aspects which I am writing about in my book, but at this point I will share one stretch goal which pertains to my physical health and competitive spirit... I will compete in an IronMan Triathalon within the next 3 years. For those who may not be familiar it is a race consisting of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike and a marathon run(26.2 miles) raced in that order and without a break.
At this point I don't know how I will accomplish the goal, I will work to find how I can fit the necessary training into my busy life. But, I know that stating a goal and working towards it is the first step. I welcome any who have met the IronMan challenge to share their experiences with me. It must be remembered that in our efforts to improve our personal best, we can gain from the experiences of others. I look forward to hearing yours.
Courage is required on the path to personal excellence. I have found a few quotes which I will share today -- they capture my thoughts quite well. I love the following quote because it states a simple truth about the greatness that lies within each of us. "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.' We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." (A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles", Harper Collins, 1992. From Chapter 7, Section 3])
Another quote which was given by Eleanor Roosevelt is also awesome... "You gain strength, courange and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face... You must do the thing you think you can not do." As I mentioned in one of my other postings, we learn our fears by experiences, watching others, etc. The "unlearning" of those fears occurs as we continue to act inspite of the fear. Ambrose Redmoon (don't know who he was) said, "Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear."
The pursuit of our best will only come as we face the challenges in front of us and consistently focus on developing strengths to become great!
When I think of the struggle in overcoming challenges in the pursuit of personal excellence, I think of the movie scene from Rocky III where Rocky is training with Apollo Creed for the big fight against Clubber Lang. Rocky has become used to living large and has lost his edge which helped him defeat his past opponents. He doesn't really have the "Eye of the Tiger" anymore. The scene I am referring to is with Rocky and Adrianne on the beach where he admits that he is scared for the first time in his life. I think everyone can relate to Rocky's feelings. It is amazing the impact fear can have on our lives. Fear is an interesting emotion that can either spur us into action, or freeze us in our tracks. I am interested in what motivates people to turn their fear into a positive force that pushes one beyond their ordinary capacity. I made the comment last week, that fear can be unlearned... and believe that it can if the person really wants to overcome the fear. A perfect example is public speaking, which has been said to be the number one fear, even ahead of fear of death. Here are the Top 10 Fears that I have found searching this topic. 1. Fear of public speaking (Glossophobia) 2. Fear of death (Necrophobia) 3. Fear of spiders (Arachnophobia) 4. Fear of darkness (Achluophobia, Scotophobia or Myctophobia) 5. Fear of heights (Acrophobia) 6. Fear of people or social situations (Sociophobia) 7. Fear of flying (Aerophobia) 8. Fear of open spaces(Agoraphobia) 9. Fear of thunder and lightning(Brontophobia) 10. Fear of confined spaces(Claustrophobia)
When I was younger I remember thinking about how to become more outgoing. For some reason, I learned to be reserved and quiet as I gradually grew older. In the 10th grade, I observed a friend who was a year older - he was often loud and some would say obnoxious. But, to me he seemed to be happy and trying to make others happy. So, I decided that I would "be" more outgoing. I acted inspite of my fears when I was around others. I chose to put my faith and courage ahead of my fears. I continue to look inside daily and force myself outside of my comfort zone, because I know this habit will help me on my way to attaining my personal best.
I'm going to jump right in on this topic because I believe "Fear" is a two-edged sword. It can either help us or hurt us, AND it depends on YOU (and me) to decide which it will be. Will I allow fear to help me achieve my personal best or keep me from my greatness?
When we are born and brought into this world, there are only two things that a baby is naturally afraid of. All other fears have been learned... which means we can unlearn those fears. This is perhaps the reason why I am so interested in the things that hold us back from reaching our full potential - our Personal Best. By tapping into the mindset and experiences that engrained certain fears in the first place, and by working through the thought processes engrained in our subconscious, we can recondition our thoughts, feelings, and actions to produce different results. We can unlearn anything that holds us back!
Now, you are probably waiting for me to tell the two fears we are born with... One, is the fear of loud noises. If you clap your hands loudly by a peaceful baby, then you will see the startle reaction and recognize that you scared the baby. Two, is the fear of falling. If you hold a baby and create the sensation of free-falling, you will notice the baby immediately outstretches their arms and the face will tense up with anticipation. These are the two things we have natural fear about.
In order to acheive our personal best, we must conquer our fears. We must learn to turn weakness into strength. We'll explore this topic in greater detail and focus on the positive and negative aspects of Fear. Till then... Be awesome!
The concept of writing about achieving personal excellence has been in the works (in my mind) for a few years. It began to solidify a couple of years ago when I watched my youngest daughter swim the 25M Freestyle in a swim meet at 3 yrs. old. I don't think she had any fear at that point, but just wanted to copy her two older sisters -- she had no inhibitions and just enjoyed the fun in the water.
A year later, she developed a sense of social consciousness and would not swim. Even with all the encouragement and coaxing, we were not able to get her to swim. She would only stand on the platform and cry - frozen with fear. What was the difference? How could I as a parent help my daughter? I wanted her to succeed so bad - not for me, but for her! I want her to constantly improve, to be her personal best!
For much of my life I have been interested in personal improvement, eliminating fear, empowering thought processes, solving problems, and really interested in anything to do with choosing to be better and helping others in the process. With this new year, 2010, along with the prompting of my wife, I have decided to document the Pursuit of my Personal Best.
I am Husband, Father of 4 daughters & 1 son, Doctor of Chiropractic, Sales Professional, Ironman Distance Triathlete, Health Coach and Advocate, Aspiring Author, and Friend to many.
This is the motto from the Olympics which means "Swifter, Higher, Stronger". Think of the Olympian, who by definition is one of the world's elite athletes, arriving on the competitive stage with all the other elite athletes from other countries. The focus that each competitor must have is surely intense. What could be a better mantra to focus on than, Citius, Altius, Fortius?
