Tuesday Motivation

Along the lines of our side-challenge for this week, the "creation box," here's a little ditty not about Jack & Diane but about all of us approaching our goals with an attitude that we're going to achieve them. 

"Play to Win" by Jon Gordon

There was a time in most of our lives when we had no fear-that feeling when we jumped from the jungle gym and slammed our little bodies to the ground. Perhaps it was when we went on our first roller coaster, or when we were in high school or college and felt that there was nothing we couldn't do. No goal was unattainable. We were an unstoppable force that would think of something and then make it happen. Then, as time goes by, the world tells us more frequently that we can't do what we want. The doubters laugh at our goals and try to persuade us from going after our dreams.

They say, "You're crazy. It's too hard. Why don't you do this instead? You should play it safe." They act as if dreams were meant for others but not people like us. They surround us with negative energy and try to instill their own fears and insecurities in us. We not only begin to know the word "fear," we start to understand what it's like to be fearful. With so many people telling us we can't do something and so few telling us we can, it's hard not to let fear into our lives. Unfortunately this is how many of us go through life.

Whether you are 20 or 50, many of us become so scared of losing what we have that we don't go after what we truly want. We play it safe and hold on so tight to the status quo that we never experience what could be. We believe the doubters and don't take chances that will move us one step towards our dreams. I call this "playing to lose". We see this in sports all the time when a team has the lead. They start to think about how not to lose instead of how to win. They hold on so tight to their lead that they start playing safe and scared. You can see it in their energy and body language. As a result the other team takes chances, plays with no fear and eventually gains the momentum and wins.

To live a life filled with positive energy we must learn to repel the energy of fear. Whether it comes from within or from another person, we must overcome fear and adopt a "play to win" mindset. Playing to win requires a commitment to yourself that even if you fail, you will never give up and never let your goals and dreams die. Those who play to win know that success is not given to us. It is pursued with all the energy and sweat we can muster. Obstacles and struggles are part of life and only serve to make us appreciate our success. If everything came easy we wouldn't know what it felt like to truly succeed. Obstacles are meant to be overcome. Fear is meant to be conquered. Success is meant to be achieved. They are all part of the game of life and the people who succeed play to win and never give up until the game is over.

So, 10 in 6 Challengers, how many times have you heard that being fit is for "other people" and not for people like us, people who are busy with crazy lives, screaming kids, vacations, jobs, stress, REAL LIVES?  How many times have you let other people's negativity make you doubt that you'll ever achieve your goals?  Reach back to your childhood attitudes today and really think of yourself as an incurable optimist, an unstoppable force, an indestructable achiever, a fearless dreamer.  Don't listen to other people's doubts and their attempts to drag people down to their level.  Don't listen to your own doubts or your own thoughts telling you to take the easy and lazy conformist route.  According to the psychologist Abraham Maslow (remember Maslow's hierachy of needs from psych class?):
 

"You can go forward toward growth or back toward comfort and routine.  Growth must be chosen again and again.  Fear must be overcome again and again."

 
Dr. Robert Cooper, the neuroscientist and business consultant I referenced and listened to a couple weeks ago, says regarding the brain and our vast untapped capacity:

 

"What a machine!  The brain generates millions of excuses every hour for not rising, not growing, not changing, not getting ahead of the world. Its premise: This is as good as it gets.  Why bother?  Why stretch when you might stumble? And on and on...Notice how many people try to dumb everyone down.  That's the brain instinctively trying to keep everyone else from getting ahead so you don't look as far behind.  We're wired for that and it feels 'natural.' It is far from optimal...The human brain is forever disconnected from the future- unless we help it remember that what happens today shapes the future."

 
Our brain is negative and others around us are negative, so we've got to consiously decide to not accept any of that junk and to believe in ourselves, the validity of our goals, and the reality that we CAN be whoever we want to be.  That last line from Dr. Cooper about the future is perfect motivation for us all to make our "creation boxes."  Rise above your excuses.  Challenge them!  Play to win, ladies!  You are GOING TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS!  Believe it every day! Play to win!