Stop Settling and Start Living...

It was a dreary, overcast morning; the kind that make it hard to get out of bed and get started on your day. A few upbeat songs came on the radio that cleared my head and got me in the right frame of mind to get my workout completed. While at the club, a woman who was working out next to me, started sharing with the trainer that she had some changes going on in her life. Her husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at the age of 62 and now he moved to a care facility at 70 years of age because his mind was gone. She was trying desperately to keep going and remain positive, but the reality of the experience was staring her straight in the face demanding to be noticed.

Many thoughts raced through my mind about this man’s young age, how short life is and how we just don’t know what tomorrow will bring. Yet more than anything, I just wanted to know…did he make the most of every day before the Alzheimer’s stole his life? Did he make his work a priority or did he laugh with his family and create memories with them? Did he talk about where he would go ‘someday’ or did he travel and experience the incredible world we live in? Did he settle for mediocrity or did he embrace all that life has to offer? Did he take things for granted or did he tell the people who meant the most to him that he loved them?

“There are many things in life that will catch our eye but only a few will catch your heart…pursue those.”

No one can predict how much time we have left to live our life. If there is something tugging at your heartstrings that you have been putting off, why not pursue it. Even if life has thrown you a string of curve balls trying to strike you out, why not pick today to stand back up, brush yourself off and try again. Make a plan, talk to someone, pay attention to the things other people do that you find fascinating and start experiencing all those things you’ve wanted to do but never have.

“Dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go; be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want to do.”

Make today the day you stop settling and start living.

Play to Win...

The Gator Bowl, the Sugar Bowl, the Cotton Bowl, and the “Granddaddy of them All”…the Rose Bowl have entertained millions of college football fans across the nation during this New Year’s holiday. My family, like others have spent hours watching these talented teams bring their very best skills (along with some verbal outbursts) to compete for the title ‘winner’.

Winning on the field and winning in life, I’ve noticed while watching college football bowl games, have some similarities. Here are three that jumped out at me, see if you agree.

     A) Some teams have more depth. They have more players to play the game and keep everyone fresh and alert. Additionally, with more depth on your team, you can play each player in their strongest area. When each player exercises their strength, the team becomes stronger and at times…undefeatable.

     B) Some teams are just more prepared. The game we watch on television is the culmination of days, weeks and months of hard work, training, sweat and practice. The viewer does not see all the dedication behinds the scenes. Yet it is certain that there are many different levels of preparation. It stands to reason that those who spend more time in the weight room will be stronger. Those who spend more time with the trainer will be more coordinated. Those who spend more time exercising will be healthier. Hence, the team that is more prepared should be able to win more games.

     C) Some teams just want to win more. The will to win is an amazing factor seemingly giving teams momentum. As a sports fan, I’ve seen two teams walk onto their playing field with two very different swaggers. One team with head and chest held high, the other head and shoulders sagging. The difference? I might suggest the difference could be belief. One team just wants to win and believes they will be victorious. The other team…well, to be honest, they hope they will win.

It’s a new year. Are you ready to become a better, stronger, more winning team? Where are the specific areas you need to strengthen?

• Do you need more depth on your team? Take a look at the strength of each player. Are they playing to their strong suit?
• Do you need to be more prepared?  What specific area needs improvement - education, motivation, organization, attitude?
• Do you want to win? Do you believe?

If college football teams are willing to ‘lay it on the line’ for a trophy and a t-shirt, what are you willing to do to win in your life? There is no better time to start than today, because today is the first day of the rest of your life. Play to win.