Easy Doesn't Work

Last year, I decided to lose some weight. And I did. I ended up losing about 35 lbs. Sometimes people will ask me how I did it. When I tell them that I ate a lot less than before and cut way back on processed food and nearly cut out sugar completely, I can see their expression change to one that resembles disappointment. That’s not what they want to hear. I get the feeling that most people are hoping I’ll tell them about a new pill or a shot that I took that made my butt fall off. Or that I drank a tablespoon of vinegar before every meal and my third chin simply went away. People want something easy. They want a remedy that will allow them to reach their goals without changing their lifestyle.

I’ve read a couple of articles recently that suggest that Americans are addicted to comfort. One in particular suggested that this addiction is at least partly responsible for the opioid epidemic because the modern American has no threshold for discomfort, much less pain.

What does all this mean? I have no idea. All I know is that I don’t like the idea of being thought of as soft even though I am prone to choose the path of least resistance more than I’d like to admit. Since I lost weight last year, this year I am going to try to get fit. I am going to do hard stuff to make me stronger. I am going to subject myself to discomfort. And not just for fitness sake, but partly because I want to know if I have what it takes. Can I do hard stuff? I think so and I think I’ll be better for trying.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

A couple of months ago, I had my 50th birthday and I have to be honest: it bothered me. I’m not one that has ever dreaded getting older, I just think with this milestone it hit me harder than normal about how quickly time passes. Take the last 10 years, for instance. They flew by and I didn’t get nearly all the stuff accomplished I wanted to. In fact, there’s not a lot of difference between where I am now and where I was then. And I think the hardest thing about it is the realization that I’m responsible. I’m the one that didn’t follow through on the goals. I’m the one that didn’t implement and move forward. I’m the one that chose television and social media over personal growth.

But here’s the good news: if it’s on me, then I can fix it. That is liberating. You see, if you are constantly blaming someone else for what’s going on (or not going on) in your life, then you have voluntarily surrendered control of the situation. You are a prisoner of the circumstance. But the moment you take ownership and assert the idea that not only are you the problem, but you are the ONLY solution, you are instantly empowered to steer your own destiny.

Of course, I understand that things happen outside of our control that we can’t change, but if you operate under the idea that you alone can effect change in your life, almost every situation can be improved by improving the one common denominator in all of your problems… YOU!

One of my favorite times of the year is New Years. The possibilities and potential of the upcoming year give me great optimism and right now I am very optimistic about the next ten years. Nothing changes unless something changes and I am changing attitudes and habits.

To kick it off right, I will be starting the new year with an all night ruck starting at midnight. It may be hard and uncomfortable, but most worthwhile things usually are.

Please message me with any changes you are hoping to make this new year and I will root you on.

GOAL!... GOAL!... GOAL!

There's a guy that lives on my road. Now, I'm a terrible judge of age but I would have to guess that he is in his late-60s or early-70s. Most mornings for the last year, on my way to take the kids to school, I see him running. Not out on the road, but just around the perimeter of his yard he runs. He doesn't have all of the cool running clothes or even an athletic gait, but he runs. With his shoulders slightly slumped forward, he runs. Leaning into the hills as he goes around, he runs. With a steel-willed look in his eyes, he runs. Every morning. Apparently, at some point, he had set a goal that he was going to start running and that is exactly what he has been doing.

A couple of weeks ago, when the temperatures were in the teens every day, I really didn't expect to see him. In fact, I secretly hoped that I wouldn't. I think some dark part of myself wanted him to fail at this goal, because if he did, it would make him like most others. It would make him like me. But even in brutal temperatures, he runs.

After the big snow last weekend, the kids haven't had school so I haven't seen him. Today they finally went back 2 hours late and I still didn't see him, but I saw his path in the snow. The place he has been running has melted just like the tire tracks in my own driveway... from use. Even in the snow, he runs.

Today I changed. I no longer hope for him to fail. Today I root for him to succeed. He is just like I want to be. Different.

I had already decided to spend today out of the office to work on my goals for this year. So, I am in an undisclosed coffee shop, drinking an undisclosed number of cafe' mochas, seeking God and his purposes for my life, and the God-sized goals he wants me to tackle this year.

Pray for me. Pray that I will sense His leading. Pray that this year I'll be different.

Reckless Abandon

Over Christmas, Stephanie and I got Michael a new mountain bike. He's been riding an old, heavy one and we thought it was time to get him one he could ride successfully on trails. One that was lighter, and a little tougher, and one that the gears worked better on so he could climb better.

I know that he is an adventurous, risk-taking boy, but when we went to Fisher River Park to ride this past Saturday, I saw a new facet to his personality. There were sections of the trail that I didn't believe that he would be able to navigate. Thankfully, at each one of these sections there were ways to go around the obstacle, whether it be a log crossing or a big root. Usually, I would go first and then turn back to coach him and Bryanna. When Bryanna would get to a rough spot, she approached it much like I would. She is cautious and calculating, evaluating the risks. But as Michael approached, I would watch his face. Never once did I see a glimpse of uncertainty or hesitation. It was like the option to go around never entered his brain. He never considered bailing out. All he knew was to hit it head on with everything he had.

Yesterday, Scott preached a great message on goal setting. One of the things he said was that in order to be successful you have to separate the decision-making from the trouble-shooting. In other words, you can't let the possibility of future failures keep you from setting goals in the present. Deciding not to set a goal that will make you a better husband or father or employee because you're afraid of failure is not an option.

As you continue to work on goals for this year, look your obstacles right in the eye as if there is not an option to go around, as if there is not an option to stay in the same place you are and not get better. If you would like a copy of that message from Sunday, let me know.