PURSUIT

The Veledrome... 

No, it's not something out of a Mad Max movie (cue Tina Turner speaking with a weird pseudo-English accent). We see the Veledrome at least once every four years during the Summer Olympic games. The veledrome is home to the Track Cycling events. My favorite is PURSUIT. There are two events within pursuit cycling; Team Pursuit and Individual Pursuit. (Though there are great analogies to build from Team Pursuit, I'm going with Individual Pursuit for this post). In Individual Pursuit, two riders begin directly opposite one another on the track. They race both against the clock and each other over four kilometers. If one rider overtakes the other... game over, he or she is the winner.

I like the Individual Pursuit. A rider sees the other rider (the goal), sees the track (the action plan), puts his head down and pedals hard. I also like the word PURSUIT. The word itself is active and has movement. Say it, pursuit - do you feel it?

Pursuit is what happens between aiming and the target (see my last post, BULLESYES). Pursuit is your plan in action. Pursuit is what happens between your dreaming and the realizing of your dream. And here's the kicker;

The way we pursue creates our current reality. 

When we realize one dream, or goal, we set another... and pursue. Therefore, our lives are about constant pursuit.

How we pursue says as much about us as what we pursue - or the dreams we dream. 

(If I were preaching instead of writing, I'd say that again; slowly and with dramatic emphasis).

I've shared this infographic in a couple previous posts. It illustrates an important point: My Action Plan (STRATEGY) and how I go about my action plan (PURSUIT) stand between my dreams and realizing my dreams. My strategy and my pursuit will either hinder reaching my goals or propel me toward them. Either way, these are the components that CREATE MY CURRENT REALITY!

My son and I watched The Secret Life of Walter Mitty again a couple days ago. It's a great picture of pursuit. The movie begins with Walter daydreaming about things he'd like to do and adventures he'd like to take. These daydreams include a love interest he secretly would like to make a reality. All the while, Walter isn't doing much. It turns out, however, that Walter has a deep and abiding vision. And his first steps of pursuit lead to deeper and more meaningful pursuit. Ultimately, Walter finds himself living a current reality that far exceeds even his wildest daydreams. (Let alone, creating for himself a world class eHarmony profile). And, although the movie wraps up with a happily-ever-after feel, it is not the end - the destination - that captures me. It is Walter's becoming that captures me; it is the man he discovers himself to be in the midst of PURSUIT!

Within you right now is the power to do things you never dreamed possible. This power becomes available to you just a soon as you can change your beliefs.

- Maxwell Maltz

For now...

D

THE BULLSEYES WE CREATE

Ready... Aim... Fire...  

Ready... Fire... Aim... 

Ready... Aim... Aim... Aim... 

Which is worse... To shoot at a target that is not completely defined? To shoot at a definite target to which we are not properly aimed? Or to take eternal aim without every loosing the arrow? I guess it depends. If we are being literal, we should never pull the trigger, loose the arrow, throw the dart, etc., if we are not completely sure of and aimed toward the target (unless you are Dick Chaney - I had to). But we are being metaphorical. So although the best case is, ready... aim... fire; I submit the worst is, ready... aim... aim... aim. 

As a public speaker most of my adult life, I know that every analogy breaks down at points. This analogy of a target will too I'm sure. But for clarity, let's say that...

• Vision is painting and setting the target.

• Aiming is orienting yourself (correctly) to the target.

• Strategy is the action plan for covering the distance from you to the target. 

I am a good aimer. One of the best. I know it's true and it cannot be disputed. Know why? Because there is no proof in aiming. There is no result. Aim all day. Win awards and accolades for aiming. Know what you have? Nothing! Aiming is important; but aim is truly only valuable if it precedes action.

When I began my Fit50! quest, it was not completely defined. Actually, only the outer ring of the target was penciled in... and I fired! The inner rings and paint remained - in many ways, still remain - to be applied. What I am discovering is that often action brings definition to the target. The penciled in portion of the target for me was fitness. I determined that I was going to be fitter in my 50th year than previously in my life. Without clear definition in the beginning, and without great aim, I'm on target! The target and strategies have become more clear in the midst of taking action.

As I have alluded in previous posts, other target rings are being painted and I've determined not to be paralyzed by perpetually aiming. The goal of this post is to challenge and encourage you to the same. At the risk of mixing a previous analogy, we must decide to become moving ships. Remember, the rudder can't steer when the ship is still in the water, unmoving, stagnant. To again quote Teddy Roosevelt: "In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing."

Pull the trigger... let it fly... loose the arrow...!

For now...
D

DON'T STOP BELIEVIN'...

When I was 42 I got into the best shape of my life... outwardly. The problem was how I got there. At the time ephedra was legal and sold in every gym and supplement shop. Ripped Fuel, Yellow Devils, Green Stinger... the names alone should have given me a clue the stuff was unhealthy. (Side note: Quick fixes are very seldom fixes at all; and yes, that nugget was free). I got lean, leaner than I had been when playing football half a life time before. I remember one particular day in the gym, however. I was working legs hard. I finished a set of squats and when I stepped away from the bar I realized I could hear my heart. (That can't be good). I'm pretty sure I could see it beating through my shirt; and it wasn't thump, thump. It was more like a Dave Grohl drum solo. My head was light and the butterflies in my stomach felt like drunken hummingbirds. I had reached my goal. But I cheated to get there. And I felt like my heart, and or brain, was going to explode.

I'd like to say I learned a life-lesson. Instead, It actually has taken many more years to crystallize. In a nutshell:

Winning in life is not about a destination, it is about a JOURNEY. 

(Now do you get the title of this post? Just try to get that song out of your head...).

I've been reading quite a bit about motivation. Recently I read the transcript of a Ted Talk that Daniel Pink delivered. Pink said: "Winning is not about how a journey ends... (it is) the very act of dreaming and then pursuing it with passion and dignity. We win when we pursue the goal with optimism, preparation, discipline and respect. Real winning is when we push ourselves beyond what we know we can do toward what we truly want to achieve."

So here's my take away; winning is not about the destination, it is about the journey. (I realize I just wrote that above, but as an ex-preacher my training says that I'm supposed say it three times and add a poem to get the point across). Winning is not about crossing the finish line first; it is about how we run the race. As a dreamer, I must also take note that winning is not in dreaming (only). Winning is the result of DREAMING & PURSUING!

So the natural questions become: What am I dreaming? And, how am I pursuing? 

I'm going to pick up the idea of the pursuit in the next post. 

Speaking of motivation, these were a couple of my Facebook posts from a couple weeks ago.

In the immortal words of Steve Perry (If you don't know who he is... really? C'mon!): Don't stop believin'... hold on to your feeeeellliiiinnnggggsss...

In the (even better) words of the Apostle Paul:

... run to win!

For now...

D

Surfboards are for surfing

I've never surfed. I've body-surfed and boogie-boarded. But never the real thing. I think I'd like it...

I had the opportunity to spend last weekend in LA with my oldest daughter. On Sunday, I rolled out early to hit the gym. It was leg day, so I thought where better than to go to the original Gold's Gym in Venice, CA. This fabled gym is where body building began. Through its doors have walked, and on it's floors have sweat, the likes of Arnold, Lou, Franco, Dorian and Tom.  (If you don't know them by first names... then you've probably never picked up a Muscle and Fitness magazine. Try this, the first two are "The Terminator," and "The Hulk" and the last, "Quadzilla").

Trying to decide which of the poses behind me would work
best... finally decided on, "duh!"

After working my legs into noodles in Gold's, I walked down to Venice Beach. I've always had a rule that when near an ocean, I have to, at some point, get my feet wet. I worked my way past the sheer craziness along Venice Beach sidewalk, finally reaching the hot sand. (If you've been to Venice on a weekend you'll know that when I say "craziness," I've not come close to describing the scene). I popped off my shoes and socks and made a beeline for the water.  A regatta of big sailboats was maneuvering off shore. Para-sailors were para-sailing, children were playing in the surf, and sun-bathers were... well, doing nothing at all (I've never quite caught on).

Yep - that's a beach selfie. I have no excuse. 

Eventually, what caught my attention were the surfers. Dozens of them, clad in wet-suits, sat out on their boards bobbing up and down. The waves were fairly large, crashing hard into the beach. Beach-goers with ankle-deep commitment were constantly forced to high-tail it toward the dry sand. And there about 50 to 100 yards out sat the surfers. Do you read anything wrong in that sentence? There they sat. Wetsuit? Check. Surfboard? Check. Perfect California day? Check. Decent breakers rolling in (at least from this Okie's viewpoint)? Check. Surfing? Nope... just sitting... bobbing. I assume they were looking for the perfect wave.

I wanted to see some surfing; I mean the real Bonsai Pipeline barrel riding. (OK - I know I was in the wrong spot for that, but still...). What I saw was bobbing. Bobbing with an occasional uncommitted no-energy paddle toward a wave. Then I saw - you guessed it - an incredible metaphor for life. And very frankly, I saw a metaphor for large parts of my life. All the bobbers out on the ocean Sunday were completely outfitted to surf. Yet they bobbed. It's easier to bob. It takes no effort or commitment to bob. And you can't fail when you bob. But - and here's a big but - there is no thrill in bobbing. There's no rush in bobbing. There is no accomplishment or victory in bobbing. Sure, if you expend the energy to paddle in you might miss the wave. You might have to turn around and paddle back to where you were before. You might paddle in, get up on your board only to have a bad wipeout, get rolled up by the waves, lose your shorts and get a mouthful of Venice Beach salt (and whatever else??) water. BUT - and here's an even bigger but - you might ride a wave. You might feel the rush and exhilaration of truly surfing!

On the plane home I began to assess a couple areas where I am bobbing. As I have written before, I am a work in progress - as are you. I wish I were further along so I could write my been-there-done-that story of inspiration. But in many areas of my life at Fit50! I'm just beginning to surf! My challenge to US - stop bobbing and paddle in! Pick an area of life... fitness/health, job, relationship, spiritual, family, education, whatever. STOP BOBBING AND PADDLE IN... 

SURF'S UP (dude)!!!

For now...
D

It's not over until it's over...

Just a reminder that when you are down by four going in to the bottom of the 8th... THE GAME IS NOT OVER!

Category: IT'S NOT OVER UNTIL IT'S OVER

Alex Trabek: "He was a sixth-grade dropout... army mule tender... locomotive fireman... insurance salesman... gas station manager. He began feeding hungry travelers at his own dining table in the living area of the station.  At retirement age he launched an empire and became the most famous chicken man in the world." 

Contestant: Who is Colonel Harland Sanders?

Category: IT'S NOT OVER UNTIL IT'S OVER

Alex Trabek: "Described himself as, '... too familiar with disappointments to be very much chagrined... a friendless, uneducated, penniless boy... a defeated candidate without means and out of business.' Popular lore lists him as a failure at 50. However, he went on in the final six years of his life to become known by most as the greatest of American presidents." 

Contestant: Who is Abraham Lincoln?

Category: IT'S NOT OVER UNTIL IT'S OVER

Alex Trabek: "An exile and failure at the age of 40; this person was raised with incredible privilege and wealth. His education and opportunities were second to none. At mid-life he disappears into complete obscurity for four decades; only to reemerge on the scene at the ripe old age of 80. He is widely regarded in major religions of the world as one of the greatest leaders to ever live. (And he looks a lot a like a white-haired Charlton Heston). 

Contestant: Who is Moses?

Category: IT'S NOT OVER UNTIL IT'S OVER

Alex Trabek: "He was estranged from his political party over ideological disagreements for a decade. He went on to be elected Prime Minister at the age of 62 and is widely considered to be one of the greatest statesmen and influencers of the 20th century. 

Contestant: Who is Winston Churchill?

Oprah Winfrey... fired from her first television job.

Walt Disney... fired by a newspaper editor because he "...lacked imagination and had no good ideas."

Steven Spielberg... rejected repeatedly by the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

J.K. Rowling... single mom living on welfare when she began writing her first Harry Potter.

Getting the point?

Remember Jim Valvano's words from his moving 1993 ESPY speech, made just eight weeks before his death:

DON'T GIVE UP... DON'T EVER GIVE UP!

For now...

D

Blanks...

(Say this out loud with a Scottish brogue)
I believe God made me for a purpose. 
But he also made me fast. 
And when I run I feel his pleasure. (Eric Liddel, Chariots of Fire)

That line has haunted me since the last post. The challenge is to fill in two very significant blanks. Wait, that's weak, how about life-altering... destiny-directing blanks? And here's the epiphany: it is probably easier to live with significant blanks; never daring to fill them in. It is possible in our busyness, stress and chaos to never notice the empty, open spaces silently screaming to be filled. Easy but sad.

In the song Beautiful Boy, John Lennon wrote "...life is just what happens to you while you're busy making other plans..." That sounds very philosophical. But it's not very purposeful; and I don't want to live that way!

To be clear, I'm not talking about self-actualization for the sake of feeling better about myself, or you, yourself. I'm not making a case for just being more fulfilled (only). I believe it is in those aforementioned blanks that PURPOSE happens. It is in those blanks that IMPACT happens. It is in those blanks that JOY happens. It is in those blanks that LIFE happens. Sure, we can sometimes stumble into these; but remember... TMTITKTMTTMT! (see 9/17/14)

Fit50! is about empowerment. I have been empowered by first taking control of my physical well-being. I have been empowered by reigniting some creative fires that had been reduced to barely glowing embers. I am a work in progress. Truly, we all are. It's funny, as I write this I'm watching Kansas City route the Patriots on Monday Night Football. John Gruden just said, "Success, it's the best motivator I know." Sound familiar? Motivation... Movement... Momentum... It builds and builds!

Q: What if I fill in the blanks with the wrong thing(s)?
A: Don't worry about it! I'll defer to Teddy Roosevelt, who said:

In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, 

the next best thing is the wrong thing, 

and the worst thing you can do is nothing.

Q: What if I give it my best and fail; i.e. look stupid?
A: Help me here Teddy:

Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, 

even though checkered by failure... than to rank with those poor spirits 

who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray 

twilight that knows not victory nor defeat. 

Here are a few questions to consider as we fill in our blanks.
     - When do I feel most alive?
     - What is it that brings me the greatest pleasure (keep it clean!)?
     - What am I good at? (Other than ending sentences with prepositions).
     - How do I bring the most value to others?
     - How would my three closest friends answer those questions for me?

I believe we all have soul mates. That is probably a subject for a different blog and a different author (for now). I also think we need goal mates. We are strongest in community. We are pushed, challenged, encouraged and stretched via relationships. I have begun to work through these questions with my goal mates. I challenge you to do the same.

I believe God made me for a purpose. 
     But he also made me _______. 
          And when I _______ I feel his pleasure.

For now...
D

Bloukrans...

I know I've overused the picture in my short time on social media. But it expresses more from my gut than I can put into words. Heights, you see, have never really bothered me. But edges, and the thought of jumping... falling, makes me clinch parts of my body I shouldn't discuss. I vividly remember once in my teens being frozen on top of a railroad bridge truss at night. The tracks were thirty feet below to my right and the shallow muddy South Canadian River was seventy feet below to my left. My friends were walking on top of the arches that I clung to with a death grip. One even walked in between the trusses on a four inch wide beam. Why I joined them, I have no idea. Again, this was at night! And no, no alcohol or illegal substances were involved. Just sheer stupidity, testosterone and terror! 

I had heard about Bloukrans Bridge when my daughter and I committed to going to South Africa on mission several years back. Because of Bloukrans Bridge I almost didn't make the trip. I knew that to go meant to face my fear. Somehow or another, we would end up at Bloukrans Bridge, home of the Guinness Book of World Records highest commercial bungee jump at 708 feet. I almost didn't go, I thank God I did.

That's a person in the red circle!

On the plane from Washington Dulles to Johannesburg, RSA one of our group was sporting a shirt from his previous Bloukrans experience. On the back in bold letters it read, FEAR IS TEMPORARY, REGRET IS FOREVER. That's sobering and challenging. The front of the shirt reads, FACE YOUR FEARS. (I now have one!)

As I scooted out to the edge of the platform overlooking the gorge dividing the Eastern and Western Capes of South Africa the mantra banged around in my spinning head... fear is temporary, regret is forever. I was there because I knew when I left Kansas City it meant facing my fear at Bloukrans. "Three... Two... One... Bungee!" yelled the dudes that strapped me up (and they were truly dudes). The swan dive you see in the picture was on purpose. I knew there were cameras. But I didn't know how much that picture would mean to me later; or what it does inside every time I see it. 

LEAP! ...fear is temporary, regret is forever...

I crossed the Fit50! starting line yesterday. (And no, I wasn't... "indisposed" (see last post) when the starter's pistol was fired). I was out of town on business. After dinner - during which I was forced to wear a chicken hat and do a chicken dance as punishment for being born on that day - I hit the hotel elliptical and treadmill. (Fit50! after all). Afterward, as I sat in my hotel room contemplating fifty, I flipped on the TV. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty was on. There is a scene where Walter long boards down a winding Icelandic road toward a volcano. It is a beautiful picture of the freedom that comes from taking a LEAP. 

So I don't want to do it often, but tonight I'm reflecting just a little on the starting line. Fifty is a little surreal. I don't feel it... I'm told I don't look it - but really, what are people supposed to say? The fitness goals I'd hoped to attain by the Fit50! starting line... I'm there! (I'm actually going to have to go buy pants that fit this weekend). 

What do I hope to accomplish in this Fit50! year? Some of my goals are a little too personal for public consumption and some are still being formulated. In Chariots of Fire Eric Liddel says... "I believe God made me for a purpose. But he also made me fast. And when I run I feel his pleasure."

So, here are the two blanks I'm working to fill in, and I'm laying down the same challenge to you... I believe God made me for a purpose. But he also made me ___________. And when I ________, I feel his pleasure!!!

For now...

D