Monday, August 30, 2010

The difference between pain and injury



Often times in sports, you’ll hear someone say there’s a difference between Pain and Injury.

The problem is, they never explain what the difference is. Pain, as we define it, is an unpleasant feeling or discomfort. Injury is defined as damage or harm caused to the structure or function of the body caused by an outside or force.

Sports metaphors mirror life so often it’s nearly impossible not to use them time and time again.

I meet so many people that mistake pain for injury in life. Everytime I talk with someone, they lay out to me all of the unpleasant feelings or discomfort they have in their life. They take the pain they are experiencing and turn it into an injury that sidelines them from moving forward in their life.

Pain is a natural part of life. You can’t have pleasure unless you go through the pain.

Injury by definition is caused by an outside force. More so often than not, we immediately want to point out that our life is where it is by circumstances and outside forces against us. The harsh reality that we refuse to look at, or even take responsibility for, is that it is our own fault. Believe it or not we would rather fake the injury in life than take on the pain of what is real. Now I know that what you are asking yourself right now is: - “That is easy for you to say. You have no idea what my life is like”.

Well that maybe true, but it also may not be true. While there may be no real way to know, the reality is that we fake injuries to avoid the pain of what is real more often than we care to acknowledge. Being real with ourselves is one of the most painful things we may ever take on. But it also yields the biggest pleasure you may ever experience. From time to time we will all experience pain, which is a part of life. Understanding the difference between pain and injury is a critical factor in the decisions we make with our life. An injury keeps you on the bench watching and wishing you could be out there. Pain is unpleasant but still allows you to play, and most importantly Win! If you don’t play you can never win. What do you want to do? Fake the injury or play with pain?

Remember be positive, be real, and live your life In The Zone.



Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Breakthroughs

My Mentor and now Professional Colleague Tony Robbins has a new TV show called “Breakthroughs” Tuesday nights on NBC.

In the show, he breaks down extremely difficult challenges certain individuals are facing in order for them to have the breakthrough needed to see it from a different perspective. The reviews are all over the place, from one person saying it is a glorified infomercial to another saying: “Breakthrough with Tony Robbins is a fantastic show that inspires and I highly recommend you watch this with your family and loved ones.”

Wow! Talk about total opposites.

But, if you dig around enough, you will see more reviews are negative than positive. So I started to read more reviews. The more I read, the more I found it interesting. Each negative review always came back to the same statement or two, “unrealistic” or way to optimistic”.  I am hoping in this article someone, somewhere can help me understand, because I am confused? What is so unrealistic about hope? What does way too optimistic mean?

Our culture today is so out of touch it is almost too hard define anymore. We see thin people and think they are self-centered; we see fat people and think they are undisciplined. Someone starts a Business in this economy and they are crazy (then we wait to see when they close up). Another closes a Business and we get mad that they didn’t do all they could to make it work.

A long time ago we were a nation dedicated not only to making sure our families were taken care of, but our neighbors were as well. It was not about keeping up with the Jones’ or condemning them because they have more than us. It was about community and mutual respect. Those items, when mentioned, are treated like relics that you would see in a museum now.

This country, our state, even our community, will never achieve greatness again until we realize that we all need hope. We all need to be optimistic. Because the alternative is not working. This show is widely built on a principle that everyone seems to be missing; so let me point it out to all of you right now. Get off you’re butt and do something about it, whatever it is. Tony Robbins, myself or whoever is not going to show up at your door and deliver it to you. It may look that way on TV but that’s not how the real world works. Can I or Tony help you? Yes, but how would we ever do that if you don’t seek us out. How can anyone help anyone if you don’t ask for help? How do you get what you want? Do something about it.

The good life so to speak is not a miracle pill you buy and swallow. It is hard work and dedication to being better than you are today. Most importantly being better then you are tomorrow as well. I am sure all of you have heard this phrase before “Life is a journey not a destination”? But upon examining that I would like to change it a bit to read more likes this: “The good life is a journey of challenges, not a destination of despair”

Remember, be positive, be real and live your life In The Zone.