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.

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.

This time of the year is the height of high school graduations. In that spirit, I would like to take this time to write to all those young adults and future leaders of tomorrow. The topic I choose today is one that is simple, yet, often times, missed as we go through life. "Don’t wait" is not just a statement, it is a motto to live by. I encourage all off you to go out and volunteer in your community. Go to an elderly home and ask the question: “If you could share any piece of advice with me what would it be?”

The answer will be the same across the board, DON’T WAIT!

•Don’t wait to see a sun set.

•Don’t wait to tell your Mom or Dad you love them.

•Don’t wait to go after your dreams.

•Don’t wait to travel.

•Don’t wait to help a complete stranger.

•Don’t wait to call your Sister or Brother.

•Don’t wait to have lunch with an old friend.

•Don’t wait to travel through Europe.

•Don’t wait to find the perfect job.

•Don’t wait to start your own Business.

•Don’t wait to say I’m sorry.

•Don’t wait to tell someone you love them.

•Don’t wait to start exercising.

•Don’t wait to have kids.

•Don’t wait to live life fully.

•Don’t wait to…………………….

I think you're starting to get the idea. So if you wait to do any one of these things, the sad truth is, you never will at all.

I will share one of the greatest pieces of advice I can give you at this point in time in your life: If you wait till the time is right, if you wait till you have enough money, one day, 70 years from now, someone might ask you the question: If you could share any piece of advice with me what would it be?

You will say in a shallow voice ……DON’T WAIT.

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

Are you scared?

I’m scared all the time.

Scared of not being the husband I need to be, scared of not being the father I should be -- scared of not providing enough for my family.

I remember when my son was going through some anxiety issues, after seeing a real scary video game. The most important thing he needed to know was that his parents where there for him; that when he reached out his hand, we were there to grab it.

I have grown and stretched to places I never dreamed of and talked to people I never knew I would ever talk to. I’ve stared at opportunities that never seemed possible. The same thing I talk to people about every day, I’ll ask you. Do you want to be average or GREAT???

Average people have an easy life. They don't rock the boat. They don't shake up the water and, for the most part, things are smooth. Until one day when they are older they realize that they could have done more and should have done more, but by then it’s too late. If that’s what you want, then I’m sorry but I don't think I can be that way ever.

Being GREAT is hard. I‘d have to sayit’s harder than I ever imagined, but also the most rewarding time of my life. The reason it’s hard is because it requires us to do the things we don’t want to do - making the call we don’t want to make, asking the question we already know the answer to. Being Great means being scared and still doing it anyway.

It is so easy to tear someone down for doing something hard or different. People do it every day in every way. From being the Monday morning sports manager, saying how your team’s coach blew the game last night to watching a debate on TV saying how wrong both candidates are on their issues. The funny thing about both of those situations is that they both have the same thing in common: Those of you pointing the finger are pointing at the wrong person.

You see, until you have walked the walk, you can’t talk the talk. You want to be heard then stop being average and blaming others and start being great and do something about it. Like I told my son when he was scared: just grab my hand and I will be right there when you need me. Take the step and I am sure when you are scared, someone somewhere will grab your hand for you to. Being scared is normal and average at the same time. Being Great is being scared and still doing something about it. Question is what do you want to be average or GREAT???

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

Problems are not the answer

03/11/2010 02:42:00 am David F. Muraco/ Special to UDN

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What do you want to focus on, problems or solutions?

Ask any kid what they want to be when they grow up and you will get all different types of answers. They'll range from playing professional baseball to ballerina, doctor or maybe even President of the United States.

The reason for this is simple, they have unlimited power. The power to believe in the unknown; the power to know that anything is possible. So why is it, most never reach those dreams? Everyone tells them how hard it is instead of explaining to them what needs to be done to get there.

I see it every single day from multiple clients coming to me with problem after problem and saying simply "I don't know what I am going to do". We have become a society that more times than not, solely focuses on the problem or challenge -- never the solution. We have been trained to constantly dive deeper and deeper into the problems of our lives or organizations, and never to seek solutions. Trying to solve problems only creates more problems.

Solutions allow you to put something in place to eliminate problems. Now, I am not saying that you will never have problems again. But with a solution in place, you have a reference point to make better, a chance to continually evolve and grow to handle more and more issues as they arrive. Ask yourself these three questions:

What would your life or organization look like if you only sought out solutions?

Imagine if you were armed with this skill as a child, what would you be able to accomplish now?

Where could you go with your organization now if you decide to develop that skill today?

You have the opportunity right now to focus on the solution. The question is, do you want to? Or do you want to keep doing what you are doing right now?

How can you get where you want to go, grow your life or business to the next level without doing something different? Embrace that inner-child and know that you also have unlimited power to do and be anything you want to be; never let anyone take that away from you.

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