Your path...

In college, I used to write and correct resumes as well as prepare people for interviews. The dreaded interview question that people often take too lightly is the question regarding our weaknesses. Most people give a canned response but rarely do people honestly think about it. No one is perfect. With the understanding that we all excel at different things, we all have things that we need to work on.

I was talking with a friend this afternoon. We both are entering in new careers so I have an easy time relating to her plight. She began talking about her weaknesses. I found value in that. To identify the things you need to work on in a large portion of the battle. She spoke of these self-imposed roadblocks she often puts in front of herself that so often derails her. She doesn't understand how to get rid of them.

I explained to her that she doesn't necessarily have to get rid of them now that she is aware of them. Identifying weakness and learning from mistakes help you to prevent them as well as knowing how to deal with them if they come up. It might be hard to remove all the roadblocks on your path to your ultimate goal, but handling them every time is just as efficient.

We all take different paths. The most dominant athlete of the early 1980s, Edwin Moses, handled hurdles gracefully and efficiently routinely on his way to the finish-line. We must remember our goals may all differ and our paths will all be unique, but we must not be discouraged, rather we must stay focused and determined.

We may not be able to remove all our roadblocks in our paths... maybe our paths are the roadblocks.

Yesterday...

Your past is a prologue to where you are right now. Some people want to recreate the past and others can't let go of it. Truth of the matter is... your past created you. Value and appreciate your past. It's a stepping stone to who you are to become.

Your future is in front of you, face forward and attack. People in your past are in your past because they aren't a part of your future. Walk away from your past and run towards your future. Holding on to your past equates to running in circles. If you ever want to get anywhere, you need a direction.

Life is lived forward and rationalized backwards. Live life. Make the most of your opportunities and keep striving for more. Don't look back on today and regret. Look back on today and smile... you can't buy time.

Goals...

As I grew older I believed that goals could be obtained. In order to achieve my goals, I first needed to identify them. The way I learned to identify my goals was to put them in writing. If I wanted to run 5 miles by the end of Summer, I would put that in writing. I figured that goals should be defined and not ambiguous. Don't write "I want to lose weight"... instead write "I want to lose 20 pounds". Writing them down made them very tangible and extremely real.

The next step I used was to look at it everyday. Constant reminders kept me focused and dedicated. Understanding that the more I saw my goals in writing, the more I would remember them was critical to achieving them. Waking up to a sign that read "5 miles by the end of summer" helped me stay on track. You must stay focused.

Once it was in writing and while constantly pounding it into my head, I went one step further. I began to tell everyone about it. Talking about it and informing others created a bit of pressure to get it done I wouldn't have felt otherwise. I was being held accountable by every person who asked me about it. I wouldn't only be embarrassing myself but letting others down. Hard work and determination will accomplish anything.

I used this three step concept of writing things down, embedding it, and telling others continually. I then proceeded to divide seemingly unobtainable goals into obtainable goals. For my example of wanting to run 5 miles a day by the end of summer, I created smaller daily goals that I would accomplish. I would strive for 2 miles a day that week, write it in a journal, look at it, and tell my partner and friends. By achieving a series of smaller goals, I was able to achieve my ultimate goal before I knew it.

Goals were meant to be accomplished. Good luck and make dreams come true...

Random story...

People's character is revealed not when things are going smoothly, but when times are darkest.

One vivid memory I have burned into my brain was coming home from a pretty fun night out. I was a passenger in a car with three others and we were joking and having a great time. The topic of my serious girlfriend at the time arouse kind of out of the blue. The conversation quickly turned into a little attack on her and then into an even larger attack. I've always been one to defend people who are not there to defend themselves so I began to defend her. I felt like I had my back against the wall because I was in their car a little bit at their mercy. They were pretty good friends of mine, so I was trying to be tactful, but they really weren't. I could have bit my tongue and allowed the insults, but honestly, if I wasn't going to defend my girlfriend, even against my good friends, then who should?

I asked for them to pull over. I got out and walked. About two seconds later the car again pulled over and another guy got out of the car. He walked up to me and told me he thought I was right. I was respectful in my statements, but I wasn't going to silence myself. He and I walked home together and it was amazing. I was proud of his friendship and honored by his support.

When people don't speak up, it doesn't benefit the victim, it helps the oppressor. It's ok to take a stand. People who walk in the middle of the road usually get run down. Personally I don't mind standing up for what I believe in... even if it rocks the boat a little. Without core values and if you can't stand up for yourself... What do you really have?