Love every part of the journey!
I have to honestly say, I love life; every day, every aspect and every situation. That may sound like I’ve just hit my head, but it’s how I feel. Back in March, I wrote a blog called, ‘Nothing is bad, it’s all content.’ I want to make a minor adjustment to that and add an addendum, and that is; ‘and it’s part of the journey of life that will help you fulfil your purpose to help other people.’
I truly believe, with the right attitude, you can enjoy every aspect of the journey you experience in your life and use it as a way to help and inspire others. Even the ones that may not seem so enjoyable. When you trust and believe that everything happens for a reason, that everything is putting you on the path to fulfill the destiny and purpose you are on this planet for and that everything can be used as a platform to help others, then why not be excited about everything that happens in your life.
In fact, as you may already know, I had an experience this week, which reinforced this to me in a powerful way. I got up at 5:20am on Friday, as I do most mornings, to go and do my training. Friday is leg and box-jump day. If you are not sure what a box-jump is, go to google. I have a special place where go to do my box-jumps, at the local council square on a fixed steel table-tennis table. Amongst other things, I jump up onto the table several times. Well, on Friday, after jumping up, I slipped and, on my way down, hit my shin on the sharp edge of the table. I hit the ground, with a thud, a bruised ego, and a sore shin. As I sat on the ground, looking around to make sure no one was watching (as if anyone would be at 5:45am), I lifted my track pants to survey the damage. I thought there might be a scratch, but what I saw alarmed me.
Without going into the gory details, I limped home, blood streaming down my leg and soaking my sock and questioned myself as to what I should do. I have to be honest here, I actually contemplated just putting a dressing on it and hoping for the best, but then decided to take myself to the emergency department of the closest hospital. For the next three and a half hours, from 6:30am till 10am, I spent time getting examined, x-rayed, stitched and doing lots of waiting.
Now, what I am about to say may sound a little weird, but I loved the whole journey. As crazy as it sounds, I wasn’t upset it happened, didn’t complain about it and really didn’t want to be anywhere else. Yes, there was a little pain involved, but it was a pain I knew I would grow from. I’m not sure if I am explaining this is a way you will understand, but, I knew there was a reason why I was there. Yes, obviously because I fell and needed attending to, but it was more than that.
As I mentioned at the start, one of the things I always say to myself, and others, is that there is nothing bad that happens, it’s all just content. So, I’m writing about it here and now. This mishap allowed me to slow down. I mean, if you’ve ever been in the emergency at a hospital, waiting time is all you have! It gave me time to refocus on what I had to be grateful for, what’s most important in my life and how I can help other people. I was very grateful for the staff at the hospital and the wonderful Dr Anna, who stitched up my gaping wound. As an added extra bonus, in this current time of COVID lockdown, it gave me an exciting reason to get out of the house!
During those three and a half hours I sent messages to everyone I needed to reschedule, I did my social media posting, I wrote more in my current book, I thought, I reflected and I caught up on some sleep in a comfortable bed. Sounds pretty great to me. I know this experience has benefited me, and I hope, by me sharing this, it will help you also. As insane as it may sound, I really enjoyed this journey and I know it happened for a reason. Even a couple of days later, I feel clearer, calmer and more focussed than I have in a long time.
Wow, who would have believed that you could enjoy this type of experience. Well, when you believe that everything happens for you and not to you, then your attitude will be… bring it on! In my most recent podcast ‘Making Lives Better,’ I speak to AFL and St Kilda FC legend, Nathan Burke, about his journey and mission to make other people’s lives better. It is an inspiring conversation with a very successful yet humble man.
It has inspired me, even more, to make sure that, everything I experience on my journey of life, I love and can use to help others as they negotiate the challenges in their own life. When you believe deep down everything that happens – seemingly good or bad – will help you fulfil your destiny and purpose in your life, then you, like me, will love every part of your journey.
Prepare yourself for the path
You can either prepare the path for yourself or prepare yourself for the path. In other words, you can either try to control things that are out of your control and hope for the best or take charge of the one thing you are in control of, that is you! I think, intellectually, we know which is the best choice, but let’s explore which is currently your preferred strategy, and whether it may be worthwhile considering a change of tactic.
As you read this blog, in August 2020, the path we are on, or the path we may want to be on is not necessarily solid ground. We are living on a rapidly moving landscape, at the moment, and therefore any plans to try to prepare a path may be dashed from under our feet. If you had planned to travel, then your path has eroded. If you planned to open a hospitality business, then your path has crumbled. If your plan included other people getting together, then that path may have disintegrated. Can you see why trying to prepare something that is out of your control may also leave you out of control.
In his book, Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl narrates his experience as a prisoner in German concentration camps for four years during World War Two. At that time, every pleasure and comfort were taken from the prisoners and replaced with starvation, frostbite, abuse and intense pain. In his book, he explains how the only people who survived, were those who had identified a strong meaning to survive and purpose to live, and those who prepared themselves for the horrendous path.
He spoke about one man, who had convinced himself that the end of the war and his liberty would happen on a certain date. He had not prepared himself for any other eventuality. When that date came and went, and he was still a prisoner, he was dead within twenty-four hours. He was not prepared, his will to live was gone and paid the ultimate price. Now, this is an extreme example, but I want to make a point, and, that point is that right now my advice to me, and you if you’re interested, is to identify your meaning and then start preparing yourself for whatever path may open itself up to you.
In this week’s podcast, Tap into your inner gold, I talk to incredible three time para-Olympic gold medal winner, Carol Cooke. She is the epitome of someone who prepared herself for the path. If she was more focused on the path, she would have given up at 9 years old, but in actuality, she finally realised her dream to win an Olympic gold medal 41 years later. Her dream was Olympic gold, but the path changed for her on a regular basis, so it was lucky she focused every day on preparing herself. Her final achievement, at the age of fifty-one came after, forty-one years, four sports, diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis, two countries and many setbacks. It was the strength and determination, she developed in herself, which allowed her to stay on track, to find the path that finally led to Olympic gold.
Right now, we are being told we are living in uncertain times. I disagree. We are only living in uncertain times, if we try to prepare the path for ourselves. If we get clear on what’s most important, what we want and who we want to impact, then, start to prepare ourselves for the many paths that may open to us, we will be feeling very certain about our present and future. At the start of COVID, my path, like many people’s, started crumbling beneath my feet. Within just a few days, I lost multiple speaking gigs, in schools, companies and conferences. After some dummy-spitting, thumb-sucking and tantrum-throwing, I started to prepare myself for whatever path would allow me to do what I wanted to do to get my message out to the world. What has happened, as a result, is that many opportunities have now opened up for me. I am excited about what I am doing and the impact I am able to have on many people all around the world. It happened because I prepared myself for the path, not the path for myself.
As you read this, I want to encourage you that you are good enough to handle whatever life throws at you. In fact, it’s in time of challenge and adversity that, with the right perspective and focus, we learn what we need to learn and become the person we need to become to get to our desired life, whatever path may lead you there. So, get clear on what you want, work to prepare yourself, have faith and watch as the path opens up before you.