Inspiration comes when you least expect it, as long as you are expecting it, that is! There you go, some wisdom in the first sentence of this week’s blog! For me, wisdom came on Saturday morning as I was jogging on the spot on my porch, as the rain bucketed down all around me. I was looking at the rain and enjoying the sounds, sights and smells, and I smiled as it just reinforced to me that no matter what happens in my life, all outcomes are great!
I am going to tell you a really dumb little story to try and make my point this week, but before I do, I want to just share a little of the conversation I had with Nick Bracks on this week’s Podcast called, You can’t lose. Nick is a man who, like many of us, has had a mental health journey to the point where he had serious issues in his life. Nevertheless, now on the other side and helping many people as a result, his attitude inspires me beyond belief. He said that no matter what outcome you achieve in life, it’s always a win. Now, I know many might disagree with that statement, but then it’s all how we look at things, right? He said, for himself, he will either get a successful outcome, or he will get a lesson that will help him in his life. So, for him, he cannot lose. What about you? That’s something to ponder as you deal with the current circumstances in your life.
So, every Saturday for me is ‘Muscle Up Saturday.’ I get up around 6am, jump on my bike and ride to the outdoor chin-up bar at a local park and do my session. I love it, mostly when it’s over, that is! This Saturday, I woke up to the sound of torrential rain. In my younger years I would have braved the weather anyway with my catch-cry that, ‘I am waterproof!’ I have to admit, with no apologies, in recent years, I have softened a little. Not to the point I would use the rain as an excuse, but certainly to the point I would modify my session. I was however in a dilemma as I had no idea what I would do.
The outcome I wanted was to be able to get to the park and do my muscle ups, the outcome I ended up with was just as great, in fact maybe better, as I was proud of my creativity and willingness to find a solution. This is exciting stuff, isn’t it?? I grabbed my 17.5kg (40lb) dumbbell from the garage and went out onto my 2m by 2m undercover porch just outside my front door and, as the rain was pelting down, I did 10 sets of a full-body dumbbell exercise, squats and jogging on the spot. As I was jogging on the spot at the end of the session, trying to get my steps up to reach my goal, I was looking out over the rain-soaked-landscape and thinking, ‘this is an awesome outcome.’
Boring story, I know, and, it’s really not about me telling you how great I am. I just want to reinforce the message you will hear if you listen to the podcast with Nick Bracks, that no matter what outcome you end up with, it’s always great, if you choose it to be. It’s so wonderfully true, if you believe it and expect it to be. In my professional football career, the initial outcome I wanted was to be successful, the one I ended up with was being sacked. The sacking led me to significant self-reflection and learning, and a very fulfilling fitness industry career. An incredible outcome. When I bought a café, the outcome I wanted was for it to be a successful business. The outcome I ended up with was that I was out of business and in $100,000 debt within two short years. It was at that time, as I questioned my next step, that I decided to write my first book, which has totally transformed my life. An amazing outcome.
I could tell you story after story, but I would rather you reflect on your own experiences where you may not have got the outcome you initially wanted, but instead you got one far more exciting and fulfilling, even though the circumstances at the time looked pretty devastating. I want to encourage you to believe in your heart that all outcomes are great. I want to have peace-of-mind and confidence in knowing that whatever you are experiencing right now, you will look back with perspective and gratitude knowing that it led you to an incredible outcome. With the right attitude and a proper perspective, all outcomes you experience are great!