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I just got back from a difficult, birthday hike on Badger Mountain. I experienced an incredible amount of gratefulness as I reflected on my life. I'm healthy and fit; I love my calling as a coach/trainer/consultant; I live in a gorgeous area; I get to live in America; I have an amazing family--the list could go on.
I remembered my most amazing fitness feat before I decided to get healthy was getting from the couch to the refrigerator to get wine, beer, tequila....
Before I quit drinking and drugging--I had every excuse; "I don't have a problem." "I'm too young to quit." "I don't think I can or want to." "How will I be able to have any fun?" "I'm afraid, because I've tried so many times and failed."
I was getting ready to get ready to live my life in a totally different way.
Many people get ready to get ready. Maybe you would like to learn to play the piano. You research teachers in your area and maybe even call around for schedules but then you stop short of setting up your first session. Why is this? Why is it so hard to get started? It’s very simple. Fear.
Fear is a debilitating emotion that can keep you from reaching your full potential. We all have fears and many of us have learned that until we conquer our fears, we are stuck. We can’t start that project or that goal or achieve that which we so desire.
How do we start when we are scared stiff? Instead of working on the fear, let’s try a different approach and let’s look at the end result. Using the piano example, maybe this has been a dream all your life to learn but you never had the chance; circumstances got in the way. And now you have the time and you have the means to get the lessons but you are afraid. What if you stink at it? What if you are too old to learn? What if you can’t master the keys and the chords? So what! So what! You will never know unless you try. And try more than once, because failing is part of succeeding.
I failed many times at recovery. It took me years to get ready. When I finally embraced and fearfully stepped into my vision of clean, sober and healthy Jan, I was able to move in the direction of that vision--one day at a time.
Think about your vision, your dream of playing that concerto piece you love so much. Or playing that Billy Joel song. Whatever your vision is of learning to play the piano – that is what you need to focus on every day. Every time you get scared, every time you doubt yourself, see yourself at your first recital playing a piece you practiced for hours and hours, day after day and now you are ready to play for a group. Imagine yourself experiencing the enjoyment of reading the music sheet and then turning the notes into actual music – pouring out of the piano – imagine how that would feel.
Now is the time to start. No more excuses.
Jan
Jan McDonald
The John Maxwell Team
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