“One of the illusions of life is that the present hour is not the critical decisive hour. Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year. He only is right who owns the day, and no one owns the day who allows it to be invaded by worry, fret and anxiety. Finish every day, and be done with it. You have done what you could.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
To write it on your heart is a pledge. To take an oath. To commit. And once committed, to own it.
So let me ask you: “Where is the sense in holding in, holding on or holding out?” There can never be an inkling of thought granted to waiting for the “right moment”. For once you do, it is a lock that it will have already passed. Fretting over what might have been or might be is a waste of energy, effort and time.
It takes you out of where you are now: today.
Consigning your thoughts, words and deeds to “enduring” the so-called “fates” or embracing “conventional wisdom” can only lead you astray. Right down a path where things will undoubtedly happen to you. When in fact, you should always be the one happening to things.
Give some serious consideration to what Mr. Emerson proposes.
Every day can be the best day of the year. And if you do live it right – they should be. One right after the other. So write it on your heart. Bind yourself to that oath to own each and every one of them. Pledge your sacred honor to make this the best.
To epitomize attitude is often easier said than thought, understood and applied.
But attitude truly is everything.
In the right hands, a coach, mentor or leader can make attitude a powerful weapon of mass instruction. Instilling in others an awareness of its impact and how it can promote achievement and success. How it ripples ever outward. And ultimately, creates unanticipated growth.
Of all the things that we seek to control and temper throughout the course of our daily lives, attitude tends to be the one thing that is overlooked or taken for granted. Perhaps because it often requires more effort and perseverance than was ever anticipated. After all, it is not something that can be held, defined or KPI’d. It is only just attitude.
But then again, attitude is EVERYTHING. It alone belongs to and answers to us. It is a personal, business and life changer. If we can fully recognize and honor that.
However, more often than not, we choose to cede our authority to it. The wrong one. Allowing it to run rough-shod over us and others when we allow it. Attitude alone has the ability to transform any adversity into opportunity. Attitude provides one with the proper perspective regardless of the severity of the situation. It is our ally when we understand its goal. Enemy when we do not.
Attitude – good or bad – can go viral. It can become a highly contagious element. For good. And, for bad.
You must be willing and able to become the relentless source of a positive attitude for all. Not just for you. But for all.
And then?
Be willing to administer the vaccine should all negativity happen to turn it into a bad infection.
Followed by making an honest commitment. And then, one would think that all should come together.
But things will happen. And you will still get what it is you want. Right? Maybe in the movies. But more often than not, the one-two punch of choice and commitment is simply not enough to win you the coveted prize alone.
Because life ain’t the movies.
Things happen. Something goes wrong. There may be/will be distractions. You might have second thoughts. Adversity will be certain to make its appearance in all shapes, sizes and duration.
The remedy to all of this?
A steadfast persistence. An intentional course of action. Perseverance in thought, word and deed. Especially in spite of burgeoning difficulties, discouragement or despair.
Perseverance isn’t so much about waiting as it is about patiently enduring. Keeping the faith. Sustaining some momentum.
And essentially, picking yourself up over and over.
There is a misconception about the relationship between emotion and passion.
Both might be considered sources of energy, enthusiasm and effort in the context of performance. But truth be told, they are neither equal nor interchangeable.
When it comes to impacting performance, emotion is like kindling. Twigs, branches, scrap lumber. Remnants of something fallen. Leftovers of things that used to grow, and sustain life. Now? Readily combustible. Prone to sudden ignition. Just waiting to be lit. And given certain conditions, situations or settings – elements that can be dangerous. Exhibiting the potential to erupt into an uncontrollable flame. Kindling – like emotion – can burn white hot in an instant, spread rapidly without regard for its surroundings and consume all in its path. Even ultimatley, consuming itself.
Emotion follows whatever happens to start it and then feed it, but only for that moment, burning a path wherever it happens to be led. More often than not it comes as a response without regard for consequence, leading to actions built on misdirected energy, focus and intention. Haphazard. Indiscriminate. And entirely unsustainable. Much like kindling, pure emotion can behave absent of any purpose other than to consume. Entirely contingent on the right setting, circumstance and source for ignition. A reaction for reaction’s sake alone.
Passion, on the other hand, is an altogether different kind of energy source.
It is more akin to oak, maple or birch. Hardwoods, that grow sturdy in the elements, forged by the relentless challenges of the environment, weathering the storms of each season. Made to soldier on despite drought, flood, blizzard or injury to limb. Unlike the scattered forces of emotion, passion – like the oak – is an entity that is firmly grounded. Its roots are set deep and poised for growth. Passion is about exerting one’s full intention no matter the elements. Maximizing capacity regardless of the environment. Soldiering on, above and beyond each and every obstacle raised.
True passion is a fuel that is meant to be stoked by purpose.
One made present in a form that can be tempered contingent on the circumstance. Like seasoned oak, passion is intended to burn for the long run. Capable of sustaining a high level of energy for a relentless drive that commands a consistent and persistent release over time without condition. Passion is a source of energy that is made to be delivered with precision. Producing light when things look their darkest. Enhancing clarity in moments of truth. The catalyst that forges steel.
Emotion alone is incapable of sustaining this kind of effort. Only passion is equal to this task.
Don’t get me wrong, emotion is important. It is an integral part of our personal infrastructure. An element well suited to ignite new ventures.
But in the context of the life-long pursuit of achievement, success and excellence, emotion can only take you so far. It may enable you to perform briefly at a high level. But only in the correct setting, proper circumstance and timing. Emotion is dispensed in unsustainable, sporadic bursts. Moments that once extinguished, are out.
And gone for good.
Passion is the only genuine and self-perpetuating source of energy for all that you choose to accomplish. It is born of your mindset. One grown in the open, exposed to the harshest conditions and unrelenting environments. Only passion girds you to weather the storms of the season, keeping you firmly grounded, roots set deep, poised for growth.
Passion is all about exerting your full intention no matter the elements or the competition. Maximizing your capacity regardless of the environment.
Passion leads you to soldier on, above and beyond each and every obstacle raised.
So before you take that field tomorrow night, head to the office or look to find your role. by all means, light that fire. Stoke it white hot with a level of emotion reserved for each day of the week.
But then, as things happen, good or bad, be sure that you feed others with your passion. Guide your collective energies with intention. Drive yourself forward with purpose. Soldier on, as one, above and beyond each and every obstacle raised.
Fuel your performance as one with something more sustaining than just kindling.
...my temporary assignment. 