be better

Decisions Part 3

/ bjstagner / Leave a comment

Mammatus Lightning bolt, Nebraska, USA

 

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Decisions

“Life is made up of moments framed by the choices we make and minutes we live.” – Stag

Decision /dɪˈsɪʒ(ə)n/ noun – “a conclusion or resolution reached after consideration.”

There are some days we just want to stay in bed whilst there are others we cannot wait to charge the day.  Herein is where discipline plays its most vital role, for it enables us to make the pure and proper decision  which will aid in our success even if it is succeeding the mere moment being tempted to quit.

Be Better

Thus far we have come to understand in making the decision to ‘Be Better” requires one to not Settle but rather to Stand.  This may sound like an easy task, but there is a third attribute required whilst one strives to be better, one in which will function to solidify the first two which is, we must be:

Strong

To Be Better, means we must not to Settle and we must STAND, but in order to achieve both we must be strong.  Herein is where most will muddy up the water so to speak.  Everyone will be tempted to settle back and click the cruise control in life.  We find this especially true when it comes to business and home.  In business, anyone can start a company, beginning requires no great talent, in reality.  A little money, a catchy phrase and a few people who believe in what one is peddling, there you go.  It is the building and maintenance which is difficult.  Being able to stay out of the fringe elements yet in front of the competition requires being strong.  Having a passion for continual growth within self and the surroundings requires a strength, such strength very few people possess.  Again, anyone can start something, it is the building, growing, following through and finishing strong which has become a massive rarity in our world today.

It is seen in business, school, sports etc… we hear phrases like: “Well I’ve done my time…” or “We put in so much work…” or “I think we have done enough…”

Let me say this and make it clear, there will come a day when we are not able to do physically, mentally or emotionally the things we can do now, and yes, twenty years ago you may have worked harder in the body than you are capable of doing so today, but that does not mean you have to be weak.  You do not have to be weak in mind or body, you have a choice to be strong! Just because you cannot move as fast as you once did or you are not as strong as you used to be, does not mean we quit, it surely does not mean we settle, it means we are to STAND where we are and be STRONG in who we are!

The same is true in the home, our relationships.  Marriage requires work, it is a regular and honest examination of yourself to ensure you do not hit the cruise control button in life.  I have taught for twenty years, always continue dating your spouse, keep the ‘honey’ in the honeymoon and keep the honeymoon hot.  We should be passionate about what and WHO we love and for that reason keep both of them hot.  This may embarrass some who are reading this, but just think about it for a moment, when a new business is started and begins to grow, there is a buzz an excitement about it, things are fresh and fiery.  The same is true when you begin dating.  If the business is going to be a success, it will do so by maintaining the buzz and the burning desire to be the best.  Guess what, the same is true in our relationships, if it will be the best relationship two people can have, then you are going to have to maintain the buzz and burning desire to love, honour and appreciate one another.  Now, maybe you want to have some stale, boring marriage, not me!  I don’t want boring in my business nor in my home at the end of the day I want to finish strong in life with fervour and a fierce attitude toward life striving to be better every single day!

When all the dust settles and you can see clearly…there is a realisation which sets in…It is not only for your benefit to be better… there are countless others who, believe it or not, are depending on us.  Be the best you, NOW and stop comparing yourselves to what you used to be.  Time moves on and waits for no one and therefore we must move with it…Just BE BETTER!

These are two of the three major Decisions we must make in our life to set the Bar and to Be Better.  Here is the kicker, to repeat myself, when all the dust settles and we begin to see clearly, the realisation sets in, there are countless others who are depending on us to be Strong… to Stand… to not Settle…and to just BE… Better…

Decisions Part 2

/ bjstagner / Leave a comment

Mammatus Lightning bolt, Nebraska, USA

Click here for the fully formatted version

“We have this one life to live and to live requires decisions.”

Decision /dɪˈsɪʒ(ə)n/

noun – a conclusion or resolution reached after consideration.

We began this second topic of Decisions by establishing the fact we must choose to set the Bar… What I mean is we must make the decision to set the bar, to lift up the standard as opposed to simply talking, reading or listening to great plans and ideas of doing so.  Our second decision is a choice to: 

Be Better

We saw in our last edition the decision to ‘Be Better” requires one to not Settle.  Well secondly, making such an important decision includes taking a:

Stand

Can I say something right here, which may come across a bit strong?  Man, take what you want!  I am not referring to stealing, I am making a statement of STANDING!  Success in this life requires one to come under the realisation, NO ONE in this world will do it for you.  If you want it, go get it. 

You must take the opportunity to stand, to seize the moment and capitalise on the opportunity given to press toward the mark.  You and you alone must take the initiative to set the goal then destroy it.

Let’s be honest, anyone can hit a mark set by the mediocre norms in society.  Again, to Be Better, simply means to just be better than yesterday, to be better than last week, last month or last year. We should set goals based upon the plan established through the vision within the disciplined mindset and make the decision to PULL THE PIN.  Execute the decisions of setting the Bar and just Be Better, that’s all you have to do.  Remember, to DO NOTHING, is a stagnant path ending in failure!

Now you may be asking, “why should I stand?” (Well, in reality, I am going to ask back “why not?”).  Why wouldn’t you stand?  We must get it through our head no one, in reality is a second or third class citizen.  Even when others are treating them as such, you do not have to accept someone else’s view of yourself giving them the power to determine who or what you are or may become. 

So, if you will buy into the idea the power to be better is within yourself, why would you settle and sit?  There is no rhyme nor reason for it.  Therefore stand, for we have no excuses to quit, we have no reason to settle, but rather every purpose to stand.

Fine, maybe things haven’t worked out the way you planned or dreamed.  Sure, there may be something wrong with your dream, but, this is beside the point…

Even when you feel like sitting… STAND!

Even when you are tired… STAND!

Even when you are at your wits end… STAND!

Mikko Salo was asked why he doesn’t lie down after a completing a chest-to-bar Fran in a time which would have placed him first in the event at the 2008 CrossFit Games.  His response was quite methodical, yet definitively disciplined, he said “I once read an article about it: when animals surrender they go lying on their back,” Salo explains. “From then on I decided I would never go lying on my back. It’s a sign of weakness and surrendering. I’m never lying on my back.”

“Just STAND… go get what you want and just Be Better!