Lately I've been thinking a lot about Zen. I really don't know much about the practice of Zen but the few concepts which I have heard have really struck a cord with me. In particular the notion of living "every moment in practice" is amazing. This concept keeps a person on track, keeps a person from being overwhelmed. We as human beings are amazing creatures. Our ability to rationalize and reason is what separates us from the animals. Yet these abilities are also our main limiters in my opinion. As humans our ability to get inside our own heads and the heads of others is what can lead to our downfalls. There is some point in every persons life when someone tells them that they can't do something. Maybe its something small like in grade school when you have to ask to go the bathroom or maybe its something big like "you're short and small without exceptional stength, you are from a small little town in the middle of nowhere...there's no way you could every play professional (insert a sport of choice here)...or "you could never be president". This makes me wonder, when President Obama was growing up I wonder what his family and friends were telling him? I must imagine that his grandmother (bc I believe that is who brought him up) fed his imagination. Allowed him to dream big. I've got to believe that he had an immense support system which allowed for this young black kid to actually believe and act on a goal as big as becoming president. With that said its not just the people around you who alter your life although it is a HUGE factor. I also feel that the people who achieve amazing things in life have an enormous belief in their own selves. This brings me to my main point. Individually we are capable of AMAZING THINGS. In reality, as cliche as it sounds "an individual alone determines their destiny". The people that succeed in life have an ability to filter out negativity. The phrases you can't, I can't, its to hard, I'll never make it do not exist in these peoples vocabulary. People that succeed in their endeavors dive in to them and do whatever it takes realize their goals. I mean would anyone in their right mind have ever thought that Lance Armstrong would win 7 Tour's IN A ROW after battling a cancer that nearly left him dead. How many people would have thrown in the towel and just been glad their survived? Not Lance, he wanted more and there was something in him that made the impossible...possible. Who know's what this something is. I believe that this something is different in every person. Each individual was created uniquely. We are each our own person, we have a unique code embedded in us. The lucky people are the people who find their passcode, who find it in themselves to unlock their true potential. And here is the kicker..I think that it just happens. People who unlock their true potential don't really know its happening because their are living in the moment, they are as the saying goes living "every moment in practice".
So who is to tell someone that they cannot achieve their goal? Why bring someone down by telling them they cannot do something? Does this makes that person feel better?..is it making up for their own lack of self-believe and internal drive? We are so quick to judge and make excuses. Instead of reasoning why we cannot...reason why we CAN! I honestly do not know where I am on my life's journey right now. I am along for the ride. When something perks up my interest I go after it..eventually things will sort themselves out, that I am confident of. Everything in my life is happening because I am living it...I do not have a set destination for my journey, my journey is constantly changing..and why shouldn't it! All I know is that yesterday when I was out for my morning run I felt different. The running was natural, I was just along for the ride. I was thinking about life, thinking about how the only way I will ever know if I can do something is if I try it. I have many goals, many dreams in my head. People that know me probably have a grasp on what they are. I am not shy about what I want in life. Why hide it? Why be ashamed of it? I want to be a triathlete, I want to make it my life, I want it to take me places far away from Rochester! I am going to strive to make this happen, yet I do not know what will actually happen down the road and nor do I care. I can tell you one thing though...I am learning all sorts of things about myself, about what I care about...I cannot be stopped because I won't let myself stop. And that's the bottom line. Each of us is unique, each of us has different talents. It's when we get caught up in "What we SHOULD be" that we get into trouble. Children don't know what they look like when their running around during Recess..they just run full bore at their maximum speed...and we as adults tell them to SLOW DOWN!...WHY? maybe we are just trying to protect them, that is a natural instinct..but that's not what I am getting at here. I am getting at the point that we need to learn from Children who run without care, who do things without thinking..they just do it..maybe its not the safest decision but heck..it makes sense to them. These children are just living their lives and letting their own emotions deviate what they do. They do not try and be someone else. Maybe the whole thing occurs when a kid starts to realize the clothing he/she is wearing. When a child begins to questions the clothing they wear..maybe that is the time that they have lost their innocence. I know that I don't remember when this occurred in my life. I just know that in all the pictures that my parents have of me when I was little I was dressed in clothing of their choice...I could care less what I was wearing. I just wanted to be able to go outside..whether that be naked or in shorts, well that was my parents decision. Ok so that was a bit of a rant but really..what I want to get out of this last thought is that when we as people let someone else dictate what we think we should do, what we look like, what we enjoy..that's when we lose our uniqueness and its that uniqueness that allows certain people to achieve amazing things! I just like many people am influenced by people and things all the time. However, in my life their have been certain milestones that have lead me to a couple key beliefs that I believe are putting me on the right track..I may not be the ipitamy of "practice what you preach"...yet and I mean YET! But one thing I will leave you with is that you should always do what you feel is right for you. Now this doesn't necessarily mean doing what you want to do all the time because their are indeed times when you would rather keep pedaling past the guy who just blew a tire..but the right thing to do is to stop and help...karma is a bitch and don't think it won't come back to bite you in the butt..So in each of your own lives strive to accomplish the things that interest you, if your friends are into it thats ok...still do what you want to do..and you'll make new friends. Don't fall into the trap of doing something just because its the norm..it everyone did this how would we grow, how would their be innovation? What if Craig Alexander (2x Ironman World Champion) believed what everyone said about him at age 30..that he was never going to be a world champion..never going to win the big one..well shoot he's over 35 years old now and has 2 titles (back to back I may add ) to his name. TRY THAT ONE on for size.
If you put thought and effort into your actions and you do what you determine is the right choice YOU WILL NEVER BE WRONG! its only that other people may see that action as wrong..but you know what WHO CARES, live your life..be happy...to my knowledge we only have a certain amount of time on earth and who knows when your times up..CARPE Diem!..(now that's cliche!)
-Matt
Best damn post EVER!
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