When I’m at the park with my kids, I find the majority of parents telling their kids to “GET DOWN.” Sometimes I almost feel bad because I am there standing by my son and daughter and teaching them how to climb higher without hurting themselves.
When I lived by the beach I would hear the same thing, “Jude, Don’t Climb That Rock!” I would be 15 feet away telling my son where to find the foot holds.
People always ask me, “How do your kids swim so well, I can’t even get mine to put their heads under water.” To which I typically reply, “I threw them in until they learned to hold their breath before they knew how to talk back and complain about it, and made it fun for them.”
I’ve been jumping off 30 foot cliffs with my son since he was 3 years old. I’ve been out in the water when the surf had 25 foot faces, and surfed waves with 18 foot faces(honestly, that is pretty tame compared to what a lot of people have done; I feel like I’m just getting warmed up).
Why do we spend our whole life telling each other that we “Can’t.” Is it any wonder why so many of us have a hard time stepping out of our comfort zone to become the person that we truly want to become?
What the hell is that anyways, “Being Comfortable.” I’m pretty comfortable about six shots deep, cranked back in the Lazy-Boy watching my Celtics win a basketball game, but I FEEL one hell of a lot better when I am on the court sinking the winning shot for my own League team.
Celebrating your own wins is one hell of a lot better than marveling at the accomplishments of others. The big difference between the Champion and the observer is one day they decided to look in the mirror and say, “I can, and I will,” rather than, “I wish I could… I wish I had…”
What’s the deal with The Vagination of America? When did so many of us resign ourselves to meekly stare at the cards that were dealt to us?
Inside most of us there is a dream and a vision that we were meant to do something great. There is a champion screaming inside of all of us, yearning for the opportunity to emerge.
I understand as well as anyone else does what it feels like to look at your life, and feel that tinge of depression that whispers, “This isn’t the vision that I had, I screwed up, where did I go wrong? How the hell did I get HERE?”
What I don’t understand is letting that feeling run our lives. Take a hard look in the mirror; if you like everything about your life, smile and keep it up because you are exactly where you need to be. Hey, if you don’t, you don’t need to tell me, or anyone else if you don’t want to… but don’t lie to yourself.
There are two types of problems that we have in life, those we can change, and those we can do nothing about. If you can’t change it, don’t worry about it; it’s just a waste of time and energy. If it is something within your control to change, there are really only 2 choices:
- Ignore it and accept it. If you choose this option, don’t let me catch you bitching about it because it is your own damn fault. The power of change is within all of us, and it simply starts with a choice.
- Do something about it.
Change is progressive, and in most cases won’t happen over night. However, it should be moving like a good stock, up and down, but always in an upward direction over time.
Being weak and accepting “Fate” is a choice. Being a “Champion” is also a Choice. What is your choice?
“We all breathe the same air as
the great men and women of this
world. The same wind blows
upon us all, it is not the blowing
of the wind, but the setting
of the sail.”
There is opportunity in both adversity and prosperity. The right mindset will find it in either, and the wrong mind will complain about things either way. Be honest, are you looking for opportunity or excuses? When you fail, do you blame others, or yourself?
Many may have told you in your life to “Get down… Be Careful… You Can’t…” I’m here to tell you today that you CAN!
I don’t care what your dream is, if you aren’t there yet, man up, grab life by the balls and go out there and get what you want!
To The Fulfillment of Your Personal Vision,
Aki Wood: MLM Genius
Phone: 858-345-4891
Email: aki@akiwood.com
**If You Got some Value from this, Tweet it, Share it on Facebook, Digg it, or at least hit the “Like” Button Below!**
Tags: aki wood, america, attitude, awesome, blowing wind, cliff jumping, gainer, gainers, mlm, network marketing, personal vision, philosophy, setting sail, vagination, vision, whiners, winners
Facebook
Myspace
Youtube
Twitter
Leave A Reply (13 comments so far)
Kenny/Mustachules
495 days ago
Awesome post my bearded brother…. No room for mutwatsies ( that is pussies in the mustachulit language) in the winners circle!!!!!
Jon Whitacre
495 days ago
Thanks Aki! I can and I will. (and I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me.)
Blaine M Brazzle
495 days ago
Isn’t it ironic in a nation founded on fighting back and doing things our own way, that more rules and guidelines are set here than almost anywhere else in the world. Oppressive nations and communists have always, at least stuck to their guns…as bad as others may see it from the outside, yet the biggest nation China has slowly but surely crept into the 2nd biggest economy and by some standards the most productive nation in the world, while the US falls and adds in more rules to govern us into being just good enough. The US was once the best, now we fight to just be good enough. Why? Cause you can’t do this or you can’t do that, this shouldn’t be done, don’t risk to much, save and borrow, you need better credit, you should look this way, you should go for this job…WTF? A nation founded on entrepreneurial efforts, now thinks being an entrepreneur…and doing things your own way…is too hard and too risky and the safe un-secure job is the way to go.
What happened and when do we get to take back what is ours and become the prosperous nation we once were? Maybe after the upcoming depression, we can reset everything and start anew.
Aki
494 days ago
Well Said.
Stephanie Deneke
495 days ago
No doubt, what happened to “no guts no glory”? We don’t all have to be crazy pioneers pushing the edge of everything. But if there’s something that you want to do in life you’ve gotta do it all or nothing.
Growing up my dad always told me to go “balls to the wall” on anything I did (I was his only kid and I kinda think he was wishing for a boy LOL)
Stephanie Deneke recently posted..Voicemail Marketing- Sorry We Missed You- Here’s Our Sales Pitch…
Blaine M Brazzle
494 days ago
That reminds me…do you still have my balls in your handbag? You said I didn’t need them anymore and that you would hold onto them for me and make all my decisions for me….LOL
Aki
494 days ago
Just to be clear, Blaine is talking to Stephanie, I neither carry a handbag or want anything to do with Blaine’s Balls.
-Aki
Stephanie Deneke
493 days ago
I’m so glad you cleared that up. I didn’t want to have to fight you for them.
Andrew Gallop
495 days ago
Hello Aki, another great article, you are on top of the world. Thanks, Andrew Gallop
Brian and Felicia White
495 days ago
You nailed it Aki! Too many people are outside looking in, full of doubts and fears, but you just have to suck it up and believe in yourself enough to get out of your comfort zone and LIVE life to the fullest. Follow your vision and dream to become the champion of your own life!
Brian and Felicia White recently posted..Nut Up or Shut Up!
Freddie
491 days ago
Awesome title! Great connection from the parents telling their kids to get down to why we suck in our own lives sometimes.
Loren
490 days ago
Awesome post Aki… reminding us all to at least be courageous enough to create positive change by stepping up to all the opportunities in life… a heck of a lot more rewarding than holding back in fear of following through on a new challenge. It’s all in how we “see” it, isn’t it… to grow or not to grow.
Loren recently posted..Work From Home At Your Own Online Business
Aki
490 days ago
Exactly Loren; I’m not even trying to say that everyone should jump off 30 foot cliffs with their little kids, but holding back others and not facing our fears is just a waste.