Persistence – Commitment – Are you dreaming of rings? Tokens? Trophies? Collecting and collectibles? Antiques, graduations, pawn shops, art museums? You are longing for a “commitment ceremony” or some tangible symbol to articulate and consolidate an inchoate desire. Desire is nothing without will. You are a creature of Now, a chip on the whirlwind, but you desire power over yourself and the future.

You Were Formed to be An Athlete – Naturally your skills aren’t very good at first. But one thing we do scientifically know is that there’s nothing magical about becoming a pro! Who said it takes 10,000 hours of practice to be good at something? Isn’t that, like 27 years? In other words, when you really want anything, you’re going to have to make a major life commitment to make this possibility a part of yourself.

Challenge – Are you up for the sacrifice? Not many people are! You’re going to have to skip the easy, tempting treats – physical, spiritual, emotional – to satisfy the demands of your training. There’s really only one way to do this. You’re going to have to change into a person who LIKES and PREFERS this lifestyle. It’s easier if the lifestyle’s not TOO restrictive. By that logic, you can see that it makes sense to start off slow and build – just like you do in the gym. No sense overwhelming muscles with weight they can’t handle!

Danger – The danger’s all around us and it’s called Addiction. Somebody gets obsessed with a pattern that started off healthy. Suddenly you’re in an obsessive spiral you can’t get out of. Admit it when you need help. Is this destructive pattern interfering with work? Relationships? Health? Are friends and family intervening, grumbling or starting to talk? When a commitment turns deadly – and we know even romantic relationships can do so – reach out to someone you trust for a balanced perspective. Likely there’s a plan already developed to get you back on track without losing the gains you’ve already made.

Opportunity – Persistence in a healthy commitment is the best path to transformation there is. You truly can become a different person, the person you always wanted to be, over time and in tiny steps. When I wanted to give up sugar, I consumed a lot of fake sugar at first, then less and less over time, until now I can’t believe I ever liked or was satisfied by that stuff. My palate has changed, so has my health and so have I. That doesn’t mean I don’t eat wedding cake! I enjoy my newfound self, and you can have that self-rewarding pleasure too. Find a buddy on the journey – a tried and true pathway. Open your Dream Journal. Use mindfulness to examine cravings, release them and calmly set yourself free.

Models & Mentors – “Thankfully, persistence is a great substitute for talent”
– Steve Martin

“Failure is a requisite for success. If you want to succeed, double your rate of failure” – Brian Tracey

“Success is the willingness to work hard for twenty-two minutes on something others would give up on after thirty seconds” – Malcolm Gladwell

“Success comes from curiosity, concentration, perseverance and self-criticism” – Albert Einstein

Mantra – “I can”

Meditation –

#Haiku: The Danger of Cellular Negativity

Death is a
Choice.
Creation’s fierce template
Commits to life:
Shared,
Grown
Spread.