Living In The Moment

Not sure where to go with this one as for most of my life this is definitely not something (i thought) I have been strong at. It may not come across sometimes and people may think that deep down I have everything figured out and that I am a very calm natured person but typically its the opposite...I guess I have just been great at hiding it over the years. I am one who desires immediate results and I was always so impatient waiting for what I wanted. Sometimes if I knew that the reward/goal accomplishment would take a long time I would keep pushing it to the back of my TO DO LIST. My first few years dealing with patients I would take it so personally if someone who had been suffering from an injury for years didn't get better after one treatment. When I started triathlon I had a large checklist of what I wanted to accomplish but would get very irritated that the accomplishments where not dropping from my checklist daily.

It wasn't really until this past spring that I woke up one morning and walked downstairs and looked at what life has given me that I realized anything worth while in this world takes time and patience. I saw my amazing wife and three princesses just belly laughing on the couch with not a care in the world. They didn't care what the day had ahead of them or what stresses presented themselves the day before...they were in the moment and living life to the fullest. It was then it hit me that what I thought was years of impatience was truly my way of being patient with all situations. I was overwhelmed with the thoughts of all the early mornings/hot lunch time hours/always smelling like chlorine which in my mind proved that I really had been patient over the years knowing that consistency and always trying to be better the next day was what made me the fittest I have ever been late into my 30's. I was overwhelmed from all the patient feedback that maybe I had taken for granted but now meant more to me than ever before...all those times healing people which allowed them to continue on with their goals in life made me a better person and maybe I presented my self with patience and confidence which gave them the trust in me as a doctor. I was overwhelmed with the now THREE little girls in my life look up to me every single day for guidance...for a shoulder to cry...for a tickle or a laugh...for a snuggle buddy...and most of all just to be their dad. Having three children at times can feel crazy but they look to you to be patient is situations and to help teach them whats right and wrong.

What I am trying to get out in this message is that nothing in this life of ours will ever be easy. If its easy than either you cheated or you didn't push yourself far enough into discovering what really lies deep inside of you. Greatest comes with determination, sweat, tears, injuries, an amazing team and most of all the PATIENCE to know that if you believe in yourself and wake up each and everyday giving 100% of who you are that nothing will stand in your way.

It has been about six months since my wife's cousin Jimmy passed away from brain cancer and there is not a moment that goes bye in which I wish his life was not ended by such a terrible disease. It has also reminded me that the little things in life only matter if you give them the energy to grow and take over your life in a negative fashion. We live in a much different world than when I was a kid in which mom basically said go out and play and come home around dinner time. There is more going on in this world of ours that constantly tries to occupy our attention for the worst. Most of it is out of my control but what is in my control I make sure I push forward knowing that I will overcome.

MAKE IT COUNT!!!!

Time Management

Being a physician and coach the most common excuse I get towards rehab or a training plan is a lack of time. When it comes to accomplishing most goals in life I am a believer that everything comes back towards time management. If your goal is to qualify for Ironman Hawaii then you need to put in the time with no zeros...if your goal is to be a successful sales executive (seen it first hand from my wife) then you have to put in the time as there is no easy road...if you want to become the greatest pianist of our time then you guessed it right you need to put in the time perfecting you skill. I was not always the best with my time growing up. I can remember in college starting in-depth research papers the night before it was due. Early on I was not as committed to my training because I thought just because I was a good athlete that long course triathlon should be easy. When I started out in private practice I thought just by showing up to work that patients would start flooding my clinic. I think I also at one time fooled my thought process into thinking that balancing all that and raising children would be a walk in the park. Well as you can imagine following all these principles would lead to a failure or a lack of accomplishing any goals in a repeatable fashion. I think that finally at 37 years of age I am a master of time management. With three kids, busy practice, coaching, a wife that travels extensively and trying to fit in training for triathlons people ask me all the time how I do it. My first response is usually one of "It's Easy". I really do think from a time management respect its not that hard and when you are limited on what time you have people tend to be more productive and more successful. Its when you have to much time or you don't structure you day to day life that inconsistency and a lack of focus takes over. If you find yourself in dire need of a time management make-over then follow me in a basic skill I learned a few years ago. First of all draw yourself a chart listing the days of the week and then from here you need to start filling in the blanks as far as activities that you can't budge...i.e...work schedule, class, time with kids, community meetings, etc. From this chart you can start filling in the blocks of free time you have available and trust me there will be free time. In a given week I am usually always up at 4:30 to 5:00AM to get some sort of training in...I typically make the most out of my lunches and train then (this will also allow you to plan lunches ahead of time which means packing a healthier option than always eating out)...all of this gives me the extra FREE time I need every night to spend with my little ladies. I have heard this block called a BASIC week in the past which is something you can repeat week after week so it becomes routine and then the excuse of lack of time becomes a weakness that is no longer part of you. So at the end of the day its always easier to do nothing and keep complaining how its a lack of time fault. You will also see that its harder to obtain your goals or dreams in life. Although if you just break out a pen and paper and follow the simple steps in the previous paragraph then I promise you that you will come close to if not exceed any hurdle that has been in your way. So look at this blog entry as a challenge to be better and let me know when your life's goal sheet starts being checked off. Make It Count!!!!!