photo credit: Scott Feldstein

Since when did pain become a bad word?

It has officially joined the ranks of current misunderstood words like work, ambition, and commitment.

In today’s world we all try to avoid pain. What is the least painful path to get from A to B? What is the easy way to succeed, get in shape, and learn? Too often, the path of least resistance causes us to miss some valuable growth and learning opportunities. I am not saying to seek it out. I am simply saying embrace it. Relish who you become as a result. Pain is a wonderful teacher.

What if a child didn’t feel pain after touching a hot stove? What would happen if  it didn’t hurt a little when they fall down trying to walk?

When I learned to surf, part of my motivation for standing up properly was to avoid the pain of wiping out. I remember the pain of not qualifying for the first tournament on my college golf team.  I thought I would waltz into a starting slot after being successful the previous summer.  I can still feel the burn as the team packed up the van to travel and I had to stay behind. That burn helped me develop a work ethic which surpassed everyone else on the team. I never missed another tournament.

Pain produces character. Pain prevents weakness. Pain teaches us to overcome.

Let 2010 be a year where pain is our tutor. Learn from it. Become who you are meant to be.

What’s your take?

“Where you will be in five years is determined by the books you read and the people you associate with.”

That one axiom has helped me simplify a lot of decisions in my life. I hope it will help you. One thing often overlooked is the importance of disassociating with the wrong environments. Sometimes all you need to change your life is to quit the right things to empower yourself to succeed.

Reading the right books (often recommended by the company I keep) has helped change my thought process more than any one thing because it led me down the path of self discovery.

There wasn’t some boss or teacher or parent telling what to do, or not do, but my own voice inspiring me to change. I believe that is the voice of your true potential and destiny breathing life into who you were meant to be.

Here is a list of some of my favorite books: good reads

What books have breathed life into you?

I stepped onto the plane and looked down both sides in hopes to find an isle seat. Sure enough, every isle seat and window seat was taken. Every middle seat, was open. They were the only open ones left. Accepting my fate, I proceeded to take a seat, overcoming the always uncomfortable “excuse me”, between two people already settled.

It became so clear to me right then. NO ONE WANTS THE MIDDLE SEAT. ever! It provides neither the scenery and glamor of the window seat nor the convenience and comfort of the isle seat.

The choice of our seat is ours to make unless we don’t choose at all. That is also a choice. By not making a choice, you choose the middle seat.

This observation caused me to ask myself these questions which I will ask to you.

Am I sitting in the middle seat in any area of my life? Career? Relationships? Impact on my community? Etc?

If so, get UP and grab an isle seat or a window seat and enjoy the journey of your life.