The Person in the Arena

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. 
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
– Theodore Roosevelt

Change

“There are three constants in life…
change, choice and principles.”
– Stephen Covey

Change
In 1932 the author of “The Wisdom of the Body” – WB Canon coined homeostasis. He described homeostasis as the property of a system that regulates its internal environment to maintain a stable, relatively constant level of some variable, such as body temperature.

Think of what would happen if your body temperature dropped 10 degrees or jumped 5 degrees higher than normal. You would either go into shock or have a seizure. Our brain is continuously monitoring our body for change and adjust to maintain a status quo of sorts. The balance can be physiological or psychological.

Today, psychologist recognize that our need for stability is not only physiological, it’s also psychological. In many ways, our habits and aversion to change are neurologically wired in our brains.

Choice
Change happens whether we choose to or not. We are either an active participant in life or just existing. The key thing to remember is: the very nature of our existence is based on change and our reaction to it. The weather turns, and we respond accordingly to stabilize our body temperature. That could be the reason why we crawl out from a warm bed, instead of jump eagerly into a room cooled by the night air.

Life doesn’t just “happen.” What is happening in the present moment is based on actions and decisions that preceded it. 

Principle
Everyone has a different belief system, your guiding principles may be based on religion, culture or society. Think about your guiding principles and how they affect your life.

“How” one gets themselves into a situation might not be as important as asking “why.” Understanding ones guiding principles, will give you a deeper understanding of your own actions and decisions.

Notice the patterns that exist as it relates to the decisions you are making. Becoming mindful of your actions will help understand your guiding principles and what informs them. 

Be curious about your principles, no matter how positive they might be, there is always room for improvement. What works today, might work even better tomorrow as we journey through our ever changing world.

The Power of Creation

Each of us has “THE POWER OF CREATION” within our being. We have learned that from the Stoics, great philosophers, amazing inventors and persistent creators who continue to expand our imaginations and show us the possibilities that is essential to unlocking your power of creation.

Let’s start at the beginning and ask the QUESTion: How to start?

Starting can be the hardest part of any goal. It seems straightforward: learn “X” and accomplish “Y.” It can be that simple. But what about the middle, getting from “X” to “Y.” Or what about getting started? That’s where I have begun and ended many of my quests.

One can come up with an ideal idea, begin to ask questions, research, question some more and somewhere in the process feel discouraged and give up.

Instead of giving up, ask yourself: “Why am I on this quest?

At times my quest were provoked by a: “I will show you!!” response.

For example, one of my insecurities was based on a need to feel needed. I wanted the feeling of importance, and many of my journeys from “X” to “Y” never came to fruition. Basing my “Y” on my insecurities and reasonings through a filter of how I wanted people to see me, left me in a cycle of looking in the wrong direction.

Often times our insecurities are based on our definition of “love.” How we define love (not the romantic type) will significantly impact how we define ourselves.

There is a difference between life based on “this” will get me the love I need, versus a journey that is truly connected to your passion, fulfilling your dreams and understanding your curiosities.

Empowering yourself with the awareness of “why you love … ” will maximize your potential and ultimately connect you to your Power of Creation.