I’m Alive!

Faith is the sense of life. That sense by virtue of which man does not destroy himself, but continues to live on. It is the force whereby we live. – Leo Tolstoy, 1828-1910, famed Russian writer, author of War and Peace.

I can remember when I was growing up and my father found a passion for running and became a marathoner. So in an attempt for some father-son bonding he decided to take me down to a local pond fitted with a scenic running path and turn me into a speedy deer! About halfway around the pond, I had decided that this was definitely not the gig for me, so in protest I fell to the ground and started whining about wanting to quit…actually more like crying. In his frustration he yanked me up off the ground and gave me a life lesson that I have never forgotten: “don’t you ever, ever quit!” Subsequently, beyond the life lesson, I went on to become an all league cross country runner…but little did I know how important this simple line would become for me. I will make the distinction that I’m certainly not promoting that you go headlong into doing things you don’t want to do or are forced to do; however, once you decide upon or discover your passion then you MUST go forward like a wild animal to get after it! Now you know the road is difficult and filled with challenges but SO WHAT! You’re alive and have the opportunity to make things happen! You have to cultivate the adrenaline rush that comes with realizing that you’re real and can’t be stopped if you only recognize it!

So how do you actually train your brain to feel alive? Well the other day I was at the gym working out, one way to get life’s adrenaline pumping, and I was plugged into my Ipod with the tunes cranked and wow…something just clicked! It was almost like I could hear something in my mind shout “the captain is calling for full power!” I know this sounds crazy but I literally felt the rush…a natural high! In that moment of complete clarity I realized that I really was alive…the fog cleared completely and I realized all the incredible possibilities that were availbale to me. All I had to do was to ask the captain for full power any time I wanted. Who is this captain? You’re probably starting to think that I’m a little confused and starting to hear too many voices in my head, but you know exactly what I’m talking about…if you have been paying attention…it’s your subconscious! The power within! I simply practiced what I preached! I have been giving my subconscious instructions of success on a regular basis…and it’s working…especially by making me feel much better and that’s the most important part!

So what’s the action step here for this thinking tool? Wake up and realize you’re ALIVE! Your blood is pumping, your brain is functioning and your subconscious is begging you for instructions! The captain wants to be in the game! But he needs orders…so give them to him will you please! I had the chance this week to speak with two people that I care about and respect and my intent was to wake these guys up to help them realize that they needed to stoke their fires! Both of them have been great achievers and had somehow forgotten that or had fallen into a lull! But let me tell you that when we refocused on what they loved and what felt good for them, they came to life…I’m telling you it was like witnessing the transformation from frog to prince…I’m not talking physically, I talking mentally…and it happened in a nanosecond! This wasn’t rocket science, it was just a realization that they were ALIVE and there was nobody that could stop them from feeling strong except themselves! So don’t you think it’s time to get your swagger going too?! Maybe you feel like you never had a swagger…so go get one! What is it that makes you feel good in a positive way? All you need to do is dial in and tell the captain: Hey I’m ALIVE and I want full power! DO IT NOW!