Think Outside the Bowl

Did you know that the common Gold Fish will grow to fit the size of the aquarium or bowl it lives in? My husband and youngest son created a fresh water pond for me one year for mother’s day. We stocked the pond with Koi fish and other tropical fish until it got too expensive to keep stocking the pond—these out door ponds serve as dinner and lunch for raccoons and other critters we have in our back yard.

We started putting simple gold fish in the pond and the gold fish that survived got bigger and bigger. One of those gold fish got to be about 10 inches long. Apparently all living creatures will be limited by the size of their environment, including us. If your current circumstance does nothing to help you grow, you’re going to have a hard time enlarging yourself to reach your potential. Your current “bowl” may be your job, your lack of education, a less than supportive relationship, your image of yourself, negative thinking, your dependence on what other’s think of you. Whatever the “bowl” is that limits you, leave that bowl and create an environment of growth around you. We may not be able to define the bowl we find ourselves in but we are all responsible for remaining in that bowl! Live today to REACH your potential. I believe in you today and all days!

Michael Phelps

I hope you have been following the Olympics and especially the Men’s Swimming events. Michael Phelps came to China with an objective – to be the most decorated swimmer in history. No one has to guess his Motivation—it is evident every time he gets into the pool. He swims as if the race he is swimming is his last race. He gives his all and doesn’t hold back for the next race.

On Wednesday night he swan the individual 200 meter breast stroke only to swim 1 hour later in the relay. He won gold and set world records in both. The commentators were all commenting that he should save his strength and pace himself however Michael Phelps has conditioned himself for this time in his life. When interviewed, he indicated that he has lived, breathed, slept swimming for 4 years. He has put everything else on hold to achieve what is unfolding before our eyes. He swam 5 hours every day for the past 4 years and concentrated on molding himself into a SWIMMING MACHINE!

If you ever wondered what it takes to be AT THE TOP OF YOUR GAME we all know. He has left nothing to chance in achieving his goal! He is a WINNER and has taught countless number of young boys and girls that time, commitment and vision will remove all obstacles from your path.

In a recent interview, Michael Phelps indicated that there were days that he didn’t want to swim another inch let alone another mile. He didn’t want to be near anything that smelled or chlorine or saline. He wanted a normal around adult life in which he could hang out with his friends. He then remembered what he wanted to achieve – 8 gold medals in the 29th Olympiad and jumped into the pool to do more laps. We can all experience that level of commitment each day if we examine our motivation.

Book of Job

I am sure that you all have heard the story of Job. As you are aware Job was a Jewish nobleman who had a large family, wealth, and a great life. Many people admired him and he had many friends. A lot of folk assumed that he was a good man because his outward possessions were plentiful and therefore he had to be righteous, correct?

Well then Job hit a bad patch. In fact, Biblical scholars teach that the “Bad Patch” was actually nine years in length. During this nine year period of time Job lost all his wealth, his children, his grandchildren, his health and yes his “friends” because the same friends that support him because of his outward “blessings” now assumed that he was really a bad person because only bad persons have the kind of bad luck Job was experiencing.

To ward the end of this nine year period, Job was left with his own thoughts, his relationship with God and his wife who admonished him to curse God and then die to be released from the misery that Job was experiencing. Job then learned a very important lesson. It was okay to question his circumstances but it was not okay to doubt the love of his Creator. Job learned that he was not defined by his possessions or his family but defined by his beliefs and his relationship with God. When he embraced that concept that we come in the world with nothing and therefore will leave with nothing he understood the ultimate lesson in this life. Prior to his losses, Job never had to ponder whether he was a RECEIVER or a BLOCKER. Job in the end was a RECEIVER and over the next 9 years of his life everything that was lost was restored nine fold. Blessing are always ready to be received!

What motivates you?

Have you given some thought as to what motivates you on a daily basis? What is the first thought you have when you awaken? What is the last thought before you fall asleep? When you are struggling to find an ounce of strength to keep going on, what do you think about? If you haven’t thought what motivates you, today is a good day to start because whatever it is that motivates you will also define your life and your future.

Your motivation can also dictate what path you follow in life; if you are motivated to be the best you can be then your choices will reflect that motivation; if you are motivated by being negative then your choices will also reflect that. If you have no motivation then the vacuum that exists in your life will be filled with the motivation of others and your life will have no compass, no course. My hope and desire for you is that you are motivated toward EXCELLENCE because that is what winners do; that you embrace each day to make the most of it for yourself, your family and the human race. The human race needs more positively motivated people to ensure that we continue on this little rock called planet earth! Embrace motivation today!