Lungs screaming.
My heart feels like it’s expanding against the walls of a steel cage.
Head spinning.
Fighting to give my best while the barely audible inner voice is telling me to quit.
What keeps me going……
Is my latest enemy.
The ultimate opponent.
The top seed in the next tournament.
A rival business in the industry.
Anyone who thinks I can’t succeed and is hoping to see me fail.
The last person to turn me down and reject me.
A great adversary can be an extraordinary compliment to your ever growing set of skills and tools…..
Someone to unleash a part of you that you didn’t know you were capable of.
The person to drive you towards your goals; accomplishing what you would have expected from simply showing up and trusting it would all work out.
Because once you have a clear enemy, you cannot rest until they are defeated, if you truly want to win.
And not everyone does.
Some are happy with second. Just to get out there.
Which is admirable.
Commendable.
Maybe even satisfying for some.
It beats sitting on the couch doing nothing all day, but there are levels……
So if that does not satisfy you……
Not only do you need enemies, but…..
Until that trophy, that gold medal, that article in the paper about your success becomes a reality, you must do EVERYTHING in your will and your power to achieve it!
Doing this, will lead to many painful wake up calls……
A baseball bat of reality to your temple.
The body shot that sends you to your knees, paralyzing you from the inside out.
The reminder that you weren’t what you thought you were.
Very close, but no cigar.
Moments to remind us that we’ve allowed ourselves to grow just a little complacent.
That we might not be in good enough shape for our goals.
Might not be skilled enough.
Might not be working as hard as we could.
Might not be as disciplined as we should be.
That we are lying to the one person we shouldn’t, ourself.
And it will hurt…..
For as long as you continue to set bigger goals……
BUT.
What you will receive in return if you achieve what you actually, truly and emotionally desire, in your very being……
Will be beyond worth it.
And that’s why you’ll do it again and again.
Because the pain of slaying a giant is worth the priceless seconds that follow.
An irreplaceable legacy that is yours and only yours.
David and Goliath.
The battle of Gettysburg.
Miyamoto Musashi single handedly defeating several armed samurai.
Muhammad Ali taking down George Frazier.
Larry Owings handing Dan Gable his first loss.
None of these warriors showed up, without a clear enemy that they prepared for….
Their targets may as well have walked straight into an ambush…..
“But what does it matter, we’re all going to be forgetten in the next 30-50 years….”
Is what losers will tell you.
Those who have never endured hardship for long enough to ever see anything great.
Forget them.
The only people who will understand are those who committed to excellence like you.
Who like you, will continue to risk being exposed, humiliated and embarrassed along the way so long as they keep fighting and setting new goals.
Picking themselves back up after a loss and plunging themselves into another workout, another training camp, another business workshop, vowing not to make the same mistake twice.
With a clear enemy, to drive them towards their elevated version in order to come out on top.
I hope your enemy is a good one, one who will bring the very best out of you in the next few months.
If you don’t have one, maybe it’s time to start looking.
Cheers to many more wake up calls to come.
-cwh
The Lifelong Professional 