Do You Have the Stamina to Avoid Being a Statue?

Keep moving or get pooped on

The path you avoid may often be the one you should take. The past and the future have this hardening effect that keeps you from even enjoying now. Like right now.

Oh boy…do you hear those pigeons in the distance?

Enjoy the now before too much time passes, poop magnet!

That Pesky Past of Yours

The past blocks you from behind because there’s no going back.

The best thing to do is be present with the knowledge of you from the past. Since you already know, act accordingly and proceed with life.

Make now good, right now! Got it?

Meet Uncertainty Head On

The future is debatable and that’s a wonderful thing. You can work with an infinite number of possibilities.

The mistake you make is trying to capture all the possibilities (ideas and perceived outcomes) with a giant net. You take a big swipe, and your net is full to overflow. When you look left or right, guess what?

Yes, thousands upon thousands of more possibilities.

The second you start future-casting, you abandon now. You’re not in the past, present, or future.

You’re in your head in a mental state of being…stuck.

You’re a self-erected statue in your own timeline. Like you took a hit from Medusa’s glare, but your eyes can move (my article, my rules).

No action.

No momentum.

No consistency.

Zero progress.

Right this way, pigeon pals.

While in Limbo

Picture yourself as your mirror reflection looking back at you. The faceless body pushing from behind is your good friend, the past. The infinite wall of gray at arm’s length in front of you is the future.

The gray wall is lit up with billions of tiny flashes. It’s beautiful and you can’t help but hold still and watch because right now, you’re a statue.

All those tiny flashes are possibilities running through your head. All the what-ifs, I’m not sure, and gonna tries are lighting the wall keeping you stuck in this alternate now.

You, the reflection, see yourself powerless to take any action.

How to Break Free

Now (no pun intended), let’s free ourselves up to take action.

Yes, together. C’mon.

Not so fast, my friend, don’t just re-animate and walk off into the sunset!

Back to the gray wall, focus on the flashes. Pick one before it dims out and the next one shines in its place.

Focus on making it brighter. Bright enough to outshine all the other flashes. Good!

That’s it! The light is getting bigger and brighter.

You notice the light getting closer. It’s not moving toward you, just the opposite. You’re moving toward a future. Your future.

When you stop to look at your progress the light fades and the billions of flashes appear again. You stiffen back to a statue.

Focus!

Pick one flash and move!

Bigger.

Brighter.

Closer.

You’re free!

You’re a thousand steps into your future. It’s your new now!

Your vision and action allow you to make the future you want when you work in the now.

A Quick Share

I often find myself as a statue every few weeks. Little bright flashes just chewing up time and potential.

Some days, I’m couch surfing. Most days, I’m outlining articles and brainstorming headlines.

One day, my daughter shook me from my light show. She told me she wanted to try softball because her classmates are on teams.

Being a sports fan and a dad, I took action.

I recently read, “Real Help” by Ayodeji Awosika, where he mentions a guy who invented things from discarded materials. I coupled that idea with one of the first things you need to learn in softball: how to bat.

For five weeks, I turned my basement into a workshop. I hatched an idea to make a batting tee from stuff laying around the house.

The result, I turned this pile (plus a small purchase of magnets):

Into this:

And she did this:

She loves it and I’m no longer worried if it’s worth building.

I have no idea where this will take her (cough, Women’s College World Series, cough), but it feels great when you create.

Thanks for sticking with me.

Now, go on, chase your light!