How to move on from your past and create a great future.
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There is so much information about how to live a great life. I agree with a lot of it, but I’m not sold on following any else’s path. It’s important to learn from other’s mistakes as well as experts, but make sure you take what you can use for your own journey. One of my favorite quotes is by Ralph Waldo Emerson. He writes,
“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
That takes effort, it takes planning, commitment, and dedication. A lot of the information and motivation you normally read about are fantastic. I need to hear them. I need to read them. I need to listen to them, watch them and be reminded of it all daily. Otherwise I get lazy, unproductive, and I begin to settle for less than I know I can do and be. All the motivation helps me redefine myself on a daily basis. I didn’t have the best roll models growing up. While I know my parents loved me and did the best they could, they’re gone now and I’m an adult, so I have the wonderful opportunity to create my life like no one else. I plan to continue to reach for the unknown and see how it forms in my life.
The first thing I do is understand my mind. A very shortened story of my first marathon is that I never thought I would run a marathon. Not in a million years. To me, marathons were for Olympians and professional athletes. Then I found myself coming around mile 25, crossing under the balloons, and weeping. Yes, weeping. Why? Because I was going to do it! No matter what, I could’ve stopped and walked the last 1.2 miles. I was going to finish that marathon. I was going to accomplish something so outlandish that I never even imagined it in my mind. It wasn’t in my goals, it wasn’t in my dreams or even my wildest ambitions. It wasn’t part of my life plan, but it sure set my life in a whole new direction!
If I could run a marathon, what else is there? What else could there be, that was no where in my consciousness, that I can do, achieve, experience? What other obstacles can I overcome? Anything!!! My new path of exploration had begun. That race was the Rock ’n Roll Marathon in San Diego 16 years ago. I’ve done fairly well in creating new experiences for myself including triathlons, adventure races, a bike ride down the west coast of California and Leadville 100 MTB or the Race Across the Sky, just to name a few. I’ve had some epic journeys and I plan on continuing to be open to the unknown. I recommend you do the same.
The second thing I do is to take action, regardless of what my mind is thinking or telling me. This might be one of the toughest things to reverse engineer. We often tell ourselves what we can and can’t do. It reminds me of another favorite quote by Henry Ford,
“Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right!”
And the third thing that is really such a pleasure is I get to share my experiences with others. I get to show people new places and I get to watch others have a similar experience of ‘wow!’
So make sure to spend some time in contemplation. Where are you now? Where is your life heading? Are you happy with your path or would you like to change trains? If so, it’s all up to you. You’re the only one who can wake up a little earlier, push yourself that extra mile, and set your goals higher than you thought possible. There is a greater life out there for you if you’re just willing to go after it. This life happens only once. Make it great! @teddymcdonald
Content originally published at the author’s website.