In a study published two years ago, big-time lottery winners (a million and up!) were surveyed to find out how they were handling life. Spoiler alert: badly. 50% had very little money left. Only 10% had done any kind of financial planning. 30% of those who were married when they found the golden ticket were already divorced. The cars weren't enough; no house wasn't enough. Scarily, 10% had developed gambling problems….after they'd already won!
It seems that the thing we desire most is change. Change is our hope; our faith; our political platform; our dream. The thing we want most isn't a thing at all: it's just to not be bored anymore. Or not be tired. Or fat, or hungry. In our culture, it may be hard to name anything we're really missing; we just want something….different.
Better, if possible, please.
But this type of change isn't hiding in the cushions of your couch, folks.
The word, "Kaizen," translates from Japanese to mean : "the continuous pursuit of self-improvement in all areas." This is the Renaissance of Eastern culture…except that it's still happening. The key word here: Continuous.
Improvement in one area of life can frequently mean the partial disassembly of another. There are only so many minutes in the day, after all. There's only so much energy to go around. Even triglycerides have their limit.
Maximal strength, for instance, and aerobic endurance are mutually exclusive. A bit. Being a "TEN" in one column doesn't necessarily relegate you to a "ONE" in the other. If that were true, you'd get stronger just by RESTING. There's a middle ground. There's also the possibility of being great at both. Would you trade a "TEN" for two eights? That's the question facing the elite athlete.
However……
For most of us, we're starting at about a THREE. We're not happy about it, no; but at least we're not a TWO. Not like THAT guy over there. Everybody here knows I'm a THREE and he's just a TWO, right?
….and that's why we get stuck. We protect the THREE, because even though THREE ain't TEN, it's a thousand times better than TWO. No way are we risking that THREE to try for a TEN, because TEN is impossible, and we don't want to look like a TWO out there, do we? TEN is for guys with eight-packs and zero dependents, with great genes and tattoo sleeves and an amazing tan. We look at TEN, and we forget about FOUR.
FOUR is going to take work. FOUR isn't on a lottery ticket. FOUR is harder than THREE. But it's next-door neighbours with that sweet, sweet FIVE. And oh, FIVE…..can you imagine FIVE? It's almost too much to wish. For now.
The lower that number, the more you need to take action. Book an appointment. Commit to a group. Better yet, register for Catalyst Games 2010. Can't do a movement? Do the Scaled or REALLY Scaled version. Everyone finishes. Nobody will know you're a TWO, and you'll feel like a TEN, solid as a church pew. And it won't be luck.
***with thanks to Joe Scott, whose picture I first saw in the Sault Star January 29, 2008. He was doing medicine ball cleans with his (then) 8-year-old girl, Kiera. The line, "this type of change isn't hiding in the cushions of your couch" is paraphrased from his.***