5:00 AM and it’s freezing outside on a cold January day in Colorado. I tell myself do you really have to get out of bed to go workout? Absolutely retorts back the side of me that is totally committed to get back into mountain climbing shape before the season begins in June.  At the gym, I set my treadmill at 30 degrees of incline with a speed of precisely at 3.9 MPH. I know if I maintain a steady pace, I can burn 1,000 calories in a little over a half hour and if I intermittently challenge myself to 40-45 degrees of incline for a minute at a time, I can probably get the thousand calories in under a half hour. This lovely machine requires that I hold on for dear life. Can you imagine what would happen if I did not hold on going 3.9 MPH at 45 degree incline?  I can guarantee you it would be a fast and painful fall. Sadly, it is a fall which my IPOD has had to endure on more than one occasion, so I oft think to myself, I don’t want to be doing that. 

            I wasn’t always able to go that speed and distance without getting seriously winded and enduring some serious pain in my quads, hamstrings, forearms, calf muscles and shins. It took me a good year before I could endure it at that level without feeling like my lungs were going to burst. But now has come the time to continue to push myself to the next level; which may be maintaining the same speed with a consistent 35 degree incline and beyond.

All this serves as a reminder that if I CHOOSE, I can get better at anything I do physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually.  I have the ability within myself to push myself to the proverbial edge; knowing that if I continue to push myself in all areas of my life, I GROW. In the end, isn’t that what it’s all about, being the best you can be while on the planet.  My father passed away last year in late July and I saw in him an individual who even days before he passed, had a passion for being better and more than what he was the day before. He had a sincere belief in striving to do your best every day of your life. I know part of what drives me to be the best I can be is the reality that with the little he had in terms of formal education, he became a man resolute to be all he could be and never gave up on the notion that it was up to him to make that happen. He never blamed his station in life or his circumstances for not accomplishing what he sought to achieve.

            The irony is that there is no other way to make growth happen is there? Think of anyone who you see as being at the top of their game.  I would be willing to bet that they have to endure and push themselves on a daily, weekly, monthly, annual basis to ensure they remain at the top of their game. It certainly does not happen all by itself. Granted there are those who have incredible natural talent, but I would argue even they benefit from a good coach to expose blind spots or to gain experience, which serves to elevate their natural abilities to a whole new level. From there, it is up to them to hone and develop their talents to THEIR desired level.

            One time I was at a movie theatre with my daughter watching the pre-movie commercials and announcements, when a commercial featuring Dana Kilpatrick came on. Dana stated she is “constantly on the brink of crashing, because that is the fastest.” Her mindset for getting better was to push herself to the edge, get comfortable, then push herself again.  I love it….

            The same pushing of self applies to whatever you have dedicated your professional life to.  There will be times when you burn yourself out or you crash in a bad way. But I would rather burn out doing what I love or crash from time to time, knowing that I gave it my best and I took steps to  “ stretch and grow” in my talents and abilities.  If I don’t push myself, who will? If you don’t push yourself and seek all the best that lies within you, who will?

Exactly: no one.

 It’s not that people don’t care and don’t want to see you or me succeed. I certainly have a lot of family and friends who encourage me to do my best, but the stark and frank reality is that until I decide and you decide to go forward and step out of our comfort zone and turn up the speed and degrees of incline in your life, understand how you can add value to all you do, dedicate yourself to being a life-long learner, and bottom line make yourself  better in every way possible; you and  I will fail to stretch and in turn, not likely grow.

            So this year, make a commitment in all areas of your life: mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually to STRETCH AND GROW!