Sunday Story…real vs. unreal

When I pursue an external goal like a particular career or athletic goal (the CrossFit Games!) the end is obvious, the path is well documented, and the boundaries are set. It’s mostly a straight path. The rules rarely change mid-stream and you can see what you need to do and do it.

This is for a lot of people an easy way of being and doing. The problem comes when there is a major hiccup along the way. Maybe you get injured or you don’t make the cut or the path gets cut off. The other problem is what happens after you are done. At that point the realization hits that what you have been doing is not a lot like real life.

Real life is messy. The boundaries aren’t clear. The goal is gauzy and the rules are often like quicksand…they change, they hide, and they aren’t fair.

Here’s the fix:
First, find some goals.
Second, set some boundaries.
Own these things as yours, not anyone else’s. Your goals are yours not mine. Your boundaries are yours not mine. Don’t worry if mine are different from yours or anyone else’s. Just own yours. Don’t grieve over the unreal life you used to lead with goals and boundaries that were delineated for you by a whole bunch of other people.

This is the reality you are in now. Your goals. Your boundaries. Apply the discipline, motivation, grit and desire you cultivated in your unreal life to these things.

Now go do work.

John Mariotti
www.crossfitodyssey.com
www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com
Coming soon: www.johnmariotti.com
775-338-2412