Staying On Track is Easier Than Getting Back On Track

You know inactivity and time can be huge disadvantages to achieving your goals and seeing the manifestation of your vision.  Yesterday, was back to work regarding basketball at the high school for me.  Interest has been sporadic, but a few players "appeared" excited about getting back to work.  And I underline and place quotations around the word appear, because at times like us with our goals, we "appear" as if we want to achieve these great things - BUT - we easily fall off track.  Then getting back on track seems so difficult.  So as Chrystal and I wait patiently on the track for the players to arrive, we chat up the track team and the few multi sport players I have.  Well, one says, "hey coach I can't stay - I'm hungry, I need to go eat so I will be here Weds."  Another says, "I don't have my shoes, I have to go home and get them and I'll be back."  Another walks up slowly with her bag, "hey coach - well I'm here."  Another whose Mother said she had dropped her off, she off in the cut chasing after her flesh - not here at the track.

So, shaking my head I say to myself, "self, people say they want to achieve all sorts of things - but who really wants to do the work?"  Self answered - "very few."  True that, true that!  You see dreams only come true when you wake up and go to work. 

So, with Chrystal and my All League point guard the only 2 at training, we dig in.  My point guard envisions not just an All League year, but she has aspirations on being the league MVP and she has her sights set on Notre Dame as her college of choice.  So, we start out with a nice mile run - looks okay, times a little slow on the quarter but hey it's day 1 right.  Finish that, lets knock out 5 sets of stadium stairs.  This is where the inactivity begins to show.  You see, we can have dreams, it's wonderful to set goals - but I have always said you must do something to work towards them everyday.  There are NO days off.  And when you are chasing your greatness, there's no time for picking wild flowers.  Because sooner than later, your inactivity will begin to show.  Your lack of preperation, no study time or research for your area, no comparison calling, no urgency in training or practicing and on and on - whatever your area may be.  It will show. 

So I begin to encourage, "7 months out, MVP year, Notre Dame..." and on and on.  But I can tell, at this moment it's a "pipe dream" not a GOAL.  Cause you haven't been working towards it, you haven't been working out, you have lost your focus.  STAYING ON TRACK IS EASIER THAN GETTING BACK ON TRACK. 

If you have fallen off track my friends, take a step back.  Get your goals back out, read over them - shoot, post them on the mirror in the bathroom, on the fridge, in your car.  Keep them before your eyes.  Regain your focus and regain your motivation.  You see TIME can be either an ally or a huge enemy of achieving our goals.  Some of our goals are short term but many are long term.  Many we want to achieve by years end.  One of my wife's goals is right around the corner (April 6).  So time can be for us or it can be against us.  It's not TIME's fault - ha, ha, it's ours.  You see, take my hip rehab for example.  I have to work out my hip exercises every day or I become super tight and stiff.  Well I'm highly motivated to recover anyways (yes I actually ran yesterday for the first time and felt great - even demonstrated a dribling drill with no pain - HALLELUJAH) so I'm rarely stiff.  But when I fail to do my exercise, stiffness reminds me - it's not like that with our goals and vision.  Time slips by, a few days - a week, several months until we resign the fact that we will reach them and put them off for next year.  You have to remind You....What did I do today?  What did I accomplish today?  What can I do more effectively tomorrow?  What do I need to change to be more efficient?  Who can I call?  Where can I go?  You are your greatest reminder - come on get it done.

Stay on track my friends, you'll find it so much easier than trying to get back on track.  Expect the Great.  Share the vision with a friend, support one another and keep the Finish Line in sight.  You can do it, it can be done.