You know that person in your life - the consistent one. They have a level of reliability that only death and taxes can brag about. I want to have that reliability. I have a friend who is consistent with optimism. What a great thing to be consistent with. One of his mottos is '
control the things you can and react to the things you can't.' I like that - react. Most of the time people say
'... and don't worry about the things you can't.' But you can't really ignore the things you can't control because they effect you. If something effects you can you ignore it? Can you ignore a sprained ankle when it effects your ability to walk comfortably? - No. Nor can you ignore the sleet during a track meet when it's only 34 degrees outside! You can't ignore, but you can react.
I talk a lot with my athletes about focus: staying focused, keeping a clear vision, eliminating distractions. When it's raining out - tough luck. React to it, because you can't make it stop. Stay focused on the competition, the practice, the drill. We can either find an excuse or a solution - which one will get you further?
I've been using a lot of excuses lately. Using an excuse is like peeking at your Christmas presents: it's very tempting, gratifying, but ruins something you've been waiting for all year. So, no more excuses.
