Toronto, 5.21pm, Sunday, August 23 2009

Watch the Video

It’s always hard conjuring up the right thoughts to enable my readers to be remarkable. No matter how often I write these blogs, it never gets easier. The blank screen is always an intimidating sight. Finding the relevant words and organising them into compelling sentences and paragraphs gets more difficult every time.

Surely, it should be simple by now?  Surely, the words should just flow?  Surely, the process of writing should be quick and smooth? Or surely not. Last week I realized it’s meant to be hard. It’s meant to challenge and stretch me. The greater the resistance, the greater the benefit. Without the barriers and blocks, my mind can’t develop itself. It’s the very hardship that makes the effort worthwhile. There’s a direct correlation between exertion and excelling.

It’s called gravity. Without it, we become weak and stupid. Our minds, muscles and bones waste away. Literally. According to the Globe and Mail (08/20/09), fit and robust people blast into space and return six months later a much frailer version of themselves. They are prone to dizziness. Their muscles are thinner and weaker. And listen to this: their bone density has decreased by up to 12 percent – around eight times faster than it would have on earth. Scientists say it’s like aging at warpspeed.

What’s the moral of the story? Intensify your personal gravity. Take the path of maximum resistance. Take on impossible tasks. Be unreasonable in your expectations of yourself and others. Celebrate your crises. Bless your barriers. Love your losses. Marvel at your mistakes.  Make friends with your frustrations. Honour your opposition. Embrace your enemies – both inside and out.

Here’s what I’m discovering: happiness is not about plain-sailing or easy-riding. Those moments are there merely to prepare us for the next monumental challenge. It’s not about the pursuit of expedience by evading problems. It’s about the pursuit of mastery by seeking them out. Run towards the bear. Remember Napolean Hill’s immortal words, “Within every setback or obstacle or disadvantage there is the seed of an equal or opposite or greater advantage or benefit.”

By the way, I’m not just talking about raising your mental game here. I’m encouraging you to increase your physical exertions. If zero gravity wastes away your muscles and bones, the opposite must also be true. Go push against some resistance. Let them see you sweat. The season of leisure is almost over. Game on…