Monday, March 1, 2010

I'M NOT A MORNING PERSON

We hear it, some say it, and a lot of you have become it!! In whatever category you find yourself, your honesty is duly noted yet subject to critical analysis.This phrase alone is still one of the hardest things for me to hear, especially from people who claim to be driven. The mere sound of it is more nerve-racking than nails on the chalkboard and the reality of it is more disappointing than watching a franchise player become a step slower and injury-riddeen en route to ultimately getting passed around the league like the coodies.

Often times many of you will say, "I'M NOT A MORNING PERSON", because you don't "function" well in the morning, or you don't like waking up early, or you don't feel like socializing with people in the morning. Whatever your excuse is, something or someone has tainted your morning experience by word and/or action. Quite frankly it sends a message that you're just plain lazy most of the time. The fact is that you've allowed yourself to succumb to a way of life that deliberately shuns valuable opportunities. Morning time is the ideal time to pray, meditate, collect your thoughts, brainstorm, exercise, read, write, strategize or just be still for a moment. Ultimately the early morning is the key to getting a head start on your path to greatness. In the words of Richard Whatley, "lose an hour in the morning and you'll be all day hunting for it."

I AM NOT A MORNING PERSON! Who? Who are you talking to?

I'M NOT A MORNING PERSON! What? What is wrong with being a morning person? What is your motivation or strategy for improvement? What does the quality of life look like for an "I'm not a morning person"?

I'M NOT A MORNING PERSON! Where? Where does a path lead for a non-morning person? Where is the I'm not a morning person association leadership conference being held this year?

I AM NOT A MORNING PERSON! When? When did driven people let this self-fulfilling prophecy fill their heads and furthermore fall out of their mouths? When have you ever seen a successful person highlighted who gets up late? When will you become a morning person?

I AM NOT A MORNING PERSON! Why? Why are you constantly giving yourself a justification for mediocrity? Why aren't you willing to see the benefits that the morning has to offer you?

I AM NOT A MORNING PERSON! How? How can you look at yourself in the mirror with this belief and do nothing to change it? How much further along in life do you expect this proclamation to take you?

The answers to the who,what, where, when, why and how of this topic are rooted in our willingness to change our pattern of behavior so that it is congruent with our dreams and aspirations. If you have resolved in your mind and manifested in your actions that you're not a "morning person", you will eventually be a person in mourning. You will mourn the time you've wasted, choices you've made, people you've mistreated, and the opportunities you've abandoned. Ultimately you will shake your head at the life that you've missed simply because you made the best part of the day your worst enemy.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

TWENTY X - NEW YEAR'S REVELATION

This morning I entered the gym to find it completely empty and virtually untouched. As a matter of fact, it smelled liked a freshly cleaned, vacuumed apartment that was awaiting it's first family to move in. Honestly, it was disturbing yet interesting. I found it disturbing because I figured most people have either committed or re-committed themselves to leading a healthier lifestyle through exercise. This was obviously in theory. Nevertheless, I found it interesting that many people were not including exercise as a priority for the new year. At least this was my first the impression.


Maybe some people had to work. Maybe my timing was bad and some people worked out before or after I did. Maybe, some people's re-occuring new year's resolutions are not to make any resolutions at all. I find this to be interesting because it could be viewed as keeping it real or keeping it routine. This whole notion stretches way beyond exercise. In fact, it leads me to believe that most people have experienced a New Year's Revelation.

A New Year's Revelation? Yes. That is not a typo nor is it a Freudian slip. A New Year's Revelation is a moment of clarity that occurs as the dawn of a new year approaches. It's a time when people take inventory of their blessings, strengths, weaknesses, accomplishments, shortcomings, wins, losses, friends, and enemies. Once they've done a thorough assessment it becomes clear to them who or what should remain a priority and who or what will challenge them to get better and who or what will facilitate and support their holistic development. It's not an exercise in waiting. It's not an exercise in talkin the talk. Rather, it's an exercise in walking out our self-assessment as we cultivate a relationship between our gifts, our work ethic and God's purpose for us. That said, I challenge you to resolve to reveal yourself to yourself. Deliberately and proactively live WHO YOU ARE day after day, week after week, and month after month without excuses and without regrets. External goals can't be set until a commitment internal transformation is underway.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!