Follow Through

I swam my two shifts of 1500 yards today. I am tired. I am relaxed. I am satisfied. I did what I said I would do. I have 6000 yards for the week.

Following through on what I say is important to me. I don't know where this obligation comes from, but it is inherent in my psyche. I have always believed that if you say you will do something, you need to do it. The most important thing is to be honest. Don't say you can do it if you are not committed to doing it. If you don't think you can do what you say, don't make the false statement.

Sometimes this ideal is impairing. If I don't think I am capable of doing something, I am afraid to make the commitment. Often, I don't believe that I am capable of doing much. Therefore, I hold myself back many times. I am learning that sometimes you need to step outside your comfort zone. That is what my whole TNT experience so far has taught me. It is good to go beyond yourself. It is good to push yourself outside of your comfort zone. If you only exist in your comfort zone, you do not grow. You do not flourish. You become stagnate.

I am not a role model. I am only trying to make myself better, and the world around me improved. I find that when someone is impressed by my accomplishments from the past few years, that I am embarrassed. They don't always know that I was such a negative person that I am not deserving of their admiration. I always tell them to find a better role model than me.

If I motivate them to go outside of their comfort zone, then I am improving the world that I am involved in. Then I am deserving of their admiration. If I only accept the accolades, I am not deserving of any praise. That is only narcissism.

I still owe a lifting session, and one more swim for the week. I am looking forward to following through on it.

COMMITMENT: "Commitment is what transforms promise into reality. It is the words that speak boldly of your intentions, and the actions which speak louder than words. It is making the time when there is none, coming through time after time, day after day, week after week. Commitment is the stuff that character is made of, the power to change the face of things. It is the daily triumph of integrity over skepticism." Unknown