The Everyday Holiday Training Mindset

The Everyday Holiday Training Mindset

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” – Theodore Roosevelt

Not only is this quote fitting as we enjoy the holiday training season, but it doubles as a reminder of what we need to hold on to every day.

Holidays resonate with many for various, meaningful reasons. The typical accompanying sense of gratitude and joy shouldn’t only be embraced once a year, but every day. Those moments of defeat, frustration, and dread…the days where we want to be any where but where we are right then and there (*cough cough* work on Friday at 3pm, holiday training trip, traffic, insert your daily complaint here)…why wouldn’t we latch onto this holiday mindset every day?

It isn’t only during the holiday training season that we are presented with moments to be grateful and the chances to express those – it’s every day.

Through our work, thoughts, moments of giving, skills possessed, conversations, routine activities, passions – each waking day is a chance to live fueled with this joyful spirit, enjoyment and gratitude.

Nothing in life is guaranteed. We are given the gift of 24 hours. To not do everything in our power to make those the greatest 24 hours would be a shame. As we take the time to revel in the joy, giving, and optimistic goal setting of the season, realize this doesn’t need to happen one day a year.

Make this a part of your day. Every day. Starting today.

Sometimes it takes missed opportunities, adversity, cherished memories, or lost loved ones before you recognize the chances that you had and continue to have daily.

This video is a reminder to “focus not on what you can’t do…but focus on what you CAN DO…and be the best you can be“. Something as simple as the gift of playing a sport, what many of us take for granted, can be taken from us at any moment…just as it was this young boy. When faced with one option, he took it to places no one expected and became an athlete who defines today’s message.

“This is the only thing I can do – I’m going to become great at it”

Again – choose not to focus on what we can’t do, but focus on what we can do…and be the best we can be.

1. Can’t do something? Find something you can. There always exists the strength within you to test new limits. Offer your greatest self to others, and use this as an opportunity to grow in new ways.

2. Hold on to this...be grateful for those opportunities and those memories with friends, teammates, and families; for that chance is something not everyone is allowed, and can get taken from you in a blink of an eye. How easy it is to become preoccupied with the rush, stress, and daily annoyances…but keep in mind the little things…the reasons behind what you do each day, and the meaning behind your actions.

Recognizing the opportunities presented to us amidst our most troubled times empowers us with perseverance and energizes us with gratitude. Treasuring what we have, had, and what’s to come – with our valued memories, the unique abilities we possess and our excitement for even greater things ahead – allows us to remember what we have to cherish.

Treasure the moments we have with loved ones and the opportunities presented to us all the time – through our sports, in our community, at home, while working…no matter the struggle or glory. A resilient quest to be our best self, paired with gratitude, was a lesson a former teammate exemplified throughout his years of swimming. This contagious attitude and mindset is one we can all exemplify.

Live each day carrying out this lesson of gratitude and resilience. With every chore, stroke, word, repetition, gift, and step this week – make it your absolute best. You have the ability to, don’t take it for granted.

How do you plan on living out this week’s message? What are you grateful for this week?

Finding Your Greatness

Finding Your Greatness

“Greatness is just something we made up.

Somehow we’ve come to believe

that greatness is a gift

reserved for a chosen few.

For prodigies. For superstars.

And the rest of us can only stand by watching.

You can forget that.

Greatness is not some rare DNA strand.

It’s not some precious thing.

Greatness is no more unique to us than breathing.

We’re all capable of it.

All of us.” – Nike

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JnYcuRW_qo

The heights of our capacity are fascinating… it’s for this very reason our striving for greatness has become a fundamental human drive. To push beyond the limits, question the possibilities and possess an innate purpose to offer something for the betterment of others (whatever that be) energizes a sense of greatness in each of us.

Immerse yourself in the research and you will find no conclusion on the origin of greatness – it is far too complex to be captured in a single approach. Even how we conceptualize greatness is inconclusive.

What is “greatness” anyways?

The only conclusion we can possibly agree upon is that NO single, defined reason, trait or ability alone can generalize one’s ability to achieve or possess greatness. Greatness manifests in the interaction of complex factors which we can only make an effort to understand.

The power these complex interactions between variables of environmental situations, genetic variations or skill sets reside in each of us and the 24 hours in our day.

How do you choose to interpret that and what are you going to make of it?

“Athletic greatness” for example draws on a different set of abilities, skills, and dispositions than that of “academic greatness”. Even the complexities amongst a sport demonstrate that two people can obtain the same result but through two very different routes. Greatness is nothing but a word which we individually choose to define and perceive both in our self and others. Greatness is nothing more than our perception.

Great could be taking your first step in a mile or it could be your meditative practice. Only you define what great is and what you aspire – never be afraid to do that and believe the ability resides within you.

Must all paths to greatness require extraordinary talent? Is it sheer luck? Are you waiting for the opportune time, developmental circumstance, or influence of experiences?

Engage and take action in meaningful work and your greatness will follow.

The ability to be great resides in each of us.

Be your own kind of great – anyone can be great, anyone can do it.

What will you do?

Mo’ stache, Mo’ Moves, and Mo’ Motivation!

Mo’ stache, Mo’ Moves, and Mo’ Motivation!

"I’ve always made a total effort, even when the odds seemed entirely against me. I never quit trying; I never felt that I didn’t have a chance to win. “ – Arnold Palmer

62 PGA Tour winning legend, drink connoisseur and World Golf hall-of-famer – but among his array of accolades, Palmer’s proudest to date is his triumph over prostate cancer.   

“Success in golf depends less on strength of body than upon strength of mind and character.”

This “strength of mind and character” Palmer built through disciplined practice later applied to a whole new challenge. Through success as an athlete, Palmer exemplified a resilient mentality…one that proved to be no different as he battled cancer. The mental and physical benefits built upon an active and athletic lifestyle set the foundation for Palmer’s determination and strength to survive – first in the game of golf, but later in the game of life.

Although retired from the game, Palmer is an advocate for lifelong exercise and healthy habits. So are we.

Do you know the key to battling prostate and other cancers? A healthy lifestyle.  

Maybe you’ve begun to notice the super rad beard John’s [soon to be ‘stache] been sporting. #30MOCOR That’s because COR is taking on the Movember Challenge – and we want YOU to join us! For the month of November, we will track everyone’s attendance at COR. This includes yoga, double workouts, workshops, boot camp, Zumba, (sorry not physical therapy, stay healthy!), etc. The members with the highest attendance will win a prize…excited yet! Also, we’ll be raising money for Cancer Research Institute. Donate to our team here!

Knowledge is power right? Next time you see us rocking the ‘moustache’, ask us what a good diet and life in motion can do to prevent cancer and lead a life free of health issues.

At the heart of COR, we strive to foster growing, giving and moving…now we are taking it to a whole new level. Every day we focus on optimizing lives, but these next 30 days we are committed to tackling the biggest health issues faced by men – prostate cancer, testicular cancer, poor mental health and physical inactivity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b63egyOo4lE

So mo’ stache, mo’ moves, and mo’ motivation!

How are you going to step it up?