A Test

Most of us never find our who we are because we never have to....

The life of an average American is pretty damn easy...when you consider some of the real hardships that exist in other societies. Now, there are an infinite number of potential debates regarding my use of the word "average", and I'm not interested in going down that path. I'm simply offering a general observation about our lifestyles, here in the good ole U, S of A. We throw away more than most even have. Think about this. You're cleaning up the dinner dishes, clearing off the plates before loading them into the dishwasher, think of the amount of food on each plate we throw away. My kids rarely eat half of what's on their plates. Entire families could be fed with what we discard, on a nightly basis.

This isn't a political post, by any means. I'm not trying to persuade you into thinking America is wasteful or unjust, I'm simply pointing out that we have it pretty darn good here.

We have gotten comfortable in the process. Most of us work our way through life without testing ourselves. In the past decade, rarely-if ever have I heard a friend or family member speak of an experience or, really, any point, in which he was tested. That statement could be misinterpreted as well, but bear with me. I'm talking about a point in which we discover who we really are and what we're truly capable of.

Apart from our military people, police, and firefighters, most of us are never faced with challenges that provide this kind of self-discovery.

That's what the 90 Days to Discipline is all about. More than anything, I want to know if I have the discipline and the intestinal fortitude to finish this program. At age 35, I'll most likely never go to war. I'll probably never be in another fight. I rarely compete in sports the way I used to. How will I find out what I'm made of?

Now, for example, when I do play sports, it seems like the overall attitude is about getting some exercise in, more than it's about winning. This is fine, really. I mean, it's a good thing...to never have to go to war, or to be in a fist fight, or to even have to prove myself on the basketball floor. This is part of being a man, and growing up-being a husband and father. I get it. We are not kids anymore.

But, why not push ourselves past the point? Why not put ourselves in a situation that demands we dig deep...real damn deep to see what we've got. Do we have the guts to push through and finish what we've started? I want to know.

Why not look at this like Ranger training? These young men(and women?) are forced out into the wilderness for days...hell, weeks maybe, without food, sleep, water. The experience, from what I understand, is grueling, both physically and mentally. The mental side is the real test, again, from what I've heard. Not everyone makes it. The psychological demands are beyond what most can endure...days and days without sleep, constantly on edge, not knowing what's coming next. Brutal. But, in the end, those who make it through Ranger training come out with a confidence and swagger that they can survive anything. Their minds have been sharpened to a point we'll never know. Rangers carry a self-confidence most of us will never know, because we just don't place those kinds of demands on ourselves. Confidence and discipline come from doing things that are difficult and out of our comfort zones. Every time we face our fears, and do the very thing we're most afraid of...we get stronger, and the fear starts to release its grip on us. Eventually, after we've faced our fears enough times and acted anyway, in spite of those fears, we begin to master them. We master our fear instead of allowing it to control us. This is why...or how, these folks can walk straight into the eye of the beast, so to speak, in war, and lead us to victory. While many, would run and hide.

Sort of a dramatic way of articulating a point, I know, but it does bring into light the fact that most of us have gotten soft. We've lost our edge. Our lifestyles are almost ridiculous, when you look at them in the context of this blog post. We complain when there's no Starbucks nearby...bashing the hell out of small towns cuz we can't get our "venti, non-fat, no-whip, half-caf, caramel macchiato"...We eat four times the amount of food little kids get in third world countries. We complain about not getting a good night's sleep while there are young men in the 120 degree desert or in the hills of Afghanistan, fighting wars, who may not get to sleep for days. We complain about being broke, can't do this or that, but we have a roof over our heads, our bellies are full, and we have a warm bed to sleep in.

So, what do we do? Well, I'm sure as hell not going to go join the army. I'm not looking to beat my chest and prove my manhood, or anything crazy or short-dicked like that. But, I would like to make a habit of pushing myself...pushing my limits physically, emotionally, spiritually, mentally. We grow when we push against great resistance, I believe this philosophy. I think I'll make this a part of my development, as I move toward my vision. Maybe we take on a difficult physical challenge, like running a marathon...or a half marathon. Maybe we could fast a day or two per week, in honor of those who go without. Maybe we place higher demands on ourselves, in terms of adhering to a stricter moral code. I guess the answers lie with us, because down deep, we all know who we are and what we need to do to become better people, better husbands and fathers, and better citizens of this great country.

One thing I know for sure is that I'll never do all of the things I want to do, or have the things I want my family to have, or build the businesses I desire, unless I continue to sharpen my axe. We must make the inner game changes in ourselves, in our minds, before the outer game appears. So, why not see what we're made of?

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