The Calm
Soldiers standing guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in a Storm, (Washington D.C.)
Imagine if you could look into the eyes of the solider in the picture above. Would you find his gaze steely and unyielding; fixed on an unknown target miles away? Could he be any less than absolutely immovable in his resolve or unwavering despite any diversion? In his calmness, his heartbeat and breathing are deafening in his own ears.
Now imagine if you could feel this in your life.
How powerful this could be?
How different this would make you from everyone else?
You would have to overcome the fear, the hesitation, the inner struggle that you face everyday when things don’t go right or you feel life is too tough. When life does not back down and the pressure is relentless.
“In our conscious awareness, fear is a vague but constantly nagging uneasiness.” – Chin-Ning Chu
Could you feel the same calmness as the soldier?
When all seems lost and the hill too steep, calmness will take the place of fear for those who realize the difference between men who become great, and those who become lost; and never find their way.
While some allow fear to consume them and obstacles to overtake their momentum, champions give themselves no other choice but to succeed.
The calm will come over you when you hold yourself accountable and give yourself this same choice; the choice to take your life back and never quit again.
To never surrender.
And this mindset becomes much easier and simple once you understand the purpose of your life. Switching away from money as a goal and focusing on family, friends and not being selfish and keeping your gifts from helping others. When you act as if your family is watching your every move, they become the reason for your hard work and all of your choices become simple.
There is no other way.
Your path will become very clear.
Yes, life is tough. But you have to be tougher.
“Life will not break your heart. It will crush it.” – Henry Rollins
When you’ve given everything you’ve got and despair is all around you, you have to stab the darkness with one more defiant step forward. And then another. And another. Until there is light.
Champions are not defined by the glory of their wins, they are defined by their hard work and taking another step forward, after everyone else has given up. Champions can take more pain, and have that steely gaze on their goals.
They are calm when nothing is going right.
They are calm when everyone else around them is losing their mind.
They are calm when things aren’t going their way and everything seems against them.
They are calm because no matter what happens, no matter what life throws in front of them, they are ALWAYS willing to take one more step.
“Our negative life situations are essential elements for us to fulfill our intended destiny. However, unless we possess the power of endurance to live through the dark of the night, we will not see the glory of daybreak.” – Chin-Ning Chu
They have an unrelenting drive that will never let up.
They believe in themselves when no one else does.
They work when others rest.
They WILL NOT QUIT.
The calm will consume you too, if are willing to take one more step.
Rage,
Smitty
By Smitty on November 4th, 2012
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This is a good reminder of what real strength means. There are many people out there right now frustrated, angry and losing their patience while waiting for electricity, food, gas, etc. While anyone could understand how hard things may be, losing our calm is not going to change anything other than to make an already bad situation worse. I live in NY and have dealt with a few of the above issues in this last week so I know the why, but giving into fear, any type, be it in the gym, in life, whatever is something we should strive to overcome. Good timing on this one.
Thanks Miguel.
Awesome article Smitty!
Thanks Conor
Great article, just shared it with all my guys. keep the good stuff coming.
Thanks Phil!
“Yes, life is tough. But you have to be tougher.” Quote of the damn century! Loved this post.
thanks
Just read this a second time. Now I’m ready to lift and get massive amounts of work done….”rage”
Rage!
Do you have a photo of it smitty so I can put a wallpaper of “champions give themselves no other choice but to succeed” on my phone? Can you post it to facebook?