Is there any chance you are trying too hard?

I’ve been feeling really exhausted; sorta the “I’m kinda worried about me” kind of exhausted. But suddenly things have changed:

#1. I cut back on my workouts. I’m doing three days a week, maybe four on a good week, but not trying to hit five days.

#2. I ate some of what I wanted. I actually had a big slab of lasagna on Tuesday evening, and a piece of cake last night. Meanwhile I’ve also focused a bit more on water intake, replacing a little carb with protein and adding some fruit.

#3. I awakened to the truth that the battles I’ve been fighting are not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual enemies (as Ephesians 6:12 says—that’s a series of blog posts in itself) and must be fought with spiritual weaponry, so I/we changed our approach to dealing with our problems.

The result? Well, I am sleeping better. When I got on the scale today I was down three pounds. I horsed a good workout this morning, and feel invigorated. My attitude at work has been superb.

My conclusion: I’d been trying too hard. Trying to push and exercise more. Trying to eat “by the law of the diet” instead of giving myself some grace but continuing to be wise. Trying to muscle-up against my problems. I just think I’ve been trying too hard.

How about you?

In baseball we teach a kid to “loosen his grip on the bat.” When he misses a pitch and hears the ump yell “Strike 1!” it creates tension, and the natural result of tension is for the hitter to tighten his grip on the bad—it’s the physical aspect of his mental resolve to hit the ball. And the result is—all too often—that the hitter becomes just a batter who got to hear “Strike 2!” and “Strike 3, yer out!”

The lessons are: Loose grip, gentle swing, just make contact with the ball, drink your water, eat your fruits and vegetables, reduce but don’t eliminate those starches you crave, and get your butt off the couch but don’t train like you’re going to be in the next Olympics (it’s the little 5K Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning, silly boy).

Is there any chance you are trying too hard?

Success is the ratio of talents received compared to talents used. Now that is a brilliant definition! Thanks to my mentor from across the chasm, Fred Smith (who would have turned 95 on the day I wrote this, September 1, 2010) for that word.

Success is using what you have.

And in those days, behold there came through the gates of the city, a salesman, from afar off. And it cam to pass, as the day went by he sold plenty.

And in that city were they that were order takers, and they that spent their days in adding to the alibi sheets. Mightily were they astonished. They said to one another, “What the, how doth he getteth away with it?” And it came to pass that many were gathered in the back office, and a soothsayer came along to see them. And he was one wise guy. And they spoke and questioned him saying: “How is it that this stranger accomplished the impossible?”

Whereupon the soothsayer made an answer: “He of whom you speak is one hustler. He ariseth very early in the morning and goeth forth full of pep, he complaineth not, neither doth he know dispair. He is arrayed in purple and fine linen, while ye go forth with pants unpressed. WHy ye gather here and say to the other ‘Verily, this is a terrible day to work,’ he is already abroad. And when the eleventh hour cometh, he needeth no alibis. He knoweth his line and they that would stave him off, they give him orders. Men say unto him “Nay” when he cometh in: yet when he goeth forth he hath their names on the line that is dotted. He taketh with him the two angels, Inspiration and Perspirations and worketh to beat hell. Verily, I say unto thee, ‘Go, and do likewise.'”

—Author Unknown

Attitudes produce Actions

Actions produce Achievements

Achievements increase Capability

Capability results in Accomplishment.

…….it all starts with your attitude.

Speaking of attitude, is yours like a diaper? Is it stinking up the place? Does it need to be changed?

I’ve been thinking a lot about the final 5%; about not letting up; about pushing through till the end; about playing hard ’til the buzzer sounds.

It’s easy to complete 10 of your 12 reps on the weights and think “Aw, I lifted today. That’s good enough.”

It’s easy to walk 2 1/2 of your three miles of exercise and think “Aw, that’s enough.”

It’s easy to think that your spouse or kids or co-workers know you love them so there’s no need to tell them.

When you are winning in the athletic contest or the game of business, it’s tempting to ease up—to relax and coast until the buzzer sounds, and that’s when your competitor overtakes you and you lose the game.

It’s all about the final 5%.

When I was a kid playing baseball my coaches always made a big deal about running out first base even though it was obvious you were about to be thrown out. You never know when the first baseman is going to drop the ball; Likely when he thinks to himself “aw, this is easy. We got him.” So he slacks, doesn’t bear down, fails to focus, gets careless, drops the ball, and misses the easy out. He didn’t give it the final 5%.

Success is often about persistence—hanging on just a little bit longer than everyone else. Then you win the game and get all the marbles because everyone else quit and went home. They were ninety-five-percenters.

I want to be the guy who gives the final 5%, and get’s the 100% for doing so. That’s the kind of people I want on my team, and in my tribe. Those are the people who win.

In the midst of an 80% culture (or 60%, or whatever it really is out there) you and I can excel as champions if we’ll learn to be hundred-percenters. But even excellent people like us are tempted to pull up short and coast, and it jeopardizes us.

How are you doing with the final 5%?