Another week has gone by and a wonderful week it was. Very productive. I'm reading a book about business management called The Goal which is also a novel, exciting simply written and very informing even if you're not managing a business. I'm not very far into it, but what I've read so far talks about how every business has 1 goal and the business is only being productive if it's getting closer to that goal. You can call me Ms. Metaphor. As contemplative as I am, I've made a habit to look at everything as if it applies to gymnastics or sport in general. So I replaced the word business with athlete. Every athlete has one goal, and the athlete is only being productive if their getting closer to that goal. So what's that one goal? We athletes might all agree that the goal is to Win. Now when I say Win I don't necessarily mean be the best out of everyone in the world. Everyone can create their own definition of Winning, but mine is to be better than I was last time. If I did better than yesterday then I won. I am a Winner. Till good is better and better is best.
When I say my week was very productive, I'm saying it brought me closer to Winning, beating myself in the next meet, having fun and smiling after I'm done. This, of course, requires Winning day to day.
I've heard from various people that I need more strut, more pride in myself as an athlete and an individual. This is hard for me to swallow, because I grew up believing that I needed to be humble and open to learn something, which I admit I'm not the best at. I have a little device in my brain that tells me pride is bad. This is one of those paradoxes of life that doesn't ever get clearer. As an athlete I have to believe that I'm the best when I go out on the competition floor, I have to believe that I have the most beautiful body the biggest smile and the strongest mind. These are the signs of a winner. When I watch Elite gymnastics perform I try to imagine what they're thinking so I can imitate their attitude. I imagine their only thought is that the only possible thing that could happen is that they hit their routine and win. The boxer Mohammad Ali believed for sure that he was the best and he would always win. That confidence is amazing, and seems to be the common factor in every winner. I read in one of Denis Waitley's books about how your image of yourself is key to your performance in anything you do. It's so interesting how that works, but it's not surprising. He talks about how you have a Robot and a Judge. The Robot stores information and all the positive and negative thoughts that you've thought about yourself and creates your self image. The Judge looks at those things and tell your conscious mind what's possible for you and what's not possible. Wow. Someone said(I forgot who at the moment) that "You can do twice as much as you think you can do"(darn, who said that? I think there's more to it, great quote.) If that's true I'm able to tumble twice as high and focus twice as well as I think I can. It all depends on my self-image. How proud is your strut?
Papa had an interview week or two ago which he told me that he was just practicing his interviewing skills because he already had interviewed another job that he was sure to get. This job was actually a better job and would be great if he got it, but he decided there was nothing to loose if he just experimented with it a little bit. He said some things that showed them that he was confident in his abilities and when they asked him to show them how a little machine worked, he asked questions, made assumptions and showed them that he knew his stuff. They were very impressed, and said the normal "We'll get back to you in a week or so." He sent a thank you note, and called back after a the "week or so" had gone by to check his status(which is what everyone should do if they want the job). His persistence really impressed them and in the end, he got the job! His "just practice" interview went very well. He learned later that when other interviewees were given the challenge where they had to look at a machine and tell the interviewers what was wrong, they just said "I don't know"!!! So when Pa made an effort, they were very impressed. That is a great lesson on how persistence and confidence really pays off.
So I'm growing my nails out. Ever since as far back as I remember, my nails have been little stubbles, and that self image of short nails has grown on me ever since as far back as I remember. I've decided that I'm telling my Robot that I have long nails. Besides once I start seeing a little white on the ends, it's not hard to keep it going.
I'm so blessed.
Have a great Saturday.
~Kallista
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