Wednesday, June 11, 2008

The Gatorade of Life

In pursuit of fine food, wine and laughter, I have come across interesting individuals of varying ages, ethnicities, income levels and industries. All of whom were successful, and all of whom wouldn’t trade what they did for the world. For the longest I couldn’t put my finger on what exactly it was that I felt holding me kindred to these people, but recently while at a late night barbecue discussing a Broadway performer’s motivation, I felt I understood the thread that binds us.

He told me that watching his roommate stay up all practicing the inflections and emphasis in a speech he will be giving, in the mirror perfecting just the right facial expression, or just researching knowledge he needs to start a conversation with someone impactful to his career he might meet the next day, makes him feel like he is accepting mediocrity in himself. Interesting thought to ponder. On the one hand you could see his roommate as an overzealous overachiever. But didn’t Beethoven lose sleep over the 5th? Don’t
Nobel Prize winners reschedule dinners when pouring themselves into experiments or policy? I performed a mental a comparative analysis and realized that his friend and I were the same thought realized in different mediums.

There have been times when people have asked me how I manage to regularly update my writings, attend events, read, and perform well on my job. I simply reply, if you want something to get done, you make the time for it, no questions asked. If you love a woman, sleep is a distant 3rd to
late night talks on the phone. If you are preparing a special meal, you will travel far and wide, missing appointments and meetings to find the perfect ingredients to prepare the dish just right. If you truly believe in something, you will make it work no matter what may try to stand in your way.

I have stayed up all night doing, pouring myself into work to gain better understandings of the project I’m working on in hopes that in a month, a year, a decade, Ill be good enough to capitalize on it. I have had intense and angry arguments with people justifying my position on a prospective dish and wine pairing, and have done weeks worth of research to rebut my opponent’s points. I have sacrificed fun for pain, experimented and failed, and lost to others who were better at the time. And after each time, I have been blessed to have strength in my feet to get up and try again.

It’s the love for yourself and your trade. It’s the drive to be better than best, because you know deep in your heart you can be. It’s the feeling when you see someone else do well, and respectfully admire them because you know how much hard work has gone into that. It’s the unspoken lack of sympathy for someone who has failed when they haven’t tried hard enough. It’s that little voice in your head that tells you to do one more rep in the gym, or try one more wine in the kitchen, or replay on more note on the piano. It’s the building blocks of heart.

What makes people risk life and limb to see their dreams realized? What makes a person accept less pay and meager accommodations in hopes the job will provide them the future they desire? What awakens the warrior every morning?

PASSION – Is it in you?






-The UE

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

CHUUURCH!

viridiansun said...

you are a lot.

this is when i appreciate it. (however much I hate to admit that)

D Feltsman said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
D Feltsman said...

100% Agreed.

Among other things, it's about attitude, passion, and your willingness to push yourself beyond what you think is comfortable, setting yourself to only the highest standards, never, ever, settling for mediocrity.