Your Life Is Your Coach*

In the last post “The Spinning Rabbi’s Approach To Life”, I laid out a metaphorical approach that hopefully creates a mindset for taking on all the challenges presented to you knowing that they’re ultimately for your benefit.

Here I wish to present another metaphorical approach.  In the hope that one of them inspires you.

Life as Your Coach, or is, or your ultimate personal trainer G-d, will send you tests and struggles (drills and exercises) all designed to help you find the you, you are meant and created to be.  What is sent your way may not be what you want, but what your coach knows you need.  He knows you and knows your strengths and weaknesses.  He will, over time, send you these tests designed to improve upon your strengths and turn your weaknesses into strengths.  Viewed this way, allows you to accept that these tests are for your good.

Let’s use the sport of Boxing as a metaphor again to help explain.

A boxing coach will have you do all sorts of drills and exercises, designed for you, to prepare you to enter the ring.  He knows you and what specifically it takes to get you ready.  He will begin by training you in all the basics and continue to reinforce them.  When ready, he will have you spar or fight many different kinds of opponents.  Each opponent that you face has a different style and therefore you must be prepared for them.  So the training that the coach gives you will be different for each opponent.  All of the experiences and all you learn from these opponents, will make you a better boxer and prepare you to go pro.  The longer it takes you to learn (that’s up to you), the longer it takes before the coach let’s you go pro.

Could you have gotten there without all that the coach put you through?  Would you have chosen to go through the drills on your own?

Try this for an exercise…. Train yourself to think of every challenge as just an opponent trying to defeat you and block you from realizing your dreams and goals.  When you see life’s challenges this way, you will see them as necessary steps and lessons along the way, preparing you to realize your dreams and goals, rather than seeing them as walls.  When you view each opponent as a necessary opportunity to get stronger, healthier,and better, you won’t be fearful and you might even look forward to them.  So remember…Who/whatever enters the ring with you…You are RWA = ready, willing, and able

With this attitude, make a list of the types of opponents/struggles that you have fought so far.  Review the tapes (in your head) of those fights.  Focus on

1. How you got through to the end of the fight

2. What you could improve on

3. What you learned about yourself

So now, sing along with me, “It’s the eye of the tiger, it’s the thrill of the fight, rising up to the challenge of our rival”, Survivor – from Rocky 3

“In life, it doesn’t matter how hard you hit, it’s how hard you can get hit and still keep moving forward.”  – Rocky Balboa from Rocky 6

“Experience is the best teacher, and the worst experiences teach the best lessons.” — Unknown

“The difference between stumbling blocks and stepping stones is how you use them.” — Unknown 

 Be Good Do Good Think Good Be Healthy

*”Oldie But Goodie” updated