“Baby, you’ve got what it takes” – Michael Buble

This is post #27 in my quest for 30 in 30.

Personal development. It’s a subject that so many people have something to say about. Many of us follow them in the hopes that they will provide us with the missing link to our happiness or success. We view them as having the answers that we need in order to progress in our lives. Some speakers count on this need. Some act as gurus with all of the answers that will complete you but there’s just one thing that you should know despite all of the information that someone else can throw at you. Everything that you need to be great, you already have.

When we try to better ourselves, very often we tend to think it’s because something is broken. Maybe we think that we’re missing some essential ingredient that is necessary to be great or to live an amazing life. None of this could be further from the truth. We’re not broken and nothing is missing. Everything we need to be amazing already exists inside of us. It’s who we already are. I was reading all about potential energy recently because let’s face it, physics is pretty cool. So the definition I read for potential energy was “energy stored within a system”. This is to say that all the energy that an object needs to do whatever is possible for it to do already exists inside of the object. Well, we are really nothing but objects so it would stand to reason that within us lies the potential energy to do whatever it is we want to do with our lives. We all have the potential to live the lives we dream and to do the things that we want to do. I also went on to read the following about potential energy: “According to the principle of conservation of energy, energy cannot be created or destroyed; hence this energy cannot disappear. Instead, it is stored as potential energy”.  So with that we know that we all have within us the ability to do anything we can think of and that nothing can take that away from us. We aren’t lacking anything. Nothing is missing. We are not broken or damaged in any way that could keep us from reaching our full potential. Everything we need already lies within us. We just need to make the decision to use it. We need to convert our potential energy into kinetic (energy it possesses due to it’s motion). Once we do tat the laws of nature take over and keep us moving. Eventually, we may stop again. Our momentum may dissipate and our progress may slow, but our potential for great things is always inside of us.

When you go forward reading what your personal development folks are saying or that your life coaches are teaching, try to shift the way that you perceive their message just a little. Don’t look at the message as the potential to find what’s missing. It’s not a way to fix you. Look at it more for what it is, a catalyst to get you to act on your potential. It is the proverbial fire under your ass that starts you converting your potential energy into kinetic. Believe me, sometimes a good kick in the pants is all that’s needed to make great things happen. Don’t stop listening or learning from the motivators you follow. The message and the intention is typically good. Just remember that you already have what you need. Our ability to achieve greatness is as inherent as our bodies ability to create its own heat. We’ve all got it and it can’t be taken away. We’ve just got to trust in ourselves enough to get it all moving.

Thanks for being here. Talk to you tomorrow.
-JB
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Today’s Music: Nothing Else Matters
by: Metallica
Available on:

“You can go your own way” – Fleetwood Mac

This is post #26 in my quest for 30 in 30.

Yesterday I wrote about taking a hard look at your traditions to see if they still hold any relevance in the life you live today. I emphasized how by looking at the “Who, What When, Where and Why” of your traditions you can get a really good feel for what it is you believe and why. Rather than blindly following traditions I feel it’s important to question everything and only hold on to what really works for you now.

Today I want to look at the practice of starting new traditions and reasons why you might not want to follow any real traditions at all. Today is Thanksgiving 2009. I am not spending it with family or having some big turkey feast as was the tradition that I and most other Americans have followed for as long as can be remembered. Instead, I spent the day by myself watching a football game and then eating a small raw vegan meal that in no way resembled a turkey. This evening I’m going to watch a movie about ninjas. This is quite a break from the “traditional” thanksgiving. Why the change?  Because the old tradition didn’t fit with my current lifestyle. I am indeed a raw vegan and so any meal with my traditionalist family would have been an exercise in weight management. Plus, all of my family lives in other parts of the country and I didn’t wish to travel this year. Some could call this breaking tradition but I call it being practical. There are some things that we do because we think we have to. There’s a certain expectation for us to follow along and go with the flow. I think traditions should be something that you truly believe hold value to you. For me, there was no value in the trip and no value in the food so I opted to break with tradition.

In breaking with tradition people often claim that they are starting their own traditions. I think there is a lot to be said for this. In starting to do things your own way you are finding what best works for you and the life that you lead. This should always be the main criteria for any traditions that you recognize. If it’s practical and has a purpose then you are on the right track. You can adopt new ways that don’t have to fit in with everyone else’s. The only way you’re going to truly live life according to your own rules. Live you’re way and don’t apologize for it.  Be proud of your new traditions and in knowing that it’s what’s right for you.

Of course, there is alternative to following the traditions of others or starting your own. That is to not follow any tradition at all. See, traditions are typically repeated actions that have some form of meaning that has been placed on them by us or others. Being dedicated to following tradition by definition means that you need to repeat some action or ritual. This puts you in a bit of a limiting position. If you are confined to repeating actions that you’ve made in the past you are not able to fully live in the present. As we go through our lives change happens. We change, our situations change, even our family structure changes. By committing ourselves to recognizing and repeating past traditions we are not able to acknowledge changes that occur in our life and adapt to our ever evolving world. Drop the need for tradition and you are more open to what is happening in your life right now.

I don’t need any traditions to define who I am or what I should be doing. Next year I may not be a raw vegan. I may have a different lifestyle or live in a different place and nothing then may be the same as it is now. I prefer to be prepared for any  eventuality by not limiting myself to any particular traditions. I am open to change and ready for whatever may come in the next moment. This is my freedom.

Thanks for being here. Talk to you tomorrow.
-JB
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Today’s music: Go Your Own Way
By: Fleetwood Mac
Available on:

“Tradition” – Fiddler On The Roof

This is post # 25 in my quest for 30 in 30.

Tradition can be a wonderful thing. The idea of carrying on the ideas and traditions of family or of an organization can make you feel like part of a much bigger whole. I have great great respect for tradition but I think there’s one important factor in tradition that isn’t always there but should be. I every tradition needs proper and relevant cause.

Often times in tradition we end up blindly following along with what’s been done for ages in our family or in society yet we can’t really define why it is we’re doing it. Sometimes the very reason that the tradition started in the first place has been lost and we don’t even know how it all got started. Still, we continue to follow along with the traditions because it’s, well because it’s tradition. It’s very important from time to time to take a look at some of the things that we do in the name of tradition and analyze a few things. You’ll find most of your the information you need by answering the following:

1. Who
   Who started the tradition? Was it someone from your family? An ancestor perhaps? Maybe it was some of the founding members of your community that thought it was a good thing for the town. It’s important to know just who started the tradition if it can be traced back that far. Sometimes it can’t. If not, go backas far as you can. It’s also a good excuse to learn about the history of whatever group has the tradition.
2. What
   What exactly does the tradition entail? How has it evolved, if it has at all, over the years? When analyzing the what’s of a tradition it’s a good time to start thinking about the practicality of what you’re doing.  If there’s a tradition of spending 36 hours strait in a wool knit cap in July in a small town in Texas, that might be a good time to review what your doing and see if it’s something that still holds merit (more on this in the ”Why” section).
3. When
   When did your traditions start? This can have a huge impact on today’s practicality. I heard a story once about a woman who’s tradition when cooking a turkey was to cut all of the limbs of first and cook them on the sides. When someone asked the woman why she went through this process she said she really didn’t know. It was always “just how we did it”. The question peaked her curiosity and so she called her oldest living relative and asked if she know why they always cut the limbs off the turkey first. The woman on the other end said “Oh, of course dear. It’s because when my mother started cooking thanksgiving turkeys that was the only way to make them fit in the pan that she had”. So when that family’s tradition started they had a smaller pan and couldn’t afford to buy a new one. So what was done out of necessity became a family tradition passed down through the years. Yet, even though today’s turkey pans (and turkeys for that matter) have been made larger to accommodate, the tradition is so ingrained that it survives.
4. Where
   Where did the tradition start? Take the wool knit cap in Texas in July idea for a moment. Going through that ritual doesn’t seem like the most practical idea to me and I can’t see where Texas ever had a lot of sub zero July days in its history. So, maybe a tradition like that gets started somewhere further north or in another country all together and settlers came to Texas from that colder climate where they celebrated a winter ritual in July. Knowing the details of where a tradition started is another way to take a logical look at it to seeif it’s still needed.
5. Why
   Why do we do what we do when we do it? This is really the big question when it comes to traditions. Why exactly do we feel the need to continue to wear that knit cap in 100+ degree temps every year? Why is it that we have turkey at thanksgiving or presents at Christmas. Analyze why we do what we do and when you come up with an answer see if there’s any good reason to continue doing it. You may find that you’re blindly doing what others have taught you to do for some once practical and meaningful reason. You may also find that there’s no good reason to give yourself heat stroke.

Realize, I have no problem with tradition at all. I think it can be a great unifier and in troubled times we need all the unity we can get. Still, it’s important that we are all in agreement with the traditions that we celebrate. Just coldly following along without emotion is useless especially if it’s just because “it’s what we’ve always done”. Take a  look at some of the traditions that you recognize and see if they still have a purpose in your life. If they do, celebrate your heart out. If they don’t then think of changing them. If you’re not sure, use it as an opportunity to lean more about your traditions and your heritage. As you lean about the traditions you’ll gain a your own feelings about how important they really are to you now.

Tomorrow, Part 2. Making new traditions.

Thanks for being here. Talk to you tomorrow.
-JB
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Today’s Music: Tradition
By: The cast of The Fiddler On The Roof
Available on:

“I’m gonna muster every ounce of confidence I have” – Teddy Geiger

This is post # 24 in my quest for 30 in 30.

So I had a great thing happen today. I’ve been practicing magic tricks for about 2 years now, mostly just for amusement but I had actually built a routine with a friend that we performed a few times before. I haven’t really done anything with it for quite a while and have admittedly gotten quite rusty. So another friend called me today and told me to check out an ad on Craigslist which called for people to audition for a commercial by performing card tricks. They required one trick of my choosing and one trick which they described. Luckily I already know the trick they’re asking for so I’m  figuring it will go pretty well. Later in the afternoon I got an e-mail from the casting agent with all of the information for the audition. It contained a review of the trick they wanted to see and all the when’s and where’s. What I was surprised to see was that it also included all the email addresses of the other people who would be auditioning for the same spot. This surprised me for a couple of reasons. Firstly because I was surprised they would let that information fly around, but mostly because I recognized several of the names. Remember, I was in the business for a little while so I got to know some of the performers and the people I’m auditioning against are some of the very best magicians in the city. These are people who’s sole occupation is performing magic.

Now, there might have been a day when I would have considered bowing out. Being grossly outmatched is never a comfortable place to be. Still, it took me all of about three seconds to turn it all around. What normally would have seemed like an exercise in futility now looks to me like an awesome challenge. I’m about to test my mediocre chops against some of the best in the business. See, the difference between how I see things now and how I would have lies in the standards that I’ve set for myself. When I set my standards of living I committed to living the best life I possibly can. That invariably involves taking risks but in accepting nothing but the best for myself I’ve learned to overcome any fear that may have at one time thrust me back into the arms of complacency.

Living is risky. There’s no way to live a better life if you keep doing the same things that you’ve been comfortable doing for years. You have to get outside the comfort zone and expand it. You are the Magellan and the Columbus of your life. You need to take your comfort zone and push it’s boundaries. Lay claim to new territories of your life and soon your comfort zone will become a comfort nation. Your comfort zone will be the next superpower if you just commit to never being satisfied with the status quo. When you have confidence  of that magnitude you are a sheer force of nature and nothing can standing your way.

Always be searching and discovering the new worlds that raising your standards of living will bring. Live fully, have no fear and  go out there and plant your flag in your brave new world.

Thanks for being here. Talk to you tomorrow.
-JB
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Today’s Music: For You I Will (Confidence)
By: Teddy Geiger
Available on: