Do It Like You Mean It

Way back when I was about 14 I played hockey (and I say that very loosely as I could hardly skate) out in Lakehurst on the outdoor rink.  One of the older guys maybe about my dad’s age at the time was giving me some pointers on a particular evening and after I had floated another soft pass his way he told me to ‘Pass like I mean it’.  Meaning it’s my job to have the puck going where I want it to go and it was his to figure out a way to accept that pass.  If you do it like I mean it the results will come.

This is something I say a lot to folks at karate, but it can be applied to so many things.  If you want to throw a good punch or kick and you do it half-heartedly your going to get half the result you want, or less.  If you are trying to get in shape and you do it kind of here and there and don’t put any intent to what you are doing, it’s not going to happen. If your slacking off at school or work, your marks or your boss is going to take notice, you reap what you sow.

If you are aiming to achieve a goal sort term or long term you have to do it like you mean it.  Put the effort in along the way and focus to complete the necessary tasks.  I find this applying to myself in a broader way now in training for this run.  I could just be working on cardio at the gym, I could be doing the half distance (5Km) fun run, but I’m not.  If I’m going to do this I’m going all in and training in a way that is going to set me up to succeed.  Why would I prepare any other way?

But all this is not just about how much you do, or what physical activity there is involved though.  It’s a mindset.  Are you going to float, or are you going to make it happen?

Do it like you mean it!