Guns and Bullets – 122 Days Left

I will be honest. Although I have had some successes in my life, I have never really pushed myself. I have always taken the easy way out. I have taken some risks, but behind each one was a very wide and easy to reach escape hatch. I have done things that required me to step out of my comfort zone, but I always knew that if it really got uncomfortable, I always had a nice warm and cozy place to retreat to.

When I first started my 365 commitment, my goal was to get myself focused on what was the absolute most important things in my life. As I progressed throughout last year, I started to realize that if I really wanted to aspire to greater heights I was going to have to push myself harder than I have ever done. I had to take this new inspiration rationally. My normal reaction is to jump in guns blazing and hope for the best. That may work out in a Hollywood depiction of the old west, it just does not work in real life. In real life, you run out of bullets real quick.

So my new strategy was to push myself to new limits, but to do so incrementally. Establish a pattern, slow at first, small achievable steps. Focused on building the pattern first, then the times of heroism could come later. Perhaps when I jump in guns blazing next time, I will be a little more prepared. So here I am this morning, just finishing a long run in the Las Vegas desert. Getting myself ready to run a marathon, but more importantly, confirming to myself that I can do greater things, I can push myself to greater heights once I light the match and give myself no escape path. The marathon really is not that significant, but the next 4 decades of my life are.

What am I really capable of? What are you capable of? What can we accomplish together? I used to think I could find magic bullet that would make me a better sales person, a better leader. Well, I found it. It is not a bullet at all, it is a long slow pull on a bottle of fine brewed commitment. So no epic gun battles in this story, or special bullets that solve my problems it is the reality of changing my life one day at a time with perseverance and hard work. So I am fully convinced that if we all can work on personal commitments and improvements the rest of our life, our performance in our work, our financial, spiritual, mental, and physical health will all improve. That is the western that I want to produce.

So as I woke early and faced a long hard run in the cold desert landscape, I got into a rhythm. The miles melted off easily, and I no longer was thinking about the space in front of me. I looked forward into the future and saw a destination worth striving for. I could see the glimmer of Jupiter, Arcturus, and the Moon all in conjunction hovering over the horizon as the sun began to rise. I thought, you know, pushing myself hard is not that bad once I get used to it. Guess I will see what challenges tomorrow brings. As for now partners, tomorrow morning we RIDE AT DAWN.

Guy Reams
365 Alumni
122 Days Left to 1st Marathon

2 Comments

Oldest

Newest Most Voted

Inline Feedbacks

View all comments

Sarina

7 years ago

This was great Guy! Thank you 😊

Was in need of encouragement today…needed to shake off yesterday and start pushing myself harder today to make my positive life changes happen and get back into positive thinking. It’s easy to let other people bring us down and lose motivation- so your experience today is a breath of fresh air!

Author

Guy Reams

7 years ago

Reply to Sarina

Awesome. I am glad my effort was helpful! Thanks, Guy

Share the Post:

Recent Blogs

Day 309 – The Price Tag of Automation

The author recounts his frustrating experience with home automation after Google abandoned its Nest architecture, leading him to build his own system. He highlights the significant time and effort required for maintenance and the eventual abandonment of his automation efforts due to the high ‘economic life’ cost. However, with the advent of AI, the cost and effort of automation have decreased, making it more feasible and renewing his interest in deploying future automations.

Day 308 – Speed is The Champion

This article explores the concept that speed often leads to success in various fields, from business to technology and sports. It argues that systems capable of rapid action, feedback, and adjustment tend to outperform those focused on avoiding errors. The author highlights the importance of fast feedback loops, citing John Boyd’s OODA loop and its application in AI systems. The piece also discusses the speed-accuracy tradeoff, noting that while speed can lead to more mistakes, these are often recoverable, and the compounding effect of rapid learning ultimately drives better results.

Day 307 – Iterative Could be Insufficient

This article explores the contrast between iterative and linear thinking, highlighting their respective strengths and weaknesses. It argues that while iterative thinking is beneficial in many fields, it can sometimes be an excuse for insufficient upfront planning, and proposes a hybrid approach for more robust decision-making.

Day 306 – The Zeigarnik Effect

The article explores the psychological relief gained from writing down unfinished tasks and concerns, linking it to the Zeigarnik Effect. It explains how externalizing thoughts through writing can free the mind from constantly remembering and worrying about unresolved issues, allowing for greater mental peace and the ability to conclude the day effectively.