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Tuesday, March 5, 2013

All or nothing?

What is your mentality on things? Is something worth it if you put your 100% into it but don't get the results you want or desire? Was it worth it or was it for nothing?

It's been a long time since I have written my thoughts. I have been itching to write, to blog, to share my thoughts with those who are interested in listening.

I think of the life I have gone through; the opportunity that I have had to experience many things, traveling to different places in the world, participating in numerous sports and activities and I look back thinking of the many things that I have experienced. There are so many more things I want to experience but I am happy and grateful for all I have done.

I look back and I see that I put 100% into all that I do. I put everything into my Tae Kwon do classes to achieve my black belt by the time I was 12 years old. I dedicated to classes weekly, starting from the age of 8 years old. Not what the typical 8 year old may be doing but I liked it; it challenged me and it sure gave me some discipline and appreciation to see what a human being is capable of.

I remember the international golf tournament that I did in Australia after graduating high school. I put everything into it, I put my heart and everything into each tournament that we had. I came in on that final 18, turned my score card in and waited to see every one's final round. I looked up at the board and realized that I missed first place by one stroke... one stroke. One stroke. It was heart wrenching; I cried, a lot. My dad was there to tell me that I did a great job, my friends that I had made on this trip said that I did great and gave it my best. That might have been the case, but how do you react when you give it your everything but don't get the result you expect? Was it worth it; was it a waste? It was definitely worth it.

I think back to college, when I had to write papers. One of my hardest and most dreaded things to do was to write a paper. It was so hard, I wanted it to be perfect right off the bat. I wanted to have the best introduction, body and conclusion. I would stare at the paper or computer, getting anxious and nervous that it would not turn out alright or good enough to receive an 'A'. My dad, Roberto, helped me a lot with this. He explained that it may not be perfect right off the bat, but to write and let it flow and from there, I could go back and fix it up later. I learned that I could write the body first, conclusion and then come back to the introduction and lay out the paper from there. It was a hard thing that made me stressed out and frustrated but by the end of my college years, I had turned out numerous papers with an 'A'.

I realized that my stress came from giving it 100% but worried that I wouldn't get the best grade, that I would get an 'A' verses a 'B'. I wanted to get the best grade, I wanted it to be perfect. I was nervous before I even started to write! Looking back on it now, I see that I was putting everything into it, but was hesitate to start because I didn't know if it would get me the 100% or the 'A'. Was it worth it? Hell ya it was. I would have never gotten that experience with writing. I would have missed a great opportunity to learn how to write just because I was nervous or afraid of not getting the best grade.

How does this translate to now or my present? Well, a great example is my training for the CrossFit games. The first workout comes out tomorrow, 13.1, the first workout of the season, the open. I have put, Alex has put, we have put so much into my training, his training, our training, from last year up until now to see it will pay off. I have said before that my goal is to make it to regionals and place top three at the regionals and continue to the games. It is a lofty goal with only two years of CrossFit under my belt but I have been working hard for this; we both have. I want it so bad.

I feel it in my blood and my tears that I shed. I think of it when I am running, when I am working out. How bad do I want it? Real bad.

It's a deep desire to want something and put 100% into it. Is it worth it if I don't make it? It is all or nothing? It is definitely worth it. All the work and effort that I have put in, that Alex has put in, is worth it. Every sweat drip, blood drop, smile, yell that I exert when I am training, is all worth it. I focus on the positive as much as possible; I keep my head up as much as I can. There are some days that are so much harder than others. When I put everything into my training and come up short at the end of the day, was it worth it? Yes it was. Why? Because I am putting 100% into it; I am going for my goals, I am reaching for the stars.

When I do something, I put my heart and soul into it and if I fall short or don't get the goal I was reaching for, I am still learning something and growing. I will pick myself up and keep trying.

So when you go for something, put your all into it. Don't be afraid of your goal; if you don't reach it, you will learn a lesson and become stronger, smarter, more knowledgeable.  Don't do something because you have a fear of maybe not reaching it. You will never know until you try. Think of the people who may never have a chance to go for their goals.

~ MCA

1 comment:

  1. Feel free to add any comments or stories of your own...

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