Go Ahead and Vomit

It's a baseball statistic that Babe Ruth struck out three times for every homerun he hit. Sports is a good analogy for life in general or a specific endeavor I'm undertaking because, in my case, fear is a big part of my decision making process, unfortunately. 

Fear shouldn't be positioned that way because for the overwhelming majority of time the things I fear turn out to be not very scary at all. The reward comes from disregarding my fear and proceeding to "embrace the suck" thereby increasing my chances for success. It ain't rocket science. 

"So what?"

I remember in boot camp, the drill instructor said acknowledged that the physical training we endured was hard and we might throw-up or even pass out from exhaustion but "so what", he said. "Go ahead and throw up. Go ahead and pass out. It won't kill you. When you're through vomiting or regain consciousness, finish the task."

His point was to give it all we had in spite of the risk of failure or discomfort. It doesn't mean it's over. Just keep going. 

 

The Middle Earth Syndrome

It's common, not just for me but for many others as well, while listening to a sermon, to get the sense that the pastor is talking directly to me about my situation and one remark he made not long ago was 

"Don't sit under a tree waiting 

for God to give you a sign. 

He's already given you enough 

to do for ten lifetimes."

One of my biggest character flaws has always been a serious contention with procrastination and I'm not just talking about the simple "I'll do it later" kind. I mean the "I'll do it someday when the time is right" variety. Years of experience has taught me the "right time" is a mythical location like Middle Earth, Atlantis or the Bermuda Triangle. The procrastination with which I've suffered for years has been the debilitating, life altering kind because I am at this latter stage of life no better off than when I graduated high school. It's is a serious character flaw.

I've commonly resorted to the "God will show me what to do when the time comes" theory but that's a lie because he actually showed me what I was meant to do decades ago. Now I've got a sizable backlog of projects. 

It's all in my head!

A subject for another post related to this is the philosophy of Cus D'Amato who told the many boxers he trained to success, that boxing is mostly mental; less physical. Procrastination or productivity is also a mindset.

 

Another Texas Attribute

I often find myself scratching my head in bewilderment and frustration as to why I can't seem to loose the weight I have determined to shed. I get plenty of exercise, I eat reasonable portions of food and not a lot of sweets. After all is said and done, however, I realize there are certain things for which I have an affinity that is likely the origin not least among which are tacos. 

Those little devils, when done well, are multiple flavors explosively rolled in a compact, convenient wrap which makes the savory, handheld spicy victuals a tasty delight hard to resist and certainly it is effortless to have a third or fourth round.

Yes, as long as I live in south Texas, tacos are a delightful thorn in the flesh when it comes to  regulating my eating habits.

 

It's Not Just a Tattoo

Many times I've questioned the wisdom of my choices and one that seems always at the top of that particular list was my decision to enlist in the Marines. In a practical sense, the choices I made during my tour of duty and after my enlistment ended, gave me no advantage in the realm of career choices or advances. For example, the civilian world has no real opportunities for a rifle expert with special skills in operating a PRC-77 radio. However, I could have been very successful if I began a career in shining boots or mopping floors for a living. 

I relish my time-in not for what it could've done for me career-wise as a civilian, but because of the men with whom I served, the camaraderie, the values, customs, courtesy and traditions. Anyone who has shared the experience honorably, needs no further explanation.

In regard to the original question about what advantage I have resulting from my enlistment, it's determination. I have to say that regardless of the assignment, we were to do it no matter the cost. Our personal opinions or feelings about the viability or level of difficulty did not factor in, regardless of how I felt, my mood or attitude. The weather was no factor. It could be hot, cold, raining, or snowing and the time of day or night wasn't important, and it didn't matter where we were.  

It's singularly noteworthy that the specific value of "do or die" is more than just a tattoo and also some of these values, in my case, really did not resonate with me until in my later years of self-employment. 

 

Hey Kid, Want to see a Cool Pencil?

 

As a boy I was a normal kid in many ways. I liked sports, playing outside, riding bikes, watching Saturday morning cartoons, football trading cards and comic books but there were peculiarities I possessed which my friends could not always understand. I was a reflective type of kid who would often times read not just comic books but also actual books. I was sometimes mesmerized by stories by Edgar Rice Burroughs and H.G. Wells. I loved reading about history and I followed the space program. 

I also wrote much. At first it was simple class assignments but I also ventured into writing my own comic strip called Salt Shaker and as time went on I kept a record much like a diary to practice my creative writing techniques. 

I was a big Peanuts cartoon fan and in the case of my own Salt Shaker comics I would draw them in 4 panels, much like the Peanuts strips appeared, then paste them into a large notebook for a collection. 

As a result of these particular tendencies I became interested in pens, pencils and types of paper. If anyone wanted to abduct me as a young person, putting a pencil in my path would probably do the trick more so than offering me candy.

This Ain't Cornbread and Collard Greens

I arrived in Texas at the age of 17 and all the years I've lived here have taught me much about cowboys, hats, trucks, belt buckles and country music and now that I think about it, Memphis, where I came from, had all those things too. 

However there is one thing about Texas which defiantly sets us apart from Tennessee and that is the food: specifically tacos. I'm not talking about the cheap imitation fast food style of the mass appeasing Taco Bell or any other chains. No, I'm referring rather to the delicious victuals served at privately operated taquerias and some of the best comes from the temporary food wagons often set up in a gas station parking lot or near a convenience store. South Texas has no shortage of these small eateries . I say they are temporary but some have set up a covered area complete with tables and chair so diners can enjoy there meal before returning to there life's work.

Taquerias have a wide variety of tacos, tostadas, taquitos and much more and even though salsa isn't required, there is plenty to be had from mild to raging hot, which is the kind I prefer. I like to be reminded of the delicious meal I had so I can remember where to go to next time.

 

Pay Attention to Me!

It's sometimes astonishes me, if it isn't too embarrassing, that I've arrived at this stage of my life without realizing some fundamental truth about work, personal progress and rules of success. Whatever the reason may be, I have to accept the facts as they present themselves and one of those basic facts is how there are always distractions to divert me from my priorities.

My post yesterday on How to be Poor listed some habits that keep one in poverty. Among them was shifting priorities and one way to ensure my priorities are constantly changing is to let life's diversions pull me off task. There are always things that can do so, such as family issues, money issues, health issues and much more so it takes focus and mental discipline to stay on task in spite of all the distractions biding for my attention.

 

How to Stay Poor

There is an episode of Seinfeld when George realizes every choice he has ever made in life has been wrong so he resolves that from that point on he will do the opposite of what he thinks is the right thing to do. Aside from simply making a hilarious story, the "opposite" philosophy actually has a bit of truth in it.  

Charlie Munger, who has made his fortune along with peers like Warren Buffet, has a mode of decision making he calls inverse thinking. The process is if one is looking for a specific result then instead of seeking the right answer, decide, instead, how to achieve the opposite effect. For example, if one wants to be healthy, loose weight and be in good shape, it's natural to find ways of achieving those ends but the answers may come easier by asking "how can I be unhealthy".  The answer is obvious. Overeat, eat food high in refined sugar, carbohydrates, empty calories, high in cholesterol and unhealthy fat. Stay away from vegetables. Don't get any exercise, drink lots of alcohol and no water. 

Now that we know the answer to our question, just do the opposite. 

Dan Miller, my mentor, brought the subject up, by asking "why are you still poor?" and also listed 27 ways to stay poor. "If you want to be poor and stay that way here's how..." and he proceeded to list them. I wont include everything here, today, but more notable among which I am guilty are:

• start tomorrow
• read books but do nothing
• blame the circumstances
• value the opinion of others more than my own
• tolerate mediocrity
• avoid working on what matters most
• do what everyone else is doing
• believe what others think about me more than what I do
• believe I'm always right

There are many more he listed but in my experience these are some that stand out. Now, I must do the opposite.