New Years Resolution’s Article originally from January 6th’s 2017 FPC Weekly Newsletter
How To Avoid The Need To Make New Years Resolutions
I think we all recognize that New Year resolutions are related to those actions we lack discipline in. Somehow we feel that our discipline will be renewed because the year has been renewed, but common sense tells us there is no relation. Yet, year after year, we feel the pressure to make this year official and finally take the necessary steps required to achieve our specific goal.
As we all know, these resolutions rarely result in any more than a few weeks of change and then life gets in the way again.
Here’s one way I look at it. Life will get in the way of the things you find little importance in.
I can hear some of you screaming, “That’s not true! You just don’t understand my situation and all I have on my plate.”
I like stories, so here is one that should help clear up my point. I arrived in San Antonio September 1992. The first gentleman I met was Murray “Bubba” Hacker. Because of similar interests, Bubba and I hit it off from the start and became the best of friends. We enjoyed working out together, building our businesses, riding our Harley’s and hanging out with friends. Bubba was just one of those guys with an attitude of gratitude. I mean, I never saw the guy in a bad mood. He seemed to just appreciate living.
It was approximately 3am early Saturday morning in November of ‘96 when I got a call from Raul, a San Antonio police officer and dear friend of both Bubba’s and mine. “Charlie, Bubba went down on his bike and he’s hurt bad. I’m pretty sure he broke his back. We’re at University Hospital. Can you get over here?”
Not only did Bubba sever his spine and cord at the T6 level, he nearly severed his left leg. The surgeons were able to repair his leg so they wouldn’t have to amputate, but his paralysis was permanent. Bubba would never walk again. His fiancé would leave him.
I remember spending nights with him after he was released from 6 months of rehab. He did have a nurse that would come by twice a day, but there was no one during the night in case he had troubles. During these times we would just hang out, watch a movie and eat some take out. Out of all the time I spent with him he never asked once, “why me”. He never shed a tear, at least not in front of me. He just kept trying to get stronger.
Since that accident 20 years ago, Bubba has continued to grow his business, he never missed a work out and is in better shape than 90% of the men his age. He even met up with the girl of his dreams and they’ve been together ever since.
I was just speaking to Bubba a few weeks back when he mentioned that he ran into an old high school friend. The friend apparently had not heard of the incident so was taken back to see Bubba in a wheel chair. After learning of the event he exclaimed, “I’m so sorry Bubba”. Of course this is a normal response and he only meant to be empathetic, but Bubba said to me that he was thinking, “Please don’t feel sorry for me. My life has been phenomenal and I wouldn’t change a thing.”
When you have things in your life that are important such as your health, your business and your life mate, you don’t allow anything to get in the way. Discipline is just a characteristic of purpose. Bubba didn’t need to make New Year’s resolution…he always knew what he wanted and what it would take to get it, no matter what the circumstances were.