This week was not one of my best. I could pretend that wasn’t the case, but what’s the use? I guess it was just one of those weeks. I was distracted and tired and frustrated all week. The more I looked at my “To Do” list, the more I felt like renaming it my “Screw This” list.
Even things I normally enjoyed doing seemed like a burden. I want to do well in school, for example, but I couldn’t get into this week’s lesson on mixed design analysis of variance statistical procedures. (I know – Who wouldn’t be excited by that?) I wanted to get organized at work, but I lacked the oomph to make even the simplest plans for getting ahead. Everything was a struggle, and by Wednesday, I was already showing the signs. Slumped shoulders. Slight frown. Not a good look.
I’m not proud of having had such a dour week, but I realize that it happens to us all from time to time.
Still, when one strives to be a motivational force in the world, a proponent of positive psychology, and a self-help aficionado, he or she cannot sit idly by for too long. I started by asking myself probing questions. What was missing? What was the real roadblock? Was I trying too hard or not hard enough? How long had that science project been in the refrigerator? What would be one small thing I could do that would make a big difference? Seriously, is mayonnaise supposed to be any color other than white?
Despite my best intentions to think my way out of the funk, I ended up where I started. Resigned once again, I finally decided to take a bit of pressure off myself. I opted for one of my favorite brainless diversions: sports news. I popped open my web browser and headed to Yahoo! to check in on the general state of the sports world.
Now, there’s an old saying that goes something like:
When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.
That evening, my teacher showed up in the form of former Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre. Now before you fall on the floor laughing, bear with me for a second. I’ve learned not to judge any source of information or learning, even if it comes from a 38-year old football star and Wrangler Jeans spokesmodel.
For those of you who live in a cave or haven’t followed the ongoing Favre saga, the veteran quarterback just went through a nasty parting of the ways with his former team and is now a member of the New York Jets. Late in the preseason, he’s now begun to practice with his new team. During a recent interview, he spoke his mind about the physical and mental demands he was now facing.
In Favre’s own words:
“I wondered this morning when I got up, ‘What in the heck am I doing?’ … The answer to that question is I love to play. I hate to study. At times, I hate to practice, but I love to play. I know I need to study and I know I need to practice and I know how important it is. That doesn’t mean I have to like it. The question I have to ask myself is am I willing to do that? And the answer is yes.”
Eureka!
Favre hit on a couple of key points that sunk deep into my brain. Our situations were entirely different (I wear Lee Jeans and don’t throw the deep ball too well), but the sentiment was almost identical. Basically, what Favre described and what I had temporarily forgotten was:
- Sometimes we need to do things we don’t want to do.
- These things are essential for our success.
- That success makes the near-term pain worth the long-term gain.
When we lead exceptionally busy lives, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and off track from time to time. There’s no need to dwell on it or to feel badly about it, but we do need to make an effort to restore a proper mindset as soon as possible. We may not always have a hunky quarterback as a spirit guide, but with a concrete and motivating vision in hand we can regain our focus on what matters most.
The answer to my dilemma came in the form of revisiting my personal vision of success. I “took a walk” in my future shoes, imagining myself as a newly minted PhD, addressing a large audience, and sharing thoughts and experiences around how we can all work together to find greater success in our lives. That wouldn’t motivate Favre, but it certainly works for me. That vision won’t come to fruition without my paying a certain price in the here-and-now, but that’s okay. In my mind, the price is right.
So, thank you Mr. Favre. Not since “There’s Something About Mary” have you been so inspirational to so many. Oh wait. That was Ben Stiller. Never mind.
Let’s just close by summing up this week’s observation as this:
Keep your eyes on the prize, and you’ll keep your short-term challenges in perspective.
Related Links
Full on Favre
Do They Come in Green?
Every Teacher Has His Day
Quote of the Week
"If I am walking with two other men, each of them will serve as my teacher. I will pick out the good points of the one and imitate them, and the bad points of the other and correct them in myself."
- Confucius