Author: armstrong.wou@gmail.com

I have been inspired by my friend, Coach Andy Lausier, to replace “have” with “get” in my vocabulary (https://www.facebook.com/fromhavetoget/).  There is a list of replacements I would encourage using:

–“have” with “get”

–“can’t” with “can”

–“loser” with “learner”

–“failure” with “lesson”

–“job” with “vocation”

–“dream” with “goal”

–“goal” with “vision”

–“division” with “diversity”

–“enemy” with “friend”

–“obstacle” with “opportunity”

–“weakness” with “opportunity”

–“challenge” with “opportunity”

–etc. [Comment on what you might add.]

One’s attitude shapes one’s attitude.  Moreover, one’s gratitude shapes one’s attitude.  We alone choose how we respond to our circumstances.  Choose wisely.  Carpe momento!

“You drown not by falling into a river, but by staying submerged in it.”—Paulo Coelho

A number of years ago, I went whitewater rafting on the New River in West Virginia.  Our boat flipped in a Class V rapid (According to the American Whitewater Association, a Class V rapid is an extremely long, obstructed, or very violent rapids that exposes a paddler to greater risk).  I was caught in what is called a hydraulic or a “hole”—where the water churns and rolls over itself.  Trying to fight a hydraulic and swim up only pushes the swimmer down. The best escape is to relax and let the water push you up and out of the hole.

I haven’t been whitewater rafting since that day.  It is not out of fear.  Rather, I recognized when rafting, I am dependent upon others.  So, I took up kayaking.  My intent was to take up whitewater kayaking, but I failed to recognize two important points: 1) despite the number of cities with “Rapids” in the name, there are few, if any, significant rapids in Michigan, where I was living, and 2) at 6’5”, there are few whitewater kayaks in which I can comfortably fit.  So, I took up kayaking in the gentler rivers and lakes (which have in themselves their own unique challenges).  I need to go rafting again, because, like life, it is necessary sometimes to face challenges in community—and, of course, I enjoy the thrill.

Sometimes, in life, we can get caught in a “hole”.  We expend unnecessary energy fighting the current.  We struggle to get ourselves out.  The struggle just drives us deeper and exhausts us.  In such situations, it is best to just relax.

We have all heard the statement: “This too shall pass.”  Rarely are our troubles permanent.  Rarely should our troubles be able to control us.  We have a choice in allowing ourselves to be overwhelmed by difficulty or in taking control and responding appropriately to the circumstance.  Sometimes we need to swim.  Sometimes we need to float.  Wisdom is knowing when.

If you are caught in a hydraulic or “hole”, pause.  Relax.  Assess the situation.  Whatever you do, don’t panic.  Panic never ends well.  The river of life always provides a place to rest.  Be patient, and it will come.

Carpe momento!

 

“You have to maintain a culture of transformation and stay true to your values.”—Jeff Weiner

If one has considered his or her values and created a mission statement, there remains the challenge of remaining true to these.  It is rarely for lack of desire that one might slip and fall short.  Rather, it is the never-ending resistance by the cosmos that confronts us.  If we are to be true to our values, we need to be diligent.

Daily, we must revisit our values and set our minds on living accordingly.  As we go through our morning routine, we need to have fresh in our thoughts that which we value most.  In doing so, every decision that confronts us will be made according to our values.

It will take time.  It will take practice.  But, in due time, our choices will approach automatic.  Our hesitation will diminish.

We want to come to the point where having to ask whether or not our decision is consistent with our values is less necessary.  The habits we form should be planned and in accordance with our stated values.

Our behavior must always be consistent with our stated values.  Otherwise, our integrity is called into question.  If we behave contrary to our stated values, we are showing ourselves untruthful.  We are lying to the world, or we are lying to ourselves.  Truth will reveal itself.  Our values reveal themselves.

If you have yet to consider your values—really consider your values and write them down.  Don’t delay.  Your values will dictate what you prioritize in life.  Your values will guide how you live and work.  Whether they are written down our not, your values are leading the decisions you make.  Ultimately, however, your values are your choice.  You, and you alone, determine what you cherish most.

To define your values, consider what is most important to you.  Make a list.  What makes you happy?  Of what things are you proud?  What gives you joy and satisfaction?

I would suggest just writing all the things that come to mind?  What are the common themes?  As the themes emerge, consider how these can be stated for easy recollection.  My values, for example are stated as: faith, family, friends, growth, health, and impacting others.  Three Fs, G, H, and I.  I can quickly recall these in my head to take a periodic values check.

Faith, family, and friends are consistent with my mantra “I am third”—“My Lord is first, my friends are second, and I am third” from Gale Sayers I am Third.  These are a priority to me and, hence, something I value.

Growth reflects my passion for “well-centered fitness”.  It reminds me to stay on track with my growth plan—to be my best today; and be better tomorrow.

Health is also consistent with my “well-centered fitness” and my career choice as an exercise physiologist.

Lastly, I want to leave a mark on the world.  I want to positively impact the lives with which I come in contact.

Know what you (want to) value and live accordingly—with consistency and confidence.  Be transformed by your values and be transformative in your relationships.  Carpe momento!

“A mission statement is not something you write overnight… But fundamentally, your mission statement becomes your constitution, the solid expression of your vision and values. It becomes the criterion by which you measure everything else in your life.”—Stephen R. Covey

“Our job as leaders is to create a healthy margin of difficulty that allows for growth.”—Heath Eslinger

The title I gave this posting may seem at first to be the precise opposite of what we should be doing as leaders—as parents, managers, coaches, teachers, etc.  Indeed, it appears to be very much the opposite of what we are trending toward as leaders.  I have made it clear that I want my children to fail.  Listening to Heath Eslinger, Head Wrestling Coach at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, speak recently, he gave me pause to consider a slight shift in my semantics.  The attitude has not changed, but the language he gives the intent is helpful.

Failure, according to Coach Eslinger, is permanent.  We don’t want our children, students, athletes, employees, etc. to quit.  We do, however, want them to grow.  We want them to go out and be their best today and be better tomorrow.

When I tell my children to “go out and fail today”, I am not suggesting that they do nothing well or that they be an utter “failure”.  What I am saying to them is “go out and take risks that will help you grow”.  In other words: “Go out and allow yourself a healthy margin of difficulty.”

As an exercise physiologist, it is easy for me to see this from the perspective of physiological adaptation.  When coaching someone to improve performance, one considers the principle of “overload”—remember: in order for a body system to adapt, it must be stressed to a level greater than that to which it is accustomed.  We can take this a step farther and consider “over-reaching” and “overtraining”.  Following the analogy of physical training, our goal in leading to personal growth is to avoid overtraining—permanent failure.  Over-reaching, physiologically, is pushing just beyond one’s normal ability to recover.  This is usually planned, as is the added recovery that is necessary.  Overtraining leads to lasting damage that takes a significant amount of time from which to recover.  Applying this to growth and leadership, overtraining equates to permanent failure.  This is not desirable.  One is pushing those he or she is leading to the point of demotivation and discouragement.  Over-reaching equates to challenging someone to extend beyond the “comfort zone”.  A certain risk of failure exists, but this is failure that teaches.  Remember, we want to stress that there are no losers—only winners and learners.  This is the level of challenge that Coach Eslinger might consider a “healthy margin of difficulty that allows for growth”.

We don’t want to completely remove the possibility of failure (i.e., not succeeding), but we don’t want success to be the only option.  Two things can happen when we do.  First, we can create a sense of entitlement.  Secondly, we do not teach how to effectively deal with adversity and failure.  We want those we are leading to learn to work to succeed.  There is no real growth otherwise.

We create a healthy margin of difficulty that allows for growth by providing the environment for long-term success.  Success is not immediate.  Nor is failure permanent.  As leaders, we are there to teach and present opportunity.  We are to be supportive, but not hand-hold.  We are to be demanding, but encouraging.

I tell my children: “Be your best today; be better tomorrow.”  This implies that they are to give a 100% effort and challenge themselves such that they will “overload” today’s effort—i.e., 100% effort is more than 100% effort was the day before.  This promotes growth.  Anything less is merely staying the same.

Live as you lead.  Challenge yourself as you would challenge others.  Allow yourself a “healthy margin of difficulty”.  Carpe momento!

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

“Only by contending with challenges that seem to be beyond your strength to handle at the moment you can grow more surely toward the stars.”—Brian Tracy

I gotta have my motivational music for my early morning workouts.  It is a mix of classic rock songs and Rocky movie sound tracks.  The songs play on random and sometimes they line up like stars for the perfect workout.

One song that frequently plays is “Man Against the World” performed by Survivor on the Rocky IV soundtrack.  This song almost always takes my mind to the “opportunities” in my life.  Since the band Queen also appears in the mix, I always anticipate what will come next.  There has been a couple of times when “Another One Bites the Dust” follows.  Not very encouraging!  So, when “We Will Rock You” or “We are the Champions” follows, I am always most excited for the day.  I am not superstitious, but it certainly sets the mood for the day

Today, the random mix really set a positive anticipation for the week.  The initial songs were:

“Man Against the World”

“We are the Champions”

“We Will Rock You”

“Going the Distance”

“Rocky Theme”

“Eye of the Tiger”

and more….

(Unfortunately, this is a deload week in my weight training, so the perfect mix was not necessary.  Still, it was motivating!)

This was the play list to start any week.  Be confident that whatever you may be facing, you can rock it.  Trust in your self, your Purpose, and your “training”.  As Adrian whispers to Rocky (in the “Going the Distance” remixed version): “Win.” 

Today is your day (as is everyday)—if you choose it to be.  Be your best today, and carpe momento!

“Now the road’s grown long, but the spirit’s strong; And the fire within still burns; Alone I take my stand; I give you a man against the world”

[“Man Against the World” lyrics. Songwriters: James Peterik, Frank Sullivan, Jimi Jamison. © EMI Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, The Bicycle Music Company]

 

 

I have written before about my affinity for the “Tragedy of the Commons” by Garrett Hardin.  I wrote a paper for a Geography course as an undergraduate student that has surfaced in my mind repeatedly over the subsequent years.  I find I often relate to the Commons.  According to Hardin the Commons is any shared and unregulated resource.  Thus, t came to mind recently following the recent Oregon snow storms.

Having spent the majority of my life in the east (Pittsburgh, New York, and Michigan), I struggle with the response to snow in metropolitan Oregon and find it quite frustrating.  It snows rather infrequently, but, when it does, it shuts everything down—schools, universities, city offices, etc.

My point here is not to complain or vent frustration.  Rather, I want to discuss some thoughts on leadership that have came to mind as I have considered the municipal response.  These thoughts took me to the “Commons”.

One challenge with the snow in much of Oregon is that communities do not have the snow plows and resources to remove what snow falls.  In the long run, purchasing plows would enable communities to clear roads and minimize closures.  The difficulty lies in that these cost money and revenue is limited (a sort of commons).  As a municipality, there is little incentive to spend these funds if the neighboring communities will not.

Opposite the theme of Hardin’s work (taking from the Commons), the notion here is that one is not likely to contribute to the Commons unless others are willing to also do the same.  Why spend resources if you neighbor is not?  It occurred to me that this is a trait of a leader—to be the first to risk adding to the Commons.

Leaders do not wait for consensus.  Leaders take the risk.  Leaders see a need and act despite the sacrifice.

If one is to lead, one must dare to give to the Commons whether or not others are willing to take the risk.  When a leaders do so, there is an initial cost, but the benefit shows itself to be great, and others surely follow.

Without a commanding leader significant change never occurs.  We continue doing what we have always done.

I see the same plight in academia—e.g., why take on extra students (an “overload”) in a course if others will not (or, conversely, one is often discouraged from taking on extra work, as the administration will expect it of everyone)—and athletics—e.g., don’t push too hard or you will make your teammates look bad.  Surely, we see this in numerous other areas, as well—business, relationships, etc.  Sadly, we are often unwilling to go the extra distance to help or to change the status quo, because we are either fearful of reprisal or unwilling to sacrifice for a greater good.  Leaders, in whatever setting, however, are not concerned for these.  Leaders see the opportunity to be better and act.

In what areas are you holding out for others to act?  What is holding you back.  Remember, there is a cost to every opportunity.  Sometimes, the cost of not acting is greater than the cost of stepping up.  Be the leader who chooses to act first.  Otherwise, you are a mere follower.  Nothing (extra)ordinary comes from the status quo.  Be the one who overcomes the inertia.  Carpe momento!

“A strong, successful man is not the victim of his environment. He creates favorable conditions. His own inherent force and energy compel things to turn out as he desires.”—Orison Swett Marden

We can affect our environment.  True, we might not find ourselves in (what we perceive to be) the best of circumstances, but we can adapt our situation to create more favorable conditions for success.  The choice is ours.

It is easy to blame our circumstances for our frustration and lack of success.  We can, however, create what Jim Harshaw (Success Through Failure) calls an “Environment of Excellence”.  I wrote on this before, but it is worth revisiting.

Create an “Environment of Excellence” by surrounding yourself with the people and things that uplift and encourage you.  Your home, workspace, exercise space, car, and anywhere you spend a significant amount of time should encourage excellence.

In creating your “Environment of Excellence”, consider:

–the people with whom you associate;

–colors and décor;

–music;

–clutter;

–how you structure your time; and

–how you approach your circumstances.

People are of great importance.  I have worked with a range of people.  If you find yourself in a work situation that is stressful and difficult, don’t gather with the people who will bring out your most negative side.  Avoid these like a plague.  Find the people who will keep you positive.  If such people are hard to come by, you need to adjust your attitude.  Remember: your attitude shapes your attitude.  Look for the opportunity the relationships present to you.  This may seem impossible, but it surprisingly works.  I have found that when I dwell on what frustrates me in a relationship, I get frustrated (of course).  When I view it as an opportunity to grow or to impact the work environment, I find that I am more energized and positive.  I find that I don’t have the space for toxic people.  Like turning on a light in a dark room, the decision to be positive in a noxious environment drowns out the negativity.

As I have mentioned before, “you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with” (Jim Rohn).  So, take care with whom you spend your time.  Choose your friends wisely.  Your college drinking buddies might not be the best for you at the present stage in your life—sometimes we simply outgrow the people in our lives.  This does not mean we completely sever relationships.  It just means we weigh our options.  The principle of “opportunity cost” applies.  In the limited time we have to spend with others, consider who supports your mission and shares your values.

If you are struggling in your relationship with your spouse or partner, fix it!  While there are certainly circumstances in which such relationships are so toxic that it is best to walk away, but where it is possible (and, in most situations, it is) work at it.  Invest the time to bring health to these relationships.  This is possible your most critical member of your “team of five.”  If you are working on a growth plan and seeking to be “well-centered”, I suspect you already recognize this and have made this relationship a priority.

Find a mastermind group and/or mentors to help guide and motivate you.  Surround yourself with people who will stretch you—who will push you beyond your comfort zone.  One of the best things I have done in the past year (and ask my wife, if you want confirmation) was to become part of a mastermind group and participate in a Fundamentals of High Performance cohort led by Coyte Cooper (www.coytecooper.com; Make Your Mark).  In addition, I determined to reach out to colleagues on campus to be mentored and be accountable.  I meet regularly with people who encourage me and act as a sounding board.  It has had tremendous benefit to my attitude and effectiveness.

Create a positive space around you.  A soothing paint job.  Inspiring art and quotations.  A functional work space.  All these can make you more effective and positive.  Make your space productive and free of distractions.

Music is a great motivator.  Music sets the mood.  Surround your sound space with music that uplifts and inspires.  Avoid negative and dispiriting music selections.  Music should lift your attitude.

Eliminate the clutter in your life.  Get rid of the clutter in your living space, as well as work space.  In addition, get rid of the clutter in you time.  Examine your use of technology.  How are you using (misusing) social media, e-mail, televisions, etc.  Remember: “opportunity cost”?  Whatever you are doing that is not productive toward your goal is at the cost of doing what will help you achieve your goal.  Eliminate it!

Plan your time.  Schedule your day.  Be sure to make time for the most significant things in your life.  Prioritize what you value and what is consistent with your mission.  Plan your day to include room for your Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, and Social “well-centeredness”.

Approach your circumstances as opportunities.  It will open the gates of gratitude.  As I have written before, when we recognize the opportunity before us, we are able to express gratitude for the positions in which we find ourselves.  Gratitude drives our negativity and pessimism.  The void is then filled to optimism and hopefulness.  My friend, Coach Andy Lausier, calls this “going from have to get.”  In other words, we go from thinking “I have to…” to “I get to…”. It is a freeing attitude.

Create your “environment of excellence” and carpe momento!

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

So, how is 2017 so far?  Are we keeping our resolutions?  Have we even gotten around to them, yet?  Maybe, your resolution was to write resolutions?  Or are you like me and resolve not to write resolutions?

Whether you write ‘em or not.  Hopefully, we are getting our growth plans in order.  Consider this your mid-January check-in.

Remember: baby steps!  Build off of last year/month/week/yesterday.

Step 1. Start writing something down each morning—start journaling.

Step 2. Consider your values.

Step 3. Write your mission statement.

Step 4. Write 1, 2, 3, … long-term goals (Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, Social, Professional, and/or Financial).

Step 5. Write a daily goal for each of the 5 dimensions of “well-centered fitness” (Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, Social).

Step 6. Go deeper in your writing—reflect, evaluate, elaborate, etc.

Step 7. Return to steps 2-6.

Hey, this isn’t rocket science.  There are no hard and fast rules.  Just do what feels a little less than comfortable and keep stretching your comfort-zone.

Make time for each dimension and consider the principle of “opportunity cost”.  Day-by-day, rid yourself of things that rob you of your success and replace these with activities that satisfy your pursuit of well-centeredness.  Remember, it is a process.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.  Remind yourself that you are becoming better every day.  Your journal will reflect this.  Let each day be a step in the right direction.

Carpe momento!

“I am here for a purpose and that purpose is to grow into a mountain, not to shrink to a grain of sand. Henceforth will I apply ALL my efforts to become the highest mountain of all and I will strain my potential until it cries for mercy.”—Og Mandino

According to Napoleon Hill, “there is one quality which one must possess to win, and that is definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it.”  Perhaps, you are thinking “Crap!  I still haven’t found my purpose!”  Don’t worry.  All is not lost.  You are not a failure.

Please, reread the Og Mandino quote above and the Napoleon Hill quote again, and notice what they have in common.  Neither of these wise men suggest that finding one’s Purpose is easy.  Nor do they suggest that it is something that will become clear rather early in life.  (It may become clear while you are quite young, but, if it does, consider it a rare blessing.)  Og Mandino suggests that “purpose is to grow into a mountain”.  Napoleon Hill implies that purpose is something we should have a “burning desire to possess”.  Yes, we should diligently seek to find our Purpose, but let us not neglect the journey.

More important than finding one’s Purpose—at least initially—is learning who one is.  This is no short journey.  It is not some online questionnaire or personality survey.  Moreover, it is not necessarily who someone else believes one to be.  We are all who we are.  We are not who our parents, friends, teachers, or partner want us to be.

Find who you are and it will lead to finding your Purpose.  Explore your interests and talents.  Try things.  Fail.  Purpose will ultimately reveal itself.

Purpose is not a static certainty.  Purpose is as much momentary as it is lasting.  Purpose is circumstantial.  Yes, we may have some Universal Purpose that is our vocation or calling.  I am not confident, however, that we have a singular Purpose.  Quite possibly, our vocation may evolve over time as we grow.

Having a definitive Purpose—or, rather, definitively knowing our Purpose—is not as important as understanding one’s self and seeking to apply one’s self Spiritually.  It is, however, essential to recognize that we are a part of something greater than self and that with this comes an understanding that we have a unique place in the Universe.

It is not uncommon for someone to work hard to achieve something in life, only to be left empty by the success.  Athletes, for example, sacrifice and train to win a championship and be the top of their sport, only to find there is no satisfaction in being at the top.  It is not that they have been pursuing the wrong goal.  They simply have pursued a dream without ever asking the question “why?”. 

I wrote recently about finding one’s “why”.  I don’t think this can be separated from the pursuit of one’s Purpose.  Whatever our hand finds to do, we are to do it with all our might (Ecclesiastes 9:10).  We can’t, however, sink heart and soul into something without knowing why.  Whatever our hand finds to do, we should do it for ourselves.  Again, not for our parents, friends, teachers, partner, or anyone other than our self. Now, to be clear, this is not to imply that we are to be selfish.  Quite the contrary.  We should be self-motivated to do what we all called to do.  Anything else is not Purpose.  Rather, it is fulfilling the desires of another.  Hopefully, one is surrounding one’s self with supportive and encouraging people who believe in them.

Go.  Do what you love and are passionate about doing.  Be (extra)ordinary!

Carpe momento!

“The purpose of life is to obey the hidden command which ensures harmony among all and creates an ever better world. We are not created only to enjoy the world, we are created in order to evolve the cosmos.”—Maria Montessori

 

I am learning to see the lesson in just about everything—to do as Stephen Covey taught, and “seek first to understand.”  Every winter in Oregon, I have to contend with my very East Coast/Midwest approach to the snow (when it comes) versus a more West Coast approach.  To be honest, it is a serious struggle for me and often reveals my lack of sensitivity.  This season has been no different.

I grew up walking uphill both ways to school in the snow (somewhat literally).  I love driving in the snow.  I have little fear of snow.  Rather I have a great appreciation for it.  I used to love the snow—other than having to shovel the driveway repeatedly.  In the last eight years, I have come to despise even the thought of snow.  School cancelations. Canceled practices.  Delays—long delays—driving.  Overall panic before the first flake falls.  The thought of snow has a negative effect on my attitude.  It plays bumper cars with my well-centered fitness.

Last night (Tuesday) was no exception.  We got our first real appreciable snowfall (from an East Coast/Midwest perspective).  But, it was what happened before the snow that most challenged my well-centeredness.

Two things pushed me over the edge, so to speak.  First, at a meeting at the high school for parents of my son’s wrestling club, I learned that the boy’s varsity basketball game was cancelled (the athletes were at the school and dressed ready to compete) and the club was told to cancel practice and send the boys home.  Snow was coming, but it had yet to start in our area.  Granted some areas had already started to accumulate snow, but….  The second thing occurred when I went to pick my son up from a middle school group at church.  Because of the parents’ meeting, I arrived early and planned to work on my computer until it ended at 8:30.  Just before 8:00, kids started passing by me calling their parents to pick them up early because the “roads are bad”.  Mind you, I had just driven on these roads and at worst there was a mix of snow and rain.  The roads in the area were fine.  In my mind, it did not seem that 30 minutes would make a dramatic difference in road safety—especially since many parents might already be on route to the church.  I am embarrassed to admit that this set my attitude in a negative spin.

Last night, I went from finding the local attitude toward snow frustrating to being infuriated.  Thankfully, I have been working on being positive and sticking to my growth plan.  I am acutely aware that my attitude shapes my attitude.  So, I took this as an opportunity to really consider what is going on here.  I realized that this is not a matter of people not having sufficient experience driving in the snow.  It is not a matter of communities avoiding investing in snow equipment because it snows so infrequently.  It occurred to me that it is a matter of learned fear and ignorance.

I thought about what was going on, and I came to the conclusion that this fear (rational or irrational) of snow is passed on to kids by parents, educators, and other educators in their lives.  Fear is a natural function of our brains to protect us.  Our minds are wired for self-preservation.  This should lead to caution, however, not avoidance.  Snow, after all, is dangerous after it falls, not before.

I get frustrated over the panic that ensues before the snow falls here.  I am troubled by preemptive cancelations of school and events because of “predicted” winter weather.  I struggle with the accidents and delays that occur because of minor winter weather.

I am beginning to understand, though.  This very serious emotional panic and psychological fear of winter weather that seems irrational to the person raised in the Northeast and Midwest is quite rational in the mind of people raised in the Northwest because the people have been taught to think this way.  I don’t know if may people here in Portland can tell you why they are afraid to drive in the snow, but I suspect that it has been passed on to them.

This posting isn’t really about snow or how one should respond to it—patience and persistence can be learned by winter driving.  Rather it is, simply, about fear and where it comes from.

Fear to a certain extent is a good thing.  It keeps us safe.  Fear is not good, however, when is shackles us.  When we are immobilized by fear, all progress is halted.  This is why we use the metaphor, “frozen with fear”.  When fear is allowed to, it paralyzes us and prevents us from acting.  Healthy fear allows one to proceed with caution.  Unhealthy fear stymies us.  A lack of fear brings harm to us.

There are three types of drivers in the snow (i.e., three approaches to fear).  There is the driver of the SUV who winds up in the ditch because (s)he thinks the car can go through anything.  This driver forgets that the all-wheel-drive can help you go, but it can still lose control and will slide when you try to stop.  These drivers are careless.  Then, there is the driver who freaks out over the very sight of the first snowflake.  Rather than learning to deal with the conditions, they allow their fears to get the better of them.  Rather than stay home when they feel uncomfortable, however, they go out and drive slow, use the brakes in appropriately, don’t allow proper stopping distance, etc.  In other words, that never adapt appropriately to the conditions.  They never overcome the fear.  Finally, there is the driver who understands the hazard and the risks to driving in the snow and, therefore, takes the appropriate precautions.  These drivers make sure that the car is in good working condition.  These drivers refresh themselves as to how the car will react in the snow (I always test my car in the snow by breaking hard and accelerating when I first enter the street and in safe conditions like a parking lot.  I let the car slide and practice my reaction.  I know that my response on the road has to be natural and reflexive.)  These drivers are not without fear, per se.  Rather that are prepared for what might come.

Such is life.  We need to ignore the voices that tell us we have to be afraid.  We need to go forward in life with a cautionary enthusiasm for what lies ahead.  Let fear direct you, but don’t let it control you or confine you.

I love driving in the snow.  My senses are heightened, and there is a certain adrenaline rush.  Fear is replaced with challenge.  I know what to do.  I trust my vehicle.  I trust my training.  All that is left is to enjoy the ride.

Snow is beautiful.  It is meant to be enjoyed.  So is life.  Embrace it.  Enjoy it.  Carpe momento!

Be safe, but don’t be frozen in fear.