How intense should your passion be?

Good Morning!

A while back I was at a restaurant and a person sitting a few tables away suddenly grabbed their throat, with a look of terror...and violently thrashed around...

It was apparent that this person was choking...

Before I could react...a quick-thinking server raced up behind the person...and performed the Heimlich maneuver...displacing a piece of steak that was absolutely HUGE!

The dining room applauded the feat...

The person thanked the server...

The restaurant manager appeared on the scene...

and things quieted down...

A brief moment of terror and drama!

AND...I almost forgot about that incident!

**************************************
Something wouldn't leave me alone!

Periodically I would think about what I observed and wonder what lesson I could glean from that experience...

On a bike ride...(I actually call it "thinking on wheels")...it hit me!

It was the initial look on the choking person's face that I needed to understand...

As I thought...

The need for "air" is the single most important and basic item on Maslow's hierarchy of needs...

It all starts there!

We can live for a few days without water...even longer without food...but the time that we survive without air can be measured in minutes!

That is INTENSE!

When a person chokes...the terror and urgency elevates IMMEDIATELY...

People do not say to themselves..."I am busy right now...I'll take care of this inability to breath...later"

IT WAS THE FACE OF THE PERSON WHO WAS CHOKING...and the subsequent behavior that I needed to understand (which I did) and a potential application of this lesson to our lives...that was "eating at" me!

**************************************
Choking!

Of all of the "emergency" situations that we encounter...(and I hope that we don't) "choking" seems to be the most serious.

Although I am repeating myself...the need to change the situation is immediate...and critical!

All other things stop...until the situation is changed...

I have belabored this point...you get the picture!

We often claim and deceive ourselves that we have made our pursuit of a specific goal as "the highest priority" in our lives...

Think about what that means...we are saying that what we are doing is as important as breathing!

Yet when something happens...we simply put our pursuit on hold and address the other situation...then we go back to it...when it is convenient,,,

 Would you do the same...if you were choking?

Get real!  Life is not like that!

Life is dynamic and certain commitments require us to focus on different things at certain times...

Right?

I agree to a certain extent...

The problem lies not in the dynamics of life...but what we tell ourselves about our priorities...

If we CLAIM that our dreams are the most important thing in our lives and do not react to a disruption of our pursuits of our goals and dreams like we are choking...

Then...

We have deceived ourselves and the world around us!

I have always held that the hardest person to be honest with is yourself!

This is a place that where we unintentionally believe something that can ultimately become a incurable cancer in our life!

Priorities have to be fully understood and our reactions need to be absolutely consistent...

Take time to ask yourself..."If something comes up that interferes with my pursuit of my dream...will I drop everything to get back on my goal...as if I were choking or...will I simply put it on hold until I can get back to it?"

Get Real...and be HONEST with yourself...

How important is your dream?

Is it as important as breathing?

It is less important?

Stop believing that it is #1...if it is not...

Then...

Redefine your goals...and work accordingly!

Be honest with yourself and the messages that you are sending to the outside world!

It will change the way you work and your TRUE happiness in your pursuit of success!

Pura Vida!