Trickeration

"If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with success unexpected in common hours." -Henry David Thoreau

In the American sport of football, each team is attempting to disguise their real intentions. They do so in order to surprise their opponent and enabling them to achieve a goal. That goal might be to score a touchdown or to stop the other from scoring said touchdown. A term is used by the announcers to liven up the description of these disguised plays and is referred to as "trickeration."

Trickeration is basically defined as a creative play that fools the camera man and the defensive team. It can be very effective when the other team falls into believing you are always doing things in a routine and predictable manner. One of the most famous college football "trickeration" plays was in the 1984 Orange Bowl. The play was called a "fumblerooski" and resulted in a touchdown.

The interesting thing about "trickeration" is that life itself tends to pull these types of plays on our plans. You could call it circumstance, but many times it feels like a disguised play against our plans of achieving a goal in life. Life throws something at us that we least expect or at least did not plan for.

Yet we can play that same game. We can do the unexpected and catch life off guard with our own little "trickeration" play. Other people fall into a belief that we are always doing things in a routine and predictable manner. That means we get treated that way and most likely not be given the chance to advance because of it. Yet a good defense against failure is a good offense, with a few unexpected tricks thrown in.

So keep trying new things, new tricks, new surprises. Keep yourself moving towards your goals. There will be life circumstances and people trying to keep you from achieving your goals. But with a determined offense that keeps moving forward and a few surprises, you will achieve those goals.

Stay inspired my friends.

Turning Over Rocks

“...one opportunity leads directly to another, just as risk leads to more risk, life to more life, and death to more death.” ―Markus Zusak

When I was a young boy, there was always amazement in my thoughts that one day I would find a treasure map. It would happen suddenly and most definitely be a map that led me to a great treasure. All through those young years, I tried never to pass up a chance to turn over a stone in hope of finding that map.

My high school graduation came and in a pile of college pamphlets, one stood out. That discovery led me to Peru State College and a treasure trove of friends and experiences. In those years, I found someone which led to my first marriage and the wonderful experience of being a father.

Married and now a new child on the way, I worked as a stock clerk. The journey through piles of shoes on shelves and folding of beach towels on sale led me to the manager's office. There he tried to convince me to take on a "manager trainee" role, but in that office sat a machine. Actually it was an early style electronic typewriter and it intrigued me for I knew electronics.

There was a name on the side of the typewriter. It was a local office equipment dealer. I found they were hiring and started a new career. A few years later, working on early model desktop computers I knew I could do more so I searched through the yellow page directory, no internet as we know it today. In the pile of technology company names, I found and eventually was hired. Thirty years later I am still working for that company.

Looking back, I had been kicking over stones and finding all kinds of treasure maps. By keeping my eyes open to opportunity, it was like finding a map that would lead me to a new discovery.

Opportunity appears in many different forms. But know that each opportunity is like kicking over a rock and finding a treasure map. All you have to do is choose to turn over the stone and use the map found.

Stay inspired my friends.

Suitcase Blues

"Some of these fine days I swear I'll throw away all my heavy luggage in the shape of hopes, and expectations, and walk the rest of the way with free limbs." -Geraldine Jewsbury

We carry so much with us. Our baggage becomes burdensome and can be hardly contained within. Sometimes the zipper on our suitcase becomes too difficult to close and contain all that is within.

Open your suitcase and get rid of the dirty laundry, including the hurt and pain. Remove all those items that only serve to weigh you down. They are of no use to where you are going. Your journey no longer needs the discontent and sorrow.

Fill your suitcase with great things and shake off those suitcase blues.

Stay inspired my friends.

Running the Distance

"It's not so important who starts the game but who finishes it." -John Wooden

Together, my wife Laura and I completed our first Half-Marathon on Thanksgiving Day morning. A total length of 13.1 miles or in other terms; 69,168 feet or over 46112 turkeys laid end-to-end. And we completed it with time to spare before the course closed.

What amazes me is a group from C3 Fitness that we trained with for several weeks. Many of these runners were much faster, much more fit and finished well ahead of us. Yet they cheered us on into the finish line well after they had finished themselves. They waited for us and made our accomplishment so much sweeter.

There were also many little things along the way that stick out along our journey as well. And I call it a journey because we not only wanted to finish, we wanted to experience the people and scenery along the way.

- Getting patted on the back very early in the race near Decatur Street by friends from C3 Fitness, encouraging us as they moved forward at a faster pace; being thankful for the friends we have in our life.

- The over weight man on 17th Street, keeping his pace constant, consistent and yes, he completed the run. He wasn't the fastest, but he did what many probably thought he could not; being thankful for the health that we have.

- My wife having a conversation with one of the pace runners on Juniper Street, a writer for CNN and her move to Atlanta from Venezuela; thankful for the safety and freedom we have here in the United States.

- Running past St. Episcopal's Church on Courtland Street and seeing the homeless along the sidewalk eating their Thanksgiving Day meal outside; being thankful for the food on our table and a warm place to sleep.

- Passing Ebenezer Baptist Church on Auburn Avenue; being thankful for God in our lives.

- Coming up the hill on Memorial Drive past the historic Oakland Cemetary and being reminded of all those relatives and friends gone before us; being thankful for each and every one of them for having been in our lives.

- Running down, MLK Drive, a wall of exhaustion trying to deny us and hearing someone shout that a pumpkin was running up behind us; being thankful for the odd and unusual to shake us from being too serious at times.

- Turning the corner onto Capitol Avenue, Laura's hand in mine and nearing the completion of a challenge we took on together; being thankful for each other.

There are many things in your life that will be encountered along your journey. We run the distance together and a finish line will mark the accomplishment. There will be the sadness, the joy and the unusual. Yet the journey will be completed if you just keep running the distance.

Stay inspired my friends.