I realized today that I have been completely approaching things the wrong way. Yeah this is one of those blog posts where I will be completely vague and write it mostly for myself. Feel free to stop reading here.
Anybody still here must know that I'm officially changing my status from "satisfied" to "work in progress." In three months I'll report back. I'm changing my approach to health, work, play, and life.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Winning in the tenth frame.
"Games are won or lost in the tenth frame." - Bob the bowler from Ephraim, Utah.
I once attended a college course titled "bowling with Bob" at Snow College in Ephraim Utah. Our instructor Bob liked to say that the game was won or lost in the tenth frame. Well, the 90's kid in me says "duh". If your technique is off and your ball rolls in the gutter in the last frame, then you will score zero points. This can also happen in the other nine frames of the game. However, the tenth frame is your last shot. Your last attempt at closing out your efforts of the past 30 minutes or so. I am often a last minute crammer in college. I'm the guy flipping through the my textbook furiously while the instructor is passing out the pencils and bubble sheets. Why? I don't know. I just have to hurry and refresh my memory of that one formula. I just need to look up that definition one more time in case there is some trick question.
I just have to close out the tenth frame.
I'm not always the best college student. I have fallen to the despair of procrastination many times. My point is that games are won or lost in the tenth frame. The last little push before the buzzer goes off can make all of the difference.
I served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints a.k.a. the Mormon Church. I knocked on doors in Monterrey, Mexico and taught people how to have faith and follow the Savior. I studied Spanish and gospel lessons in the Missionary Training Center in Utah. My instructors seemed to have a zeal that I had never seen before. They were experienced missionaries. They were pros. My fellow new missionaries and I looked up to these men and women as our heroes. One day we filed in to a classroom to begin our final week of training. It was the general attitude among many people at the M.T.C. that the last week is the best week of all. There wouldn't be much more to learn. Our instructors would lighten up and share stories of their missionary glory days. We would have a small break. When our instructors arrived, however, the mood was different. One trainer looked around the room until he locked eyes with all twelve of us in the group. The chatter died down and he kept staring. His balding head twitched with excitement. His worn out leather dress shoes squeaked as he shifted his weight to his toes. After a moment he cracked a wide smile and said, "Gentlemen, this week will define each of you for the rest of your lives."
I cringed slightly at the over-the-top declaration that he made. I wasn't sold quite yet. He continued, "You all have one week until you do this for real. Are you going to take a vacation? Should we stop learning? You will face this decision all of your lives. It isn't time to quit."
I doubt this instructor understands the impact this little Monday motivational speech had on me. I'm sure he had delivered similar statements in the past, and would continue to do so in the future. After I heard that statement I put it into a real effort and I have since tried to put in my very best effort when others stop.
I have one month until I graduate with my Bachelor's degree. It occurred to me in the past few days that my last week of the M.T.C. was the week that I worked my hardest. That final week of effort paid off immensely. I was more confident in my Spanish. I was better prepared to approach strangers and preach the gospel. I won't give up my last month of college, but I will put forth my best effort. I am trying to make my tenth frame the best that I can. To anybody to is still reading this, don't give up. When you see others in your school or work giving up, then let that be a signal to you that it is time to start. The moment your start when everyone else stops is the moment that will define you for the rest of your life.
I once attended a college course titled "bowling with Bob" at Snow College in Ephraim Utah. Our instructor Bob liked to say that the game was won or lost in the tenth frame. Well, the 90's kid in me says "duh". If your technique is off and your ball rolls in the gutter in the last frame, then you will score zero points. This can also happen in the other nine frames of the game. However, the tenth frame is your last shot. Your last attempt at closing out your efforts of the past 30 minutes or so. I am often a last minute crammer in college. I'm the guy flipping through the my textbook furiously while the instructor is passing out the pencils and bubble sheets. Why? I don't know. I just have to hurry and refresh my memory of that one formula. I just need to look up that definition one more time in case there is some trick question.
I just have to close out the tenth frame.
I'm not always the best college student. I have fallen to the despair of procrastination many times. My point is that games are won or lost in the tenth frame. The last little push before the buzzer goes off can make all of the difference.
I served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints a.k.a. the Mormon Church. I knocked on doors in Monterrey, Mexico and taught people how to have faith and follow the Savior. I studied Spanish and gospel lessons in the Missionary Training Center in Utah. My instructors seemed to have a zeal that I had never seen before. They were experienced missionaries. They were pros. My fellow new missionaries and I looked up to these men and women as our heroes. One day we filed in to a classroom to begin our final week of training. It was the general attitude among many people at the M.T.C. that the last week is the best week of all. There wouldn't be much more to learn. Our instructors would lighten up and share stories of their missionary glory days. We would have a small break. When our instructors arrived, however, the mood was different. One trainer looked around the room until he locked eyes with all twelve of us in the group. The chatter died down and he kept staring. His balding head twitched with excitement. His worn out leather dress shoes squeaked as he shifted his weight to his toes. After a moment he cracked a wide smile and said, "Gentlemen, this week will define each of you for the rest of your lives."
I cringed slightly at the over-the-top declaration that he made. I wasn't sold quite yet. He continued, "You all have one week until you do this for real. Are you going to take a vacation? Should we stop learning? You will face this decision all of your lives. It isn't time to quit."
I doubt this instructor understands the impact this little Monday motivational speech had on me. I'm sure he had delivered similar statements in the past, and would continue to do so in the future. After I heard that statement I put it into a real effort and I have since tried to put in my very best effort when others stop.
I have one month until I graduate with my Bachelor's degree. It occurred to me in the past few days that my last week of the M.T.C. was the week that I worked my hardest. That final week of effort paid off immensely. I was more confident in my Spanish. I was better prepared to approach strangers and preach the gospel. I won't give up my last month of college, but I will put forth my best effort. I am trying to make my tenth frame the best that I can. To anybody to is still reading this, don't give up. When you see others in your school or work giving up, then let that be a signal to you that it is time to start. The moment your start when everyone else stops is the moment that will define you for the rest of your life.
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