The Wall and the Hole

It is easier to push through the wall, than to pull yourself out of the hole.

I came up with this quote the other day while working out. Sometimes I sit and think about all the "motivational" speeches I have heard and told. A lot of times I am searching for a reason to push through that last set of [insert exercise here]. That's when I came up with the wall and the hole. I have two explanations of this quote, metaphoric and physical.

Obviously the wall and hole are metaphors for certain points of your life. So let's start with the metaphoric wall. This wall is an obstacle. Something that is in your way of achieving a goal. Simple enough right? You have to figure out a way to get past this wall, sometimes the easiest of which is to push through it.
Now let's take the metaphoric hole. This hole can be similar to a plateau (verb def.) in that you are stuck there. There is seemingly no way out of this hole other than climbing up a rope. The rope is whatever way out of the hole that you see fit. However it is not easy and will take some will power to climb. Now could you live in this hole, yes. Could you stay down in the hole and survive, yes. BUT WHY?! Climb your butt out of this hole and keep moving.

Now the literal PUSHING through a wall versus PULLING yourself out of a hole.
When comes to exercising, the pushing motion is probably one of the fan favorites. It is a lot easier to push a weight or your body. For the most part, there is the thought process of, if I don't push this weight up, it will fall on me and hurt me. So people are more successful when performing PUSH exercises.
The literal PULLING action is not a fan favorite. Ask your average person to do a pull-up, either they can not, or they do not want to. Why, because it is HARD. People don't like to do hard things for the most part. Also, failing when performing pulling exercises is safe. For a pull-up you just drop to the ground, no weights are falling on you. So the PULL exercises are less successful.

Just food for thought...

Daylight Savings

Seasonal Affect Disorder, SAD, is the real deal. It is a type of depression that occurs during certain parts of the year, every year. Most often it occurs when the amount of daylight starts to diminish (winter and late fall).  While I do believe this is something that someone can/should overcome on their own, there are a few things you can do to help yourself.

• For starters, when it is light outside, try to be outside. Clearly in New York this time of year being outside, comfortably, doesn't occur all too often. So at least situate yourself near a window during the work day. Take in the foliage, take in the scenery, take in the little critters running or flying around. Any form of life will help to limit the affects of SAD. Driving to and from work in the dark is not pleasurable. So try to get outside, even if it is only to grab lunch.
  
  
• Do things that you enjoy. Simple enough, right? Go out and do something pleasurable, put yourself in a good mood.
  
  
• Stretch out your spending. It is the holiday season, things are going to start to become overwhelming. Giving gifts can be stressful to both your wallet and your emotions. Try to start shopping as soon as possible. Buy little things here and there, don't just rush into it.
  
• Seek help. Professional, unprofessional, I don't care. Talk to someone about what is bothering you. I'm sure it will help.

My Psychologist

Everyone has someone they turn to when things go awry. A confidant that they find refuge in. Personally my confidant is a little different than most.  Anytime I find myself to be either frustrated, confused, upset, or angry, I turn to my gym.

Now by this point you are either judging me or laughing at me, or both. This is actually me being quite serious.  The gym is the place I go for asylum, where I turn to for isolation and mental rest. Fairly often when I know not where to go, or what to do in life, I find myself at the gym.

Everyone Is A Winner

This is the new mentality that is spreading across the country. The idea that Everyone Is A Winner!

It isn't true. We shouldn't be filling our kid's heads with this type of nonsense. Sure everyone has the potential to be a winner, but not everyone is, in a competition, SOMEONE HAS TO LOSE!

Competition sparks people to do great things, to try and achieve more than they believe is possible. Taking this away spurns the idea that mediocrity is acceptable. That doing less than your best is still a good thing.

Save the children, stop handing out "participation" medals. Not every kid deserves a trophy. Let the first place kid/team have their moment, obtain their prize. I don't care if it is the same type of cheap ribbon as last place, as long as there is something that differentiates the two. Make people strive to be the best they can!