I have recently re-ignited my interest in running. For many years running, swimming and other exercises served as reliable therapy for me. I have solved many problems while crossing the three-mile marker or picking up speed in the midst of finishing a 25-lap swim. But enough about that. This morning, while running, I began thinking about the loss of a friend and colleague. In doing so I arrived at a conclusion. I was struck by the resounding belief that we are in absolute control of our lives. Let me say this again, you can’t control other people; you can’t control the reactions others have to you; you can’t control about a million things outside the realm of your immediate surroundings. But, you have absolute (one of my favorite words of the English language) control over YOU.
I can hear the counter-points as I am typing; “but my boss….”, “I did not choose to have this happen to me….”, etc. What I am speaking about is control of your outlook; which in turn impacts your day-to-day reality. It’s the strange paradigm of life that your personal outlook (or optic as I like to say – to my wife’s dismay) is absolutely your responsibility and under 100 percent of your control.
The friend/colleague I was thinking of this morning passed away after a brief battle with cancer. This person was universally well liked (“loved” is not a stretch) by those who worked with her and to a person everyone would comment about her positive disposition and how it was always present in her interactions. At the end. At the very end, it is the resounding and repeated comment about her as a person. It speaks volumes about attitude and how it not only impacts others, but also holds the key to your personal success. By success I mean to say whatever that looks like for you in your life’s journey.
I believe in action. It exists for me in the center of my own personal philosophy. This “action” is both physical and mental. It is reflected in an affirmation of positive control. Control of who you choose to spend time with; how you choose to spend your time; your view of life and the way forward. Never relinquish your happiness or your version of success to others. Inevitably, if you do, you become part of someone else’s version of happiness. Keep a positive attitude. When you surrender control, you simply become a piece of someone else’s puzzle.