PUSH

Athletes aren’t complacent people.  We don’t put our feet up. We don’t sit still.  Whatever the game is, we like to win.  And once we win, we get a new game.  We push ourselves.  It doesn’t matter how much we achieve.  If you’re a climber there’s always another mountain.

The members of Krank Systems Jersey City are now in their fifth week of the program (whoot, whoot).  It was painful for some of them, but they pushed through.  It was gut wrenching for others but they found their strength.  It was a battle (mind vs. body) but they all found focus.   They are all in the relentless climb to the top and in March, we will take it to the next level.

They take pictures of mountain climbers at the top of a mountain.  They’re smiling, ecstatic, triumphant.  They don’t take pictures along the way because who wants to remember the rest of it.  We push ourselves because we have to, not because we like it.  The relentless climb, the pain and anguish of taking it to the next level.  Nobody takes pictures of that. Nobody wants to remember. We just want to remember the view from the top.  The breathtaking moment at the edge of the world. That’s what keeps us climbing. And it’s worth the pain. That’s the crazy part. It’s worth anything.

Rob

rob@kranksystems.com

SOMETHING’S GOTTA GIVE

In life we want to be happy.   We try to be happy.   We try so hard that our happiness becomes a force directly applied to the surface of ourselves exploding with resentment. 

I read a story about a woman who wrote about her mother and how she tried to make everyone happy because she thought it would make her happy.  She gave selflessly to her family and friends.  The daughter remembered one time when they were having dinner and there was one piece of chicken left.  Without hesitation her mother gave it to her. The daughter said, “I knew she wanted it, but genuinely wanted me to have it more.  That was always something that astounded me - that very authentic selflessness.”

Reading on I begin to realize this was a consistent theme of recollection throughout the daughter’s childhood; not only with those that live within the house hold but also with those that didn’t.  In the end, it wasn't good for the mother.  She was unhappy.  She is still unhappy.

As children we dream about the perfect career, best friends as neighbors, wedding veils, and white picket fences.  As adults something happens; reality gets in the way of our ability to dream or act the happy part. 

Our health can fail. Friends can disappoint. Your spouse can cheat.  The list goes on and on. It is in these moments you want to get real, drop the act and be your true unhappy self because it is so often the little things - like resentments - that finally divide people.

Life keeps us on our toes. It crafts a challenge for us everyday especially with friends and family however, there has to be a balance. Although we must keep our peace, we must also speak our peace.  Like a pressure valve we all need an outlet.  A slow leak that keeps us stable because at the end of the day…something’s gotta give!

Rob

rob@kranksystems.com

Twitter: kranksystemsjc

THERE IS NO “I” IN TEAM

In theory, we are all a part of some team.  Family.  Friends.  Colleagues.  A group of people linked in a common purpose.   Teams normally have members with complementary skills that generate synergy through a coordinated effort.  Allowing each member to maximize his or her strengths and minimize his or her weaknesses.

What happens when our priorities outweigh those of our teammates?

There is no doubt that we are all individuals; a person of moral stance, political philosophy, ideology, and social outlook.  Our individuality promotes the exercise of one's goals and desires, independence and self-reliance.  It opposes most external interferences upon one's own interests, whether by society, family or any other group or institution.  

Sometimes as a member of our team we begin to act independent.  No longer synergistic, no longer coordinated, no longer compromising or cooperative.  We lose our balance and walk unsteady.  We bicker.  We fight.  We lose self control and sense of respect.  We stop communicating and inevitably become the ball-hog.  Taking every opportunity to grab the ball and run.  Immobilizing the team and causing chaos in the game plan.

Recently, a friend of mine has fallen victim to a ball-hogger; a teammate with unbalanced priorities, selfish in nature, uncooperative attitude, uncompromising demeanor, untamed temper, ungrateful spirit and disrespectful to the other teammates.  Although my friend has tried to keep her peace, she’s almost at the point of believing the ball-hogger will never come around.

Staying together or moving on?

However independent, self sufficient, and priority driven we are, when we are part of a team; individuality and independence take a seat, so that we can play with coordination and compromise.  

No matter what game we are playing, we can’t do it alone.  We have the option to stay with our team or move on; but eventually, we have to get off of the bench and pick a side! 

Rob
email: rob@kranksystems.com
twitter: kranksystemsjc

WHO’S THE MASTER?

“The self is not ready-made, but something in continuous formation through choice of action.”

Are you in control of your future by the decisions you are making?  Are they strategic and calculated?

The choices we make today will have a direct impact on where we are and who we strive to be in the future.  Remember the college application process…URGH!  Not only were your parents on your back telling you how important it is to choose the right school; you too were hard on yourself (I know you hate admitting it…but you were).  You knew that choosing the right school would be vital for setting the foundation needed to “succeed”, especially in competitive corporate America. 

And guess what?  It didn’t stop there…

You stressed about choosing the right major, getting into the best classes, and let’s not forget stalking that professor that you, without a doubt, had to have.  Shall I even mention the internship arena?  LOL, it was like a blood bath.

Back then, we were so focused and driven to master the decision making process because we refused to accept anything less than the best outcome.

What happened? 

Today, we are inundated with decision making on a continuum.  Every second of every day we are making choices:   where to live, what to eat, who to friend, what to wear, how to treat others, how to treat ourselves, where to work, what to drive…  We are mentally exhausted and no longer feel empowered by the decision making process.  We have also failed to pay attention to the outcome; if any.

Basically, we’ve based our decisions on getting it out of the way and moving on… (How lazy of us)

Moving forward, let’s decide to start making calculated decisions so that the outcome impacts our life in a meaningful way.  We will be conscience of the decision making process and continue on our prosperous path to a future with outcomes that we controlled; ultimately, becoming the master’s of our own life.

Seriously, try it for a week.  I think you will be surprised to see how this little detail can make a big impact on your life.  Let me know if it worked for you…hit me up.

Rob

rob@kranksystems.com

Twitter: kranksystemsjc