GET TOUGH!

Ignited by my zeal for peak performance physical conditioning, I dashed out of my front door one sweltering summer afternoon. It was so brutal that day you could have fried a pork chop on the sidewalk. Don't ask me why, but for some reason I felt a good, hard run would be the best thing for me. But, before I could take the first stride from my air conditioned home into the blistering summer sun, my next door neighbor—who was grossly out of shape and at least 75 pounds over-weight—gave me "that" stare. As always, she thought I was a lunatic.

Most people who see me running wonder what in the world am I training for? I'm not a professional athlete with a multi-million dollar contract, nor am I prepping for the Olympic Games and I'm not a spokesman for Nike. To tell the truth, there's absolutely nothing to gain by putting myself through abject, physical punishment when I could be kicking back in the shade on my deck, sipping iced tea and listening to Michael Franks—or is there something to gain, which only a few can detect? I run in upper ninety degree, hazy, hot and humid whether. I also run when it's bitter cold, as the winter chill does everything possible to break off my extremities. These crazy things I do are for one simple reason—so I can stay in the game and compete at "my" highest level!

What's the game? The Game of Life with its bumps, grinds and multitudinous challenges! I once heard Zig Ziglar say something that will forever echo through the chambers of my mind—if you're easy on yourself, life won't be easy on you; but, if you're tough on yourself, life won't be tough on you. Be tough on yourself and live an easy life, that's the quest. Therefore, I intentionally put myself in tough situations—what I call "pressure cooker" moments—when nothing is on the line. That's why I'm out in the so-called hazardous elements when most don't dare to. Trust me, I'm not a fanatic trying to prove something to those who do not share my passion. It's simply that I've faced tough times and I have learned that it takes physical and mental power and prowess to overcome them. My belief is that preparation, when nothing is at stake, is vital. Then, when everything is on the line and you're beset by trials and tribulations you could never have imagined, you won't have a mental or physical meltdown under pressure. You'll be able to push yourself and perform at your highest level, whatever that level may be, all because you prepared long ago when everyone thought your were psychotic.

To keep it real there's no intent to be negative by preparing for tough times—or maybe even disaster—but odds are you'll definitely face situations that may be career threatening or even life threatening. It's part of life and you just have to gut your way through them. The real deal is how you handle those testy moments will define your character and determine your destiny. By always keeping yourself in game time condition, you can cut through the tough times like a hot knife through butter. When you need to draw upon that extra burst of energy, you'll have something in reserve tank to draw upon. If you're under extreme pressure, you may bend, but you won't break. That's what it's all about.

Therefore it's best to be tough on yourself and the first step to toughen up is to be honest with yourself. You must be able to look in the mirror and tell the truth to the person staring back at you. Whoever said the truth will set you free wasn't lying. But the truth that will set us free is often the truth we don't want to face. You, as a Peak Performer, must desire to hear the truth that may hurt you. You must stand in the light that may burn you. You must be able to admit, to yourself, your shortcomings, without fearing the pain associated with the admission. I remember a friend told me something about myself that hurt me years ago—and I was cut pretty deep that day. It was the truth, the whole truth and nuthin' but the truth, and it was painful. But, after the pain subsided, the truth liberated me from some personal problems I was having. The truth is simply a bitter pill that we all have to swallow sometimes.

The next step to toughen up is to not let the truth that may hurt you devastate you. If you're not careful devastation can destroy your self-esteem. After you've faced and admitted the truth you may feel badly about it, but don't beat up on yourself. Don't think you're a lowly loser, wallowing in the gutter. Just accept the fact that you're not perfect and there's room for improvement. You're one of the Creator's beautiful creatures and nothing less. You've been blessed with the opportunity to be here, so why not make the best of it. The beauty of life is that we can make amends and overcome our shortcomings. If you feel devastated, broken down and bummed out, simply take responsibility for what has gone wrong in your life. If you're responsible and you don’t blame anyone, then you can take control and do what is necessary to get back on track.

So now is the time to get tough. It's not too late and it's the only way to attain and sustain the peak performance status you deserve. Delusions, half-truths, untruths and outright lies will only keep you chained to a post and break your spirit. But now you know what do to be free! It's your life, just do what you have to do and get tough.

Copyright by Kirk Charles, 2002. Redistribution or reprinting of any kind, in any type of media, without the prior written authorization of Kirk Charles is strictly prohibited.