Don’t Just Start
Fast, Finish Strong
By William N. Willis, D.C.
Several decades ago three young men were considered the rising stars of the
Christian evangelical movement. The best two were men named Templeton and Clifford.
They were powerful, articulate preachers with a deep knowledge of the Bible.
The third—and in the eyes of many, the least—was a man named Billy
Graham. Few of the so-called pros in the modern American Christian church thought
he was destined for greatness or that anyone would even remember his name in
a few years.
Today, of course, Templeton and Clifford are long forgotten. Graham, however,
went on to become perhaps the best known minister in America—if not much
of the world. He has been a counselor to presidents and his crusades were the
staple of television and packed arenas.
What happened? Why did the two men who initially showed the most promise end
up forgotten? Why did the “slow starter” win the race?
The secret in the case of Graham—and many others in many different fields—is
the ability to finish strong. Many come out of the gate fast only to stumble
or lose interest and wander off the course. To be successful you must stay in
the race and be steadfastly dedicated to your goals and ideals. When your attention
starts to wander, that’s when you are likely to end up in trouble with
a failed practice, a broken relationship, or worse.
It seems like such a simple idea, but many lose sight of the fact that if you
want to be successful, you have to be committed to your goals and ideals all
the time. I’m not saying that you have to win every round. No, life is
a good teacher precisely because it gives you the chance to learn more—often
much more—from your defeats than from your victories.
Staying in the race doesn’t apply simply to the big picture and your long-term
goals—it is also an everyday habit as well. There is an old saying that
illustrates this point. “Sow a thought, reap an act. Sow an act, reap a
habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, reap a destiny.”
Day-by-day, step-by-step we shape our lives until the path we’ve taken
has become well worn and the course we might have taken is left far behind.
To stay on the path we must have well defined goals and the discipline to stick
to them. Here is another important point that so many miss. It’s very easy
to grab hold of an idea and become enthusiastic and pumped up about it. People
do that all the time. The emotional exuberance that we generate never lasts.
In the hustle and bustle of everyday life it becomes easy to run out of stream
and the great idea doesn’t seem so great any more. It’s not possible
to be enthusiastic all the time, it is possible to be disciplined about your
commitment to your purpose.
Discipline will keep you going long after the emotion has passed. As the Taoist
philosopher Stuart Wilde put it, “My word is law.”
When you make that commitment it doesn’t matter how you feel in any particular
moment. You do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, whether you
feel like or not.
When your word is law, you’re also very selective about the things and
ideals to which you commit. These ideals should be written down so that they
become a part of your personal mission statement. It’s important that everything
you do in your life arises and is consistent with this statement. Like the U.S.
Constitution, it is the central document against which all our actions are measured.
It gives you guidance on how best to steer your life so that your ideals are
always represented in everything you do.
What kinds of principles should be in such a document? What you choose to commit
yourself to is a choice only you can make. In my own life, I’ve chosen
ideals that are designed to enrich my life and move me further along the road
to success.
These include embracing risk as a way of life. I take responsibility for my
actions. I never compromise my honesty. I strive not be to judgmental of others
and hear both sides of the story first. I avoid gossip. I commit to being honest
about my emotions. I value meaningful relationships. I work everyday to develop
spiritual strength. I maintain a positive attitude and a sense of humor especially
about myself. In addition, I strive to see life as an adventure.
When you have a clear idea of what you stand for then it becomes easier to avoid
the ambushes that creep up on you throughout your lives. These can take the
form of members of the opposite sex, money, or neglect of family or self. One
of the worst ambushes takes the form of bad habits. How many chiropractors do
you know who smoke, never exercise, and in general look like the model of ill
health? It creates a disturbing incongruence when a health care practitioner
doesn’t seem to be following his or her own advice. All of these pitfalls
are errors that can lure you off the path and can take a heavy toll.
Your mistakes will take you further than you wanted to go. They will keep you
longer than you wanted to stay. Moreover, they will cost you more than you wanted
to pay.
Finishing strong is all about unwavering commitment to correct principles. When
you have the strength of character to make that commitment, then you will truly
be a success. You must have a true vision of the finish line—of what you
see as the ultimate goal for your life. Only he who can see the invisible can
do the impossible. Have you formulated the vision for your life?
© Copyright 2002 Today's Chiropractic