#21 - Rolling with the Punches

By Armaan Athwal

Today's Overview:

• Opportunity does not stop for anyone or anything

• Inspiration: Running in the Rain

• Quote of the day

Unpredictability of Opportunity

It's pretty common that everyone wants to stay disciplined and execute their plans consistently, day in and day out.

However, when things don’t go as planned, many of us tend to skip tasks and wait for the next day. We often wait for perfect conditions, but those ideal conditions aren’t always going to be there.

In an interview, well-accomplished NBA player Jimmy Butler said, "You’ve got to keep working. Your time is going to come. You have to work no matter what. You're here for a reason, but you have to be ready. If you’re not, it’s on you."

This is perfectly said because opportunities will always come, but you never know when. If you let up, they might pass right by you.

You could spend years working towards something you are absolutely passionate about, but see no progress. Frustrated, you might decide to give up and ease off the gas because nothing seems to be coming of it. Then, all of a sudden, you miss the opportunity.

I've noticed that in all aspects of life, the things you really want to happen often come when you least expect them. That is just the nature of the universe.

Rainy Run

What inspired me about this idea, was my run over the past weekend.

I’ve been consistently running and have been determined to get all my runs in during the week. But when it started raining, I had the option of either running on the treadmill at the gym or just running in the rain.

First and foremost, I hate running long distances on the treadmill. Secondly, it was only raining lightly.

I decided to suck it up and run in the rain. About half a mile into my run, it started pouring so heavily that it felt like I was taking a shower.

I decided to turn back, ready to cut my run short because of the rain. But the idea of letting rain stop me lingered in my mind. I realized it was just a minor obstacle. I mean, I was already drenched, so why not push through and finish what I started?

With that thought, I turned right back around and continued running.

Realistically, going back to finish my run doesn’t really do much. If I skip just today, it won’t make much of a difference. I don’t get a gold medal, nor do I receive any prize or accolade. I don’t suddenly become a champion or set a new record.

However, what it did do for me was provide a mental victory. Knowing that I could push through and just suck it up gave me a significant boost. These small victories may seem insignificant individually, but they stack up over time.

As I continued to run, I started feeling amazing. A sense of euphoria and bliss washed over me. It was incredibly freeing. I found myself flooded with ideas and thoughts, genuinely enjoying the run.

At the end, I realized that if I had stopped, I would have never experienced those feelings. By simply rolling with the punches, I was able to experience this opportunity.

Quote of the Day

“Because you have to roll with the punches, the good and the bad. You have to keep moving forward. It's like the river - even after all the crazy things that have happened, the river's not running backwards anytime soon.” - Alan DeNiro

The river doesn’t stop for anything; it adjusts and continues to follow its course. Be like the river!