Make The Challenges
We live with challenges. You might even be able to make the argument that we live on challenges. They are a part of life. All life. Every normal, healthy life has challenges. Some are unavoidable. For example, you will face death, have an illness, get old, and your car might break down. It is what it is. But there are other challenges too. The ones when given a choice, we either accept as out of our control or ones we intentionally create. One is a passive approach to ownership and the other is an active approach to ownership. Either way, we have challenges/struggles/circumstances/situations. Whatever the hell you want to call it.
Since the beginning of time, we have faced challenges of existence and it is hardwired within us. We struggled to become upright, conscious beings, who hunted and gathered food. Ultimately tilling soil and wrestling with nature around us. To the extent that we have subconscious tools like intuition to support our existence.
But what happens when we no longer have life-threatening challenges of hardship? We find ourselves choosing pathways that create challenges, either passively or actively. As the victim and maybe the survivor. Or as the victor, championing our way through life to become an inspiration to ourselves.
In the end, we are destined to work the soil. It’s not a question of if you’re going to work the soil, it’s a question of ownership. What the f*** are you going to do with the soil? Are you going to put the energy into tilling the soil and growing fruit and crops? Or are you going to let it become an overgrown field that leaves you to chase after survival?
The short-term easy path is to do nothing. And let what happens, happen. The smarter investment is to put a bit of energy into consistently caring for your fields and growing the crops that supply you with what sustains you. Either way, you will yield what you sow. So what the f*** are you doing?
Build the challenges into your life that you really want. Choose the challenges that set your passions on fire! Put up the obstacles you want to climb over and that move you closer to what fulfills you.
While I’m at it, I want to tackle two other fallacies I see way too often. They are so prevalent they have become cultural fallacies from my perspective.
First, your life goal should not be about being happy. Happiness is an emotion, and like other emotions, it will leave you. It is an unrealistic, unhealthy pursuit that will only lead you down a pathway to addiction (of one kind or another). Forever pursuing a feeling, but never able to maintain it.
Yes, happiness feels good and you should experience it, but contentment and fulfillment should be the pursuit. Those two things help you through struggles and challenges when they come your way—and they will. If the energy you are putting out has value and meaning and purpose, it becomes harder to suffer at the hands of anger, sorrow, sadness, depression, and anxiety. Life is not about the pursuit of bliss.
Secondly, and for f****sake get over this idea the universe is conspiring to help you. How does it benefit you to believe that? Personally, I think it’s far more inspiring to know that I am taking active steps of ownership to move in my purpose and vision and connect to my values. YOU ARE THE ONE DOING IT. You are taking active steps!
By taking ownership of your future, you set into motion a chain of actions and reactions. Sometimes things will fall into alignment in a way that is certainly motivating and surreal. Sometimes they won’t. What does that say about the universe if you don’t succeed?
If you haven’t already shut down and stopped listening to me, bear with me in this, and let me put it to you another way. If the universe is conspiring to help when you speak or step out in faith, or because you chanted and danced in a circle whispering into the air… Doesn’t it also conspire to help the terrorist, murderer, or serial killer? And if you say yes, indeed it does! What does that say about the universe?
Let me help:
A. You are not the center of the universe.
B. It is an uncaring, unforgiving machine.
C. You have given the power to something other than yourself.
Look, stars implode, solar systems die, yet the universe(s) churn on. The universe isn’t concerned about anything but stasis. Despite what you whisper. You are not tapping into some pseudo quantum physics energy. Even quantum physicists barely understand the nature of quantum physics!
All I see is an approach to remove religion and yet maintain an outward god-like inspirational awe. And I cannot deny spirituality is important for people, whether it’s from the perspective of an atheist to Wiccan to religious adherent.
But is that what’s really at work? (Or not if you don’t succeed?) No, instead, it’s a truth what you reap, you will sow. Where you put energy and effort will change your world, your perspective, biases, attachments, and circumstances. Every time. Always. Action leads to reaction.
For example, if you’re a terrorist, you may very well lead a successful bombing of a shopping mall where a self-help coach is standing imagining the universe is conspiring in their favor. Too far?
On the other hand, if you are the author of your own story, then by implication you have so much more power than some vague notion of the universe conspiring for you. That is a thought distortion.
A. You set your course and you move things.
B. You are the most powerful actor in your own story.
C. You change the world around you through choices and actions.
D. You can keep repeating as often as you need.
Some will not like what I’ve said. It exposes fluffiness and glasshouses. I’ve already had friends freak on me for less. Most often, people, who don’t want to reason, or chew through the shininess of the bullshit they are pawning off. Regardless, I promised that this was a Bypass the Bullshit, no-nonsense approach and I’m sticking to it.
It’s more important to wake up being an inspiration to myself. I will not soften it. I will not sell bullshit. If you take interest in my books, courses here, or on FirebrandAlliance.org, I guarantee to always do my best at bringing you quality content. Content I believe is useful, meaningful, and practical for personal growth, development, health, self-defense, and for educating people in the realms related to it.
I am not in this for a Money Grab, (though money is necessary to continue to bring ideas to you) and I will continue to evolve and grow.
Go kick ass! Take ownership of your efforts. Be empowered, knowing you have altered your world, the space around you, and it has no choice but to respond.
Coach Sean