You can't always get what you want.... But if you try sometimes.... You get what you need!

As the classic Rolling Stones song so aptly describes, things do not always go your way, but if you try, you'll get it. As we move through our lives, many things are given and taken away from us. We all experience losses and gains, weather they be material, spiritual, or mental. As we grow old friends and family move away, money may come into our pockets in greater or lesser amounts. The bottom line is that life is full of ups and downs, gains and losses, and most of all learning and accepting new ideas that come with those gains and losses.

There has been a point in all of our lives in which we have been either forced by a peer, teacher, coach, or most of all a parent, to do something that we didn't want to do. The motive behind someone forcing you do something is not always clear. As said by a wise man, you can't always see a tree through  the forest. When presented with new and foreign things its always easier to reject and not accept. The most difficult thing is to accept, learn, and become better. No one, no matter how motivating or encouraging, can make you get better at anything in life. It is evident through history that no one is more of a motivator for you than yourself. It's the minute that you decide to do something out of your own free will, for the betterment of yourself or others, that you become your biggest motivator.

A Pastor can preach all day from his pulpit, to an eager crowd of parishioners, but it isn't until those parishioners decided for themselves to follow the gospel of God, that they can begin to walk in the light of Christ. A coach can encourage you to lift weights and grow strong in the off-season to be better next year, but it isn't until YOU make the personal commitment to better yourself. A teacher can help your mind grow, but until YOU make the decision to grow your knowledge that you can truly succeed. The examples are endless.

Life is full of learning new things everyday. As a co-worker once said, if your not making mistakes your not learning. I want everyone to stop and think of a stressful time, whether it is at work, school, or in the sports arena--ask yourself why is this difficult?

The most obvious answers are:

1. Whatever you are doing is a new task or activity and it seems strange and foreign.
2. You don't feel ethically, legally, or morally comfortable with what your doing.
3. You don't understand why you are doing it.
4. You are unprepared, or unequipped to do the task completely.

All of those points are not only the reasons why a particular task is difficult, but your answers as well. Answer those questions and you undoubtedly will begin to see the light. The purpose of this post is to not let difficult times bog you down. Take on a hard challenge, by first accepting it. Once you can it accept it you can begin to solve. If you can never accept that you must face the challenge, you will never be able to overcome the difficult times. 

I wrote this because today I had a new challenge. I played racquetball for the first time in maybe 2 years. It is technical sport, but challenging. As I reflected back on the past hour of playing, I didn't get frustrated because I lost, or couldn't preform well, I get excited about practicing and becoming better. This was me accepting the challenge that is racquetball. So go into school or work tomorrow or today (depends on when you read this) and take on a new challenge. If one isn't already in your lap go out and find one. I guarantee that after accepting, solving, and mastering, you will feel a full sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.