Nocrastinator's 7-Day Challenge, Day 5 4

The World Aint All Sunshine and Rainbows (Nocrastinator Challenge, Day 5)

Sometimes, even when the heart and mind are willing, Circumstances and obligations can conspire to hold you back, throw you back, and knock you down. Sometimes, the path seems difficult ...


Sometimes, even when the heart and mind are willing,

Circumstances and obligations can conspire to
hold you back,
throw you back,
and knock you down.

Sometimes, the path seems difficult for no good reason.

We just can’t catch a break.

How much failure can you bear?  And keep moving forward?

This 2-minute movie scene is one of the MOST IMPORTANT
you will ever watch.

[wp_socialsend message="Unlock the Video Content By Sharing This With a Friend on Facebook" link="http://"]“The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows.

It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it.

You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life.

But it ain’t about how hard ya hit.

It’s about how hard you can get it and keep moving forward.

How much you can take and keep moving forward.”

– Rocky Balboa.

This video speaks to my ever-growing bag of excuses that I carry around with me. Everywhere I go.

The bottom line is that everyone has good excuses for not achieving.

But we’re all better than that.

Our talents, our beautiful minds, our unique personalities…

We’ve been given exactly enough to make it happen.

To achieve the “unachievable”.

To persevere.

To win.

It doesn’t mean we get an easy road.

On the contrary – we get a hard one.

Especially for those of us with HARD GOALS.

But if we give everything we have, to achieve that goal…
If we stare failure in the face, and take one more step forward anyway, for that goal…
If falling to our knees is used for rest and reflection, rather than retreat and relaxation…

Eventually…

We win.

Eventually, we get to inspire a generation.

Eventually, we get to change our family tree forever.

(“Wait… I was just talking about cleaning out my closet for this challenge… what’s that got to do with my descendants again?”)

LOL!

Let me get off my soapbox. I get carried away by the possibility of possibilities.

“Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits.”
– Rocky Balboa.

You may find this hard to believe.

But Sylvester Stallone’s real story may be more inspirational than Rocky’s. (Recent indiscretions with steroids and such notwithstanding.)

You see – the Rocky story was actually WRITTEN by Sylvester Stallone.

For himself.

The amount of demoralizing failure, abject poverty, and relentless rejection he experienced, before getting the opportunity to make and star in the first Rocky movie, is stunning.

How much failure are you willing to push through?

How maniacally focused are you, on your aspirational goal?

How inspirational is what you’re pursuing, to begin with?

Listen to the story.

And ask yourself what would cause you to have this much determination to achieve your goal.


It ain’t about how hard you can hit, folks.

It’s about how hard you can get hit.

And keep moving forward.

If you know what you’re worth

Then go out and get what you’re worth.

But you’ve got to be willing to take the hits.

LET’S GO AND MAKE IT HAPPEN TODAY.

HOUSEKEEPING:

Day 1: Eye of the Tiger.
Day 2: Protect Your Dreams.
Day 3: An Excuse to Die For.
Day 4: Those Who Try, Fall.
Day 5: The World Ain’t All Sunshine & Rainbows.
How to Earn Points in the Nocrastinator Challenge.
Who’s Playing, and Who’s Winning, in the Nocrastinator 7-Day Challenge?
Post your Nocrastinator Challenge daily progress here

LATEST TESTIMONIALS FROM YOUR FELLOW NOCRASTINATORS:

Raquel Robinson 7:20 am

Over the years I have learned to look at things from a spiritual perspective, knowing that my achievements are a direct reflection of God’s presence in my life and the strength that I receive from Him to be a better in every area of my life. This challenge has sparked something powerful within me.

Yesterday I talked to my girls about commitment. They asked why, if I am tired, do I show up to workout sessions if I am offering them for free. I told them because I am committed to my word and that is a great character trait to have. So this morning I arrive at the track five minutes til six and not one of my clients showed up.

This has NEVER happened.

So I made the best of my time, I ran sprints and left feeling amazing.
The area in which you encourage someone in will be the very area that you are tested in, well at least that is how it seems to happen in my life.
- 4 lessons to go!!!

Happy day 5 :)

Bolaji Oyejide 1:48 am

I ALMOST fell off the wagon today.

Decided not to do my workout first thing in the morning (I had good excuses)…

And also didn’t do it while my 11-month old napped at 11am (that was THE window! No good excuses at this point – just lazy.)

So tonight, at halftime during the NBA Finals, I willed myself to put on my workout clothes, and turn on that evil DVD.

Once I got started, I felt better.

And it hurt like all H-E-Double Hockey Sticks.

But I got it done before midnight.

Dare Vuvuzela Kumolu-Johnson Jun 9

DAY 4 – Spent over an hr on editing pics as planned. Taking a break now and will be back on it for about 30 to 45 more mins and retire for the night to watch the game. Still looking like a lot for 1 week but thanks for this challenge, man! :)

LaVonne Ellis Jun 9

Day 4 – I finally got one thing done that I’ve been putting off for months. I know the rules say not to work on the to-do list, but this list is weighing me down. I can’t do anything else until I clear the decks, so it’s back to the list.

Raquel Robinson Jun 9

Day 4- – ROUGH start today!!!! i attempted and failed AGAIN, the moment was very emotional. i felt like crying, but then i remembered the “fall down 7 times and get up 8″ quote that I saw on Bolaji’s website and it was a wrap. i will continue to attempt until i get it, my kids are watching me and i must not teach them to give into failure, but to get up, shake off the negative and get it done…failure IS NOT an option!!!!

ARE YOU WILLING TO TAKE THE HIT… AND KEEP MOVING FORWARD?

Nocrastinator's 7-Day Challenge, Day 5
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4 Responses to this article

 
Sharon Vornholt June 13, 2011 Reply

Hey Bolaji – I started a new challenge today. I’m getting up 30 minutes earlier (that was hard to do over my excuses). I got out the door and walked a mile first thing this morning before I did anything else. That’s my new challenge.

 
Bolaji O June 13, 2011 Reply

WAY TO GO, SHARON!

Rising early AND getting your exercise in?

What a great start to the day.
Keep it up! Let us know how tomorrow morning goes! :)

Thanks for sharing…

Bolaji.

 
Chris Barba June 16, 2011 Reply

Bolaji,

I love that quote, “It ain’t about how hard you can hit, folks. It’s about how hard you can get hit.”

Even the biggest and best ideas are going to be challenges by road blocks and skeptics. If you can’t role through the rough patch then you’ll never be able to land you big, brilliant punch.

Right now as a struggle to find fulfillment in my life and map out the choices that will get me there, as discouraging as it can get, I realize that it is resilience that is the fundamental stepping stone to success.

To get knocked down by life and get back up – that is where true growth happens.

Great post Bolaji!

 
Bolaji O June 17, 2011 Reply

I’m glad it spoke to you, Chris.

We all get hit. In fact, the more we stick our neck out, the more we risk being knocked in the head. LOL!

It’s tempting to react to that fact by playing life safe, taking no risks, not rocking the boat.

And in fact,most of us end up going through life that way.

That resilience that you’re building up is going to inspire a whole bunch of people behind you, Chris.

This is merely one chapter in the story of your life. It’s not what happens to you, it’s how you react to it.

You got this, bro.

Keep at it.

Bolaji.

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