Recently Amber and I had the opportunity to attend a conference with our business at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas. It was an incredible trip, the beaches, the water slides, the luxury suite...amazing. We had business partners from as far as Australia and New Zealand join us there and had a wonderful time just relaxing and enjoying the laid back lifestyle of Abundance.
The thing is, with all of the luxuries and beaches surrounding us for the week, the highlight for me was really Andy Andrews. (For those of you who don't know who Andy is, the Moment you are finished here go to Amazon.com and order "The Traveler's Gift". It will absolutely have a powerful impact in your life.) Andy was one of the Speakers that our company invited to teach us that week and we had the privilege of learning at the feet of this brilliant man for two days, I have to say that I have never been more saddened that a "lecture" was over.
I had read "The Traveler's Gift" on the flight to Nassau, and was trilled to see Andy's name was on the program. I told Amber, "We have to get down there early tomorrow, so that we can sit in front!" Amber teased me and asked if I was really that desperate to shake his hand. "Nope," I said matter of factly, "I am getting on stage with him." "Right" Amber joked back at me. But I knew it. And the next morning we sat in the front and 20 minutes in to Andy's presentation, he looked right at me and asked for a male volunteer.
The next few minutes standing there with Andy would teach me more about myself than I ever imagined. If I had known the extent to which he would push my limits I might have sat in the back of the room. Andy made sure that I was in reasonably good health and then asked me to do something that I didn't expect. He asked me to hold my breath as long as I could.
Now, I don't know if any of you have ever had to hold your breath on stage in front of 2000ish people who have decided to be quiet so that they can hear whether or not you are breathing, but take it from me: Time stands still. Andy carefully eyed his watch and assured me "You're doing really good." Soon after that 'pat on the back' for doing so well, I decided that I had pushed far enough and exhaled with a "that's it." I made it 45 seconds. (This also happens to be the national average. perfect.)
Andy then informed me that I was going to do it again. Only this Time, I would hold it for 90 seconds. He assured me that he had neverhad anyonefail. (no pressure) He instructed me to breath deeply in and out for a minute or two while he addressed the crowd. He then instructed the crowd to cheer me on and encourage me and keep me motivated. He turned to me and with a cheeky smile asked "Ready?"
I have to admit the first thirty seconds went incredibly fast. Andy repeatedly gave me a status of where I was: "Your already halfway to your last time....You are 1/3 of the way there... you are past your last time." The crowd encouraged and cheered and I began to wonder if I was going to be the first person to fail Andy's test. My lungs burned, and I started to sweat. I let out a little air per Andy's instruction and felt a slight and brief relief of the pain. Time felt as though it began to slow again. I was trying to be very still and not move, and trying to keep the agony off of my face. I felt that if I expressed my pain that my body would give into it. "You're almost there, keep it up" Andy encouraged. Now my lungs were starting to protest- they began to spasm every few seconds as they tried to draw air, and nothing but my absolute determination not to fail would deny them the oxygen they so desperately desired. "You can do it 10 more seconds! just ten more!" Andy shouted. I cringed, time really had slowed I didn't know if I had another ten seconds of consciousness left. "5 more seconds, just 5 more seconds.... okay great 4 more seconds!!" I remember thinking "I KNEW IT!! time slowed down, he fit all those words into a single second!!" When Andy finally got to the end of his countdown I gasped and drew in the most beautiful and relieving breath I have ever taken. "Two minutes!" Andy announced. I couldn't believe it. Even in my best shape in high school where I ran 3 miles in under 18 minutes, I never was able to hold my breath that long. Why now?
I've looked back on my life several times since then. I wonder how often in my life I have settled for the national average when I could have pushed my limits and achieved more. How often do I really reach my full potential? How many times have I let my breath out shortly after someone said "you're doing really great" ? I have to admit, I can see that I have done it time and time again in the past. Maybe if I had pushed my limits, my basketball team would have won State. Perhaps I would have gotten a better grade on that college final. I bet I could even have increased my income sooner and more quickly, maybe I would already be Independently Wealthy.
So now I pass the question on to you. Do you settle for average results? Was there something today that you could have pushed further and achieved something more? When you face a challenge tomorrow-will you limit yourself again or will you truly give it your all?
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