If you didn’t make it to the Brain Training talk with Dr. Stan Beecham last night, you really missed out! Not only was I entertained but I am pumped to take what I learned and apply it to my running. I’ll share with you his book disclaimer that he read during his speech.
“Do not read this book if you are looking for a quick fix, motivation or just want to feel better. There is no such thing. Happy is for children. Being happy is not the purpose of your life. Being fully alive and awake is the purpose of your life. That includes the pain and struggle that is a critical and necessary component to human existence.
“There are no 7 Habits, 15 Characteristics, or 21 Laws. There are No Secrets or Promises. If you desire a book that shows you the precise steps to a successful outcome, may I recommend a good cookbook; Julia Child’s to be specific. However, I can promise you that your casserole will not turn out like hers, even if you do exactly what she suggests, in the exact order she recommends. Life is the same way. We think that by following someone else’s recipe we reach our destination. No, you will reach their destination, which will, in turn, mean you are still lost.
“If you haven’t bought the book yet, put it down and go back to the magazines, they will make you happy and distract you from waking the hell up and getting on with it (especially the ones with lots of pictures). That will make your friends, family, competitors and enemies very happy.
“If you are still reading, good—there is hope for you. However, reading this book will likely make you feel worse not better. But hey, you were not born to be content, you were born to be complete (that’s what the word “perfect” means), to be the greatest “you” possible—and the fact of the matter is, very few make it. That journey involves giving up the hope that someone else is going to give you the answer or set a plan for you that will fulfill your life long dreams. Anyone who has the audacity to suggest that others follow their path because in the eyes of the world they have been deemed successful is simply practicing narcissism. What I have attempted to do with this book is share with you my observations of people who have successfully navigated from Point A to Point B in as straight a line as possible for a human to maneuver. They have performed at the highest levels possible—not because they followed someone else’s advice, but because they had the courage to take their own.”
