We're still going strong with our Zen series! I'm pleased with the productivity, so let me showcase our continued work ethic to you now!
Top Ten Zen
Andrew and Nick have compiled a list of Zen-like philosophies comprised firstly of a quote, an interpretation of said quote, and finally a story to drive their point home. This list can aid you in doing anything from completing a 100-mile race to surviving cancer, or obtaining any goal you set your mind to.
Here are the previous posts for those who missed them:
- The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
- Body follows mind
- The faster you hurry, the slower you go
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| A crash from the past |
"You are not bound by your past."
The Survivor’s Take: It’s easy to get caught up with the perceived failures of
the past and all the pain that you’ve dealt with. But the past exists as a
separate entity, it can only affect you if you let it.
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The Runner’s Take: Don’t let past races, past performances or past climbs and
descents decide the outcome of your present race.
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Survivor’s Tales: In
my attempts to rebuild my life after cancer I have tried multiple times to
return to school, with only limited success. My first attempt ended in
hospitalization caused by a series of events set in motion by a nasty car
crash. After a year of recovery I started taking classes at University of
California Riverside, only to have my ankle collapse in less than a month,
forcing me to withdraw. I spent the next three years taking community college
classes before I felt ready to face university again. UC San Diego accepted
me and I managed to stay for a whole three weeks before I got a call I’d been
waiting ten months for, confirmation of a knee transplant. Once again, I
left. Despite being forced to withdraw three times from school, I am still
working toward getting back into a four-year university. I refuse to let my
fears of another problem bully me into quitting. I have no intentions of
succumbing to those thoughts, because my past can only affect me if I let it.
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Mountain Tales: Around 31 miles into Ronda del Cims, I’d gained on 7th,
6th and 5th place. I’d even managed to squeeze my way
into 4th at the top of a climb called Bony de la Pica. I used
everything I had to stay ahead of 5th place while I could. I
fought him off, but in the end he passed me while descending down to the 48
mile aid station. Along the descent, 6th place passed me back and
7th was closing in quickly. It felt like all the effort I’d spent
was for nothing. I arrived at the aid station only seconds off from all three
runners, who were now blazing on ahead. I felt hopeless. I thought for a
moment that if they were able to pass me once, they’d just do it again and
that I’d best just settle into 7th while I could. I didn’t accept
that though, I couldn’t. Our positions were not determined by a single descent.
I had the rest of the race to decide my outcome. I was in control. Within 20
miles, I’d caught them all again and passed them with ease. I charged on
ahead carving my own outcome and race.
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| A pass from the past |
Of course, just because we are sharing our own extreme examples
does not mean that these philosophies are all strictly for extreme situations.
We share these because they can be used by anyone in the proper situations and
we invite you, dear reader, to take these helpful tips into the world to use as
you see fit. Feel free to hoard them or share them with others. It is both of
our hope that these do some good somewhere, and so we wish you luck in your
journey of a thousand Zen-filled steps.
Nick Hollon
Andrew Bundy
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