"Change is not a destination, just as hope is not a strategy." - Rudy Giuliani
I love Rudy Giuliani's quote above and in a later entry, I would love to cover the first part "Change is not a destination," but right now my heart is drawn to the latter part.
"Hope" is a soothing word. Hope is something we all need in our life in certain aspects. As a child I hoped that Santa would bring me the gifts I wanted. That kept my eyes full of wonder and helped my parents keep me in line for a month of the year. When my family members have been fighting a disease like cancer, I hope that they will be beat it. Hoping is the only thing I could really do in those situations because those are situations out of my control.
I have tried various weight loss techniques and fitness routines; some have been more successful than others. In between each of these attempts, I never stopped hoping I would be athletic and thinner. But that has been my problem for so many years. The majority of my time that I was "trying" to be healthier all I was really doing was hoping. As in Rudy's quote above... Hope is not a strategy. Hope alone never got me to lose one pound, made me lift any more weight or be a second faster.
Despite the fact that I was absolutely terrified of boxing mitt work, I hoped I would one day be able to do it. The first gym I tried group fitness boxing classes at would post some videos of mitt work that Espo would do with one of the members. Although I didn't know him or her, it would fascinate me and, to be completely honest, I thought it was bad-ass cool. The funny thing is that as much as I admired it and hoped I could do it one day, I wanted nothing to do with the pads. I did everything i could to avoid a trainer walking up to me with them.
After the first time I did mitt work with Espo, I knew that I really wanted to get to the point that I felt I was good at it. Not that I wanted to fight anyone but that I was proud of what I learned. But I also realized that the past 8 months of hoping didn't get me any closer. I needed an actual action if I wanted to learn. Hope was not going to cut it anymore. I finally understood that commitment and hard work was the only path. I gave up hope that day, but in a good way. By giving up hope I took control of my own success or failure. Espo told me that if I put in the work he would as well and get me where I wanted to go. As usual, he held up his end of the bargain and beyond.
The same goes for my eating & drinking habits. Years have gone by with a hope that I would stick to a program long term. I gave up hope. Lately, I have taken control and made myself commit to a program. Although it has not been long term yet, I have not given myself the option of long term failure. I'm not hoping I will stick to it. I am making myself follow through.
Hope is good for Santa. Hope is great for disease. But sometimes giving up hope is the only way to actually achieve what you are wishing for.
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