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February 20, 2007, Trying - An Oxymoron

I absolutely love the old Nike tag line - "Just Do It". Nike had it right because there's no such thing as trying!

My friend David proved that to me a few years ago. I guess he heard me say that "I'd try" once too often. So he held out a bottle of water and told me to try and take it away from him.

I reached out and snatched that bottle lickety-split. David smiled and said, "I told you to try, not to take it, just try."

Not quite understanding what to do, I decided to act as if David was holding the bottle tight and I had to strain my muscles to pull it away from him. So I put my arm out to the bottle and tightened the muscles in my arm as if I pulling hard, not allowing my arm to move. My arm felt as if it was David who was stopping me from accomplishing my goal of grabbing the bottle. Yet in fact it was me holding myself back.

Then it hit me - when we try to attempt anything we are holding ourselves back. We're already in the mind set of we can't do it or deep down we don't want to do it. Trying is an oxymoron.

Take a lesson from Nike and David today and Just Do It.



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