Why This Blog?

'Mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.' by Forrest Gump.

When we are young we are so naive to think we can plan our whole life out and then stick to that plan come what may and be happy.

I coached basketball for many, many years and always had a plan going into each and every game. Some games I stuck with that plan but just as many games, I realized that my plan was not working and I needed to change my plan.

In western society we often refer to this change of plans as a mid life crisis. That is so like western culture to consider veering from a dogmatic pursuit of a plan as a failure. Any millionaire will tell you they failed before they were successful. There is no shame in failure. The only shame is sticking with a plan that is not working. In education we often called that 'riding a dead horse'.

I had the good fortune to be blessed with a degree of athleticism that enabled me to play university football at a high level. I met many a character in the the four years I played and not the least of them was a wonderful man named Ivan Kelly. Ivan Kelly came to the Carleton Ravens via the Ottawa Rough Riders. He was the equipment manager for both the Riders and Ravens. In truth, he was a surrogate parent who embraced rookies, taking them under his wing and imparting his wisdom which were usually summarized with one liners.

The three that have stayed with me over the last 40 years were:

Life is not a dress rehearsal, you only go around once.
If you hoot with the owls at night, you have to fly with the eagles in the morning.
Don't fool around, buy a round.

Ivan had many more but these three have particular reference to my life and athletes in general.

What I took from them was that you often only had one chance of making the team so make the best of it. No regrets, give it all you've got. Learn to budget your time but have fun along the way but remember your responsibilities to the team. And, be a contributor and leader, not a spectator.

My own mother had a nickname for me ... She called me Walter Mitty. She would say ... 'Jimmy, you are such a dreamer, you will never do that'. She was partially correct in that I was very conservative, did not have a lot of self-confidence, and was risk aversive and always worried about the future.

So what changed? I will give you a hint ... Heraclitus — 'No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.'

Having ventured into the unknown (for me) world, there was no going back.

http://www.ted.com/talks/chip_conley_measuring_what_makes_life_worthwhile#t-984823

I have always been a fan (psychology major) of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.

And last, but certainly not least from one of basketball's greatest minds.

 

All of the above are beliefs that lead me to where I am now. This blog hopefully, will describe my journey over the next 10 or 20 years (by the grace of God) as I live out my life, trying to make a difference in other's lives. Buddhists refer to it as karma.