Jun 17, 2008 | 10:01 pm
Point Positive
30 minutes ago I got back from rafting the Colorado River. It was beautiful – 100 degree weather, slight breeze, dry air, red rocks, deep blue sky, and dozens of people surrounding us in many rafts. We went through level 3 rapids. I got a work out of my arms and core – and discovered a long hidden desire to splash water directly in the face of others – especially people I don’t even know.
We began our trip with the cautious words of our guide, Christina (a guide is another word for coach which is what I do). She told us that if one of us fell out of the boat, she would give directions to us with words and by pointing. She told us that she would not point to the rocks and the branches and other hazards in the water to avoid. Rather, she’d point us to go in the direction she wanted us to go – the direction not just of safety – but for life. This is called “point positive”. That direction might not seem to be the easiest or the best choice to those of us unfamiliar with the water, but ultimately creates the best solution for us.
This very simple analogy helped me get a clear understanding of what I do as I coach. I point people toward the direction that might not seem the right choice. Most of us believe that the more we work harder in a certain direction, the greater chance we have of getting to a destination. I can’t tell you how many times I continued doing cardio only only to never lose weight, or how many times I had complained about my job only to have it stay more unlike the way I wanted it to be. Sometimes, we need to make a choice that we never saw was there.
Many of you don’t have people in your life that “point positive”. We tend to surround ourselves with friends that support our current emotions and actions and never call us on our B.S. I mean, who wants a friend that tells us we’re whining or complaining or diminishing ourselves or fighting a losing battle. I believe that people deep down know the best answer, and I also know that people without a good asskicker behind them will never engage that best answer. Point positive and asskicking go hand in hand.
Homework: Seek support for the thing you most want to change in your life. Hate your body, think your boss is stupid, fight with your partner, secretly long for a partner? Find someone to point positive for you – that could be hiring a coach, asking a neighbor, or a coworker, or a family member. Perhaps you need to find someone that’s already done what you want to do. Perhaps you could join my study group beginning next Monday. Bottom line is – stop what your doing if it’s not working, get real support, and live the life you know is in you.
Truly Yours in freedom,
Joseph Lyons
The last time I fell out of a boat, it was an icy blue lake in Southern Oregon. Kirk and I were rocking a canoe and we fell in. We both panicked. I lost a tank top and he lost a shoe. I was embarrassed and felt stupid. My breath was short. My body started to shiver. My fear was up – and for years later I never got on another small boat . Until today. Take that, fear.
By the way, I’ll be posting photos of my trip tonight and throughout my trip at www.moabactionshots.com and at my flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14103291@N06/