Emulating Ezra’s Amazing Attitude


“How many attempts or how much time would you give your child the chance to walk?...AS MANY ATTEMPTS, AS LONG AS IT TAKES!” 
 
Tony Robbins, a motivational speaker presented this question to the audience in order to draw a comparison on goal setting and our general failure to achieve a set goal. Those who say, “I have tried everything.” Have not.  Furthermore, the saying limits a person’s positive attitude towards accomplishing their goal.  Most people attempt several times towards a goal and simply make excuses for giving up. My son does not give up…
 

Today was the infamous leg day at the gym. A day I love, but hate so much.  As I prepared for a one rep max squat I wanted to give up.  Instead, I thought “what would Ezra do?” I brought up a picture of my son attempting to craw on my iPhone, looked at it, and hit the squat with the same attitude my son brings forth every day in every task.  Post lift I was almost brought to tears, not because of the heavy lift, but because my mind stayed static on Ezra and how he must feel every day, in every moment, on each and every movement he attempts.
 

Ezra has not made leaps and bounds with his muscle tone that effects his vision, digestion, eating, and movement to name a few.  However, to the trained eye, Ezra makes minor adjustments and micro improvements each day.  Like any physical training, sometimes Ezra has a bad day or a bad week and is less mobile, but the following day or week Ezra pushes through the plateau and progresses forward.  Just the other day I saw with my own eyes Ezra attempting to push forward or low crawl.  He failed miserably, and fell down. Ezra complained in his own words, but I would not help. So what looked like anger and frustration, Ezra got up and attempted again. He failed and fell. As I watched, I yelled back, “AGAIN! You got this buddy!” Ezra pushed up, used his head on the floor for stability and moved forward.  Exhausted, Ezra feel over, but smiled and laughed because I believe he knew the progress he just made. 
 

Ezra being able to walk is the mountain when looking at the task straight on. My son does not look at the mountain that is walking in its entirety. Ezra motivates himself to accomplish small tasks climbing the mountain each day.  The days I think my son may never walk, I simply watch his constant attempts to sit, to low crawl, or roll and know Ezra will climb the mountain to walking one day.  Not today, not this year, but God as his witness he will do it against all odds.  
 

I thought about all of this during my workout today and knew I should lift more, I should work harder, and I should be more like my son. After all what is my excuse if my son sees no excuses, only hard work.  We live in a day and age where people expect handouts or others to help them first before they help themselves. I am proud of my boy Ezra, he sees hard work as a norm and that there is only one choice, but to embrace the grind and drive on each and every day. More importantly Ezra smiles and laughs through it all, something I think we can all use a little more of when at work or working out. So when in doubt or despair think to yourself, “what would Ezra do?” Push each and every day towards yours goal, emulate Ezra’s amazing attitude, and remember to laugh along the way.      
 
“To win takes complete commitment of mind and body. When you can’t make that commitment, they don’t call you a champion anymore.” – Rocky Marciano

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