Daily Activities
Every athlete is going to have to accomplish daily activities. The concept of chop wood carry water not new. That is just a human trait. Routine is something that we are built around. Without method, we can become lost. Without routine, we can be searching for things. We can be aiming to be somewhere, but without the guiding light of routine, we will be once again lost.
Setting up a daily routine is going to be what you need to start on the path to progress. Whatever it is that you decide is your method is excellent. No one can judge that aspect of this. You need to do the things that make you pumped to get the day started. Applying discipline to the routine is going to be what keeps you on the path. Keeps you moving forward down that road. Self-discipline is the most powerful human trait anyone can adopt. It will get you to do things you didn’t want to do even though you know you should be doing them.
Chop Wood Carry Water
There is a saying in Zen Buddhism. “Before Enlightenment. Chop wood carry water After enlightenment chop wood carry water. This is a fantastic quote that can be looked at from two different angles. It can be viewed at from the positive as well as the negative side of things.
For the positive, when you are lucky enough to be handed a great hand. You are given a circumstance filled with benefits, a wealthy family. Favorable genetics, it does not matter. Imagine all of the greatest things an athlete could get, and you have it. It does not matter. You’ve got to keep a level head. You need to approach training, daily life the same way. You need to chop wood carry water. Every single day you need to get it done. You can not allow the circumstances take you away from being even-keeled.
The same goes for the negative. You could come from squaller; could be handed a set of severely unfavorable circumstances. You can be from a dysfunctional family, live on your own with a sick family member. Taking care of your siblings while your parents are working full-time jobs. Again imagine the worst of circumstances and apply it to an athlete.
Guess what? It doesn’t matter. You need to chop wood carry water. Get those things done every single day. Get your mind away from the bad things that happen every day to you. Build on those small things. Get the things that need to get done. Do them to the best of your ability.
Do The Small Things
If you are a leader, you need to do the small things. I have mentioned this before. Doing these little things is okay. You do not even have to be a leader. You have to appreciate the benefits of doing the small stuff. Doing the things that no one else wants to do is going to set you apart from everyone else. The All blacks have a saying. “Sweep the sheds” Meaning that no one is too big to sweep the shed. You are not so important that you can slack off on doing the hard work. There is no player on any team anywhere that is above getting down and doing grunt work.
Grunt work is a character builder. Chop wood carry water to bring that to light as well. Every village needs to be warm and to eat. Chopping the wood is going to provide that warmth and ability to cook food. Every town needs to drink and clean. Carrying water is going to give that resource to clean the people as well as to keep the people hydrated. You need to be the one who can provide those things for your team.
Keep A Level Head
As athletes, we can be on the highest of high’s, and we can also be at the lowest of low’s. It is important to know that no matter where you are on that scale, you will never stay there for very long. Your athletic career is going to change back and forth. Up and down all the time. You are going to feel like you are invincible for a while and then all the sudden something may happen, and you will feel lower than you have ever felt before. That is how life goes. Athletics or not. Your ability to bounce out of the hole and ability to not lets you head explode with all of the success is a critical factor in being a champion.
The concept of chop wood carry water is going to help you remember where you should be. Right in the middle. Never allow yourself to be consumed with the failures and never allowing yourself to be carried away with the victories. Remember you only one step away from success or one step away from failure. Be humble in your approach to all things!
KHO Health was acquired by was acquire by 9INE POINT in the summer of 2019 and is now referred to as 9INE POINT Health.
