Archive for May 8, 2010

The Title Of My Blog

world-peace-in-our-handsFrom time to time someone asks about the title of my blog. It is a pretty grand title for someone who mostly talks about working out. It comes from a famous epitaph and you can read that here. The main point is that you do not necessarily have to dedicate your whole life to a political cause or to create an anti-gravity device to make a mark on the world. It is about the sphere of influence that every person possesses. If you work on being a better person it will influence those around you and they will influence others and so on (like chain mail). Self-improvement is infectious.

The change I have initiated on in my own life is to overcome a fundamental flaw in my character. When you are as impulsive as I am it is very hard to follow through on promises you make to yourself and others. You are easily distracted by… well, everything. This can make it very difficult to meet goals. So I decided I need to learn to follow through on my goals despite distractions and set backs – to push through when its hard or when I suddenly feel unmotivated. Some of my personal goals just happen to be fitness and health related but there is a bigger picture.

For those who DO have grander plans the title can also have a more literal meaning. For example, I have a soft spot for three major life issues: people with problems related to their weight and eating habits, people living in poverty, and the environment. For this, the title can be read like a task list. First I need to change things about myself to make me better equipped to then tackle issues outside my own life. (In the meantime, I still pick up groceries and go to the dentist now and then).

This is a very young blog and I am still working on the Change Myself part. Obviously I don’t believe that improving my performance in CrossFit is going to change the world. I am just hoping it will change me and that someone will notice. It will take some time. There are no shortcuts to building character. But just because I haven’t built an orphanage in Africa yet doesn’t mean I won’t.
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