You do not have to win a world title to feel the joy of success. Success comes in small packages as well as large. In fact, I think one of the real secrets to living happy is to find joy in the small successes and moments that we enjoy each and every day. We don't have to tap our training partner out every time, to experience success on the mat. We should see success in executing that new sweep we learned, one more time; we should see success in being able to stave off our partners attack for a minute longer than we did last week; we should see success in just stepping onto the mat and raising a sweat, regardless of our performance compared to others. Success is about moving forward; it's about the value we place on 'moments' ... often times such moments remain invisible to others ... but that doesn't matter. Both on the mat and off the mat in the game of life - success isn't measured by bank account balance, by what kind of car you drive by the kind of clothes you wear or by where you spend your vacations ... it's much more about the amount of joy, fulfilment and happiness you can wring out of each waking day ... as I write this I am reminded of a book I read in school - A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich - a vivid account of a prisoners day in a Siberian Prison. At the end of the day, the books central character deemed the day a very good one - after all, he managed to acquire half a sausage and a piece of bread to enjoy as he lay in his bed at days end ... it's all relative my friends; it's all relative. Seek out the small joys ... JBW
Comments