SAL Book: The Cause of Freedom Part 2

AMERICA: THE GATEWAY TO PERSONAL LIBERTY

One of the things that makes the United States a great nation is the gift of liberty she so liberally allots to her citizens. The Founders of our Republic, working in concert with regular citizens, purchased this liberty with countless quantities of “blood, toil, tears, and sweat”[1] expended during the Revolutionary War and subsequent conflicts. Liberty has always been precious to American patriots. In the awe-inspiring words of Patrick Henry:

"Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to bepurchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"[2]

Since her earliest days, America has proven to be the world's greatest gateway to liberty. The poet Emma Lazarus captured this unprecedented phenomenon when she penned the following words, now inscribed at the base of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor:

Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beyond the golden door!

For over four centuries, people from all corners of the globe have immigrated to the “New World” in hopes of securing the opportunities that only liberty could grant. The United States of America has been, and to a large extent still is, the world’s great Gateway to Liberty.

In the modern world’s darkest hours of world war, when freedom and democracy were threatened by monarchy, and later fascism and genocide, the U.S. stepped up, and stepped in, to provide the necessary money, resources, firepower, manpower, leadership, and resolve to see the Allies through to victory—not once, but twice in the past 100 years.

No song ever sounded our resolve with more confidence and patriotism than the lyrics of George M. Cohan’s timeless classic, Over There. Written in 1917, shortly after America’s entrance into the First World War, also known as The Great War, the leadership of Cohan’s pen and piano sounded a clarion call around the World:

Over there, over there,
Send the word, send the word over there
That the Yanks are coming, the Yanks are coming
The drums rum-tumming everywhere,
So prepare, say a prayer,
Send the word, send the word to beware –
We’ll be over, we’re coming over,
And we won’t come back till it’s over, over there.

We did go over there, and we didn’t come back till Allied Forces had won both wars and, in the words of President Woodrow Wilson, made the world “Safe for Democracy.” Cohan’s words send chills from the top of my head to the soles of my feet, not because they represent clever lyrics or good poetry, but because they were backed up by COURAGE & ACTION—two increasingly elusive commodities in our postmodern world where preaching is prodigious and practice is pathetic, if not absent entirely. Thank God for the goodness and greatness of the United States of America. Without her, the world—and liberty—would be in far worse shape than they already are.

Self-Action Leadership: The Gateway to Personal Freedom

If America—and nations like her—provides gateways to personal liberties, Self-Action Leadership provides gateways to personal freedom. Liberty and freedom are interrelated concepts, but they are not the same thing. Consider the dictionary definitions of these two words:

LIBERTY: The state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one’s way of life, behavior, or political views.
FREEDOM: The power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.[3]

This book highlights these important differences further, as follows:

LIBERTY: state-granted freedoms such as freedoms of speech, religion, assembly, and the right to bear arms.

FREEDOM: personal liberties earned as a result of exercising self-discipline, diligence, and self-reliance over time in humble acquiescence of True Principles.

Liberty is your right to choose without the threat of an external enforcer precluding that right. Freedom, on the other hand, refers to your capacity (or lack thereof) to choose your thoughts, speech, and actions according to consciously selected values and decisions—as opposed to merely responding to your present mood, natural inclination, or external condition.[4] Liberty is the collective gift we all enjoy because of those who have sacrificed so much on the battlefield and beyond. Freedom is the reward that individuals earn when they pay the price of Existential Growth by aligning their thoughts, speech, and behavior with True Principles.

Exercising your personal freedom to be proactive rather than reactive is the personification of personal power. It also largely determines the long-term extent of your influence on others.

It is possible to enjoy liberty without freedom. For example, all Americans enjoy the same basic liberties. Some Americans, however, end up enjoying much more freedom than others over time as a result of a strong work ethic, a good education, a positive attitude, and a personal dedication to discipline, integrity, self-reliance, and True Principles.

On the other hand, it is also possible to enjoy freedom without liberty. For example, American prisoners of war (POWs) in Vietnam had no liberty during their multi-year stints in the infamous Hanoi Hilton, yet many of these noble men achieved staggering feats of courage, acuity, resiliency, and education[5] by exercising the mental, emotional, and spiritual freedoms the Viet Cong could not take away from them. The “V”—as the POWs referred to their captors[6]—could deprive them of liberties and torture their bodies. They could attempt to brainwash their minds and break their spirits. But in the end, they could not control the wills and responses of those who refused to relinquish their inner freedom to resist.[7]

One famous prisoner of war, Victor Frankl, labored in Nazi concentration camps during World War II. Despite his abject circumstances and crushing captivity, he enjoyed more freedom than many of his fellow prisoners, and in a sense, even more than his captors, because of the discipline he exercised over his mind and attitude, and the courage he showed under intense pressure and fatigue. Frankl understood the principle taught by the Scottish warrior William Wallace, who famously, albeit fictionally, cried to his men in rallying them to fight against their English foes: “They may take our lives (or liberty), but they’ll never take our freedom."[8]

“The secret to happiness is freedom. And the secret to freedom is courage.”
– Thucydides(460 - 395 B.C.)

There are many people who enjoy liberty, but are not free, having sacrificed their freedom on the altar of selfishness, hedonism, gluttony, addiction, irresponsibility, and nihilism. The cost of this poor use of liberty is that many tragically live out their lives in voluntary bondage, so that they come to say in the end, “I now see that I spent most of my life in doing neither what I ought nor what I liked.”[9]

One of the great paradoxes of life is that personal freedom can only expand as individuals voluntarily submit their thoughts, speech, and behavior to the edicts of True Principles. Freedom, therefore, can only come after we align our thoughts, speech, and actions with true principles. There is no other pathway to true freedom. You must pay its price, which is typically high, heavy, and hard. It takes much effort, and enormous courage. But for those willing to pay the price, the rewards are bountiful and lavish; they include expanded personal freedom, prosperity, and peace of mind.

An American Renaissance of Personal Responsibility

What would the world look like without America? I shudder to contemplate such a dour scenario. I am proud of my rich heritage as a citizen of the United States. I am proud to be an AMERICAN, where liberty is protected, and freedom is ever possible. Nevertheless, we must all open our eyes to the fact that our Nation currently faces deep divisions, menacing internal character and cultural issues, and a menagerie of external enemies on the world-stage who would gladly harm or kill us if given the chance. Such adversity cannot be successfully met and overcome without addressing the root of the problem--the true enemy--that lies inside each one of us. These extraordinary difficulties will not resolve themselves; and ignoring them will only intensify their already frightening symptoms.

I invite YOU—and individuals from all walks of life—to rise up and join Freedom Focused in ushering in a Renaissance of personal responsibility and character education in defense of American ideals. Such foci, combined with a resurgence of national patriotism, will serve to promote and protect the liberties granted us by the Constitution, and protect us from dangers that loom ominously within and without our Nation’s borders. In coming years and decades, our liberties, opportunities, and perhaps even our very lives may depend on this vital reawakening.

Next post: Friday, November 28, 2014: Chapter 8: Freedom Focused, Part I

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[1] Titular phrase taken from Winston Churchill’s first speech to the House of Commons after becoming Prime Minister.  Delivered on May 10, 1940.

[2] From Henry’s famous speech entitled, The War Inevitable, delivered March 23, 1775 before the 2^nd Virginia Convention in St. John’s Church in Richmond, Virginia. 

[3] Definitions of liberty & freedom provided by the New Oxford American Dictionary (electronic version).

[4] Covey, S.R. (1989). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change. New York, NY: Fireside.  Page 71.  

[5] According to POW Lee Ellis, “The lack of books or outside resources did not limit our continuous learning in the POW camps.  We relied on recall of past education, and where there was a lack of clarity on a subject, we tried to get a consensus of the best minds” (p. 123).  Everything from calculus and public speaking to history, politics, philosophy, science, and foreign languages were taught amongst the prison mates.  In Ellis’ words: “It’s remarkable how much talent [and knowledge] resided in that group of military men” (p. 122). See Ellis, L. (2012). Leading with Honor: Leadership Lessons from the Hanoi Hilton. FreedomStar Media.    

[6] Shorthand for the Viet Cong.  A nickname given to their captors by American POWs in in the Vietnam conflict.  See  Leading with Honor by Lee Ellis, Page 17.

[7] For a detailed description of the horrors faced and successes achieved by Vietnam POWs in the “Hanoi Hilton,” I highly recommend Lee Ellis’s 2012 book, Leading with Honor: Leadership Lessons from the Hanoi Hilton. FreeomStar Media. 

[8] From the movie, Braveheart, directed by and starred in by Mel Gibson (1995). 

[9] Lewis, C.S. (1995). The Screwtape Letters. New York, NY: Bantam.    

SAL Book: The Price of Change

Yes, change is possible! This is the good news. But personal change always comes with a price. Such costs are measured in time, effort, sacrifice, and to an extent, discomfort and pain.

Bookstores, libraries, and the Internet are littered with literature promising dramatic results related to personal change with little or no effort on your part. Salespeople, marketers, and politicians are especially clever and seductive in their marketing ploys:

“Buy our product and you’ll see immediate results!”

          “Purchase our service and your problems will vanish!”

                    “Vote for me and all your dreams will come true!”

Diet plans are infamously alluring. “Lose 30 pounds in 30 days without getting out of your Lazy Boy,” they preposterously purport.

My older sister, Jody, once put forth the simplest and truest solution I’ve ever heard for losing weight and staying in shape. Her formula: eat healthy and exercise regularly. This perennially unpopular, yet perpetually profound method will never become a best-selling book, partly because five words don’t constitute a book, and partly because any author will be hard-pressed to find an audience interested in such an inconvenient weight-loss method—no matter how true and effective.

This book makes no promises of quick or easy answers to personal problems or change efforts. In fact, the only thing I will guarantee is that personal problem solving and change is often difficult and time consuming. Why then, would anyone want to buy and read this book? Because I believe YOU are willing to do what it takes to change and grow, and I believe a LOT of other people are too.

SIMPLE TRUTHS vs. EASY ANSWERS

There is a difference between a simple truth and an easy answer. This book provides simple truths to solving life’s deepest defeats, discouragements, and dilemmas. But it cannot provide you with easy answers to such things, because easy answers to perplexing problems don’t exist; anyone who tells you otherwise is selling snake oil. If you aren’t willing to work hard and suffer a little—or maybe even a lot—then change is likely out of your reach, and reading this book will be a relatively meaningless experience.

Understanding the principles outlined in this book will likely be a fairly simple exercise for you. Effectively applying them, on the other hand, will NOT be easy. I therefore caution you: Do not let the intellectual simplicity of SAL concepts fool you into thinking they are easy. Ironically, SAL is as difficult as it is simple, and vice versa.

STRUGGLES vs. SUCCESSES

With such a dour declaration of difficulty, why in the world would you want to read on? Because if you are willing to pay the price and perpetually live the process, the results are astoundingly worth whatever effort is required. I know because I’ve experienced ample portions of victories on the other side of my life’s variety of vicissitudes.

The Vicissitudes: I have struggled with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Depression for over two decades (Mental Health). I failed 130 times with 80 different women before successfully winning my wife’s heart (Romantic Relationships). My career path has included countless failures, rejections, and tens of thousands of dollars of debt.

The Victories: I have learned to effectively manage both OCD and Depression in my life. Both demons of my mind, once fearsome fiends in the forefront of my life’s experience, are now weak whispers in the wings. I am married to a brilliant, beautiful, talented, caring, angel of a wife who is my most trusted mortal advisor and best friend. I am blessed with a wonderful little son and daughter who are the joy of my days. I enjoy authentic and enriching relationships with family members, friends, and colleagues. In my career, I am truly living the dream. My wife and I are financially secure—free of debt and prospering. Substantively speaking, my life lacks for nothing. Things aren’t perfect—they never are in this world—but most of the time I can truthfully say I am salubrious and content.

I do not share this information to impress you. I include it to impress upon you the reality of adversity combined with the power of persistently and consistently practicing SAL over long periods of time. There is nothing special about me; everything, however, is special about the principles.

I have not always enjoyed what I have now. My blessings and prosperity were not inherited, nor have I ever won the lottery—or even bought a lottery ticket for that matter. I have been practicing SAL diligently for 27 years. It has been 23 years since the onset of my life’s first major challenge (OCD). That is a long time. We’re talking 276 months, 1,196 weeks, 8,372 days, 200,928 hours, 12,055,680 minutes, and 723,340,800 seconds. This protracted waiting period was filled with untold hours of conscious planning and diligent effort. It also presented countless moments of frustration, disappointment, rejection, anxiety, and failure.

TRUE PRINCIPLES

In threading this tapestry of tribulation, I do not wish to portray myself as having it harder than everyone else. Everybody has it hard in different ways. No one gets out of this life without his or her share of deep adversity.

I also do not wish to suggest the past two-and-a-half decades of my life were completely devoid of satisfactions, joys, and achievements. Nor do I wish to imply that my life is now challenge-free. Nevertheless, the better part of the past 23 years have been sufficiently difficult and painful to provide a stark contrast to where I am and what I enjoy in my life now. No one’s life changes entirely overnight. It is a gradual process of piecemeal progress that develops by degrees over time as you choose to follow True Principles.

TRUE PRINCIPLES:Universal laws that lead to long-term happiness, fulfillment, and Existential Growth.

Everything that can be earned in life comes with a price tag set by True Principles. Whether it is scoring an ‘A’ in a class, winning a race, making a promotion at work, losing weight, building a meaningful relationship, or earning Existential Growth, a price in time, effort, and/or money must be paid for the acquisition of anything. Wise self-action leaders learn everything they can, as fast as they can, about True Principles, and then obey the edicts set forth thereby. True Principles describe the way things really are in life, the world, and the universe. The fundamental purpose of the SAL Theory & Model is to identify and describe True Principles that govern Existential Growth.

“We are too inclinedto think of law as something merely restrictive—something hemming us in. We sometimes think of law as the oppositeof liberty. But that is a false conception. … [The law] is meant to governand it is also meant to educate.”[1]
– Cecil B. DeMille(1881-1959)

Consistently following True Principles leads to personal achievement and growth. Following True Principles is not easy, but the rewards of Existential Growth far outweigh the price of earning them—as difficult and high as the price often seems when you are in the protracted midst of paying it.

True Principles apply to more than just earning Existential Growth. They also apply to maintaining it. Maintenance is just as important as continued growth, and in some ways, even more important. One of my life’s greatest anxieties stems from a fear that I will someday allow success to seduce me into choosing thoughts, words, and actions that are not in harmony with the very principles that created my success in the first place. Indeed, I often picture myself having to stand before family, friends, and other audiences to apologize for embarrassing and hurtful behavior that explicitly contradict the SAL principles I champion in this book. It is not a pretty picture, and one I zealously—even obsessively—desire and strive to avoid painting.

History is littered with preachers (religious and secular) who have hypocritically disregarded the very doctrine they themselves declared. I ardently desire to be an exception to this tragic pattern, which has ensnared so many of the world’s otherwise greatest men and women. Nevertheless, a deep anxiety resides in my heart from the recognition that I am not exempt from the seductive precariousness of life’s endless temptations, nor have I fully conquered my remaining capacity for capitulation. Indeed, I am vigilantly aware of my own potential for hypocrisy, and it terrifies me. No one is perfect; I’m certainly not. But I do believe that following SAL principles can empower us to learn from minor errors in order to circumvent major blunders. I also believe it can help us to overcome both minor and major mistakes we do make.

The journey to higher levels of Existential Growth is not easy for anyone. It was not, and is not, easy for me; and it will not be easy for you. But it is always possible through the exercise of your own will, the help of others, and the blessings of Serendipity. That is the good news of this book. And personal changes that accompany Existential Growth are only the beginning. Change in all life arenas—in relationships, families, classrooms, teams, departments, organizations, communities, regions, states, nations, even the world-at-large—are possible through personal change. Indeed, all macro improvement begin with micro, personal changes. It starts with you and me. It all begins with the one. Will you choose to be one of the diminishing few authentic human beings who stop making excuses and decide[2] to make necessary personal changes for the benefit of yourself and all groups in which you play a role? I hope so, because if you desire to…

Overcome a bad habit,
   Gain self-confidence,

      Establish or regain mental hygiene,

         Strengthen personal integrity,

            Develop emotional intelligence & resiliency,

               Turn a weakness into a strength,

                  Earn Existential Growth,

                     Transform a relationship,

                        Reorient an undesirable natural inclination;

Acquire knowledge and skills,

   Earn professional success,
      Become a person you like and respect,
         Influence others,
            Make a difference,

               Leave a positive and lasting legacy for your posterity
                  Become great in the eyes of those you most respect
                     Live,
                        Love,
                           Win,
                              And take
                                 Charge of
                                    Your
                                       Life,

THEN YOU CAN!

But only if you want to change more than you want to remain as you are.

For change will
   Not be easy,
      Come quickly,
         Or prove painless.
            It will take time,
               Demand your very best efforts,
                   The help of others where needed,
                      And Serendipity,

BUT…

Change is always possible if change is what you most want.

So don’t let anyone steal your self-sovereignty.

This is your life to Win or lose…

You choose!

You have the power.

Why?

Because You Are

Sovereign.

Whatever your desires for change are, there is hope. Despite what countless voices contrarily croon, I can change and you can change, but only if we really want to, and only if we are willing to pay the high price that change demands.

If, on the other hand, you do not desire to change, then you cannot change, even if you try. But if you desire it badly enough, are willing to pay the price set by True Principles, and accept help from other people and Serendipity as needed, change is not only possible, but a welcomed inevitability—and an adventure of a lifetime.

THE TRUE MEANING OF COURAGE

Great quantities of courage are required to earn Existential Growth. Courage means different things to different people. To me, courage means submitting your will to the edicts of True Principles, especially when doing so is unpleasant or unpopular. The most enlightened human actions involve exercising your will to deny yourself from engaging in natural inclinations that are wrong, especially when it is personally difficult or socially unfashionable. And the harder it is to resist, or the scarier it is to speak up and out, the more courageous and noble your actions are—and the greater your reward will be in the end.

“He who is not everyday conquering some fear has not learned the secret of life.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1883)

YOU ARE FREE TO CHOOSE

Before going on, let’s reiterate a vital point. If you do not want to change, you don’t have to. And if you don’t want to do what is right, you are free to do what is wrong.

The purpose of this book is not to try and coerce anyone to follow True Principles. Its purpose is to provide a caveat of consequences. Consequences don’t care what you, I, or anyone else thinks, says, or does. They simply follow through on their end of the deal--always. In the end, consequences will determine all of our destinies based on what we choose. We are powerless to alter their omnipotent courses. Our only liberty and power lies in making choices; we have zero freedom and power over the long-term consequences of our choices. We therefore disrespect consequences at our peril.

Yes, you are free to choose to change, or to choose to remain as you are. But remember that all choices carry commensurate consequences—whether you know it or not, and whether you like it or not. So…

Choose wisely!

Next Blog Post: Wednesday, November 19, 2014: Your Responsibility to Change

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[1] This quote was part of a speech given by DeMille at a 1957 Commencement Address at Brigham Young University, where he was awarded an honorary Doctorate.  DeMille was a Hollywood director and producer.  He directed and co-produced the Academy Award winning film, The Ten Commandments (1956). 

[2] The word “decide,”like homicide, suicide,and fratricide, connotesthe “killing off” of all other options. To truly decide,therefore, means that you are fully committed to a courseof action.

SAL Book: The Freedom to Change Part 1

CHAPTER 3:

THE FREEDOM TO CHANGE (Part 1)

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.[1]
– Dr Seuss

I can change.

These three words express one of the greatest powers you, I, and everyone else possess as human beings. This remarkable human endowment fundamentally separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom. Unlike a dog, a bird, a fish, or an ant, you and I possess cerebral capacities that empower us to think and behave in ways that rise above our natural desires and inclinations.

So what are some of humanity’s natural inclinations and desires?

Food,

     Drink,

          Sleep,

               Sex,

                    Sociality,

                         Variety,

                              Idleness,  

                                   Power,

                                         Popularity,

                                            Gain,

                                                 Defiance,

                                                      Rebellion,

                                                           Revenge,

                                                                Superiority

                                                                     Artificially induced “Highs,”

                                                                          Escaping reality,

And…

You get the picture.

I know; it’s kind of pathetic, but let’s face it: our base natures are programmed to operate under the same basic program as animals, meaning:

If it feels good, do it.

If someone crosses you, seek revenge, and

When others disagree with you, shun them from the herd.

Sometimes it is good—and quite necessary—to engage in natural desires and inclinations. Other times, it is wiser, and certainly more mature, to discipline, regulate, and in some cases, deny them entirely.

Not all natural inclinations are potentially bad. Some natural inclinations—like the natural instinct of a parent to love and care for one’s child—are thoroughly good. Nevertheless, it is usually true that nobler characteristics, such as courage, compassion, and patience, typically do not occur naturally in our minds and hearts; we usually have to pay a price in time and effort to practice and develop them until they do feel natural. 

What are some of the nobler characteristics?

Humility,

     Discipline

          Perseverence,

               Honesty,       

                    Integrity,

               Hard Work

          Patience,

     Courage,

Self-discipline

     Self-control

          Moderation,

               Tolerance,

                     Compassion,

               Forgiveness,

          Cleanliness,

     Magnanimity,

Empathy,

     Emotional Intelligence,

          Et cetera.

If you want to change; if you seek liberation from self-defeating inclinations that may presently have a stranglehold on your life and relationships – you can. If, on the other hand, you do not want to change, you have the liberty to remain as you are. This book was written to help you help yourself—but only if you want to change and are willing to work very hard to pay whatever price change demands.

What a privilege it is to be a member of the most advanced species on the planet—the only species capable of authentic, personal change. This book outlines a pathway to exercising this unique, personal power to transcend destructive desires and inclinations that, given free rein, could potentially ruin you and the relationships you hold dear.

FACTS VS. FEELINGS

Typically, the exercise of noble characteristics does not feel natural. You must pay a price in time, effort, and self-sacrifice to practice them until they do. The miracle of being human is that you possess the power to align your desires with deeply held values, goals, and beliefs—even when they may deviate significantly from whatever natural predilections you were born with.

Unlike animals, YOU have an existentially advanced brain that allows you to reason and rationalize cerebrally. Animals can feel and respond to situations according to natural instinct, but they cannot think strategically on the same level a human can. This means that you—unlike an animal—are not predetermined to act merely according to how you feel; you can transcend natural feelings to respond in deference to facts and goals. This is good news because no matter how meaningful feelings may be, facts must usually trump feelings to some degree in the attainment of any targeted objective.

This is not to say that feelings don’t matter; they do—a great deal. In fact, I believe our ultimate purpose as human beings is to experience authentic feelings of joy (not to be confused with the mere sensation of pleasure). Without feelings, life would be insipid and meaningless. But without the guidance of facts, feelings alone may influence you to engage in behaviors that carry dangerous long-term consequences, which, in turn, produce undesirable feelings.

Facts do not exist to squelch or deny feelings, but to empower your will to control them, thereby channeling their powerful energy into productive means of achievement and happiness. The surest way to maximize positive feelings in the long run is to control and regulate your behavior in the short-run. Facts must influence feelings if feelings are to flourish to their full potential. Therefore, the willingness to sacrifice what you want now for what you want most is the essence of character.

SAL Mantra

The willingness to sacrifice what you want now upon the altar of what you want most is the essence of wisdom & character.

Note: This is the first of 13 SAL Mantras to come. Freedom Focused recommends you commit them to memory as a means of empowering your mind with helpful reminders of the material in this book.

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[1] Geisel, T. (1990). Oh, the Places You’ll Go!  New York: Random House. 

Marathons & Mental Illness

I recently heard a talk in Church about a runner's experience training for, and then running, a marathon.

The runner's name is Justin Kroff of Spring, Texas. He began by describing the difficult training regimen to prepare for his big day, including 20 mile runs beginning at 3:30 a.m. He also described the loneliness and isolation of those solitary runs. Indeed, training for a marathon was often a LONELY experience.




However, the day of the race proved quite different from this man's lonely training runs. As he stood at the START line of the 2013 St. George (Utah) Marathon, he described the energy, enthusiasm, and adrenaline that accompanied the 8,000 runners who were toeing the line for their much anticipated, diligently prepared-for event.

The runners lurched forward in an uncharacteristically collective effort to achieve a united, albeit individual endeavor. As the man fought his own way through those 26 miles with the support of literally thousands of his fellow runners, he realized he had not really been ALONE on all those monotonous miles and unaccompanied intervals. Thousands of other people all over the country were doing the SAME thing he was all along!


This realization, which had not become fully real for this runner until race day, made all the difference as he attempted his first 26.2. Instead of being a hellish undertaking, it became easier than some of the 20 mile runs he had taken all by himself.

This past weekend, my wife, son and I attended a conference in San Antonio sponsored by OCD Texas. At the conference, we met many individuals and family members who courageously showed up to race a metaphorical marathon against a monstrous mental disorder—Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

I could write pages about our experiences: the lights that went off in people's minds, the hearts that were touched, the friends that were made, and the tears that were shed. Many individuals who spend most of their time slogging their way up the menacing mudslides of mental illness ALONE were able to unite with fellow sufferers and their loved ones to draw from the strength from one another. It was a beautiful experience.

For those who are frightened to seek help, I repeat a quote from the famous 20th century psychiatrist, M. Scott Peck M.D.:

“You may think that [psychiatric patients] are more cowardly and frightened than most. Not so. Those who come to psychotherapy are the wisest and most courageous among us. Everyone has problems, but what they often do is to try to pretend that those problems don’t exist, or they run away from those problems, or drink them down, or ignore them in some other way. It’s only the wiser and braver among us who are willing to submit themselves to the difficult process of self-examination that happens in a psychotherapist’s office” (From Further Along the Road Less Traveled, Simon & Schuster, 1993, Chap. 3, p. 51-52).

For all those who face Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Depression, or any other mental, emotional, or personal challenge, never forget that while your battles are typically fought within the “silent chambers of your own soul,” (source) you are NOT alone. Others face similar challenges, and understand what you are going through. Even more importantly, professionals and other people who care possess the knowledge, experience, and wisdom to shepherd you through whatever adversity you are currently passing through.


However, these people typically won't just magically show up on your doorstep ready to help. You must take the first step to reach out. If you are a runner, it means showing up to run on race day. If you are struggling with mental illness—or any other personal difficulty—it means beginning to proactively research your condition or challenge, attending a conference, or yes, even asking for help from someone you can trust who can help you find the right person who can help.

Problems do not solve themselves, but in my experience they can usually either be completely solved or vastly improved over time if you are willing to pay the price in time, effort, and courage.

As I have battled my own personal challenges, I have been comforted by friends and family who show up on my race day to support me. More importantly, it never ceases to amaze me how the tender mercies of God's Grace are with me throughout my journey. We are Never Alone.

A friend of mine—Josh Rohatinsky—is a champion runner. Josh won State Championships in high school and a National Championship at the NCAA Division I Level (BYU). Josh once told me that his favorite quote about running is that "NO ONE RUNS ALONE." Whoever said that was right, and I believe Josh was both wise and successful in part because he placed his trust in that great truism.

If you are plagued by OCD, Depression, or any other life dilemma, don’t sit around suffering. If something is bothering you, now is the time to begin the healing process. But remember, the healing process almost always begins with a painful initial first step—reaching out for help.

John Wayne once remarked: "Courage is being scared to death, and saddling up anyway." Courage is not an absence of fear, but action in the face of it. As a former competitive runner myself, it was often challenging toeing the line on race day because of the fears, inadequacies, and butterflies all making my stomach turn in knots prior to the race. It could be a scary situation.


Perhaps ironically, this is one of the things I came to love most about the sport because it provided me with ongoing opportunities to face my fears and exercise courage. Unfortunately, there is only so much that other people can teach you about courage. At the end of the day, the question is: are you willing to exercise it or not?

Hope to someday see you at the finish line.

Online Resources for OCD:

Click Here

Depression:

Click Here

Self-Action Leadership

Info Here