Have You Ever Saved a Life?

Have you ever saved a life?

On Tuesday, October 9, 2008 at 12:42, I did.

Now, I was an EMT in college for a while and had the opportunity to save a few people...lost a few, too. Back then, saving a life was an ego boost. It was all about me...the hero. (At least in my mind and in the minds of my fellow, young and naive EMTs who were just waiting for their next turn to be the hero.)

This time was different.

This time, I didn't feel the elation or adrenalin rush of, "YES! I am good!" like I just scored a goal. No this time I was overwhelmed with gratitude.

Gratitude that I was at the right place, at the right time, with the right knowledge and skills to help a friend in need. Gratitude that the EMTs who showed up were competent, caring professionals. Gratitude that I was able to reach my friends wife and that she was able to meet him at the ER. Grateful that my friend is going to live and be well. Most of all, grateful for all the gifts, talents, dreams, hopes, desires and wishes that I have and that I can share for another day with my family and friends.

You see, with the exhale of just one breath...this all ends...some time.

Now, I don't believe that the end is something to be feared...unless you get there and think, "Holy Crap! My game is over and I haven't even started playing yet!" That has to suck!

My friend didn't have that fear.

He's an amazing guy! He's a self made man. He, his wife and his whole family started and built a business. They take great care of their customers. They take great care of each other and they have built their life from a tiny little house and business to a scale that most people can not even imagine owning.

I asked him one time what he attributes his success to. (I think it's a good question to ask of those whom you respect and would like to emulate. Every time I ask it of a highly successful person, I learn a new pearl of wisdom.) He simply said, "I just always go for what I want."

Well, I'm going to skip ahead in Kekich's Credo to number 56...

Identify exactly what it is you want. This takes a lot of thought. Then don't let anything stand in your way of getting it.

Pretty easy, eh?

Not really.

If it was easy all of you who want to lose weight, get rid of chronic pain, have better digestion, regain your energy, would already be there.

There is a back side to that statement. I've learned that knowing what you want is only the first step. It's the target that you are aiming at. However, what "they" don't tell you is that once you know what it is you want you have to be Persistent, Consistent and Resistant.

Persistence makes it so you keep trying when you fail. (BTW, you never fail, you simply get feedback. With feedback you can make a correction, get up and try again.)

Consistency makes it a habit.

Resistance allows you to persist despite all the counter-forces life is going to throw at you.

Let's take weight loss as an example...

How many times have you known, seen or experienced this...

A person is making great strides on a new diet. They are disciplined, actively making different food choices rather than reflexively living on the See-Food diet...(They eat what they see). Then, all of a sudden, BAM! Life throws them a curve ball. A parent dies, they get in a car accident, their dog runs away...

What happens? They get off the diet. Or they stop their workout routine, or they stop their date-night with their spouse, or what ever their committed goal was.

These are the same people who will later say, "Yeah, I tried that...but it doesn't work"

Here's a hint...

They're right!

As Henry Ford said, "Whether you think you can or can't...you're right."

But the real truth is that they didn't work it! They didn't have the resistance to stay on their diet, or keep up with their workouts, or what ever "it" is.

So the question has to be asked...How badly did they REALLY want that goal?

What goal are you neglecting in life that you keep thinking about or talking about but haven't taken action on?

Is it something you REALLY want to do? Decide that first. Is it something you will have the persistence, consistency and resistance for?

If so...BEGIN IT...like…TODAY!

If not, stop kidding yourself and move on to something you WILL do.

Remember, their is no such thing as failure...only feedback. So, go ahead...start. Fail fast and fail early so you can make the appropriate corrections and reaffirm your commitment.

Face it! Anything that is worthwhile in life takes energy and work.

But, here's the deal...

In a moment, it's all over.

In a moment all those hopes, dreams and desires vanish.

Do you want to face that moment thinking, "Dang, I wish I shoulda, woulda or coulda." Or will you face it, like my friend did, with the attitude, "I DID IT!"

I am grateful for every second of every day. (I wasn't always so grateful, by-the-way.)

I am grateful I could save a life.

I hope you, too, can someday save a life.

I think you will now find, as I did, that it also saves yours.

Be Well,

Dr. Pete