STRONG!

I hope you had a week of making a difference in your life by putting these four words to use: LEARN, ACTION, STAY, AND CARE.

Other than watching sports, my two favorite TV shows are “The Voice” and “Strong.” Both of these shows have an upbeat message, personal learning and growing takes place, and mentors are there for support, encouragement, and teaching. The four words from last week apply to each of the contestants: LEARN, ACTION, STAY, AND CARE.

NBC's "STRONG" is a competition show like no other, in my opinion. Contestants embark on a transformative journey in order to reach their full potential. As they are learning, it's not necessarily about losing weight, but rather about finding the balance between mind and body. It's about getting strong physically AND mentally. Each woman chooses her own trainer and they become a team.

“The two-time Emmy Award-winning "The Voice" is the blockbuster vocal competition show that’s in its 10th season. Grammy Award-winning artist Christina Aguilera, Pharrell Williams, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton are the celebrity musician coaches. The show's innovative format features five stages of competition.” The teams are originally chosen through a blind audition. The coaches are only listening to the contestant’s voice with their chairs facing away. There are no distractions, there are no predetermined biases. They are solely listening for the vocal ability of the singer.

For me, there are numerous messages in both of these shows. When you hear the stories of each individual you realize, to a person, he or she has had challenges in their life. Those challenges may be the loss of a parent, not being able to “break through” in a career, addiction, bullying, or not having a positive support system. To a person, these life situations have left an imprint of lack, an imprint of “I’m not good enough,” an imprint of fear, and an imprint of a lack of self-esteem.

The job of the trainer in “Strong” begins with getting his team member in shape in order to do the challenges. However, it becomes evident that there is more to the problem of gaining weight and not being able to lose the weight. Each woman had a story and each story left the woman with a low level of self-esteem. The lack of self-confidence is also apparent as the competition ramps up in “The Voice.”

What about you? Are you finding a lack of self-confidence and self-esteem is keeping you from being the Best You that You can be? Do you find your intentions are good in the beginning? Do you find you have the desire, you know you need to make changes, you know you aren’t happy? So why is it that each time you start something it’s difficult to finish? Why is it that even when you know you need to do to be healthier, or you need to change your relationships or you need to change your financial status you just don’t do it? What’s that wall, that block that is stopping you?

When you hear the stories of the people on these two shows, they share their attempts to change but they’ve continually met with failure, criticism, and an even deeper sense of lacking self-esteem. What about you? Have you had those times as well? Have you found that you have tried but failed many times so you have the mindset of why try again? Have you used the old standbys of procrastination and excuses especially the excuse of being too busy and you just don’t have the time? If so, just know you aren’t alone.

So why are lives changing on “Strong” and “The Voice” even if they don’t win the challenge or the competition and end up going home? In both shows, the focus is on getting their mindset right. The coach/trainer is the one encouraging, supporting each effort, each risk. The coach/trainer is the one holding the competitor accountable and not letting them do a task half way. They are the ones who are there to give a hug with a job well done. These mentors are holding up a mirror for each contestant to see their self-worth, to see their true self. No one is alone it’s the power of TEAM. The power of encouragement, the power of working hard without excuses any longer, the power of digging deep to find one’s true skills and abilities, one’s true passion and desires.

As Jim Rohn says, “It is how we feel about ourselves that provides the greatest reward from any activity. It is not what we get that makes us valuable; it is what we become in the process of doing that brings value into our lies. It is activity that converts human dreams into human reality, and that conversion from idea into actuality gives us a personal value that can come from no other source.”

As each show progresses, there are competitions which eventually lead to someone going home. Despite the disappointment, each person tells a new story as they say their goodbyes. That new story is about resiliency, about realizing their personal self-worth, thanking their coach/trainer for believing in them, pushing them, and celebrating the little things with them. They each are looking into a new mirror.

These competitors are a part of a team. Each is surrounded by words and actions of encouragement. Each is surrounded by someone who believes in them and wants them to succeed. The contestant is given tools and new skills but EACH person is the one who has to do the work. A part of their road to a different mindset also lies in consistency, pushing themselves to the utmost, and never giving up even once they are done with the show.

Look around you. Who is on your team that is ready to cheer you on? Who is giving you words of encouragement to move forward with that health plan, that plan to be a better you, that plan to be fiscally sound, that plan to improve your relationships? What are you reading, listening to etc. to gain new skills? Are you still in the thinking stage or are you finally taking ACTION? We’ve all been knocked down at some point in our lives. The difference is a mindset of getting up one more time to fight another day, or quitting. Which fork in the road do you choose?

Today is a new day. As a very wise 9 year old boy with gifted piano skills told the “Little Big Shot” audience, “Everybody has their own instrument/gift they just haven’t always taken the time to find it.” Profound statement from a 9 year old. What's that God given gift that is YOU?

I wish you a week of surrounding yourself with a “coach” who is willing to support and encourage you on your quest to Being the Best You that You can be in whatever area of your life you are wanting to change.