Aim High

This quote was in my daily planner for yesterday and it got me thinking. "The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it." Michelangelo.  On a daily basis, we all hear that inner voice that tells us we are going to fail. "Are you crazy! Thinking you can start your own business? You don't know what you are doing!" "You shouldn't try and lift that weight, you are going to be too sore tomorrow from doing that weight." "You shouldn't try that eating plan, you'll never stick to it. And if you do, you never keep the weight off anyway." "You should just stay in this job you hate because of the steady paycheck. You will fail if you try something new." "It's dumb to go back to school now. You will probably just fail out anyways."

Looking back at my own life, most of the lofty goals I achieved were because SOMEONE ELSE believed in me more than I believed in myself. Every time I was pushed towards a higher goal, my self-doubt came in. I could find every excuse to not try, but because I didn't want to disappoint the person pushing me, I went ahead and reluctantly went for it. After that, something amazing would happen. I would quickly find out that I COULD DO THIS! I was actually succeeding! I enjoyed being challenged and doing something scary. I developed a confidence in myself. When I read that quote yesterday, I reflected on this. Every time I aimed low because of self-doubt, but others saw the potential in me and pushed me to aim higher. My father convincing me to enlist in the Army. My first Platoon Sergeant pushing me to compete in the Soldier of the Year competition. My Battalion XO who pushed me to apply for OCS. My TAC Officer for asking me to branch Signal and be a Platoon Leader in his company. My SF buddies who convinced me to join their adventure racing team. I can keep going. Example after example of people in my life, LEADERS in my life who saw the best in me even when I didn't.

This is what I want to pay forward to YOU. This is why I created Fire Team Whiskey®. I want to be that person for you. The Leader who sees the potential in you and pushes you to aim higher. No matter what your internal self-doubt says, or even those people in your life that tell you that you can't lose the weight. You will never be able to meet the standard. That you are a waste of effort. I want to be a voice that is louder than that. I want to inspire you to take a chance, try it and aim higher. I want you to find that YOU CAN. You can hit that target after all. You just needed someone to believe in you more than you believed in yourself at that moment. Now YOU GOT THIS! 

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