The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised him most about humanity, answered, “Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present. The result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.”
This profound insight serves as a reminder of the importance of living mindfully.
As Jim Morrison of ‘The Doors’ prophetically sang in ‘Five to One’ and in the title of his biography, ‘No one here gets out alive.’ Flat out, even if you believe in reincarnation, you are going to die. You ain’t getting’ outta here alive, so we might want to start learning how to live while we’re here today.
By and large, we as a human species are a mental mess. Imagine this:
- You get into your automobile to go to a pre-determined destination. While getting settled into the drivers seat, you adjust the rear view mirror so you can see everything behind you clear as a whistle. You glance out the front windshield, start driving forward, and then look into the rear view mirror for guidance the rest of the way to your destination.
Um…how successful do you think you’ll be when you arrive there without encountering all types of obstacles, problems, and accidents? That’s how most of us live our lives. We look into our past to determine where we are going in the future. As the Dalai Lama succinctly stated, “the result being that man does not live in the present OR the future.”
If this is true, then I believe we need to start learning how to live in the present.
My wise mentor, Van Carrigan, once said, “Things are the way they are, and thinking that they should be different does not allow you to recognize the one thing that is always there…the present.” One of the most powerful and important keys to unlocking the secret of living in the present rather than ‘thinking things should be different’ is this: GRATITUDE.
According to Merriam-Webster, Gratitude is defined as, “a state of being grateful; thankful.” Grateful is defined as, “appreciative of benefits received.” Thankful is defined as, “conscious of benefit received.” In all forms, there is an acknowledgment of a benefit being received. A challenge for us as humans is our misunderstanding of what is beneficial and what is not. Most of us only consider ‘benefit’ to apply to events, people, and situations that ‘feel good’ in the moment and label others as ‘wrong and bad’ when they don’t. The truth is, as the Apostle Paul wrote in Thessalonians 5:18, “in ALL things give thanks.”
These things are often right in front of them. To be grateful for life, breathing, air, sight, hearing, good health, family, friends, a job, home, safety, children, and more is often overlooked.
When you’ve lost a loved one, be thankful; when it looks like you are at the end of the rope and there’s nowhere to go, be thankful.
This understanding not only makes your life more fulfilling and peaceful, but it also leads to truly living in each beautiful moment of the present.
When you are sick, be thankful; when you get fired, be thankful; when you are in an accident, be thankful.
Being grateful for things that are great, whether perceived or real, should come easily. However, as sad as it is, even when this is true, most people focus so much on finding the negative that they overlook many things in their lives for which they could be grateful.
The real challenge is: how do you respond when things are bad? True gratitude is being thankful even when it doesn’t seem like there’s anything to be thankful for.
To collapse time and recognize lessons during moments of challenge instead of waiting for hindsight is a gift of gratitude.
Fifteen days from today, on Saturday, October 4, 2025, from 4:00 to 6:00 pm CST at Gallery Guichard, located at 436 East 47th St., Chicago, IL 60653, I am excited to launch my second book, ‘LARGER THAN LIFE‘, thirty years after my first book, ‘USA Wrestling Coach’s Guide to Excellence‘. It took me over a year to write, and my lifetime thus far to learn how to build a life you love.
LARGER THAN LIFE: In Pursuit of Discovering Your Full Potential is more than a book; it’s a blueprint for creating a legacy. This transformative manual is designed for purpose-driven individuals who are ready to rise above mediocrity and achieve extraordinary success. Through seven timeless principles, readers are guided to embrace key distinctions that separate the average from the impactful.
This is a step-by-step guide for discovering your full potential, helping anyone willing, able, and hungry enough to follow in the footsteps of those who came before us, thereby becoming LARGER THAN LIFE. Eternal thanks go out to everyone who has contributed to my life, making this book possible. I am excited to take the baton and pay it forward to the world at large.
I’m looking forward to seeing you there!
Be Larger Than…
