I just wrapped up a business trip to Ohio and while there, I grabbed lunch at a restaurant near my company’s office. All TV’s were tuned to the Winter Olympics and speeds skaters were hustling around the track. I had not seen much of the Olympics this year and had forgotten how, at times, one of the skaters will come up behind their teammate and give them an aggressive, two handed shove to the butt. Clearly, this is part of the routine so the person is expecting the shove. I’ve never participated in speed skating but I have given friends a well timed shove in the ass to help them reach their goals and they have done the same for me. I’m grateful for those butt shoves. I’ve accomplished things that I never would have even attempted without those - - such as completed two half marathons. Recently, I realized (I guess the hard way) that not everyone appreciates the shove to the ass. I have to tell you that this surprised me at first. I mean - say you’re doing your thing and a friend sees that you can be doing more, living your very best life. Butt shove. Viola! Gratitude! This isn’t the way it works though. Imagine if the speed skaters weren’t anticipating the butt shove? They could fall or drift entirely off course. I guess the smart thing to do when you shove someone in the butt and they bobble about, is to back off. Not me. I’m stubborn like that and wonder why everyone doesn’t want to stretch and grow. I need to realize that some people are never gonna bust it out there and that’s okay. Well, not really. Untapped potential makes me sad but hey, it’s not my untapped potential. Also - you still need to bust it on your own after the butt shove. Sure, the butt shove will give you a little boost but then you’re the one who has to do the work to sustain the momentum.  

Let’s take a minute to talk about luck, shall we? I want to throat punch people who assign luck when really, it’s hard work that deserves the credit. I would talk more about this but I sound a bit like a mad woman on this topic so instead I leave you with the words of this bad ass to consider.   

After all, no one calls the speed skater who medals “lucky” that they received that butt shove. Sure.  Maybe they took advantage of it but I’m guessing that they too worked really, really hard.