The Smart Zone Step 6: Make it Your Own

By now, you’ve probably guessed that Coach Dave is a big fan of cinema. (Yes, I just referred to myself in the third person….and it felt great!!)  I am especially a fan of independent (“indie”) films. Why? The endings in independent films are so random. The allure of indie film lies in the freedom characters have to respond to challenges.  These are not cookbook characters, confined to traditional Hollywood scripts. Independent films resemble real life.  Some have happy, somewhat predictable endings. Some indie flicks have very depressing endings, where the hero does very little to resolve conflict.  The very best indie films have unexpected endings, in which the characters evolve. They overcome adversity by transforming their very nature.

I'm a huge Wes Anderson fan

Why do we love it so much when a  character in a film transforms? Why are we so deeply moved?  After all, a movie is  just a two-dimensional image on a screen. Why do our eyes well up with tears (just admit it) when our hero finally figures things out?  We experience these emotions because we know we have the same potential within us.  We want to change for the better too.

I the last segment of the Tough-Smart Blog, we talked about The Wall. It’s a harrowing, frustrating, challenging time when our Call to Action may seem  in jeopardy. What to do when: despite your inspiration, despite your knowledge, despite the solid advice of your mentor, despite your incredible hustle, you fall flat on your face? Most people choose to quit. They become victims. The blame bad luck or unfair circumstances. They run out of gas. You, however, are not most people. You are Tough-Smart. When faced with the difficulty, fear and uncertainty The Wall presents, you will Make it Your Own.

The Make it Your Own Phase is the difference between having “But Then” or “And Then” as the ending to your story:

I answered my call to Action. I studied. I prepared. I listened to my mentor.  I really hustled…

“but then, I had some bad luck.”

“but then, no one would give me a chance”

“but then, I ran out of money“

“but then, I got hurt”

“but then, I got burned out. It just wasn’t fun anymore.”

I answered my Call to Action. I studied. I prepared.  I listened to my mentor. I really hustled. For a while I hit The Wall…

“and then, I came up with the most amazing idea.”

“and then, I met someone who made the difference.”

“and then, my journey turned into something completely different, even better than my original Call to Action.”

“and then, most random thing happened that changed everything.”

“and then,  I took 100% responsibility for my journey. I knew the time had come for me to make some changes.”

The Wall is the central conflict in the movie you call your life. You can produce any kind of movie you want. If you desire a mundane, depressing ending to your Call to Action, so be it. There is no law against it. Personally, I feel like I wasted my $7.50 when a film ends like that. For my journey, I prefer a quirky, unexpected, even bizarre ending that is far better than the ending I envisioned at the start.

Throughout  the Smart Zone I emphasized learning a world-class system and following the advice of your coach. During the Hustle Phase, I suggested to stick to this system, even when you had doubts. I told you the time for innovation would come. When you hit The Wall, the time for creativity is NOW!  The advice of an expert, world-class as it is, can only deliver you to the threshold of success. You are not a carbon copy of your mentor nor is your Call to Action. Putting your personal stamp on your journey is exactly what will get you past The Wall.

During the course of  your journey you will probably think, “If I was doing things my way I’d do this.”  In fact, you’ll probably think it a thousand times. The key to success with Tough-Smart is to take note of these little epiphanies. However, wait until the proper time to apply them. Ride the advice of your mentor until the last possible minute. Anticipate hitting The Wall. Then, when The Wall comes, go for it! Evolve. Improvise. Make it Your Own.

My favorite Make it Your Own story is that of John Smith. This legendary Oklahoma State wrestler lost a heartbreaking match in the 1985 NCAA finals. After this loss, Smith took a “red shirt” year away from college competition. He trained harder than ever before. He reexamined his wrestling style. He innovated.  Finally, Smith invented the Low Single Leg Takedown or “Low Single.”  This technique, a unique and new approach to attacking an opponent’s legs, became Smith’ s signature move.  Smith became unstoppable.  The low single revolutionized wrestling and led John Smith to two NCAA championships, four world titles and two Olympic Championships.

John Smith winning an Olympic Gold Medal

The Make it Your Own phase is when you take 100% responsibility for everything in your movie. During this phase your approach may have to change, the nature of your journey may have to change, YOU MAY HAVE TO CHANGE!! This does not imply failure: not doing exactly what you set out to do. It implies tremendous success. When you Make it Your Own, you re-invent yourself and redefine success.

As always, I welcome your Tough-Smart stories in the comments section.

Peace begins with me,

Coach Dave