Don't Wait

I waited too long to get to know Randy Pausch. I'd been forwarded links to his talk, The Last Lecture many times over the last 10 months or so, and watched the first few minutes before moving on. An hour and 16 minutes just seemed like a long time to focus.

I watched it Monday, in the wake of his death, as well as his presentation on Time Management, which is also a strong topic for a dying man to discuss.

Now, I never would have met Randy had I seen these earlier. I wouldn't have wanted to waste his time, for one thing. That's not the point. The point is, why did I wait? Hearing his lecture would have been useful 10 months ago.

Its amazing how many things we decide are more important than others. How many times did I spend 76 minutes watching a ballgame (on the internet, no less), or reading meaningless articles on Slate or Rotten Tomatoes? I decided Randy's lecture was too much to deal with - too hard to make time for - much like the unread books in the shelf by my desk.

Randy was not unique in the fact that he was dying, just in the fact that he had a better grasp of it. He could have died in a car accident 6 months ago, however, just like you or me. We are all dying, every day. What Randy says, among other things, and what I hope to remember, is that every day we are also living - if we so choose.

America Overrules Idol Judges

So much for throwing the competition. If that was David Cooks goal, America strongly voiced their opinion by making him an overwhelming (12 million votes) winner of season 7's American Idol.

It will be interesting to hear his first album, and track his success vs. David Archuletta, and the previous Idol winners. Will David be able to put his own imprint on the tracks, or will it be another over-produced, milquetoast debut for the Idol winner?

David Cook Throws Idol?

The first part of the American Idol Finale last night was shocking. After wowing the judges and the rest of America the last 3 months, David Cook was - Mediocre.

He wasn't bad, but he wasn't himself. Meanwhile, David Archuletta was on top of his game, performing 'molten hot', as Randy Jackson would say.

I believe David Cook was throwing the competition. He was clearly not living up to his prior performances, was deferent to David A. in body language throughout the show, and made horrible song choices for the two he had some control over.

And why not? Some of the biggest winners of Idol have lost. Aiken & Daughtry most significantly. With David Cook often compared to rocker Chris Daughtry, many thought he would win because Daughtry did not. But Cook knows with victory comes responsibility. He's beholden to Idol, and their often poorly produced first albums. Haven't heard much from Jordin Sparks or Mr. Soul Patrol, have we? And if Ruben Studdard didn't perform on Idol, where else would he sing?

Cook's best chance is to go it alone, and keep greater creative control. At 26, he's far readier to go be an instant success than David A., who will greatly benefit from the guidance of the Idol Machine.

David Cook knows he's the American Idol. But he's willing to sacrifice the title for a tremendous career. By throwing the title, his New Foot Smell will be an amazing first album, and a sold out concert tour.

Could you do the same?

Logic v. Intuition

I have been, for 39 years and 11 months, a cynic. I have pooh-poohed positive affirmations. I have said 'yeah right' to any idea that seemed Pollyanna, Get Rich Quick, or remotely Positive Mental Attitude related.

Mind you, I haven't doen this INTENTIONALLY. I have, in fact, a huge library of books by Napoleon Hills, Norman Vincent Peale, Anthony Robbins, Brian Tracy, Zig Ziglar, Stephen Covey, Jack Canfield, and dozens of other authors.

And YES, I've read them. But in the back of my mind, I've always said "yeah - right - whatever", even as I tell others that these are effective strategies. I know intuitively that these are right, but my MIND battles the heart. I've been taught this is the right way. Logic over Intuition. Spock over Kirk. Even though I KNOW and have empirical evidence that if I just BELIEVE, these strategies will work. This is why I can teach them with such conviction.

My internal critic, as Julia Cameron tells me, is a naysayer. The one who tells me its not possible for ME. It is for everyone else, but not ME.

And there are always plenty of Naysayers in my life, from family to friends to ex-employers to those folks that give books one-star reviews on Amazon (see the earlier post).

I am committed to Killing my Naysayer (just the internal one - not those people around me, whom I will simply learn to manage better).

What part of you do you need to 'kill' to get it out of your way? Can you release your internal Capt. Kirk (who always beats Spock at Three Dimensional Chess with intuition over logic)? Finding your New Foot Smell depends on it!

Tiger's Feat

Did you see Tiger Woods 25 foot birdie on the 18th hole to win Arnold Palmer's Tourney yesterday? It was the equivalent of a 60 yard field goal with no time left. A halfcourt heave as the buzzer sounds. A no look, length of the ice goal with .01 seconds left.

On top of that, he tied Ben Hogan with 64 PGA wins - a feat he's accomplished in 11 years vs. Hogan's 21 - and he doesnt play more than 20 times a year.

What is Tiger's New Foot Smell? What could a man with millions of dollars, a supermodel wife, the world at his beck and call be sacrificing?

His practice regimen is fierce. His devotion to his craft unparalleled. But his sacrifice began as a child - when he reached an age of accountability and continued to choose the path his Father had put him on from age 2. He didn't rebel, but embraced the dream, internalizing beyond living up to his father, so he now lives up to himself. A standard higher than any other golfer on tour. A standard that appears higher than .0000001 percent of the world population.

Have you embraced your dream? Do you spend every moment taking action towards it, or do you bring it down to dust off, admire for an afternoon, and then return to the shelf?

Embrace your dream - make an exceptional choice - and enjoy your New Foot Smell!