BACKlikeWEneverLEFT

What’s going on world, it’s one half of the dynamic duo checking back in with everybody.  I know everybody is wondering where we been and if we even still do this.  Well the answer is we do still talk about things going on in life, the writing not so much.  I will admit it’s kind of hard to write when I write at my full-time job all day.    I’m not going to give you my normal spill and apologize for not bringing something fresh, I feel like jumping right back in like I never left.   As the season is under full swing,  I was motivated by several of my friends, associates, colleagues, clients, whomever in their recent endeavors.   Two close friends have recently obtained their master’s in their desired fields.  With that said congratulations to them and everybody else crossing into that next step.    As a spectator its great to see someone finally cross the finish line after a daunting and time-consuming race.  As a competitor you begin to look ahead at your own finish line, plotting on your end goal.    This thought of spectating verses competing raised the question,  are you graduating?

Traditionally people hear the term graduating and think of it in the literal sense of completion of something school related.  The normal view of graduating is defined as “To be granted an academic degree or diploma,” i.e. high school diploma, bachelors degree, masters degree and so on.   Rightfully so, you put time, effort, and energy into finishing that level.   Think about how hard each level becomes as you continue to matriculate, knowing you have fully completed something deems you necessary to be named a graduate.  As I continue to participate in graduation ceremonies, the family/friends involved display a sense of pride for the graduate.  I remember graduating high school, then later getting my bachelors, and feeling on top of the world thanks to my family.   In those moments, the path traveled did not matter anymore because the ending result outweighed the path itself.   Celebrating with the graduates recently made me realize that the race was not over for them and definitely not over for myself.  Essential they still have goals to accomplish now that they have crossed into a new plateau,  but I thought about how I have things still waiting to be accomplished as well.

The lost interpretation of the term graduating is noted as  “To advance to a new level of skill, achievement, or activity.”   This is another form completion, many times that gets overlooked.  We as a people tend to become spectators far to easily and lose our sense of competition.  People actually become spectators within their own life, failing to graduate to the next level.  Looking at how life works we should be constantly graduating, moving into a new achievement.   The world around us evolves daily, there is no reason we can’t as well.  Are you graduating? Or better yet, are you improving?  My co writer and I discuss this concept often, continually trying to be better than what we once were.   Now what also has to be understood is things take time, graduation is a process but the ending result should be worth the time.   Easier said then done though, what spectators tend to see is a small portion of the graduation process.  Unfortunately a person can’t graduate from everything at once, but the fact that they are even trying should be acknowledged.   Spectators look for the result, forgetting to applaud the journey itself.  Just as completing a level a school is hard, becoming a better person at something is even harder.

I can think of a few things I have graduated in, coming out better than when I started.   However, I still need to graduate in other areas in order to keep moving forward.  As a proud family member/friend you don’t criticize the graduate for where they aren’t, but applaud them for where they have come.   In retrospect we as spectators need to learn how to allow for the full process to happen.  Learn how to motivate through the race, as oppose to pointing out the faults.  If you are going to point out flaws,  acknowledge them in a way that the person going through the process can make the adjustments for themselves, not for you.  Spectators often forget, it’s not their race.  Furthermore if you are doing all this spectating, when are you really competing?

On that note I’m out of here.  I’m in a race against myself and the competition is tough.   Time to get back to graduating and moving to the next level.  I’m trying to be a better me today, than I was yesterday.  If you are not pushing yourself to compete why are you in the race?  If  your happy not being in the race then cool remain a spectator but if everybody spectating I guess there wouldn’t be anything to watch.  Funny how that works.   Challenge somebody to better, challenge yourself to graduate; you may shock the world or better yet yourself.   Stop being stagnant and go be better.  Figure out if you have been graduating or not.