Quotes of the Week from Me:

“When I lose sleep, I can’t tell if it’s a good thing or a bad thing. I guess it really depends on why.”

“Work in opposites.”

“Don’t be afraid of looking dumb, that’s typically where the genius starts.”

Quotes of the Week from Others:

“I have learned silence from the talkative, toleration from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet strange, I am ungrateful to those teachers.” – Kahlil Gibran – this quote is one of the best I have seen in a while. I loved it.

“You’re under no obligation to be the same person you were five minutes ago.” – Siddartha

“I am made and remade continually. Different people draw different words from me.” – Virginia Woolf

Quick Optimism:

If you can give now, then give. Someday you may also be in need. It’s an ever-connected cycle.

Yes, think of donating goods like food, clothes, and money. But you can also give time, energy, or expertise. Odds are high you’ll need some advice or somewhere soft to land in the future, so if you can provide that to someone now, you’ll stay connected to the cycle.

Questions of the Week:

Do opposites attract?

This past week I was out to dinner with a friend and he got me going on one of my favorite topics: baseball. There is an entire world of conversation when it comes to baseball; way too much for one newsletter. A bit of a side note, I swear the waitress brought out a second beer I did NOT order, and that really got me going on the topic.

After a fair warning of the rabbit whole he might cause by asking, he let me whip out some videos and get deep into all kinds of my favorite baseball topics and details.

Funny enough, I then saw a post from a facility I used to train at down in Virginia that emphasized the importance of “working in opposites” when playing baseball. The post showed a stop and start video of a pitcher as he went through his mechanics and full delivery toward home plate. His knee came up, initiating driving his back leg toward his target (pushing off the rubber). As his knee came down his hands started to separate just before his hips released, and then a lot of others things, as he threw the ball to his catcher. One of keys to pitching is separation, your shoulders and hips working opposite each other.

When performing in sports, it is really important to learn when and where to separate body parts, accelerate, brace, release, and so on.

And as is consistent with the quotes and quick optimism sections this week, I’d like to embrace the concept of allowing opposites to work together. Some things are ever-connected, even while they go in opposite directions.

1. When we run our legs propel us in one direction, but each leg moves opposite the other.
2. When we swim, one arm extends out ahead as the other pushes back. Don’t forget our legs kicking back and forth!
3. When we jump, we push our feet down to make our body go up.
4. When we swing a bat or club, we reach back to make more space to swing forward. In golf, each hole begins with your hardest hit and ends with the softest.
5. When we stay active and play sports, we get really tired. But doing things that make us tired gives us more energy over time.

What are some opposites in your life? Use them to your advantage.

Make this Monday opposite.