What do Michael Phelps, Brad Pitt and YOU have in common?

I remember the first time I saw Michael Phelps, winner of 16, count ’em 16 Olympic medals swimming for the U.S., I thought, “what is up that goofy, awkward kid?”  I had this

strange desire to grab his person and push it around like Play-Doh until he looked a little less like Opie Taylor on steroids and little more like Brad Pitt.

Then I saw him swim.  Every time he got into the pool it was as if the whole world transformed into Seinfeld’s Bizzaro world (see clip below), where everything is the opposite of what it should be.  The gawky Phelps became streamlined man-dolphin skimming the water while the rest thrashed around like typical (in comparison, sorry) homo-sapiens finishing lengths ahead and winning some bronze..or silver…or gold medal.

 

Thank goodness I didn’t have super Play-Doh powers to renovate Phelps into a more Pitt-

like man.  Turns out that ungainly physique is part of the magic!  Check out the photo courtesy of the Baltimore Sun.  At first glance, you might be distracted by the abs.  He certainly looks like he’s in good shape.  He is 6’4″ tall.  Pretty average as Olympic athletes go.  Take a closer look: his arms are quite long, in fact they are longer than he is tall, spanning 6’7″.  As if that wasn’t odd enough, look at his legs.  They are strangely short for his body, the legs of a 6 foot man.  His feet are like paddles, size 17.  And his torso is the torso of a 6’8″ man.  There’s more I could tell you about the weirdness that makes him so amazing in the water, so odd looking on land but you get the idea.

Change his weirdness, change his success.

So I got to thinking, as motivational speaker, life coach, self-improvement television hosts would.  The metaphor for life that is Michael Phelps.  Most of the people I coach come with a set of “issues,” the things that make them weird, make them different from everyone else.  Why, they cry, why oh why can’t I be like (insert the metaphorical Brad Pitt of their existence)?  Things would be so much easier.

They wish they could sit on the floor like children, shaping and prodding themselves like pliable Play-Doh until they look exactly like everyone else.  Except the “good” parts of course.

Maybe you aren’t supposed to be look, be or act like anyone else.  Could it be possible that the very thing you complain about is the characteristic or experience that  makes you special, uniquely designed to win the “Olympics” of your life?  Change one thing and you will certainly lose every time you step on the “blocks” of your opportunity.  Let’s examine a few things closely.

1. Your past.  We all imagine a life without those painful moments of childhood.  You lost your dad at a young age, or your parents got divorced.  My thing?  I was a poor little Indian girl among what I thought were the most beautiful people on the planet, Scandinavians.  It turns out feeling like an odd duck during my youth set me up to relate to my audience, to understand what it feels like to not fit in, to not see your own beauty.  It’s not a bad skill in my business.
2. Your can’t-help-it weakness.  You hate confrontation.  You hate taking changes.  You envy people who can bully their way through any situation, who crave the excitement of leaving the ground and taking to the air.  Perhaps you are meant to see risk for those who can’t seem to understand consequences (special thanks to my husband).  Somebody needs to point out the gray to the imperative person who can only speak in black and white.
3. Your messiness.  Everyone has some messiness, a part of their life they wouldn’t choose to show anyone.  You get mad when you shouldn’t.  The space under your bed is crazy.  Every dish is dirty by the time you have finished cooking your meal.  So what?  You are cooking. You are passionate.  I don’t know what to say about that stuff under the bed, perhaps you could help me out with that one.

Go for the Gold.  And congratulations in advance.  From Michael Phelps view, it looks like it will be amazing.

Look for more inspiration from Liz by watching Life Dare TV!  Don’t be afraid, try a challenge of your own with the 30 Days of You community.  Or, book Liz as a speaker for your organization with Nead Inspiration!