MOVE: April 5, 2013

Today is Your Day, Better Get a Move On

 

Inspiration can come from many places: religion, family, friends, sports, illness, books, pictures, etc. In my opinion, it doesn’t really matter where it comes from; what matters is that you act on it.  

While on vacation with my family last week, we went into a store in downtown Boulder that sold all sorts of interesting trinkets, and University of Colorado paraphernalia, plus a variety of t-shirts. My wife and kids seemed to like everything, but nothing got my attention until we were walking out the door. It was then that my eye caught a glimpse of the ugliest t-shirt ever. It was hanging on a hook, and the colors were just awful. The collar band and cuffs were navy blue, the body was chartreuse and the long sleeves were fuchsia. There was also a picture on it of two bears sitting on the bank of a lake in the foreground of a huge mountain.  I immediately thought, “Wow, who’s going to buy that?”  I turned to walk out the door, and then backtracked to look at the shirt again. There was a quote on it that included the words “your mountain.”    I’m a “mountain guy” and I wanted to see the entire quote.

It was an ugly shirt, but I just knew it had to possess some wisdom that the owners would hang it there.

It said, “This is your mountain. Today is your day. Better get a MOVE on.”  A slight variation from the line in the classic Dr. Seuss story, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!”

I kept looking at that t-shirt and reading that quote. By now, my son walked back in the store to ask why I was taking so long. When I said I was looking at the shirt, he said, “You’re NOT going to buy THAT are you?” “No, no, tell Mom I’ll be right out.”  I kept repeating the quote so I didn’t forget, but then I just took a piece of paper out of my backpack and wrote it down.

 

And as the day progressed, and as the days since I returned have passed, I find myself continually repeating that quote: “This is your mountain. Today is your day. Better get a move on.” 

Growing up, I loved Dr. Seuss. My sons like Dr. Seuss now too. He was brilliant in the way he used words and the messages he communicated. But, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” seems to make so much sense to me right now.  I am trying to pursue my athletic goals, kick-off a new career, and advance myself academically, all the while building my family and raising good sons. I have so many goals and such high aspirations – just like every one of you!  I keep repeating that quote because it makes so much sense: Today is your day Joe…

 

Everyone, it’s your day too!  So go seek out your mountain, and get a MOVE on!

 

As the great English novelist George Eliot said, “It’s never too late to become what you might have been.”   But you’ve got to get moving.

Following is an excerpt from “Oh, the Places You’ll Go.” Try to seek out the whole story if you can – it says so much in such a fun way.

 

Congratulations!

Today is your day.

You’re off to Great Places!

You’re off and away!

You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself any direction you choose.

You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

You’ll look up and down streets. Look’em over with care. About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.” With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you’re too smart to go down a not-so-good street.

And you may not find any you’ll want to go down. In that case, of course, you’ll head straight out of town. It’s opener there in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen and frequently do to people as brainy and footsy as you.

And when things start to happen, don’t worry. Don’t stew. Just go right along. You’ll start happening too.

Oh! The Places You’ll Go!

You’ll be on your way up!

You’ll be seeing great sights!

You’ll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.

You won’t lag behind because you’ll have the speed.

You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead.

Wherever you fly, you’ll be the best of the best.

Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don’t. Because sometimes you won’t.

And will you succeed?

Yes! You will, indeed!

(98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.)

KID, YOU’LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!

You are off to great places.

Today is your day

Your mountain is waiting

So get on your way!

  

Joe Galioto

Pro-Activity Health & Wellness Specialist