Tag: humanity

Blogpost, self-reliance

Upward Spirals

Pete Huryk

During my youth, I had the unique opportunity to visit the Statue of Liberty with my Boy Scout troop. At that time, a group of us decided to brave the ascent to the crown, a journey requiring us to conquer a long, ancient spiral staircase. I’ve seen images of renovated stairs, but back then, they were weathered and you could peer through the steps into the inner workings of Lady Liberty herself. Occasional resting platforms dotted the path, meant for those weary from the climb. But for someone like me, who’s afraid of heights, even the thought of stopping on those platforms was daunting.

As I ascended that stairwell, a worst-case scenario crossed my mind: What if someone tumbled backward while climbing? Packed tightly, one person’s misstep could spell disaster for all. My dizziness and nausea started to creep in. The only thing that kept me going was the fact that I was facing forward. If I did fall, I would land on my face on the steps, but at least I’d be okay. By the time I reached the crown, I barely took a glance at the view. As I turned around, my prior fear confronted me anew. The descent presented the same possibility of falling, but now I was facing that direction. For my younger self, it was a nerve-wracking and scary experience, and I despised every moment of that descent. So much so that I can’t even recall who convinced me to embark on this ordeal because it was precisely that bad.

Downward spirals in life can be equally nerve-wracking and terrifying. Things often seem normal at first, but then a series of setbacks starts to nudge you slightly off your upward trajectory. It’s like the gradual descent on that Statue of Liberty staircase. Your perspective gets faced away from your goal to the fear of a fall. However, it’s crucial to understand that the staircase itself isn’t wavering; it’s you.

In such moments, remember that you are not helpless. Take a breath. Pause and reflect on your path. Ask yourself if the “crown” you’re striving for is genuinely worth it. If it is, refocus on your goal and take the next step forward. Falling on your face while climbing upward is still not problematic.

Your fear of a fall can either be your enemy or your ally. When it encourages you to focus on the process and take each step carefully, it becomes your ally. But if it makes you nervous and causes you to freeze, then it’s your enemy. You have the power to choose how you perceive and utilize fear. Transform it into a driving force that keeps you grounded and aware of your journey.

And here’s a crucial perspective: If you’re going to fall (or fail), do so while moving forward. Every stumble is an opportunity to learn, to pick up new information, or to understand what doesn’t work. In essence, fall forward. Gain something from your missteps, even if it’s just the wisdom to navigate future challenges better.

So, as you navigate life’s spiral staircase that can be overwhelming, remember that you have the power to choose your perspective. The crown is within reach if you stay focused and resilient.

The difference between an upward and downward spiral is focus.

Pete

Blogpost, self-reliance

Let’s Get FAT!

Pete Huryk

I’m passionate about languages! They’re an agreement that we use to express ourselves to other people. They can stir emotions and ignite contemplation. In our daily lives, it’s easy to overlook the fact that many of the words we casually use have been around hundreds or even thousands of years. These words evolve, meanings shift, and their original connections can get obscured. This realization struck me during my morning run while engrossed in a podcast. The host mentioned a “fatal error” made by a business, and my mind fixated on the word “fatal,” leading me down a linguistic rabbit hole.

Within this word exploration, I stumbled upon five words that resonated: fate, fatigue, faith, fathom, and father. This intriguing word salad prompted me to reflect on the intricate processes we all navigate in life.

Every aspiration, project, vocation, or calling begins with a seed—the FATher. It’s the inception, the spark of an idea that ignites the journey. Once we embark, we must have FAiTh, for it serves as the relentless fuel propelling us forward—a belief in the unseen when evidence is scarce. Along this path, we encounter FATigue—the weariness inherent in the exhaustive effort required to bring our dreams to fruition.

Then there’s FATe—an element that appears preordained, unstoppable, simply meant to be. Fathom enters the scene, not just as a unit of measurement but as the quest for understanding, a vital component of our journey. Finally, we arrive at the word that initiated this linguistic adventure—FATal.

Delving into the origins of “FATal,” I discovered that in the late 14th century, it meant “decreed by fate.” It seems this word took a pessimistic turn over time, becoming synonymous with the one thing most deemed destined by fate—tragedy.

But what does all of this linguistic exploration mean for you and me?

We should all aspire to get FAT. Plant the seeds of our boldest dreams. Nurture them with unwavering FAiTh in their realization. Be prepared for the FATigue that will accompany the hard work. Acknowledge the hand of FATe, that which seems preordained. Seek to fathom the depths of understanding through your journey. And, whether for better or worse, don’t shy away from the FAtal aspects of life—those that feel fated.

Ultimately, we all reach an end, but if we’re willing to get FAT, perhaps our journey’s conclusion will align with our deepest desires. So, my message to you is simple: Go out there and get FAT today. Embrace the inception, the faith, the fatigue, the fate, the understanding, and even the seemingly fated, for they all play a part in our extraordinary journey.

Get started on your FAT today!

Pete

Blogpost, self-reliance

Embracing Failure!

Pete Huryk

Nobody welcomes failure with open arms. It often feels like that “not-so-attractive” girl who’s had a crush on you since second grade. Imagine you’re at the school dance, and she’s the only one who asks you for a slow dance. What would you do? Reject her, hoping that a more attractive partner will come along? Well, not quite. You’d dance.

  1. Learning through Failure: The first step in embracing failure is recognizing that it’s not the end of the world. Just like that not-so-attractive girl, failure has something to offer, too. It’s a chance to learn and grow. Failure teaches us valuable lessons that success often can’t. Each misstep provides an opportunity to refine our skills and strategies.
  2. Building Resilience: Dancing with failure builds resilience. Rejecting her might seem like the easy way out, but it won’t make you stronger or more experienced. Resilience is the ability to bounce back from setbacks, and it’s a trait highly valued in both personal and professional life. The more you face failure, the more resilient you become.
  3. Embracing Imperfection: Nobody is perfect, and nothing starts off that way either. Ideal opportunities are often the result of many imperfect attempts. By dancing with failure, you acknowledge that growth is a process, and perfection is rarely the starting point. It’s the imperfect steps that eventually lead to something great.
  4. Preparing for Ideal: When you learn to dance with failure, you’re not just settling. Instead, you’re preparing yourself for when the ideal opportunity finally arrives. By then, you’ll have honed your skills, developed resilience, and embraced the imperfections of the journey. You’ll be ready to seize the moment.
  5. Overcoming Fear: Fear of failure can be paralyzing. But when you’re willing to dance with failure, you diminish that fear. You understand that failure is just a temporary setback, not a permanent label. This newfound courage can help you take risks and pursue your goals more boldly.
  6. A Humble Perspective: Dancing with failure also keeps you grounded and humble. It reminds you that success is not always guaranteed and that setbacks are a part of life. This humility can make you more approachable and relatable to others, enhancing your relationships and leadership qualities.

So, next time failure extends her hand, don’t hesitate to dance. It might just be your ticket to a brighter future.

Blogpost, self-reliance

Same Old, Same Old

Pete Huryk

It’s easy to get fed up with the “same old, same old.” The monotony of repetitive activities can eat away at you. Until access to the tried and true is no longer available. Lamenting that which you have is probably not the best strategy for fulfillment. No doubt, strive for new. Go for better! But don’t discount now because you’re blind to its beauty. The same old is neither the same nor is it old.

It’s now!

Pete

Blogpost, self-reliance

It’s a Cheap Trick!

Pete Huryk

There are only a handful of songs that I remember exactly when and where I heard them. “Iris” by Goo Goo Dolls is the most memorable but “I want you to want me” by Cheap Trick is a close second. I was at a pizzeria in Michigan while visiting my ex girlfriend in the summer between high school and college. It’s actually surprising that I’d never heard it before! The tune and lyrics are so catchy with the repetition of want, need and beg.

The world often doesn’t work the way that we’d like. In the minds of many, people should give us what we want. This is especially prominent with kids. They want what they want and can’t understand why they can’t get it… NOW! But the truth of the matter is that a smart adult who truly cares gives them what they need. We all need those people in our lives. The ones who do not simply give in to our temporary desires but can see a better future beyond the moment. The needs that we may not even realize that we have are the focus of their efforts.

So realizing that the tune may not work, the message is clear. I’m begging you to want people in your life who give you what you need rather than what you want or beg for! Maybe even make that person yourself. If you could pull that off, it would be a grand and not so cheap trick.

I want you to need you!

Pete

Blogpost, self-reliance

The Early Word Gets the Birm

Pete Huryk

Sometimes we’re so close! Everything is almost in place. Yet we fall short and it’s almost more disappointing than if we weren’t even close. The proximity to success hurts because we can almost taste it. Yet it eludes us.

The idea of not giving up is easy to say and not as easy to do. Our brain finds the chinks in our armor easily and recent “failure” is an easy one to point out. Although it may seem sinister in some ways, our minds are just trying to protect us from pain: real or perceived.

At these moments, it’s time to put your hands firmly back on the wheel. Your brain may be trying to protect you but it’s undercutting your success at the same time. The only way to get to that goal is forget about the small shortcomings and keep at it. Eventually, all foes fall to persistent action! It’s life’s game of chicken! And maybe that’s the bird that we need to be focused on!

Rise and shine! The cock is crowing!

Pete

Blogpost, self-reliance

You Don’t Need…

Pete Huryk

You don’t need me or anyone else to tell you! You already know.

  • What needs to be done.
  • Who really has your back.
  • Who is probably going to let you down.
  • What you should give up.
  • What you should start.
  • What you should quit doing.
  • What price you’re willing to pay for it.

And so many other things! It’s not about the information because you already know. It’s getting past all of the excuse long enough to see things clearly and live into it. More information, validation, motivation, cooperation or any other “-ation” isn’t really the key. You just need to decide to do what you know.

Go!

Pete

Blogpost, self-reliance

One!

Pete Huryk

It’s the start of things! Or the last thing before nothing is left! Zero to one is often a herculean effort that requires more fortitude than all the progress that comes later. Yet we often dismiss it at the beginning. Act like it’s the same as the next door neighbor, zero. When traveling on the decline, it’s far easier to see the value of one because it’s all that’s left. Teetering on the brink of empty puts one into perspective. The life-giving force that it is.

It’s funny to think how oblivious we are at times. Perhaps delusion is baked into our brains naturally but we tend to think we have unlimited time, unlimited attention and unlimited options. We don’t! And we should really know it. Not because someone wrote about it but because we’ve experienced it on both sides. The joy of single focus where time melts away. The desire for one more moment with a person lost. The recognition that by trying to do everything, nothing was done. We chide ourselves and promise to be different. Yet, when we get confronted again with the multitude, we forget about one.

This one moment is all that you truly have. It’s impossible to live every moment to the fullest because basic needs would get overrun by maximization. However, we can be cognizant of the moment know that it’s not coming back. So do what you can with it. The juxtaposition of two songs called “one” give a great perspective on the human experience of oneness. Metallica’s “One” is the story of a soldier who is injured in combat and lost his sight and his limbs. He is kept alive in an agonizing existence for the study of others while all he wants is to die. He is singular but separate. The “One” by U2 makes us all one. That we are connected and share our experiences whether painful or joyous by being one.

Our lives are meant for more than the mental masturbation that comes from being stimulated but not engaged. An endless loop of input without connection or meaning. Giving ourselves over to the only moment that exists with the idea of connecting with all that we can, that’s probably the point. We should probably try to remember that until the next time that we realize we forgot and went back to zero.

“We carry each other”

Pete

Blogpost, self-reliance

Brush Your Teeth and… Conquer the World

Pete Huryk

The two don’t seem like they should be in rapid succession on a “to do list” right? Brushing your teeth is such a mundane task that most people would take it off the list if they could. Conquering the world is so big and amorphous. How does one even begin to wrap their head around the concept? Genghis Khan probably came the closest when you think of access and scope. However, we now know that he had much farther to go. Even if he could have laid siege to lands on all seven continents. He could not effectively manage them in his time. The world is just too big!

There’s a lot of space in between these two concepts but it’s easy to get stuck at one extreme or the other. Maintenance is a necessary component to life. But it’s also a convenient place to hide. The “have to’s” on our list can overrun our lives if we let them and we would feel justified in never going beyond because we “had to…” It’s also easy to get stuck with our heads in the clouds. Thinking of all the distant horizons that we’ll conquer when the time is right and the stars align. Until that time comes, nothing else much happens. Spirts of activity give the impression of forward progress but the amount of territory acquired on the world conquest is quite minimal.

To be honest, I’m not sure what the best strategy is for getting “the most” out of life. There is a break even point with many things like fuel efficiency and speed. There is a mathematical equation to find that equilibrium. With humans, I doubt there’s a true way to figure it out. It may just be one of those things that we have to feel our way through. After we brush our teeth of course!

Pete

Blogpost, self-reliance

That Shoe Has Sailed!

Pete Huryk

Two letters difference and a new idea is born! Why is the shoe sailing? What happened to the ship that we were expecting? Can shoes really sail? All of these questions and more spring out of a small misstep. Just a 12% change and the idea is turned completely on its head.

The reaction to this type of upheaval depends completely on your disposition. For some people, the introduction of the new and unexpected is cause for alarm. Those shoes and their sailing are a threat on every possible level. The status quo was intended to be kept and they’ll not abide those sailing shoes! While other people are open to the new and unique, the shoes bring possibility to a mundane concept. Those shoes are trailblazing and its about time.

Both ideas have validity and their own fan groups. It’s worth the introspection to figure out whether or not you’re a shoe sailor or not. That simple knowledge can give you insight into setting up your life. Squeezing all of the juice that you can out of the known is not a bad way to live, if that’s who you are. If you’re infatuated with the new, you probably shouldn’t wallpaper your house because it’s difficult to remove. And maybe you should rent anyway! Knowing thyself is an old idea that rings true even today. So look in that mirror because the shoe hasn’t sailed on you yet!

Hoist the sails!

Pete