Back in the summer of 2016 I remember sitting with my family glued to the TV watching swimming. It was the summer Olympics and Michael Phelps was on a trajectory to break all kinds of Olympic and world records. In the past, I really didn’t care that much about swimming but Michael Phelps was amazing. I found myself listening to interviews with Michael and reading all kinds of interesting facts about him. I learned all kinds of things from his daily routine to the amount of calories he consumed in a day. I was fascinated learning about him and his life. I admired his devotion to the sport and his talent.
On the other hand, somewhere in this country someone was watching the same events I was and it stirred something in them that went beyond admiration. Something in them came alive and it changed their life. Someone looked at Michael Phelps and said I can do that. This person said, the way Michael Phelps swam I can swim. Where he stood on the podium I can stand. They reordered their life, dropped out of other activities, maybe even left their family for a time to focus on the sport. Everything in their life changed. In that moment, they went from admiration to transformation.
You see, I was an admirer but it didn’t change my life. I didn’t spend any more time in the pool after that moment than I did before, because an admirer is impressed but transformation brings devotion. An admirer applauds but transformation brings surrender and a willingness to pay the price. An admirer approves but transformation takes action.
Henry David Thoreau once wrote that “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” I believe this is because more often than not, we will settle for admiration instead of going on the journey of transformation.
What is it that has gripped your heart, made your pulse quicken and your mind race thinking this is it! This is what I was made for? You were made to live a life of purpose full of significance big enough to warrant the cost of your life. Don’t sit on the sidelines of admiration. Get in the game!
