Not Today – Push past the doubt

Not Today

Last night I watched the end of a 2019 College World Series baseball game between Louisville and Mississippi State. It was an intense game. In the end, Louisville won. After the game, the TV commentary showed a piece of tape on the wall in the Louisville dug out that said “NOT TODAY”.

“Not today.” This goes so well with Proactive Coaching’s teachings on themes for teams and the importance of carrying “stuff” around that identifies who this team is for each of the players. Great coaching move!

I invite you to think of “Not today” in your life.
We all fight battles. There are dreams in all of our hearts. Some of us are just carrying them around, shoved down deep inside, waiting for the right something to happen so we can start breaking them out. Others of us are actively pursuing at least one of them. Either way, the battle is there. Perhaps it is echoes of something spoken to us a long time ago, that replays over and over about how we will not be able to do that, or perhaps it’s the doubt we speak to ourselves from our fear and gaps in our self-confidence.

No matter what the battle is, what if we would take up what Louisville baseball did, and put a piece of tape, or a sticky note, or change our home screen to “Not Today!”? What if we could decide – you know, actually say to ourselves… things like…
“Not today!” – Meaning “I won’t quit today.” Or “Not today!” – Meaning “I won’t back down from pursuing my dream.” Meaning – Today I will keep on. Today I will keep my chin up, (just like my Dad used to tell me). Today I will exercise. Today I will eat well. Today I will face the hard things on my list and get them done! Today I will breathe deeply even when I am afraid. Today I will push back against fear and I will rise up. Today I will! I can make it through one day of pushing on and facing the things that seem overwhelming. Today I can be intentional and intense going after the things I dream.
Procrastination, fear, and self-doubt, are NOT TODAY!