Be Your Best

Todd Gifford - Success Coach

Mother’s Day just happened a little bit ago, and of course, I called my Mom to wish her a Happy Mother’s Day.  Unfortunately, we do not live in the same city, so she typically gets a gift or flowers and a phone call from me each year.  I was reflecting more so this year than other years about what my mom has done for me.  Of course, I think about all the obvious things like the fact that she loves me, took care of me as a child, cooked most of the meals we ate, probably cleaned up my room for me a thousand times (I can’t remember that far back cleaning up my room ever, but I must have a couple times), took care of our family, hauled me to my youth hockey practices at ridiculous hours of the morning and night (and helping me tie my skate laces when really young), and countless other things that I can’t think of right now.  But, one thing that I never have thought about until recently with respect to my mom is developing in me a trait of persistence (aka tenacity, determination, discipline, and perseverance).  My mom was “mom”, and she was a housewife, mother, and took care of the family.  I don’t remember her sitting down with me and providing me with verbal ‘life lessons’ or ‘keys to success’ — but I do believe that most of my personal determination, persistence, discipline, and desire to achieve goals (small or big) is largely because of my mom.  Yes, my dad obviously had a large positive impact on me too in many ways, but my mom’s impact is less obvious… but possibly more profound.  Why?

Well, it’s because of what she did, not because of what she said.  All the way through the time I was a young child to the time I moved out of the house on my own, I never once recall seeing my mom do any sports, engaged in business challenges, doing anything ‘competitive’, setting any goals, etc…  She was a typical mom of the time I think.

But then….something happened.  I don’t remember exactly when it happened.  I think she was in her late 50’s.  My mom decided that she was going to be an Aerobics Instructor.  What?!?!  Just like that, she dove into the fitness world (from being what I would consider near sedentary) and became an Aerobics fitness instructor.  It really sticks in my mind because I remember her sending me a newspaper article about her from the front page of the local sports page and there was a big photo of my mom leading an aerobics class called ‘Young at Heart’.  Some years went by and then my mom tells me that she is doing a lot of running.  Running every day, and long distances.  What?!?!  She then started running in races, 5K, 10K, 15K, and even a 26 mile marathon (in her 60’s)!  Setting some age group records at the time for long distance running, my mom was starting to instill into me some very important fundamental principles without ever discussing them.  All I thought at the time was ‘is my mom going crazy?’.  But as I get older, I appreciate more and more the power of her goal setting, determination, and persistence.  My mom never called it goal setting, but that’s exactly what she was doing.  She said “I am going to do __________, and that’s that.”  At the time, ‘stubborn’ is the word I thought of —- but now I think of ‘determined’, ‘disciplined’, ‘persistent’, and….’tenacious’, as the correct words to describe her.

Well, in her mid-70’s now, guess what she decided to do.  She decided that she would get her college degree, something that she started 55+ years ago; but could not complete due to money issues.  So, my mom is now sitting in class these days with kids 55+ years younger than her (she is by far the oldest person on campus at her college, including the faculty!).  Were any of these things easy for her to do?  No.  I remember her telling me how many people told her “you’re  crazy thinking you can be an aerobics instructor at your age and not being athletic”.  I remember her describing to me how her big toenails would fall off after running many miles, and the aches and pains of completing those long distances.  And now, studying for her college exams when she could be gardening or watching TV.  So, each Mother’s Day, when reflecting on what our moms have done for us, some of their biggest gifts may not be the obvious, as is the case for me.

Take Care and Be Your Best,
Todd Gifford