Jumping Through Hoops - Grasshopper

The older I get the less hoops I jump through. It has more to do with attitude than it does with age.

When presented with options about which direction to go in any given situation, I look for the one with less hoops. It’s sort of like the old math theorem: “A straight line is the shortest distance between two points.”

This isn’t the American custom of looking for a shortcut. They rarely work. It’s more about the measuring of your willingness to do a certain task.

Certain projects need more work (hoops) than I’m willing to do. That’s not an excuse; it’s an admission.

The question I ask myself is this: “Am I willing to commit to doing the necessary work to get something done?“

If the answer is “no,” then it’s off my to-do list with no judgements or recriminations.

I recently saw an interview late night TV host Jimmy Fallon did with actor Jake Gyllenhaal. Gyllenhaal was on the show to promote a movie he stars in. It’s a recreation of the Patrick Swayze classic movie “Roadhouse.”

The role required him to be in tip-top shape for shirtless fight scenes with MMA fighter Conor McGregor. To get in that kind of shape takes consistent work, determination, and most importantly willingness. He was willing and the results were admirable.

When presented with options about which way to go, measure your willingness to get the desired results. If it’s not there, take that option off your plate or you’ll be eating dust if you attempt to succeed.

This is not a recommendation to not try something new or do something that’s hard for you. It’s more of a suggestion to do a little homework before you put yourself to the test, and see if your willingness is there to do your best. 

If you choose to ignore my suggestion and unwillingly plow through, don’t be too surprised about the number of hoops you’ll have to jump through.

All the best,