I was not a video-gamer growing up.

I don’t know about you, but my parents were rather convinced that video games were the true gateway to the rotting of the brain.  They believed that absolutely nothing good could come from sitting mindlessly in front of a screen with a controller and accomplishing nothing.  Ok.  Maybe that is an exaggeration.  But it proved to be true.

One Sunday afternoon…

We had just finished lunch at my grandparent’s house and I was in conspiring mode.  The new Nintendo Entertainment System had just come out.  Obviously we didn’t have one and there was no chance that we would.  But Mike Modlin had one.  I was so jealous.  Mike was going to be gone for the weekend with his family so he said we could borrow it.  So I snuck it in our house and hooked it up to our TV.

My brother Bryan and I asked if we could leave after lunch and go home because it was a beautiful day and we wanted to go home and jump on the trampoline.  Yeah right.  Big lie there.  We were allowed to go home.  We dead-sprinted the half mile through the field to get home.  And it was on.  Turn on the Nintendo.  Crank up Super Mario Brothers.  Here we go.  It was amazing.  Until it wasn’t.

Apparently motion sickness…

Translates to video games.  Bryan would get motion sick in the car so he couldn’t ride in the back.  Well apparently that translates to video games.  Mom and dad came home a couple hours later and let’s just say Bryan was in a tough place.  He had gotten sick from hours of playing Super Mario Brothers.  If I remember right, we passed about three total levels.  Definitely worth it.  But I had to treasure it, because that was the beginning and end to video games in the Recker house!

Don’t you just hate it when your parents are dead right?

We sure laugh about it now, but one of the lessons I am learning in life has a lot to do with Mario Brothers and video games.  Let me explain- for those of you that have video game experience, each level that you pass brings you to a level that is harder.  A bigger castle.  A harder boss to fight.  The Boss Battle gets bigger.

And the same is true in life!

As we pass one boss battle, we are on to another, bigger battle.  Recently I was talking with my coach and I was discussing how much urgency was attacking me.  It felt relentless.  Like the urgency had leveled up.  As we were talking, I realized that I had made so much progress in my battle with urgency.  But also that it isn’t going away.  And maybe you are realizing that as well in your battle with urgency or in another battle you are fighting.

Sometimes we need new strategies…

As we level-up in our lives and become closer to becoming our own best version, the battle increase.  The bosses get bigger.  This is not a reason to panic.  It is actually a reason to celebrate how far you have come.  To give yourself a little credit.  And then to learn some new strategies so that you are ready for the next boss.  Ready for the next battle.

Don’t be discouraged…

Remember how far you have come!  Remember the battles you have fought.  And the battles you have won!  You have greatness inside of you!  And you are a work in progress.  And every work in progress is still under construction.  So keep building.  Keep fighting.  Keep learning new strategies like these to help you along the way.

And reach out for help along the way.  I needed my coach to help me see where I was stuck and to help me to move forward.  It is important to not journey alone.  Let me know if you would like to have a conversation to help you level up and be ready for the next boss battle.