I Don't Do Things By Halves.....Ever

I have a habit of speaking out...and then actually doing it. But it's more than that. I feel compelled to do it. I don't believe I can physically say I'll do something and not do it.

 

This can be such a wonderful thing and bring excitement, change and new opportunities. It can also work against and bring unnecessary change or a move that happens to quick. I’ve had my fair share of both. Let me give you examples;

 

 

·        While at a party, sucking on beer and chuffing on a fag, I spoke with the then-Commander of the Northland Police in NZ. For some stupid reason he suggested I try out for the Police. All 80 odd kilos of me. I laughed and laughed, but secretly my mind started ticking over about how I could make that happen. I jokingly said, “Double dare me”. He said, “Double dare”. Damn!!!!  That’s enough to turn the switch in my head and I’m on the mental track to conquering a pretty big goal!!

Somehow I had to get my very unfit and massively flabby bum around a 2.4km track in less that 11:15m. Yep – that’s about 4.5mns per kilometre. I was not a runner. I did not like running, I did not watch running, I did not hanker to be a runner. I hated it. But that was the goal and that’s what I had to conquer. So I hired a PT and made it happen. 8 weeks later I completed that run in 11:13km. I cried with the emotion of it all. Yet they still hired me.

 

·        Some two years later I was talking with some colleagues about the upcoming promotional exams. Mostly people spaced it out over a couple of years due to the heavy workload. And here I am talking away about it and someone dares me to do it in one year. He bet me a carton of beer. I would have taken on the bet for one can – I just can’t help myself when someone eludes to the fact that ‘it can’t be done’.

So over the next 12 months I completed 3 practical assignments, two 3-hour law exams and a university management paper. Not so spectacular in itself, but working full time shift work, planning and executing a wedding, buying my first house and falling pregnant, all happened pretty much in that 12 months. It was hell.

 Did I learn my lesson? Not a chance. My life is a series of accepted dares.

·        In 1995 I spoke to someone about travelling and helping out overseas. They asked me if I wanted to go to Tasmania. “Woohoo – hell yes” I said. I heard wrong – it was actually Tanzania and suddenly I find myself living next to the Masaii and eating bbq’d goat for lunch on a regular basis. Hakuna Matata! Not often in life where you get the chance to attend a female circumcision ceremony and have a little nibble on raw meat. The small things in life.

·        In 2003, a friend of the family bought a property three hours away from our home in Auckland. They got a quote from a landscaper for $15,000 to do the driveway, retaining wall, lay grass and design and implement the gardens. Rob and I looked at each (now that I have a partner in crime – these hair-brained ideas often start with that particular look). One glance and we knew we were on the same page. “We’ll do it for $14K” we said. Done deal.

I simply cannot use words that will describe enough how hard it was to complete this task. You see, we had a one month old baby, a 15 month old toddler and had never laid grass, designed a garden or paved a driveway before. We spent one gruelling week trying to manage two babies around this mammoth task, adding that the temperature in Taupo felt like about -10C!!! Mental note to self: what sounds easy isn’t. 

·        Or how about the time we moved house for about the 5^th time (we used to buy and sell houses as a hobby). We decided THIS IS IT – we are NOT moving for a few years. About four weeks went by when a real estate knocked on the door stating that he had a client that was interested in houses in our area. I decided to play along and gave him a price exactly $30,000 more than we had paid just four weeks ago. He brought around an unconditional contract that night for the exact amount. Didn’t even haggle. Yeah…..that was quite a hard one to break to Rob. But we did it – we moved one street away. Least we didn’t have to take the furniture far!

So as you can see, I don’t do much by halves. It sort of goes like this;

·        I have a niggling thought

·        I say it out loud or someone lays down a dare

·        I can’t help myself – I work like a woman possessed to make it happen

So what’s the point of all of this? Haha  - not much. I just like telling funny stories.

However, there is some relevance. Competitions to me are just like the above. It’s like someone double dares me to do it. As my 20 week competition preparation phase looms near, I just can’t wait for the day that the switch flicks over. I go from Off Mode…to On Mode. No turning back. No questioning. Just do it. Follow the bouncing ball and do as I’m told. Watch the progress unfold and feel the warm glow of achievement.

Can’t wait.