Three strikes.... you're out!

Her response is amazingly accurate, for someone, who has never seen me and is on the other side of the globe. She states, in part, "You are a born leader ... and I'm guessing can get a little bossy (AND have a strong tendency to be a tad rigid in your thinking, in the "I'm right!" kind of way --[this surprised me actually]). You have a nice balance of the emotional and the mental and are very emotionally expressive, with humanitarian attitude. You're incredibly determined and I wouldn't want to be someone standing in your way, as that person better be prepared to be mowed down. (sorry .... just look at your thumbs!) You've stifled your creativity for the sake of responsibility."

My wife read this mail and since she is usually the first to be mowed down, sent her palm prints, in order to verify that it is her destiny to confront powerful men.

I am in general agreement with the 'reading' and can see no reason for this woman's apology. After all, "I am what I am", no matter how much I study "I am that I am"

As with most attributes, determination can be a blessing and a curse. My determination reaches such levels that it is life threatening and as a simple matter of survival, I have my technique for harnessing determination.

I call it my Three Strikes... You're Out Rule, a term plagiarized from the American game of baseball. In baseball, the pitcher throws the ball toward the batter. If the ball goes through what is called the 'strike zone' and the batter does not hit the ball, he is given one 'strike.' If the batter accumulates three strikes, he is 'out,' which means his turn at bat is finished.

My way of playing this game of life is go forward toward a goal with intense determination and intent. As my palm print seems to indicate, I was born with this trait and it works both for me and against me. There are times, when one is better served by backing off, and making some adjustments.

I developed this self preservation technique, during my ultra-long kayak voyages and it works like this... Voyaging requires that many things remain somewhat in a state of balance, such as the boat, my physical condition, my food supply, the weather conditions, the water conditions, the visual conditions, and many other things. If I am blissfully paddling along and something goes awry, I continue on but take note of the situation. I increase my awareness. Count that as strike one.

If some other factor goes out of balance, strike two, I begin looking for the first opportunity to get off the water and remedy the situation.

If strike three occurs, I am out of there. I make the opportunity to get to safety, as quickly as possible. This becomes my immediate goal.

Once I reach safety, I remedy, or repair, or wait until all systems are in balance again and it is safe to proceed. I can tell many sea stories of how this technique saved my life. But, I try not to tell sea stories.

My kayak voyaging is finished. The body's systems are no longer able to survive another voyage. Not to worry... the universe is a field of infinite possibilities and I always have my eye on a few of them.

With everything I do now, I always have the 'Three Strikes' system, functioning in the background, like a meta program.

I suggest the each of us needs to look at our personal traits and devise a system, which enables us to go forward positively.

Any questions??