Never saw me like that

I take time every day to find time to be alone and meditate. I focus internally, pray, give thanks to many people and things that have happened to me lately,  and generally just appreciate the fact that I can think, act and have fun for another day. Yesterday is the past, tomorrow isn't guaranteed, that's why today is called 'present'. And I like to acknowledge that. 

Often when I meditate I try to visualize myself accomplishing a task perfectly, either an important task for the day like making dinner and screwing up or if it is close to a race, I'll self talk and visualize myself from start to finish highlighting key areas of mental and physical toughness. It is rare that when I mediate I get creative sparks of inspiration or see visions that I was not prepared to consider. Yet when those happen they are like lightening bolts to me. And I had one the other day. 

I was sitting in all places my hot tub, not my usual spot. I had just started my mediation routine when out of nowhere I saw a vision of myself in my mind that was so real it was like a physical blow. I saw myself physically looking like nothing I had every accomplished before. It wasn't a fantasy version of adventure or attractiveness, I still looked like a cross between Quasimodo and the Elephant Man. It wasn't lying in a pool of blood or broken bones. It was just me. Transformed by the results of hard work and dedication that based on the training I have done in and out gym over 30 years I have never obtained, because I had never tried that path. The previous efforts had me going from one extreme or the other, power based or endurance athlete.  My vision was something else.Something better. Something greater. 

Since then I haven't been able to get the vision out of my mind. It has affected my eating, it has affected my training. I've completely rethought my training protocols for the rest of the year. In fact in that vision, I knew immediately how I got there. It was if someone from the future handed me a script of what to do, exercises and routines I had never done suddenly came to my mind as if I had done them for years. It has affected so much that even if I obtain half of the vision I will be successful. 

It blows me away at how much stronger the mind is than the body. If we only take the time to open ourselves up to the possibility that we don't know everything. 

It is not enough to exist. I am going to live.