As our journey in India comes to a close, I had a moment to reflect of all places…in the gym. Today was “chest day”, and I sat on the bench thinking “it’s way too early in the morning to do this”. I did my warm-up set which felt surprisingly good. I added more weight which didn’t seem that heavy after all. Then, I just went for it. I stacked the bar with 300 lbs (136 kg for you metric fans) and did something I haven’t done in years. I bench pressed it. I was extremely happy that I declared victory and went home.
This led me to reflect our decision to move to India. My wife and I previously discussed how we would love to move overseas and give our children the same opportunity that we both had growing up. That opportunity eventually presented itself, and we literally had to make the decision on the spot – Go or No Go. We chose Go.
The opportunity and decision felt good both professionally and personally – there was no downside. I’ve talked to friends in and out of the US. Our US friends were happy for us but thought we were a bit crazy. Our Indian friends couldn’t believe we made a decision unilaterally vs consulting with the extended family. In India, family decisions are not made that quickly nor by individuals. It’s a collective effort to ensure the best for all. There are pros and cons to everything, but my main point is this – when an opportunity or achievement presents itself, acknowledge, celebrate, and act on it. Do not overthink this positive force and turn it into a gut-wrenching and negative experience. Use it to better and challenge yourself. Otherwise, you never know what you may have lost.
I am grateful we jumped on the Indian journey. It’s been a roller coaster with more highs than lows but one that we will forever cherish and put a smile on our faces. And if I can quote the rapper Ice Cube, “Today was a good day”.
