#07 Make it count

When we are young, many of us dream of a career, having a family and living a comfortable life. Some twenty years later, you have it all, yet, when you drag yourself out of bed on another Monday morning, you ask yourself, “What am I doing here?”

Despite all your achievements, you worry about having wasted your life.

What if I told you that by the way you are doing the Pilates exercise called Hundred, I can tell if you were leading a meaningful life or wasting it?

I admit that this is a fairly bold hypothesis, but let me portray my observations.

In my many years of teaching Pilates, I came across people from all over the world with all kinds of different backgrounds. I´ve given Pilates classes to the local women´s circle in a narrow hallway and to the rich on their super yachts in Porto Cervo. I´ve worked with successful entrepreneurs and housewives, students and professors, healthy athletes, and people who struggle with being overweight.

No matter where people come from or where they are right now in their lives, someday, they all reach this point when they question their impact, their importance, and their significance in life.

The thing is, it´s not what we have in our lives that makes a difference, but what we do.

And by how we do it.

In Pilates, we have an exercise called Hundred. It is done rather early in a session, and usually, this is the moment you regret signing up for the class. During your Hundred, you will hold a position that challenges your core while pumping with your arms vigorously up and down a hundred times. Yes, one hundred times. You have precisely ten deep breaths to do so. You pump five times while you inhale and five times on your exhale. Ten deep breaths.

Only ten deep breaths.

Make them count.

No matter how fit and strong or unfit and weak you are, everybody eventually has to do the entire Hundred. No exemptions. This exercise will strengthen your core and train your ability to breathe deeply and calmly while doing something challenging.

It´s only ten deep breaths.

Make it count, or you are merely wasting your time.

If you decide to do Pilates, do it properly, or don´t do it at all.

You are wrong if you think that showing up is enough. Put in the work, or you are wasting your time.

It´s only ten deep breaths.

Mean it.

If you show determination in your Pilates practice, you will positively impact your life. Undoubtedly. And the same principle applies to any other aspect of your life.

Whatever you do, make it count.

And whatever you do, make sure that you do at least one thing that positively impacts your life, one that impacts your partner positively, and one that improves the life of somebody near you. Every single day.

If you have to work, choose something that lets you grow as a person. And do the work.

When you work out, know what your body needs. And do it.

When you are hungry, feed your body. With real food.

When you feel the need to rest, then rest.

Kiss your wife every day.

And make that kiss count.

Hug your kids every day.

It counts for them.

Celebrate your friend´s accomplishments.

It´ll count for them.

Greet the cashier with a smile using their name.

It´ll impact their day.

Whatever you do, it has an impact on somebody's life. Whatever you do makes a difference.

It´s your choice to make it count, and your life won´t be wasted.