“I Want You to Push Me”

“I want you to push me.”

You don’t hear that statement often. It is one of self-challenge.

Living this statement can change many things. It is different than pushing ourselves. When we push ourselves, we do it sometimes fairly, and other times, unfairly. We can be our own worst, or best, “pusher.” Asking others to push us takes on a different angle though.

Having a person challenge us will advance us beyond our own internal thoughts and stretches us beyond what we think we could do normally.

Here’s the context. I know that I have been writing about my brother during the past few months, but his experiences have provided me with many thought-provoking moments. When I was talking with him this weekend, he made the following statement:

“I told my therapy specialists that I want you to push me.”

Now, after being in an explosion, his progress is nothing short of miraculous. Having said that, he needs to re-gain strength and re-learn certain things. You would think walking is just like riding a bike; once you’ve done it, you can just jump up after two months and off you go! Unfortunately, this is not the case. Through these real life moments, we can learn real lessons; we just need to listen.

In our life – work or personal – most of us don’t ask someone to push us. It doesn’t mean we are not pushed; it just may not be self-initiated. The question arises then, what if we did ask someone to push us? What would happen?

We probably would be held more accountable in our choices and actions. We probably would learn more in a smaller amount of time. We probably would feel stretched and challenged more, especially if we knew someone was watching, delivering encouragement, and challenging us.

The point is asking someone to “push me” demonstrates a strength of your mindset and inner self. Here’s what I mean.

Mindset strength. To ask someone to push you means you have a strong mind to grasp what they are asking you to do, and you are more engaged in figuring out how to do it. A strong mindset means:

• You have an open mind to take in constructive criticism and adapt confidently
• You have a positive outlook which is undeterred by a high-setting bar to overcome
• You have analytical capabilities to understand the reasoning behind the challenge and then determine the next steps

Taking a “push me” state means you have the mind power to convert the advice into actions, which drive you to improve, embrace ideas, and take meaningful actions for a more robust life.

Inner strength. The other essential element is a strong inner core. Call it your spirit. Call it your inner voice. Call it your soul. Whatever your preference, it is the stuff inside you which drive your conscience and your actions.

Being pushed means you don’t wilt; you absorb it without bending over in wrenching pain over the honest feedback or stretch goals. The “push” makes makes your inner core stronger.

An inner strength means:

• You have an active spirit that is looking for new, better ways of doing things, without sacrificing principles
• You have an engaging spirit that gains muscle when positively challenged
• You have an open, listening spirit that knows the best way to refresh and renew is by taking in guidance and considering perspectives

Taking a “push me” state means you have the inner strength to build upon in taking the next step in living a fulfilled, meaningful life.

With the strength of mind and inner spirit, the positive pushes lead to positive actions. The push is the fuel. Your mind and spirit are the engine that converts the fuel into positive forward motion. Let’s face it. Life is not like riding a bike. Life is a new adventure, and we need to make the most of our time.

I think it is a good thing to ask to be pushed. The added guidance will take us up a notch in the way we think about our life and in the way we put our life into motion.