Some of us will only see the amazingness of life in retrospect. When we’re running fast trying to grab the brass ring, we are plagued by stress and exhaustion. We miss the amazing moments. It may be only at the final pitstop that we see how amazing our lives have been. If only we had something other than abstract learning to show us how to navigate the waves of our amazing life.
The long-running reality show, The Amazing Race, is full of concrete life lessons. The teams of two face a series of challenges they must complete according to strict specifications as they race around the world. Their goal is to be the first team to arrive at the final pitstop in order to be rewarded with a million dollars. The reward is for the team that wins the last challenge, regardless of how many legs of the race they won. As in life, when presented with a challenge, it’s not what you have done but what you do now.
The struggles and victories of the teams don’t always depend on mental or physical ability. Some say being in the race is like playing the lottery. Sometimes teams are rewarded by serendipitous events that push them ahead. At other times, misfortunes that are no fault of the teams can push them to the back of the pack. This is life.
Following are just a few examples of what to expect in real life that the show so vividly portrays:
- Begin with a goal (teams want to earn the prize of one million dollars)
- Believe that you have what it takes to reach the goal (confidence)
- Study those who came before and learn from their successes and failures
- Prepare well according to what you’ve learned
- Be attentive to details along the way
- Expect detours, speedbumps, and roadblocks as you advance toward your goal
- Anticipate that you may be given a U-turn to slow your progress
- Know what works for you when you need to de-stress
- Keep the focus on your own team
- Never give up on a leg of the race; switch to another challenge
- Understand that along the way you will have to face your fears
- Know that when the race is done, you gave it your all
Invariably at the final pitstop, teams talk about the thrill of it all and how rewarding the experience was whether they won or not.
It’s those teams that squeeze the enjoyment out of every experience as they are happening who best understand the amazingness of life.
Gwen Dungy 