The Think Method

This morning I watched the last part of "The Music Man." For the whole movie, Robert Preston sells his "think method" of learning to play music for the town band. Basically, each band member "thinks" about his band instrument and the song he hopes to play - no teaching of notes or actual practice. At the end of the movie, of course it has worked and the boys in the band play their first song, albeit a little off-key. By the closing credits, the band has transformed into a fully-dressed and outfitted big-time marching band.

Wouldn't it be great if the think system really worked? Like if I could just think that I would lose weight and then when I went to try on a bathing suit, the itsy-bitsy one fits.

Or if I could think about saving money and when I went to pay for a new car, I just wrote a check (that would be covered by my ample checking account).

Or if I could think about running a marathon without walking, and when the starting gun went off, I took off and ran 26.2 miles in less than four hours.

The think method would work great and I would get my desired outcome. But what would be the point? Exactly what would I have achieved? How would my success be measured - just by the outcome?

For me, part of the joy in achievement comes from my efforts it took to get there. I would love to wake up tomorrow and weigh the same as I did at 21. But reaching a goal weight comes after seeing each pound melt away. Each clothing size that I lose into becomes an encouragement to keep going.

It would be fun to have an endless supply of money at my disposal to use at will. But just having money has no real value. By earning the money, it becomes a little more personal as to how it is spent. By spending my time to gain money, I am more cautious about where the money goes, because it is my time that is really being spent.

It would be great to go out tomorrow and run for four hours and find out I had run a marathon. But each mile I manage to walk, then wog, then run fuels me to keep going. Each mile encourages me to go for another. Each mile makes me stronger and healthier.

So while the think method would be quick and easy, I think I'll pass. While it may seem great to do a little to achieve a lot, I know I'll get a longer-lasting satisfaction from taking the long way. The rewards along the way are just too great to pass up.