Here is a recent magazine article I had published. Enjoy!
Are you a BAD APPLE?
By: Frank Kitchen
www.frankkitchen.com
Last year, I ran in and completed my very first marathon. While running the ungodly distance of 26.2 miles, a lot of thoughts went through my head:
“Why am I doing this?”
“Where is the finish line?”
“Where is my girlfriend?”
“Where is the finish line?”
“That guy is running barefoot!”
“Where is the finish line?”
I also noticed I was running the race with 10,000 BAD APPLES.
What does BAD APPLE mean? When I travel the country with my speaking partner, Rodger Campbell, we are constantly asked that very question. We both believe that people and organizations are like apples. They have to ability to grow into something ordinary, rotten, or extraordinary.
Our goal is for everyone to become extraordinary! In order to do this you must become BAD. Don’t worry, being BAD is good thing. BAD means to have Belief, Action, and Determination.
Belief: We all have dreams in our lives, but do we really believe they can come true? My dream was to run and complete a marathon. One marathon! In order for my dream to become reality, I needed to believe I could complete the race. Without belief there is no action. A dream that doesn’t come true becomes a nightmare. Taking the first step to achieve a dream is the toughest part. You can only take that leap of faith when you truly believe.
Action: Now that I believed, I needed to take action. My actions included six months of training, consulting with running experts, buying the right equipment, and putting down my non-refundable entry fee. As the race date approached, I started to have doubts. I considered changing my mind, right until my last practice run; I ran over twenty miles with my girlfriend - and I didn’t die! This marathon thing could really happen. I was going to accomplish something extraordinary.
Determination: Race day arrived with a four o’clock a.m. beep beep beep-ing from my alarm clock. I got up and got ready. I got my carbs, drank my fluids, and took some ibuprofen. There was excitement as the race began. That excitement started to fade around mile thirteen. That’s when things really got tough. By mile eighteen I thought about quitting when my leg cramped up. The thought of not accomplishing my dream kept me going. I really didn’t want to have to run the race again. I mentally stayed determined. When other muscles started to lock up, I found the first aid station to get treatment. When I thought I was the only one having issues, I looked around and saw hundreds of other people facing similar difficulties. The torment bonded us. As the finish line approached, I had several friends there to cheer me on. That inspired me more. When I crossed the line, the celebration - and my retirement – began. Bags of ice on my knees, ibuprofen in my mouth, and “thank yous” to everyone who offered encouragement to me to achieve my dream.
No matter what you or your organization want to accomplish, you must be BAD. First, you must Believe in the dream. Second, you have to take the proper Action. Finally, when the hardships arise you must stay Determined to the end. Hardships will definitely test your beliefs, but if you stay determined, you can accomplish your dreams.
When we accomplish our dreams, it’s more than ordinary; it’s special. We get a sense of accomplishment, and we can’t wait to conquer our next challenge. This is success. This is being a BAD APPLE.
Frank Kitchen is a professional storyteller and inspirational speaker who entertains and educates audiences of all ages and experience. Leadership, Dating/Relationships, Recruitment, Volunteer Recognition and Training, Motivation, Diversity, Marketing, Event Planning, Communication, Organization, and Time Management are just a few of the topics he offers.
