“Let age enhance your dreams, rather than define them”
Bruce
W. Conner 2008
The following passage is from Bruce's upcoming book. Check back here for details and look for it soon!!
Many people have asked me why
am I faster now than ever before? The answer is not simple or
short. I could name several reasons that on the surface would explain
why, but I would not be telling the whole story. Why am I telling my
story? I feel compelled to pass on what I have learned to anyone who is
interested. It gives me great joy to pass this knowledge and wisdom on to
others. If someone can improve on what I have learned and passed on we
all win. I hope that anyone interested in my unique story will learn
something and then we all win. I compete more against myself than anyone
else. I am honored to train and compete and share with others, and to see
others get the most out of their life through this journey. Sharing my
story also reaffirms and strengthens my own beliefs. I hope that by
sharing my winning experience, strength and hope that you may be inspired.
Through this journey that
started when I was young, I could not have imagined how rich my life has
become.I have reconnected with my
passion for skating, training, goals and achievement.I have found the love of my life, whom I
share a home and a fantastic, whole, free, and rich life with.I have developed relationships with a group
of men I call my friends and brothers that has been priceless on this sometimes
rocky, unpredictable and often hysterical journey of life. My
relationshipswith my parents and my two
brothers has grown and strenghtened in ways that I could not have ever imagined
a few years ago. The depth of the love that I experience now, was not even on
my radar.
Skating has come full circle
for me.It started as a competitive
sport for me when I was young.My
brothers and I used to race on the weekends.I started when I was twelve. Through the vehicle of my sport I have
learned about my self.I have never been
so exposed as when I am skating.If my
body is not responding for some reason there is a deeper meaning and it is up
to me to find it, and the lesson.If I
am not balanced, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, the ice
will give me immediate feedback.It is
up to me to then apply all my tools to regain and maintain my balance to move
forward in skating and my life.I use
skating as a mirror for how I am living my life and how I can learn, change and
grow.
I have also developed
relationships in skating that I could not have imagined as a young man.My coach is a great friend, my fellow
training partners and skaters share my passion and have a special bond like no
one else.I am so grateful for the
skaters that I mentor through sharing my experience.I gives me great joy to see someone “get it”
and brake through a barrier.
I am a big picture kind of
guy. I like to see things from high up, then focus in on specifics.
Maybe that is why I fly airplanes for a living.
I like to break through
barriers. I have learned that if I want to change my life I must change
the way I think. Everything starts with a thought.
I do things because they are
hard, not because they are easy. This give me great joy!!!
If I have the imagination to
dream it, and the willingness to do the work, I can achieve almost anything!!!
I read a book recently about
survival. It spoke about what kind of people survive and who dies in
basic survival situations. If I know the landscape, keep focused on
moving forward, set goals I will survive and even thrive. This can carry
me to unimagined places of wonder, beauty, and grace.
I have expectations on living
a long full life based on family genetics. I hope to grow very old, and
do it well. I cannot predict the future for myself, as far as anything
goes. I can share what I know now, and what I believe. My attitudes
do set a stage that will likely predict future outcomes. Take what
you like of my story and leave the rest. This is what has worked for
me. It is not for everyone. If you get something out of this story,
then all the better.
