Do you know this expression, “The Whole 9 Yards”? The origin of this expression is unknown but it probably comes from World War 2 when Fire Pilots had guys at the doors of their planes shooting at ground targets with 50 caliber machine guns. Those 50 rounds came in belts and each belt’s length was 9 yards, each belt was 9 yards long.
When the fire pilots knew that the odds are against them they would say to the men firing the machine guns “Give them the whole 9 yards!”, so if they go down they would know that they gave all they got.
Now, what’s the meaning of this expression? We all have dreams in life. Some of us will reach half of what they dream, majority will forget about their dreams getting lost in the streams of life. Only 1%, maybe even less, will reach their dreams achieving all they have ever wanted and more. Why? I will answer both of the questions with one answer, They gave everything they got.
For the fire pilots and the gunners of the aircraft it was a fight between life and death. For people who have a dream and strong will to make that dream reality it’s still a fight between life and death.
They cannot accept a life where they are unable to have what they dream about. It is either death, or having what they want. That is why they give everything they have, every fiber of their body works together to spend everything the person has to achieve the goal, to live the dream. Now you need to ask yourself, How much are you willing to sacrifice for your dream?
If your answer is less than “The whole 9 yards” in all probability you will fail. You will work your entire life always feeling like the dream is just around the corner while in fact you’ll be chasing the rabbit.
Nothing less than everything you got is required if you want to reach your dream. You cannot party every weekend, or sleep 8 hours per day or work only 5 days per week and expect to reach your dream.
You need to go through hell, you must work 7 days per week and work before you go to work and after you get back from work. You must spend countless sleepless nights working towards your dream in order to reach it in time. You must go that extra mile when your legs cannot carry you any more, do that extra set or finish that extra task no matter how tired you are.
It is hard, of course it is, it’s insanely hard but it’s a fight between life or dead, what else do you expect it to be. If it was easy everybody would do it but it’s not. It’s a filter which separates successful from unsuccessful and you must decide right now, right at this moment, who are you and what are you willing to sacrifice.
If it looks too hard for you and you find that you are happy with what you have, that your dream is not worthy of you sacrificing everything you have than it’s alright buddy, live your life, do what you need to do and be happy. After all being happy is the point of life.
But if you feel that fire burning deep inside every time you picture yourself living a mediocre life, if you know, deep in your heart, that you were born for something greater, bigger than anybody can understand, that you are here to change the world, that your life is more than working for someone 9 – 5, than prepare yourself for hell.
“You must go through hell to get to heaven” there is no shortcut. You must sacrifice everything good you have right now at this moment, everything you achieved. You must never be satisfied with your work until you reach the place you want to be at.
Get Pissed Off for greatness, channel that anger you feel because you are not where you want to be into energy to move you forward. Find Your Fire and let its energy help you through hell because nobody else will be able to help you. Use Everything in Your Advantage and never stop, resist the need to stop and sooner or later you will have The Thing That Makes You Get Up from Bed Every Morning.
If you give your Whole 9 Yards, only 2 things can happen. Either you’ll reach a place more beautiful than your wildest fantasy with everything you’ve ever wanted, or you will die trying. Whatever happens, at least you won’t live a life that makes you throw up.
THE CODE <Every single one of us will die, but only some of us will actually live>
