Rick Torrison explores pivotal life moments like loss, job changes, and health news. He argues you choose how to respond to these defining moments, turning trauma into opportunity. He references Tin Cup and urges listeners to pick faith over fear.
Are there moments in your life that have marked you? Those moments that you can't forget? When everything seems to change in an instant? You know, you can't go back to your old way of doing things or your old way of thinking. You may not know how your life was just changed, but you know, it has just changed. You know, usually these moments are not something we're planning for. You know, it's like they sneak up on us and bam, they hit us. And in that moment, everything changes. You know, we call these defining moments. They are pivotal moments of decision in our lives when we experience something that fundamentally changes us, how we think and how we act. It seems that most defining moments happen when we least expect them. And they usually involve some kind of drastic change or decision that we've got to make. You know, they could be triggered by a sudden loss of a loved one. Maybe it's the loss of a job we didn't see coming, or even the promotion that far exceeded anything we were expect. Maybe it's the news from the doctor that that lump we discovered, it's not as harmless as we thought it was. Defining moments, those moments in time that demand a response from us. What defines that moment is not so much what happened, but how we decide to respond to what happened. Most defining moments come from places of trauma. What makes it a defining moment is when we're able to turn that trauma or obstacle into a triumph or opportunity. Defining moments are found in every story. Defining moments are found in your story. What are the defining moments in your life? Do you know? How have they defined you? How have you engaged them? How have you responded to them? Have they changed you? You know, if you don't like the change, what are you gonna do about it? Just because it was a defining moment doesn't make it a final moment. If you don't like the outcome of the defining moment, maybe it's time for another def moment in your life that you control. Where you stand up, put a stake in the ground, and head in another direction. Believe something different, act differently. The beauty about defining moments is you get to choose the response in that moment. I believe that defining moments are not the things that happen to us as much as they are how we go through the things that happen to us. You know, there's a movie in the late 90s, it was with Kevin Costner and Rene Russo. It was called Tin Cup. I'm not sure if you've seen it. I'm dating myself. Right. It was a movie about a washed up golf pro who tries to qualify for the US Open to try to win the heart of his rival's girlfriend. He's facing a nearly impossible shot and he has to decide if he wants to take the sure thing to lay it up and win or go for the green. It's a long shot that could cost him everything, so he went for it. He didn't make it. When asked why he went for it instead of taking the sure thing, he said this. He said When a defining moment comes along, you can do one of two Define the moment or let the moment define you. Which do you choose? Defining moments in our lives may be when we come face to face with a truth. When we experience a sudden loss or trauma, or the unexpected of life just happens when those defining moments come, Can I offer you a thought about how to engage in moment? Don't be afraid to recognize it when it comes. Here's the truth. Half the battle is recognizing the situation for what it is and determining that you are going to define it, not the other way around. One way to do that is to see past the moment. It's only a moment. When you see past it, you can go through it with the hope of something greater on the other side. Choose faith over fear. Fear paralyzes us in the moment and keeps us from our future. See the moment as an opportunity to grow and become something greater. Will you be ready to define the moment when it comes, or will the moment define you? Thanks for letting me journey with you. Until next time. I'm Rick Torresen and I'm believing your best is yet to come.
