Charlie Magdaleno: Blog

  As those of you who have been kind enough to follow along with this blog know, I like to mention people from time to time that I find to be particularly remarkable or notable.  

  One such person I feel is worth mentioning, for a purpose of course, is the new boyfriend of one of my dearest friends.  He is what the young kids today would call a "catch."  He's tall, handsome, charismatic, witty, and adventurous.  In addition, he's a perfect balance of style and function in that he's a Southern California surfer/lifeguard who's now up at the other end of the state working to become a lawyer.  To put it shortly, the guy's a stud.  However, even with all of his charm, good looks, and intelligence, I think his most outstanding attribute is his discipline.  

  As you can imagine, being successful in one of the most recognized schools in the state as well as in one of the most competitive and cutthroat fields in the world is not for the meek or the lazy; and it requires those who wish to excel to make great personal sacrifices, and leaves no room for those who are not willing to do whatever it takes to succeed.  It is with that in mind that makes his success, and how he goes about achieving it, so inspiring.

  You see, while he's at school up north, his new (and even MORE Earth-shatteringly awesome) lady is home- down at the bottom end of the Golden State.  I know that if I were in his position, as well as anyone else who finds him or herself enjoying all of the excitement and wonder of a young romance, I would spend every waking moment trying to be in constant contact with that "special someone."  Yet, he doesn't.  In fact, he's relatively "strict" about the time he allows himself for her.  This sounds bad the way I'm presenting it, but it's actually a very good thing.

  Through his discipline, he develops a strong and purposeful balance between what he needs to do and what he wants to do.  Before he frees himself for his nightly talks with her, he spends his day completely focused on his scholastic duties; and he stops talking to her relatively early in order to get to bed at a reasonable time and to get enough sleep to fuel the following day.  I, a lesser man, would more than likely shrug off some of my duties, and most certainly sacrifice sleep, to speak with my lady.  However, by doing that, I cannot fully be committed to my time with her because in the back of my mind I'll have all of the things I needed to do but didn't, and now still need to do; in addition to being mentally and physically exhausted from a lack of sleep.  In his case, when it's time to work, he works.  When it's time to sleep, he sleeps.  But, and I know you shouldn't start a sentence with "but," in those few hours that he dedicates to spend time with her, he is with her- completely.  For those few hours, she has his full attention. 

  It is this kind of disciplined and purposeful living that I am always trying to promote to you folks, and striving for myself.  When you can establish this level of balance and commitment between the different aspects of your life, you can establish a rhythm of excellence in all of them, and find the "happy medium" between quality and quantity.  I can tell you that this way of living has worked beautifully for his relationship with my friend, and I can only imagine it's equally successful for him individually.

  I strongly suggest we all take a lesson out of the "Lawyer-Lifeguard's Guide to Living" and let work be work, and play be play.  You'd be amazed what you can accomplish in all manners of existence when you can create this sort of separation, and generate the focus and deliberation it takes to maintain it.