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Do we live according to our own truths, or according to those prescribed to us by others? As dedicated goaltenders, sometimes it is difficult to sift through all of the noise and chaos in our daily lives and focus our thoughts on our intentions. With so many people offering advice and so many choices available to us, we can easily lose track of our goals. Instead of relying on our own instincts to guide our decisions, we put more weight on what others think we should do. In some cases, this proves to be beneficial, but in other situations it can be deadly. How do we know which path to take and whose advice to follow when it all seems so confusing? In the Tao Te Ching, the ancient Chinese prophet Lao-Tzu gives clarity to this dilemma. He tells us to search for the truth within ourselves, using our own intuition to guide us and our own thoughts to direct our intentions. When we are faced with a decision, we can listen to others and take their advice into consideration. But when it comes time to actually make the decision, we must search deep within ourselves to find the right answer. Sometimes this is easy to do and the right choice is clear in our own conscience. In other instances, we are confused, and our ultimate direction is unknown. In those times when a decision is necessary but no clear answer is presenting itself, we must learn to withdrawal [see Chapter 9] and find a quiet place in order to focus our minds on what it is we truly desire. We must block out other people’s desires for us and narrow in on what we desire for ourselves. If we can learn to guide our thoughts in the direction of what feels best and good and positive to us, more often than not, the right decision will present itself to us without much effort. But in order to do this, we must make sure to focus our thoughts on the positive rather than the negative. For example, instead of thinking, “I am not seeing enough playing time…” we must instead think, “I love being in the game.” Instead of thinking, “I cannot make that save…” we must think, “Making that save feels really good.” Instead of thinking, “my coach does not appreciate my effort,” we must think “it feels good when my coach pats me on the back.” Do you see the difference? By putting a positive spin on our thoughts, we begin to create a positive flow that can only point us in the right direction. As goaltenders, we are subjected to continuous evaluation by the media, coaches and managers, and sometimes by our own families. In order to maximize our success both at the rink and beyond, we must constantly focus our inner thoughts on the positive aspects of our game and our lives. Our thoughts precede our actions, and our thoughts are one thing over which we all have complete control. Those who make an ongoing commitment to “…sit quietly and find the truth within…” will eventually find themselves in the perfect place at the perfect time. This is not luck, this is law.