Irish dance diet - How to find your own pot of gold

Month: 9
Weight: 142
Weight lost: 13 pounds
Muscle gained: 17
Total fat loss: 30 pounds

You may have heard that a man will become rich by following a rainbow to its end, where fabled leprechauns squirrel away their gold. Are the legends true? Can something be had for nothing? 

I think we all know the answer:  there is no replacement for hard work. 

Those pounds are not going to melt away like magic. Strong muscles will not build themselves. 

Leprechauns are tricky fellows; they lure the unsuspecting on an impossible quest. To the mythological laborer, assurance of easy riches is a powerful siren that calls him away from the daily grind toward a magical life of ease. He leaves all that he has worked for and drifts toward the allusive rainbow, always just out of reach.

Scientifically, we understand that the rainbow is an optical effect that depends on the location of the viewer. The closer we try to get to its end, the further away the bow will drift.

A rainbow can be thought of in a different light: as a visionary goal. Think of the rainbow as a metaphor for a lofty goal that you have set for yourself. Does it seem so far away that you could walk forever and never reach it?

Unlike a physical rainbow, we have control over the attainability of our personal rainbows. I had a teacher in high school who drilled the importance of determined work into my brain, “Working will win, when wishy-washy wishing won’t,” he often quoted (Thanks Mr. C).

Photo: flickr user dingbat2005

Think of the most successful people you know. Did they pine away after a get-rich-quick scheme or complain about how they just couldn't give up their cola to improve their health? If you take a close look at those people whom you admire, you will see a trend of hard work and determination. Probe a little further and those accomplished success stories will reveal a secret the leprechauns would rather you didn’t know:  when they reached the end of their journey for success, it wasn’t the “pot of gold” at the end that gave them the satisfaction they had looked towards, it was the passage of time and work that became the real treasure.

Dictionary.com defines a pot of gold as the realization of all one’s hopes and dreams; ultimate success, fulfillment, or happiness. That kind of gold can be found at the end of anyone’s rainbow. Look for your own bow of light, and resist the urge to wait around for success to find you. Catherine Pulsifer, editor of Inspirational Words of Wisdom puts it another way, “Wishing for something occupies the mind, but leaves the bank empty. “

Whether you are working toward improving your health, learning a new set dance, or improving your technique, work hard and keep your rainbow in view, and your own pot of gold will be within grabbing distance. Just don’t forget to gather the valuable nuggets abounding from your efforts along the way.

Readers: Are you an Irish dancer or a dance school, competitive or not, with a story to share? Would you like to inspire others to feel your passion for Irish dancing and culture? Do you have a question about Irish dancing?