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I was on the treadmill the other night out on the water. Listening to Jocko Podcast #139, a review of "A Soldiers Journal," an account of the Bataan Death March by James Bollich. Details emerged in the story, and a shift of perspective ensued. I caught myself thinking "It's hot in the little gym space on the ship, not much ventilation," but after hearing a story of 3.5 years in captivity...I have it so good. I'm literally living a life of complete luxury. Oh, "my rack is so small and stiff" - I'm not sleeping below deck in complete darkness, crammed, covered in waste. Oh my Spotify music is disabled because my phone hasn't connected to synch to a network in over 30 days - this guy spent 3.5 YEARS without music, a good meal, clean clothes, or a bed to sleep in. I can't stop running, my pain is minute compared to what these men faced. No complaints here. None at all. https://www.instagram.com/p/BwWhJaxAq1r1c02hHJbyODHyfIHD-4LYUYBlqQ0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=gwu35o0gmq43
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GOOD Friday
GOOD Friday. In much of society, we celebrate Easter Sunday, and rightfully so. Often overlooked, however, is Good Friday. The day that the work was done. The day that the sacrifice was made. In celebrating Easter Sunday, we celebrate the glory, the victory, the game winning touchdown, home run, and alley-oop. And we should celebrate that in every way possible. But we would never have Sunday's beauty without the hard choices that were made in the darkness of Friday.
What one believes is to be a personal truth; is his or her own personal truth, and I respect all differences in belief. Some lessons heeded in Jesus's story of Good Friday can be applied universally. As there are narratives that tell similar lessons throughout history:
The choice to face the world as it is, with all its malevolence, and stand tall amongst the storm. In this, he chose to bear the cross both literally and figuratively, acknowledging the weaknesses and fallibility of all of us humans, yet embracing these impurities in faith that the ends are worth the means. This set an example we can all follow, of carrying your own personal cross; we all have a unique challenge to carry. And challenges come every day in the form of resistance, in doing the hard thing, the thing you know is right. To Jesus, this came in the challenge we all know so well: to have mercy on those who show hatred towards you - as their hatred comes from within, and is a manifestation of their internal discontent. And lastly, we can learn to lean into the obstacle, rather than avoiding it, because overcoming your battles will set the example, and help direct the world on it's careening trajectory, a bit more towards heaven and away from hell.
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Tuesday's Gone
I was feeling weak. The enemy forces of fatigue had infiltrated past my sentries. The day began with a snooze and not a workout. By the middle of the day, the discipline eagerly gave way to the Pizza Hut which was so easily accessible on the conference table. Upon departing the workplace came glimmering hopes of glorious workouts and noble achievements. As quickly as those thoughts arose, they were vanquished by the cool rain which so gently fell upon the landscape. Like the goddess of sleep herself was serving these droplets. "Call it a day" the sirens of Mount Plateau were singing. "You've done enough lately" the evil chorus echoed. The battle against resistance was in its darkest hour, as our forces were up against worthy foes on this day. We were nearly over-run, cut off from resupply, and close air support ineffective due to weather conditions. The first day off from training in 3 months was in peril of occuring. A trip to find carb and sugar filled empty calories was dangerously close.
At the this very moment, I recalled the commander in tactical control, who holds the position of ownership and responsibility of this battle, the battle of every day, the battle of breathing air on this planet. He dug his heels deep into the ground. He grabbed this barbell, he grabbed his truck keys, and he engaged the enemy face to face. There was no flank in this battle plan, this mission relied upon extreme will. For the siren's calls of relaxation and rest on this day were purely fantasies - they weren't real. The reality is there was no other choice. Regardless of the resistance, whatever shape it takes, those were weak childish fantasies. Stoically, I brush those aside. Because on this path, on this Tuesday, the resistance is defeated. It will be back again, but it's gone, gone with the wind. Tuesdays gone, train roll on.
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Inside/outside. Morning/afternoon. Swim/run. Push/pull. Book/podcast. Work/volunteer. Whichever time/place/method, albeit sometimes roundabout, always FORWARD.
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We've got rural scenes & magazines We've got truckers on the CB We've got Richard Pryor on the video We got time to think of the ones we love While the miles roll away But the only time that seems too short Is the time that we get to play (at Massillon, Ohio)
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"December 7, 1941 - A date which will live in infamy..." President Franklin D. Roosevelt 75 years in remembrance, 75 laps this morning in reverence of those at Pearl Harbor. For the many who gave the ultimate sacrifice on that day, when a sleeping giant was awoken and our nation was entered into World War 2, and for those who answered the call and showed our nation's resolve.
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Friday night CFWS GET SOME Salute to the Veterans. Of all wars, from 1776 all the way up to 2016. To the Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, Coast Guardsmen, to the medics, engineers, corpsman, Pilots, mechanics, intelligence, divers, logistics, support personnel, UDT, Frogman, Nightstalkers, Rangers, MARSOC, Airborne, PJ's, and everyone I'm missing. And all the military families and spouses on the home front for their selfless service and dedication. Workout powered by Toby Keith, Dropkick Murphy's, Metallica, Rage Against The Machine, and just pure red blooded patriotism. The Seven: A suicide bomber killed seven CIA officers and one Jordanian officer at a remote base in southeastern Afghanistan on December 30, 2009 after posing as a potential informant reporting on Al Qaeda. Seven new stars will be etched onto the memorial wall at the CIA where every star represents grieving friends, family and colleagues dedicated to fight against the enemy, forever in their name. Killed in the attack were CIA officers Jennifer Lynne Matthews, 45; Scott Michael Roberson, 39; Harold E. Brown Jr., 37; Darren LaBonte, 35; Elizabeth Hanson, 30; and security contractors Jeremy Jason Wise, 35, and Dane Clark Paresi, 46. (at Crossfit Winston-Salem)
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Getting After It - Part II
My previous post was about the climb. About pushing the stone uphill, and working, fighting, struggling, to get to the top. This is beautiful, right? What we all wish for, the pinnacle of success. But, what after this?
Great times are great softeners. When on a hot streak, when riding high, the toughest thing to do is remain focused on the hard work and process that got you to that point. We’ve all seen the comedians who when they were poor and broke, were funny as hell. Next thing you know they are acting in way too many movies and wearing out their once-welcoming audiences. Or you may be familiar with the athlete who signs a huge multi-million dollar contract after a great season, only to see their production and value plummet for the rest of their career. Epictetus once said, “You cannot learn what you think you already know." If you start to believe in your own greatness, it is often the death to your creativity.
It’s absolutely necessary to retain a humble mindset, no matter if we are in great times or tough times. Abundance can be its own obstacle, as it shields the awareness of your own ego, that it exists. Ego blurs the lines between our strengths and weaknesses, and we become fooled into thinking that everything we touch will be as magnificent as that one thing we were successful at. We begin to pose, and lose our poise. When we become attached to things in life, such as past success - we become the victim. We start drinking our own Kool-Aid and believe in the hype, rather than remaining true to the work ethic and fundamentals that got us there.
Regression and stagnation don’t assault us, they sneak in unnoticeably. It begins with one snooze button here, cutting corners here, one missed workout here, and all the sudden you look up and you’re not the person you want to be. We must aggressively fight against age and decay, as they seem so infinitely far away, yet appear all too soon when we relax. Are you going to rest on your laurels, or are you going to go the distance?
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Getting After It
This is a summarization of some lessons I've learned through experience, and reading the experiences of others. Through trial and error, lots of error, and the study of why, I share the words below as a timeline of commonly shared struggles of a specific type of story. It is a story we all may go through at some point, one I wish I'd read earlier in life, and hope I can adhere to in the future. I'm posting it so I can look back to it for my own reference, but also just in case someone reads and gets a little value from it. I once heard that there are 3 major levels you must enter when making a transformation: unbearable, uncomfortable, unstoppable. First comes the unbearable stage. When we aim high towards a challenging goal, pressure and stress obligingly come along for the ride. Unpleasant surprises are almost guaranteed. For some, in their first shock of discomfort, they give in, give up, and say 'its not for me.' When introduced to a daunting and fearsome obstacle, the mind immediately races to alternatives, asking for something easier, more comfortable. This is where if you give yourself an out, or have a fallback plan, you will take it. We are culturally taught to follow the path of least resistance when encountering obstacles. However, there is always a way through - and no one said it would be easy. Those possessing the fortitude to carry on, are next into the 2nd phase, a lengthy stage of being uncomfortable. This is when you continue along with this task, not always in enjoyment, yet holding your nerve and soldiering on steadily. This is where motivation may lack, and many will quit their new endeavor. These individuals resist to adapt mentally or physically to their new challenges. Gone are the inspirational sparks of enthusiasm with which you started, and the fruits of your labor seem nowhere in sight. Your ability to act and proceed in motivation's absence carries you along through pure will and faith. This can be summed up in one of my favorite quotes of Jocko Willink: "Don't count on motivation, count on discipline." Count on the discipline to keep getting up, keep moving, keep clawing against regression, against weaknesses, against the voice in your head telling you to rest - because you have faith in the cause. Those who continue into the third phase usually can't quite pinpoint when they passed into the realm of greatness. They were probably too busy working hard at their craft. One day you look up, and you are unstoppable. This transformation has become you. You're on top of the game, in a flow state of seemingly effortless execution. Without your knowing, the extent of the struggle has become the extent of the growth. The obstacles, once viewed as adversity, are now proven to be advantages in the journey. After every challenge you face and rise above, there is no rest and relaxation area. Passing one obstacle simply says you're worthy of more. Simply, do your job, whatever it is, and do it well. Wherever we are, whatever we're doing and wherever we are going, we owe it to ourselves, to our art, to the world to do it well. The world throws more at you once it knows you can take it. The whole picture isn't certain, but it is built piece by piece with each decision to plow forward. For us to continually succeed requires maintaining the aspirational mindset of calm, deliberate action from challenge to challenge - yet still enjoying the climb.
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#22pushupsfor22days Day #22 of raising awareness for Veteran's suicide. It's hard to put yourself in someone else's shoes. Especially to think of what it's like to experience what these men and women have in combat zones, and come back home to a world, a world that is completely different than any expectations. I can only imagine that when you've given all that you have to something so big, it can be a lonely feeling when that something is gone. For some who are not seeing a purpose forward, it may seem the honorable and selfless action to leave this world on your own terms. I hope and pray that all in this situation, who have taken this action, are at peace. I pray that their families are at peace, and proud of the service their son or daughter gave in defense of this American idea. This idea, one born of benevolent ideals, whose fabric is constructed of all who have given their lives in battle, during or after wars. And I pray that going forward we all can reach out with better understanding to our returning warriors, while honoring those who have gone before. May their eternal bivouac continue to be guarded by Glory. (at Wilmington National Cemetery)
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#22pushupsfor22days #fortheveterans Day #21 in raising awareness for Veteran's suicide. Respect and gratitude. When taking a freedom ride on the ferry, I felt it was a good time to drop down and show some thankfulness for the beautiful liberties we enjoy. Thank you again to all Vets. Please remember the battle is always worth fighting, and we're here for ya.
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#22pushupsfor22days #fortheveterans Day #20. Joined this morning by @q.forbes for his Day #21. Thank you to all Vets, and those fighting a silent battle - may they know there are many here on the home front ready to help. (at Crossfit Winston-Salem)
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I have been challenged in @realdakotawallace 's "30 for 30 - For the Abs." And I have accepted. Thank you brother for giving me a reason to get on some GHD sit-ups for the first time in a while. (Disclaimer: I broke it up into sets of 10.) Now I will raise your challenge, and within the 30 days of sit-ups let's spread this idea of core strength with a little giving - and mandate whoever participates to make a one-time $30 donation to the charity of their choice. I went ahead and made mine. Now, @pjmillertime81 the challenge is on to you!
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#22pushupsfor22days #22pushupchallenge #fortheveterans #lunchtimepumptime Day #19 After a brief hiatus, back to finish strong. Thank you to all the Vets, we're here for ya. Matt Wilson, the challenge has been raised to you!
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When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. Filters don't just appear on Instagram to show muscle definition or make a token nature photo more appealing. Filters are in our everyday lives, interactions with each other, and how we interpret situations. When you look at your life in the darkness, things can get gloomy, crowded, and frustrating. But when you look at how much good there is, gratefully embracing the mere existence that we all have for this brief period of time, it all becomes more beautiful. Everything that we see is how we choose to see it.
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Planning vs. Action
There's a saying in the Dominican Republic for aspiring baseball players with dreams of making the MLB that says "you can't walk your way off of the island." To differentiate oneself and prove his potential to Major League scouts, he must swing at every pitch he sees. This is much like we, in our various endeavors, sometimes say yes to everything and every opportunity that comes our way. For these ballplayers, the biggest thing they must learn once they get to the States is how to not swing - but how to wait for the right pitch. Conversely, too much patience can lead to missed opportunities. But how can you know if your ready? Isn't it the essence of progress in those who innovate and take risks? Of taking aggressive action? I believe the answer is somewhere in the balance. Somewhere blending aggressive pursuit, and methodical strategy. How can you have the discipline to wait for your pitch, where your confidence and skills have you prepared to crush it? "An ounce of action is worth a ton of theory," Ralph Waldo Emerson once said. Resist, we must, the desire to pretend that everything unfolds exactly as planned, as there is no grand narrative. Make it about the work and the principles behind it, not about some glorious future vision. Having a vision and plan, but not being a prisoner to the plan. One of the most common military adages of all time is that no plan survives first contact with the enemy. Plans always put the focus on some future destiny, when success is built one day at a time. A great destiny, Seneca once said, is slavery. Being consistent and committed to a plan, but careful not to be a prisoner to said plan. If one can instill excellence in execution, at the end of the season the score will speak for itself. To take it back to the beginning example: swing away. Swing away every day. But, trust yourself to know good pitches from bad. It is a true dichotomy, where success happens from patience, but at the same time you must be aggressive. Learn to walk this line and I believe we'll be amongst the very best.
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#22pushupsfor22days #fortheveterans Day #16. To further this mission objective please visit http://lonesurvivorfoundation.org/ Thank you @anhudson11 for joining in to support today with her own very special version of pushups. #sundayfunday
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