No price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself – Nietzsche
Let’s be honest. Time and money – we just seem to never have enough of. They are deciding factors on any decision we make.
But what we do with our TIME – this has a direct effect on our money and ultimately our well being.
I get it. I truly do.
I own and operate my own business, and I am a father to four awesome kids. I am very aware that my wife and I are their primary role models. We are responsible for setting their moral compass through our own actions.
As a parent – your kids should *always* look to you, their parents, for guidance first. Make no mistake – they watch and learn.
My wife and I value physical and mental training in our home. We take care to eat responsibly and find respecting our bodies goes a long way towards how we feel towards others. We guide our kids down this road – however rocky it can be at times.
My son trains Jiu Jitsu – and has been for a couple years now. I’ve jumped in with him – I’m just not the type of Father that can sit on the sidelines. I want these skills for my son.
He’s better than me. A lot better. And I couldn’t be prouder. I have been there – on the mats with him while he has learned and struggled with learning a martial skill that will someday give him the advantage in a situation I may not be there for.
He also trains a little harder in my gym now too – he still lets his mind wander (a lot), but he wants to take down the bigger kids. I know it’s up to me to lead him, support him and remind him.
Through my actions – not sitting on the sidelines.
He’s always watching – even if I don’t remember…
I walked into a training session with him a few weeks ago very distracted. Exhausted from my own weightlifting training and the always exciting lifestyle of being a gym owner myself, I was – just out of it.
I couldn’t focus on a move with my partner. Footwork was trash, head on the wrong side – just everything off.
My coach had enough. “Dreaver – 10 push ups, get your head out of your ass.”
I didn’t question it. I deserved it. I dropped to the floor for my penalty push ups. Breathed through them rhythmically, got my mind right in that brief 10 reps – and reminded myself how important it was to be there, in that moment.
Now, I can’t say I got off the floor as a superstar, but I started moving better. I reengaged with my training and had a good session.
My son – he gave me shit immediately when we got in the truck. “You got yelled at and had to do push ups. Haha – My partner and I laughed when we heard the coach yell at you to get your head out of your ass”.
Now, I’m a 45 year old man that’s had – a unique life. I’ve built and created everything I have myself. I find great honor in this. In no other scenario would I allow anyone an opportunity to berate me in front of my son.
And this – this is where the lesson lies reader.
I looked at my son, sweat still dripping off my face, smiled and laughed too. “Yeah, I bet that was pretty funny. But man, I just couldn’t focus and I really kind of needed that.”
To which he replied – “I was having a hard time focusing today too. I would have had to do push ups too if he would have seen us in the beginning of class”.
I explained that we do the push ups because we value the training. The training we are receiving is something we both want and the skills can be applied in so many facets of our day to day life.
We have to be there – in that moment, during our training. We cannot let outside distraction clutter up and waste our valuable training time.
A good coach can see this. A good mentor can break you out of the funk and get you back in the game. Sometimes they need to shake you out of it with some push ups…
I see great value in my son learning a martial art. BUT in turn – my son has to learn that I see value in placing respect in my coaches time and being in the moment – for the entirety of the moment.
If this was something we didn’t care about – why would we be here?
Time is valuable. You’ve created an image for yourself and others in your mind. It requires change and a break from routine. The journey can be long, it can be rigorous and challenging – but change is a process that starts with learning the way.
Your training in that change is everything. Value your training sessions – these windows of time are steps on the journey to who you want to become.
Break the norm this time around. Find a coached program with coaches that can get you where you want to go.
My gym in Downtown Ocala, Florida has programs throughout the day that are professionally coached. Beginners to advanced athletes here all find value in our coached sessions – and they get better every day because of it.
However you go about it – just remember to value your training time. Be in that moment and soak up everything you can!
We are pulling for you!
Yours in Strength and Confidence,
-Coach Ted
#strengthoverfear #forgingbetterhumans