Designed For Danger

     A childhood memory I fondly recall is running through the woods to my tree fort yelling: " I wanna be an airborne ranger; I wanna live a life of danger." Unbeknownst to me this would eventually become my life's mantra. Was I just a crazy SOB or being called to something beyond my wildest expectations?

    What does it mean to live a life of danger? My definition is to approach your life boldly and courageously in everything that you do. It means being the architect of your life and living it on your terms. By taking the narrow path and forging your own way and embracing your god given uniqueness. Nobody can do everything, but everybody can do something. A person must discover what their gift is and share it with the world fearlessly. 

    I'm constantly striving to push my own limits and don't wait for permission to embark on new endeavors. It's at the margins of your abilities where you truly experience the fullness of life. Everything you want is on the other side of your fear. If you take anything away from this message let it be this: ' Don't let the trials of life, be a stranger; face them with ferocity and know you are designed for danger...

 

Athletic Arete'

 Arete' - The pursuit of excellence...

    

    Why is chasing perfection a noble endeavor, because what you will attain is excellence. It's one's responsibility to be a good steward of their bodies. Embracing your physique and striving to maximize your genetics will benefit every aspect of life. This can be accomplished by practicing discipline and instilling good habits. Fitness is comprised of both nutrition and physical training in order to achieve desired results. An individual has to frequently train at the margins of their ability to become hard to injure and hard to kill. In this pursuit you will be an asset to your family and society. It's a tragedy to reach the end of one's life not fulfilling their God given potential. You are not going to make it out of this life alive, so why not go all in to reach that apex of humanity known as Arete'...

 

Shoot. Ready. Aim.

        50%...This is the number of people my mid-January have quit their new year resolutions. I've always been agitated and intrigued by this phenomenon. Why do so many well intentioned people lose motivation or let the minutia of everyday life derail them. The new year is the summation of the following slogans:

- New Year...New You!

- Live your best life this year!

- Your transformation awaits you!

    We all have heard these empty platitudes put on endless repeat for the month of January. Every year it's a new commercial with a new tag line that's supposed to inspire us into lasting change. I think by now we as a society has seen how well that's working out for us. One month of motivation and a list of vague resolutions isn't going to produce favorable results. We must have a reason bigger than ourselves in order to create a compelling future to achieve a new lifestyle. This approach will sustain an individual when it becomes difficult, and willpower is diminished. Another common obstacle is procrastinating, because people are waiting for the conditions and timing to be perfect. This is a day that never comes and will be the greatest barrier to success. We must take action and get started to create momentum. Enough with the excuses, delays, and blame just pick up your metaphorical rifle and SHOOT.READY.AIM...

 

 

Excess Denied 🚫

    Another year has passed bringing in the holiday season. Truthfully these festive months are the best of times, but professionally the bane of my existence. Our culture's celebration of excess and indulgence is never more evident than now. Here is a pre-emptive strike to help mitigate the caloric damage ahead.

    First and foremost, you have to continue with you training regimen. The natural inclination is to take some downtime and resume after the first of the year. This is a costly mistake that too many people make. The next landmine is caloric intake through alcohol consumption. This ever-present foe is at every social gathering and family meal. Lastly the plethora of sweets that are available just about everywhere you go during the holidays. These temptations are formidable opponents that are 

best mitigated through moderation and portion control.

    By all means go to the party and have that glass of wine with a cookie. This is a time to celebrate and enjoy the company of family and friends. It doesn't have to be at the expense of your health and hard work. What you do between the months of (Jan - Nov) is much more important than what you do between (Nov - Jan). Be sure to keep your gluttony in check so that excess will be denied...

       

 

Break to Build

    "We are going to break you down boys to make you into navy men" shouts my drill instructors at basic training. I quickly found out the true meaning of forged through adversity. The term "uniformity must prevail" was seared into my conscience. I walk into Navy RTC an eager boy and came out a formidable man.

    The shared hardship and teamwork that fostered comradery amongst men of all different parts of the country was one of the greatest experiences of my life. At the beginning we were complete strangers and in the end we all bled blue and gold. That type of unity is what our nation is in desperate need of today. The adage "iron sharpens iron" is a quality most eminent in the military. To level up in life you have to be willing to pay the price of admission.

     It's common knowledge that suffering is an unavoidable part of existence and the harder you are on yourself the easier life will be on you. I believe that a person should seek out voluntary hardship to fortify them against the challenges ahead. Change is a constant variable within all our lives, so in order to be congruent with it you must break to build...

 

Nature's Crucible

How do you test yourself?

          What metrics do you use for improvement?

          How often do you operate at the margins of your ability?

    These are primary questions to use to evaluate your overall health and fitness. I believe that your training regimen must be intentional, and purpose driven. It needs to be dynamic with skillset acquisition to create the ability to endure hardship. There is no better arena to challenge oneself then being at the mercy of nature.

    The great outdoors offers a test that will introduce a person to oneself and reveal their potential. From grueling terrain to brutal exposure of the elements will exploit weaknesses in the best athletes. This is the exact proving ground for someone who wants to answer the question: "Do I have what it takes." Nature doesn't care if you are tired, hungry, or hurt its relentless and will claim your life.

    Then why would someone subject themself to such danger and risk? It's the person who has an unsatiable desire to seek the limits of their physical and mental capabilities. There is nothing tragic about dying doing something you love. When you want to apply your training while forging your character take a chance and accept nature's crucible...

 

                                   

 

Real World Over Virtual World

     I want to address an issue that has been plaguing our society for the past decade. It's our misuse and addiction to technology. The tools that were supposed to enhance our lives have now enslaved us with constant distractions. Let be clear technology is a great thing when utilized in the manner it was intended. We need to use technology and not let it use us. 

    Today so many people are living their lives vicariously through others albeit social media or YouTube. This is very problematic in our youth who would rather watch a video than actually participate in the actual activity. So much precious time being wasted as a spectator to other people's "highlight" reel.  Participating on these platforms isn't wrong but needs to be put into perspective. We should be spending the majority of our time living life and fostering our relationships. That is what brings us the deepest fulfillment in life.

    We need to focus our efforts at playing this game of life at our highest level because we aren't going to make it out alive. Quite torturing yourself with comparison and create a life that's a masterpiece that will be an inspiration to others. The virtual world can provide an escape while the real world can provide ecstasy; the choice is yours...