The boy on the bus

The boy on the bus is a disaster story. We can aspire to a happy ending but your better off scraping hearts off of a bar room floor somewhere than on this bus ride. 

Life is a fight, but not everyone's a fighter.

. I've only entrusted this story to a few special people before but it's time to get off the bus now, whether anyone is waiting at the station or not. 

As a kid the school bus wasn't the best of places for me. 

When people hurt you over and over, think of them like sand paper; They may scratch and hurt you, but in the end, you end up polished and they end up useless. 

In the Dojo we teach the art of fighting. In our fitness classes you learn 'Self Coaching' both develop a fighters heart'. In the fight game there is always a chance you could loose,

 A bully wants to beat somebody; he doesn't want to fight somebody.

In abusive relationships and in schools, people are bullied into silence and are afraid to speak up. Unfortunately to be successful in future relationships or day to day life communication is key.

Empower yourself. You need confidence because the one thing that bullying does is it belittles you and takes away your confidence, and nobody deserves that.

 A former student used to end every class or sparring session in tears but their personal growth through regular training made them an inspration for children and a master of getting these kids out of their shells and definitly earned my respect as a teacher a mentor and a friend. 

It's been a hell of a month, a hell of a year and next year is full of promise . But now it's time for this boy to get off the bus ,Who knows whats gonna be there when the bus doors open !

With great sacrifice come great rewards.

We all have our convictions formed by different things, and mine are informed by my faith in my team, 

my students, hard work and in God., Join our Journey Learn the difference.

https://fearlessfamilymartialarts.com/

The assignment

The struggle is real

Life gives you so many experiences, some are good and some are bad. Struggling is the real meaning of life, without it you will not be able to do big things in your life. The more struggle, the more you succeed. You will meet so many people, some people will provide good experiences and some will give you a bad experience. Don't be affected by the people who give you a bad experience, instead be thankful they gave you a chance of finding someone or something that makes you someone who is better than before. Be strong and keep smiling in whatever condition. One day life will be tired of hurting you.

Know your assignment

Everything created was created to solve a problem. A car solves transportation problem,telephone communication problems etc. You were created to solve a problem; problems are catalyst for creativity. Somebody needs, wants you today. You are necessary to somebody somewhere today. You get rewarded according to the problem you solve.

You are absolutely perfect and genetically accurate for solving a specific problem for somebody on earth. Somebody needs exactly what you have been given by God. Someone is literally dying emotionally, mentally or spiritually waiting for you to come along and rescue them. You are their reward.

What you love most is the clue to your assignment; you will always have wisdom towards what you love. What really excites you, brings great enthusiasms and happy moments (days) of your life is a clue to your assignment.

What you hate is a clue as to something you are assigned to correct; you cannot really correct and or change something unless you have a hatred of for it…you cannot change what you tolerate. Hatred and Anger is passion, you need them.

What grieves you is a sign, clue, to something you are assigned to heal; what makes you cry is a clue to a problem God has anointed you to change, conquer and heal. Also, where you hurt most is a clue to what you may heal best.

My assignment

There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure. Anthony Robbins says, 'The meeting of preparation with opportunity generates the offspring we call luck.' Combine that with Buzz Durkin s reminder that 'success is waiting' and BOOM !
I feel I am lucky. I am grateful for this life that God has given me. I am happy, as I am getting to do work that I want to do and enjoy doing it. It seems the harder I work the luckier I get !

Join our journey learn the difference     https://fearlessfamilymartialarts.com/

A Question of Influence

Funny this started of as a story about Memorial Day and reflection..... 

If we miss certain events in our lives

 we were meant to experience

what happened instead..

-Dan Pachtman-

 Patriotism consists not in waving the flag,

 but in striving that our country shall be righteous

 as well as strong
-James Bryce-

Of the people, by the people, for the people.... starts with people.

The truest path to a strong collective is to strengthen the components.

So what does being a strong and confident individual mean ?

How do I achieve it ?

 

Lesson one you could take from my dogs Spiff and Meeka as I do.

Every day they are happy to eat, drink water and play in the sunshine.

 I think some times we get so wrapped up in our 'plan' or our schedule

that we forget the simple joy that is our life.

I don't mean become complacent and submissive......

I mean celebrate the simple things.

Lesson two comes from a little girl .

 

 She was acting in a local stage production.

She was to sing and also had several lines in the play,

 and had rehearsed tirelessly for months.

As opening night grew closer her speaking parts were taken from her

The lines were distributed among 'the older kids'.

When I  complimented her on her performance she told me about how

'local theater politics'  had caused her lines to be redistributed,

she said,

"If  I keep practicing I'll get the lines next time."

I was so proud of this little girl !!!!

I sure didn't have that confidence and perseverance at that age.

As a salesperson , teacher and a martial artist I watch people quit every day.

The first step to overcoming adversity is not to personalize it.

Peoples objections to your performance, your words or you personally;

 has to do with the noise in their own heads not with what's really going on..

A great leader sees things as they truly are, not worse.....

 then inspire others to do the same.

 

Transforming vision into reality requires strategic,

 incremental change to achieve radical results.

 

Everyone needs a super hero

A Product of Legends

The Batman meets The Beast !

 Sandy Hook shooting victim Dylan Hockley couldn't wait to move to America.    

            Out of school Dylan developed a love of martial arts.

He and his father, and brother Jake trained daily at Extreme Fitness Martial Arts.

Dylan had special educational needs and died in the arms of classroom aide Anne Marie Murphy, who desperately tried to protect him from the killer Adam Lanza.

http://fearsltd.blogspot.com/2012/12/cooler-than-supermandylan-hockley.html

 Martial arts study allows a special needs student to interact with others.

 Confidence is another great benefit to all, special needs or otherwise.

Martial arts promotes physical health and development of motor skills.

Martial arts study stimulates brain activity and benefits memory retention.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMf7jgopJXc

 

The video above is an ESPN profile of American Top Teams Garrett Holeve.

Garrett was born with  Downs Syndrome....

MMA training changed him ......

Watch it ..it may change YOU !

 

What matters most is not what's in the mirror,

It's in the view

Police pulled a man over on Route 29 in Silver Spring Md.

because of a problem with his plates.

The car was a black Lamborghini, the license plate was the Batman symbol,

 and the driver was Batman. 

The Caped Crusader is a businessman from Baltimore County..

 He visits sick children in hospitals.

 up-and-coming superheros trying to beat cancer.

 He's not Bruce Wayne, but Lenny B. Robinson,

As he left a little boy cried,

"I want to go help him fight bad guys,"

His mom said, "You need to stay here and help your sister fight cancer."

 Lenny and I spent time together in our nations capital and,

I'm proud to say Lenny B. Robinson is my friend and

 my hero ......

Heroes get Remembered,

But Legends never die...

- Babe Ruth-

The Truth

Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact.

Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.

-Marcus Aurelius-

 

 

Successful or not,

 we tell our stories the way we wanted them to be,

 not necessarily as they actually happened.

 Our stories have certain events removed, certain interactions re scripted,

 and certain motivations adjusted,

 so that the story in its retelling more closely aligns with our world view,

 and how we want others to view us.

 

 The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge;

 the ears of the wise seek it out.

 

Proverbs 18:15

 

  In the fight game........

 the basics are very complex for someone who has never done them before.

  Failure is eminent without the intent and knowledge of how to employ them in a

 combative environment.

 

 NO BATTLE PLAN SURVIVES CONTACT WITH THE ENEMY

 

-Helmuth von Moltke the Elder-

 

McDonald's sells junk food, we all know this.

There is NO nutritional value,

  were not going to see McDonald's going out of business any time soon.

  Women's self defense programs in many cases, seem to be on the same path.

 Make money giving people what they think they want: fast results with little effort.

 

There are three types that would bring violence to our lives.....

 

The severely disturbed

 

Those in great need

 

Those who enjoy acts of violence

 

 These mindsets are important to understand, they don't reflect normal thinking.

Most people pretend such thought process don't exist.

If you deny this reality you cannot understand or empathize with the threat.

 

- Rory Miller -

 

 

The more you sweat in the gym 

the less you bleed on the street

In the 'REAL World' the trophy is your life !

 

 

Bulletproof

Have you ever been a victim of an emotional shakedown ?

Someone you know or trust questions your integrity,

and it shakes your confidence.

Self-worth comes from one thing,
thinking that you are worthy.
-Wayne Dyer-
Joe Lewis taught me that we defeat opponents on different levels.
Mentally defeating an opponent by creating self doubt.

Physically defeating opponent is a matter of
victory through superior firepower, tactics or strategy.

Defeat a fighters spirit or 'heart' by analyzing a fighter, 
keeping him off balance by taking away his strong points.
This will erode his confidence. 

A fighter that embraces their inner awareness
 will become unstoppable
-Joe Lewis- 

In our lives we must embrace change and personal awareness.
or
We'll work tirelessly to cultivate an external environment that we lack inside.
We'll use superficial benchmarks to validate our existence grades,
 jobs, money and degrees from schools.

The road to rebuilding confidence begins with finding success.
Success in meeting your most basic and heart-felt needs.
 The black hole of needing will begin to be appeased,
 one nourishing meal or cup of coffee or honest conversation at time.


 If you don’t nurture the spirit and become self aware
 you will never be a real champion;
 in the ring, life, family, friendships, sports, school or on the job.

 

The Word

What an astonishing thing a book is.

It's a flat object made from a tree with flexible parts,

 on it are imparted lots of funny dark squiggles.

 

With one glance you're inside the mind of another person,

maybe someone that died thousands of years ago.

 

Across the millenia author is speaking clearly,

 silently inside your head, directly to you.

 

Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions,

binding together people who never knew each other.

 

Books break the shackles of society.

A book is proof that humans are capable of magic.

 

-Carl Sagan-

When I trained with Lawrence Tan (Tan Dao founder).
 Tan referred to forms as books of knowledge.
 Forms contain ancient interpretations of different
 'languages of movement' labeled with animal names.

We alone have the power within us to solve our problems,
 relieve our anxieties and pain, heal our illnesses,
improve our golf game or get a promotion.

 Stephen Covey's The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People,
 is so massively popular that it gave rise to a publicly traded corporation.
 Last year, Franklin Covey,recorded sales of $333 million.

Obviously we want /are willing to pay for keys to self improvement.

Martial arts is not the most popular form of fitness training,
definitely the most all encompassing.

Mind    Body    Spirit

Recently in the moments preceding a Kickbox Fitness class,
a student and I were looking at this months fitness magazines.
Believe it or else.......
4 outta 5 magazines featured articles on
 the unparalleled benefits of martial arts fitness classes.

When a society is rich and triumphant
its people start to ask not just what can be had from life
 but how can I live a life that's worth living,

The answer is fitness, not just of the body.... but total fitness. 

The father of American kickboxing, The Legendary Joe Lewis
created several tools to achieve this total fitness goal.
The first was Kickbox Fitness the second were his fighting forms.

Today we can still be inspired by his'voice'
in the black belt manual or these 'books of knowlege'..

Don't let your fear of the unknown cost you this opportunity
Try something new ...Read a book 
Practice these books of knowledge.

I wonder if kids now feel as sad, lonely,
and serious about life as I did when I was at that age.

Whether its your biological child or your inner child,
I have compassion for both in your quest to find comfort in your own skin.

Joe Lewis taught,
 confidence comes when you are hurt and/or exhausted,
not when you are fresh.

 Learn to stay dangerous despite being at at a disadvantage,
your confidence will build.

 Confidence comes from experiencing the times when you survive,
  though you may not have won the fight,
 
 That translates to all areas of life and has helped me tremendously.

 

The Anatomy of Courage

A coach must be able to help a student to believe in oneself.

 He must build self-esteem before confidence can surface.
 

 Self-esteem gives rise to self-confidence;

 not the other way around.

 A coach must understand this process to develop a student’s
 level of consciousness.
 

 Consciousness is one’s ultimate survival tool in a real altercation,

 not some technique or style of martial arts.
 

 For a fighter,
 the authority of one’s will is their ultimate attribute.

 

-Joe Lewis-
 

Vicky Soto,

A non-trained woman of exceptional courage

gave her life that others may live.

Her selfless act should be a cornerstone on all our lives.

 

So many people with the will and strength to survive being overcome by violence engage in and lose a fight for their lives  because they're out-massed, out-gunned and untrained. 

 

 Try to stop a moving car by getting in front of it instead of turning off the ignition.

Seeing a person as a machine—and then shutting it off—goes against everything we are and love.

It is a failure of our humanity and our society.

All of us wish we could have been at the verge a of disaster with a firearm,

 or at least armed with knowledge and skill and in the right place at the right time.

 

    Practice means that when it matters most it won’t be the first time you’ve done it, but the 101st.

That fantasy of making a difference is made real by preparation.

The worst time to be reminded that you meant to learn CPR,

is when someone is having a heart attack right in front of you.

 

  There is no beast within you waiting to be unleashed as your window of existence begins to close.

  You will only have what you brought with you.

 

Right now.......

You know how to run and you know how to hide. 

 

.

This is why I teach and train.
 

 I can’t be with you every moment of every day. 

 But the information, the knowledge can. .

Stealing the Thunder

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, 

where moth and rust doth corrupt,

 and where thieves break through and steal:

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,

 where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt,

 and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

 - Matthew 6:19-21,24

Greed is more a sin of thoughtlessness and convenience than of conscious avarice,

 though it is always an appropriation of moral power,
 a stealing of thunder. 

Is your greed corrupting your training ?

Your fitness / martial arts training performance is handcuffed by your attitude and confidence rather than your ability.

 Using imagery or visualization improves performance, reduces anxiety, and increases confidence.

A client recently told me due to job pressures they didn't feel as though they had any time.
Especially time to train....they were "stealing their own thunder."

Any thoughts we have are subconsciously converted into our actions.
Make sure your thoughts are not converse to your actions or goals. 
Your goals birth your dreams.

ACT AS IF

To further fuel your success as a martial artist, think about adapting.
 Instead of continuing to do what doesn't work.
Change will provide a host of new opportunities.

Learn new skills,

without new skills and knowledge we become complacent and lose confidence.

 Contribute....it will empower you and fuel your passion.

SHAKE IT UP

What you eat fuels your mind and body.

It keeps you on track to achieving your goals.

It's necessary to get the most amino acids out of the food you do eat.
 High-quality protein from animal sources is your best choice.

 Supplemental whey protein can help you achieve that large daily dose of protein.

 Ain't Skeered 

Some have actually made a habit of fear

The only way you to release the grip of fear is to make a conscious decision to step out of it.

 In order to make this work,

 You have to discover your hearts passion.

  Now train your mind to accept it as a goal that you have already achieved.

Not ......a Muse

The Muses (Ancient Greek: Μοῦσαι, moũsai:^[1in Greek mythology, poetry, and literature, are the goddesses of the inspiration of literature, science and the arts.
They were considered the source of the knowledge,related orally for centuries in the ancient culture that was contained in poetic lyrics and myths.

 A teacher affects eternity;

 he can never tell where his influence stops.
- Henry Adams-

 Think of someone who has charisma or impact.

 Have you noticed.....?
 They have an abundance of spiritual, emotional, or physical energy.                
   They project and receive it !!!!
Every successful person brings a different style of energy into their environment.
Success is derived from your passion.

Communicate with intensity from your heart.

 I experienced the most inspiring moments and lessons during time spent

 in parking lots, restaurants and car rides with my friend and mentor Joe Lewis.

 I care not what others think of what I do,

 but I care very much about what I think of what I do!

That is character!

  Theodore Roosevelt

You should expect support and encouragement from people that are close to you.
REMEMBER

Life is short, it's disheartening to have people around you that discourage you.

Do you really want to waste your time feeling down over others words or opinions ?

I recently changed sales teams........I'm still a 'road warrior',

 but my real job is now something I'm happy and look forward to doing.

 For the first time in along time I love sales again....yup, you heard that right,

I LOVE MY JOB 

A lot of people go through the motions in life, not doing what they love.

 They end up constantly looking back, asking themselves,

 What if ?

Whether people support you or not,

 Follow your heart, and not the words of others just to live up to their expectations.

Your LOVE is the most important thing in your life.

Tony Robbins says......

Great leaders are purpose driven. They know not only what to do,

but why they are doing it and are able to help others tap into the power of WHY.

The more you can share the driving purpose behind an outcome or activity,

the more you enable your team to tap into what they desire, believe, or value.

This produces greater team performance and makes you a more effective leader.