Sunday, June 14, 2009

Getting Serious

Last week a couple of us were talking after class about conditioning, strength training, supplements etc. A day or two later, Mr. Falcon made the following comment to me: "I figure I have only another 40-50 years left to get into the best shape of my life, time to get serious." Even though he was kidding around a little bit, he nailed it...right on the head! Now is the time to get serious. About getting in better condition, taking better care of yourself, having more fun, doing the things you always wanted to do, telling people the things you always wanted to tell them, spending quality time with your family and friends. I think these are the types of things we should all get serious about.

4 comments:

Master Crane TcB said...

I seriously consider that good advice. The old adages ring true: "Today is the first day of the rest of your life" (or was that just a cereal commercial?!) and "A journey of a thousand miles starts with the 1st step."
We hear them so often that we tend to disregard them.
My favorite, though, is this one: "We first make our habits and then our habits make us.) Ouch! That's true on so many levels. TCB

Mr. Dragon said...

It all boils down to identifying goals and then highlighting the smaller milestones it will take to get you there successfully. It does not matter what the actual goal is, whether you’ve targeted an advanced academic degree, a certain bench press weight, or mastery of a foreign language. What’s important are the small achievable steps required to accomplish the greater goal. Martial Arts have the colored belts, schools have quarterly report cards, and dieting has new (hopefully smaller) pant sizes to help you identify small successes on the path to reaching your goals. Striving to become a better father, a better neighbor, or a better person can prove to be more difficult in identifying milestones, however; the act of creating the milestones can be a milestone in itself.
I cannot imagine not having goals “out-there” pushing me toward another accomplishment. Picture not having that next milestone or goal to work towards or keep you moving forward in life. Consider the alternative. Belief that you have done everything worth doing or admission that life is too hard in the status quo? What drives me is the setting of an example to my children to keep striving to better yourself and the hope that someday the stories I tell to my grandkids have roots in personal experience and not ‘borrowed’ from TV.

On a lighter note, I’ve seen Mr. Falcon and it should only take him 20 or so years to get into shape.

Master Hawk said...

These are pearls guys, thanks.

Anonymous said...

I agree with this post, Master Hawk. There's only one time to do things-- right now! Within reason, of course; a person can't lose weight or condition himself overnight, but the decision must be made in the NOW and not put off to another moment that does not exist. For me, regardless of the type of day I'm having before I walk into martial arts, when I'm training I'm locked into the NOW, and I always feel better when I walk out.

...And on another lighter note, Mr. Dowds, my only goal is to take you down...HARD! ;)