Mr. PushUp

I strongly dislike doing push ups but I like the results. So I force myself to get down and get them done.  I like the strength that I'm building particularly in my back and core.  I thought it was all about shoulder and arm strength but a proper push up builds total body strength. 

The other (non physical) effect that I'm enjoying is the structure it brings. I'm not a big proponent of structure, It's not in my DNA.  Adding structure has unexpected and positive results. This structure is helping me be accountable to the tracking.  I'm now (this year) religiously tracking everything I'm doing including but not limited to PU and SU's. I'm tracking my food in take, my water, my form reps etc etc.  This added benefit is helping me with my professional life.  I'm able to stay on track easier and follow through better on commitments and projects.

So in closing, thank you Mr. Pushup.  

P.s I still don't like you.

Ramblings and Success

I'm more intrigued than ever to read everyone's blogs.  What's got me thinking is how everyone is approaching their development and training styles.  It's absolutely fascinating to witness it and it helps motivate me to continue developing.  

This year in particular I've focused my training around what I've found works for me. That's doing my sit ups and push-ups in the mornings and through out the day.  I use my phone to log my reps and keep an updated running total.  My goal everyday is to get to a minum 100 of each and depending on how my shoulder (feeling pain in only the top left shoulder) feels I'll do some more.  What's different for me this year is that I'm taking a measured approach. I'm breaking things down in "chewable" chuncks which makes my progress easier and more sustainable.  I'm working toward a goal that's attainable but not all in one month.  This is important for me to note that in the past I would have these huge highs where I would train like a madd man then not at all.  This often would lead to burnout and injury which set me back more than it helped me move ahead.

I'm enjoying watching how other students are staying engaged.  Some are using YouTube for videos both on blogs and techniques and others are taking advantage of Kwoon talk and regular blogging. For me regular blogging has been the most beneficial tool for my progression this year. I go back and look at the number of blogs I've written and it motivates me to keep going. I've gone back an re read my blogs to recognise my highs and lows.  I can glean reasons for both just by re reading what I wrote.  I can't stress enough how important blogging has been for my success this year.  

That last sentence was surprisingly difficult to write...  I see this year as a success even though I haven't yet accomplish everything that I set out to do.  My personality has been that of perfection and ego.  If I'm not the very best, I've failed. I believe that this year I've taken a step away from that.  I'm not the best and I'm not perfect.  What I am is a better person to myself and my family because of the growth I've experienced this year as SRKF martial artist.

Mr. Repay 

Missing in action

I wish I could tell you that my missing in action for the past couple of weeks was due to an epic journey.  A journey that was life changing, enlightening and inspiring.  Nope, these last couple of weeks were nothing more than a pity party.  Nothing more than me being lazy and falling down a dark hole of mediocrity.  Actually mediocrity might have been an improvement.

I also want to say that I've figured it out and that I know exactly what happened and corrected it. Not exactly.  I do know what caused it.  I stopped training, I took a day off and that turned into two, three etc etc.  During that time I became resentful of the people that were staying engaged.  This isn't a good feeling, I needed to be happy for them, feed off of their positivity.  Instead I used it to fuel the pity party.  

All of the progress that I had made in the year was flushed down the tubes.  The fitness and strength that I had built was gone and now I have to start anew.  That in its self is the hardest part for me. Having to start again when it feels like I've restarted this engine more times than I want to count.  When I reflect on this I find the positives.  I haven't quit because quiting means that I've given up.  I haven't given up because I'm choosing to start again.  This morning I started back with the simplest thing, push ups and sit ups.  I tracked my breakfast and I weighed in and recorded that (uggggg that was a gut punch) too.  

Mr. Repay  

Perfect is too slow.

I had a meeting with a potential business partner today.  I ultimately wanted to review my coaching vision with her and understand her vision for her own company.  During that conversation I asked to share it with her to get some feedback.  I also asked for a bit more time as it's only about 80% complete.  That's when she told me to send it the way it is because "perfect is too slow".  I was taken aback by this statement. But after some thought I started to really understand that if we keep working on something until we think it's perfect it's too late.  In the business world and in life things are moving and changing so quickly.  In this case I wanted her feedback and 80% is more than enough for her to get a good sense on what I'm doing.

I also started to think about my Kung Fu.  Can I apply this same philosophy?  The answer is yes and no.  Yes in that perfection in one small area will take so much time and effort that I'll be missing the bigger picture and advantages. No in that I'm not going to accept anything less than perfection evventhough I also know I'll never attain it.  The pursuit of perfection (Mastery) is the motivation.  The motivation to keep moving toward mastery that will allow myself to embrace it over mediocrity.  

We are not all the same.

I've been thinking about this since Sifu discussed it last night.  I couldn't agree more with this.  I have my own way of training that works and at times doesn't.  What's important is understanding both of these.  What I'm very careful of is taking in its entirety, what works for someone else and try to make that work for me.  It just doesn't and in fact sets me back more than helps move me forward.  I'm open to watching and listening to the people around me and I'll test to see if it can fit with my own personality.  I need to continue to understand my personality and how it contributes to my training.  What are my "hot buttons" and "what things keep me up at night?". Once I understand these things I'm better able to cope and keep moving my training ahead.  

How I train on my own is personal.  I don't feel the need to share every moment of it.  On the flip side I need to communicate more on things I may need help with.  

How I choose to engage and stay engaged is on me.  I don't want to look at others and make judgements or have judgments leveled against me.  Am I moving forward?  Am I progressing?  If the answer is yes, then does it matter how I'm choosing to make that progression?  This journey is my own, but I'm not on the journey by myself.  As a Kung Fu citizen of SRKF I'm on my journey with like minded individuals, 

teammates and family.  I have to be aware of this and contribute and help my SRKF members like they help me.  

At times my ego rears it ugly head and I start to feel resentment.  Resentment towards others who perhaps are more engaged, are more positive and more skilled.  Who am I to judge this, their development and their passion?  During these times I reflect back on Mastery and hit the reset button.  I need to remove (ego driven) resentment so that I can allow myself to be in the moment and allow myself to learn. 

Mr. Repay 

Opportunity to share Mastery

Yesterday I was with a business client and the most amazing thing occured through the course of our conversation.  First I found out that one of my clients is a black belt in Karate and secondly I got to talk about Stewart Emery’s Mastery.  I feel that our SRKF culture has roots in our lineage but “Mastery by Stewart Emery” lent it’s self to being one of the biggest parts of SRKF’s culture.  I see it in myself, our Sifu’s in Master Brinker and any student that has spent any significant amount of time training here.  

Mastery has changed my life.  I can’t say enough about who I was ten years ago to who I’ve become.  I worked hard at scrubbing ego and mediocrity from my life.  I’m especially careful who I souround myself with.  I’ve (with out realizing it immediately) have only allowed people into my life that want more from me that I want from myself.  I’ve been guilty of allowing mediocrity seep back into my life from time to time.  However I won’t let it cripple me like it used to in the past.

The conversation I had was so powerful.  Once I got to share this you could see the life changing principle flash across their faces.  They are both extremely successful people in their own right but reading this was almost life changing in a small way.  I spoke with one of them after and he told me that he’s been having a tough couple of weeks.  Reading what I shared with him was exactly what he needed in his life.  I’ve also shared my blogs with him and he again was grateful that I shared it with him and it’s inspiring him to start blogging himself.

My Kung Fu has done so much for me and I find it hard at times to truly grasp the impact on my life.  What is so incredible is to see the impact that my Kung fu has on others, that’s the greatest gift that my Kung Fu has given me.

Mr. Repay

When no one's watching.

What I do when no one is watching says everything about me.  It’s easier to display what I want people to see when I’m in front of them.  I can say all the right things do all the right things in that moment.  But If I don’t follow through on what I said then it says all they need to know about my character and that’s hard to overcome in the future.  

Leadership is living my life based on my principles and values or simply my character.  Everyone has character and it’s up to that person to define their character based on their principles and ultimately their actions for all to see.  As I get older I’m starting to see through what people want me to see versus what I really see.  I’m not as easily fooled charisma, grandious promises etc and I guess I’m getting a little more pessimistic of people.  I don’t want to follow people that don’t have the same values or principles that I hold dear.  I’m also very careful and choosy of who I souround myself with.  The people that I choose to let into my life need to be people that I respect and expect more of me that I do of myself.  They must push me to be a better version of who I am.  These people have demonstrated that they live their values and do this when no one is watching.  

This year I’m working to achieve my professional coaching certification.  I have a real passion for people and business development.  As I work my way through this I’m going to be focusing on strengthening and enhancing my own values.  I will be the leader and coach that lives by example and helps people to do the same in their lives and businesses.  Most of this development will happen when no one’s watching.

Mr. Repay

Hipocracy

Over the past few days we've seen, count them eight UCP MLA's that have found to have traveled outside of Canada over the holidays.  This same government restricted regular Albertans to not gather inside or outside our home to help slow down the spread of the Covid 19 virus.  I'm supportive of the restrictions because I feel that we all need to do our part to slow the spread.  I haven't seen family or friends for almost a year because my family is following what the government wants us to do.  We've sacrificed holiday traditions but Tracy Allard (UCP Minister of Municipal Affairs) that her 17 year tradition of traveling to Hawaii is more important than my families traditions? I'm upset and angry that these politicians think that thier above the same restrictions that they imposed on the very people that voted for them.

I'm choosing to move on from this anger as it's not mentally healthy to hold onto it. HOWEVER, I won't forget about this when it comes time to vote in the next provincial election.

Mr. Repay