Strength for Life

The REAL Joy of REAL Victory

Wow! Can’t you almost feel the victory yourself from the expression on Michael Phelps entire body?

In our plastic-idol, paper-thin, make believe world you don’t get any more authentic than this expression. You can rest assured, not one iota of this response was intended to entertain or impress.

If you too were fortunate enough to witness last nights (or this morning’s) miraculous come from behind, underdog victory of the US Men’s 4 x 100 relay team, you know why Michael Phelps was not alone in this stance. So amazing was the come back in the last 25 meters that the best I could come up with was

“Wow!”

Impressive on their part… speechless on mine.

This is why we watch sports—not to idol worship but to get a taste of the human experience—the ecstasy that comes only from achievement well earned. Sure, we want to be a small part of great achievements but there’s also that awakening of our own (often disowned) potential greatness. Fact is, success and belief—which go hand in hand—are contagious. When we bask in the glow of those who “can” we start to feel (and recognize) that “we can too.”

This is the first and essential step to achievement for what we believe is our reality.

The Easy Way Fantasy
Unfortunately, for many it’s not the belief they are infected with—it’s not a dose of possibility that gets ignited but a want—the desire to have this thing or that experience. Whether it’s riches, winning or even finding a companion many it’s in our nature to find an easier way—to want the short-cut.

The Shape of Dara Torres’ Life

Already the proud owner of 9 gold medals, she went to her first Olympics before the Tiger Woods, of the pool, Michael Phelps was born and now she’s qualified to swim for the US in Bejing by winning both the 50 and 100 meter freestyle—swimming’s premier sprints.

Unless you’ve been away on a very deserted island, your iPhone rendered useless by a spilled pitcher of marg’s, you’ve heard about Dara Torres’ nearly superhuman performances at the tender age of 41. 

No question, Dara Torres is at full Strength

If you’re in your 20’s, it’s pretty cool to see someone “nearly your mom’s age” kicking-ass like this. If you’re in your 30’s her record setting performance may bring relief and hope that 40-something isn’t all “that bad.” And if you’re in your 40’s or beyond, Dara’s strength is elevating, inspiring and perhaps a bit of a wake up call for your own life potential.

For it seems that for many, once across the big 4-0, age becomes the central reason (aka excuse) for why they are struggling to get in (and stay in) shape. I’m not one of those opportunistic hype-sters you often find promising you there’s no such thing as age. Age is real—what’s not is the way it impacts most people, much more rapidly and drastically than it should.

Fact is your

life, my life, everyone’s life has a shape. Unfortunately most people’s lives are shaped like a cross section of a speed bump. They rise up, arch over and through their peak and don’t wake up to their declining condition until they’re well into the descent. It doesn’t need to be this way. You can change it, at any age.

How to Create a New Shape to Your Body and Life

In Chapter 2 of my new my book, Strength for Life, I explain how we’ve been conditioned to accept this early and unnecessary demise—and how you can change The Shape of Your Life, both figuratively and literally, in short order.

Find a Hero Today

Hero: A person of great strength and courage, often Godlike, capable of remarkable bravery.

This image of Brett Favre amidst the battle during a snow drenched game simply reeks of "hero." It’s hard for me to believe that it's been 8 seasons since John Elway hung it up. Growing up in Denver, Elway was a hero and I had the good fortune to share my respect and appreciation with him during and after his playing days.

During Elway's last few seasons (both which ended in Superbowl victories) he'd become a national hero. You didn’t have to like the Bronco’s to be pulling for Elway. It’s the same way with Favre this year—he’s showing great courage and strength. Favre is simply being a hero and I think that’s a great thing. For we need more heroes in this world today. It’s good for what ails us... all of us.

What makes a hero?

The Mythic God of Mediocrity

Apollo, Aphrodite, Hercules, Zeus,… the Greeks revered their many, mighty, mythic gods. For all that our modern lives owe to this fertile civilization it’s not a stretch to assume that the heroic tales of these iconic gods may have provided the people with an inspiration for excellence. 

Today, in America, it seems that we’ve taken to aspiring to the mythic god of Mediocrity—the patron saint of “good ‘nuff.”

You see it everywhere you look… it’s in our food—nearly every restaurant a chain, it’s in our clothes and same stores in every mall, in our media; magazines, news, movies, it’s even in our water (take a good look and taste of the largest water brands and you may go back to your own tap). 

It’s this dilution of nearly everything, the copy-cat, me too, average, vanilla world product offerings that marketing guru Seth Godin so eloquently captured in his blog, “Dumbing Down.”

Ronald McDonald goes Full Strength!

I was thinking to myself the other day (really, I was) as I flew past a nearby Golden Arches, “What would you get if Ronald McDonald ever hooked into Full Strength?”

Wow! Was I ever shocked to find out!

Oh my! I didn’t know whether to be afraid or impressed; or perhaps a little of both.

Ah…I jest at Carrot Top’s expense. Quite seriously you’ve got to give the man credit – I admire his commitment and determination and the same goes for anyone who’s putting in the focused effort to build a strong a body – which his clearly is.

Talk about a transformation! Good for you CT! Don't even think about it Ronald... Carrot Top would mess ya' up.

Here’s to feeling the strength!