When an athlete trains for an event, you will usually find that they surround themselves with other athletes. Heres why:
#1 Athletes are usually on a strict diet! They will only eat food that will help them in their training and those foods are usually pretty boring and bland. That means no sugar and if they're cutting weight....no salt!
#2 They have a rigorous training schedule to keep. Unfortunately, athletes miss a LOT of fun in their lives due to the path they have chosen of being exactly what they are...Humans who train and live a different way in order for them to win the prize, achieve the goal, or hit the mark.
#3 Athletes go through mental breakdowns full of doubt or fear that they are not good enough. Even the best Athletes will go through a brief period of self-doubt regardless of their accomplishments.
But what separates a Champion from an Athlete? Champions will do #'s 1,2, and 3 BETTER! A Champion will not always be a winner because of physical ability. It's because they made better choices during the time that led up to the main event. To give you an example of what I mean...lets break down the UFC Fight between BJ Penn and GSP.
#1 GSP kept a VERY STRICT and CLEAN diet to optimize every training session. Usually 2 per day.
#1 Unfortunately for BJ, he had to go up in weight class so there wasn't much he could do about this. Well, he chose to do battle in a heavier weight class so his body was going to have to take the toll of gaining weight. NOT FUN!
#2 GSP Kept up with a GRUELING SCHEDULE! No breaks, no complaints, at one point he even said, "I feel like I got hit by a truck....5 trucks!" But never used how he "FELT" as an excuse to stop working. He is not one that is influenced by what he "FEELS." He just goes out there and does what he has to do!
#2 BJ "FELT" that his body was shutting down so he "FELT" that he needed to rest. So he and his boys take of to relax in the sun and crack jokes about how GSP is probably stuck in a snow storm.
#3 GSP surrounded himself with people who would definitely push him! Athletes such as Nate Marquardt, Donald Cerrone, and even the current UFC L.H. Champ, Rashad Evans! In addition to the awesome training partners, he had a coach who has won my deepest respect...sorry I don't remember his name. Thats what usually what happens with coaches.....i.e. Tiger Woods...whats his caddys name? HAHA unless you are an avid Golf fan you probably don't know that he is the one who guides Tiger on the course.
#3 BJ surrounded himself with people he could beat! If you saw his training session he was tearing through everyone he was around. It was almost as if, he trained with people who he liked to be around because they made him believe in himself more. I could be wrong, but thats what I saw. As far as coaching goes, I have no comment besides the fact that he got OUT COACHED.
The outcome was GSP delivering a BRILLIANT game plan developed by his Coach, and outclassing his opponent due to the superior training with the help of his training team! And MOST IMPORTANTLY THE GREAT CHOICES MADE BY GSP! I am sure he didn't make everyone happy when he chose to be around those individuals only, there are always haters but hey...He CHOSE to separate himself from the rest so that he could be the best!
***Special Note to my princess: Try not to find friends that make you feel great because you know you are better than them. Make friends that make you want to be BETTER then who you are. Friends that motivate you to be smarter....Friends that motivate you to want to be successful....Friends that motivate you to have a GREAT family. Find a mentor who has a genuine interest in you that can guide you. I love you and remember....complacency kills!
P.S. The mentor better be a female or Daddy will rip his arms off!
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
Part 2 of the PMAC fiasco that took place on Wed. Feb 11- Thurs. Feb. 12th 2009
So the very next day I was up bright and early to meet my investor to get the necessary funds to pump life into the bank account and I get a notification on my trusty Blackberry that I had received an email from my billing company regarding the current situation. My heart drops as I am super curious to read that email so I start to check it while I am driving and a quiet voice tells me to put the phone down and focus on the road (Thank you God). So I get the funds, shoot over to the bank and deposit the funds and head home to check the email.
I opened the email and for the first time in my life I could literally feel my blood start to boil. The email read that I had to tell all of the accounts effected to ask their bank to reverse the charge, and then re-enter their accounts to be re-billed! At this point I really want to fly to Canada where my account manager Nima, currently lives and strangle him for continuing to not be be truthful with me. I did not have the greatest reaction upon reading the email and I woke my wife who was suffering from a nasty stomach flu and we decided that she could not be sick THAT day. I jumped in the shower and my nose started to bleed uncontrollably and at the point I knew I needed to calm down. As I got out of the shower I immediately phoned my manager, Caryn Kratzer and told her that today was Def Con 4 status and we needed to meet at the studio early and create a strategy to resolve the problem. As a high ranking employee should be, she quickly dropped everything she was doing...packed her 3 kids and arrived at the studio at the same time I arrived, which was pretty impressive. Within 15 minutes of our arrival my wife arrived at the studio...sick and with Jordyn. We did everything opposite of what my multi-million dollar billing company did...we were completely upfront with our students. Jane had to make over 40 phone calls with each call averaging 10 minutes to explain the situation. On top of the phone calls she had to hold group meetings in my office with my students to explain the situation. As she was attacking the problem of explaining the situation...I was on the phone with the billing company to find a way to ensure that their so-called plan would work. At this point Nima convinced the VP of the company to call me personally to work things out. I told him what we were doing to remedy the situation and he gave me his cell phone number and told me that if the reversals did not work, to call him any time. During all the craziness, Kratzer was teaching classes for me and was doing an amazing job! This situation is still not over yet...It will be over when EVERY client gets their return and when we receive the Feb. tuition that is needed to operate! I pray that God will watch over this situation and see it through! I want to send a special thank you to all of my students who were very understanding! I also want to THANK:
CHRIS PATTERSON and Family...who offered to lend us money if needed to stay open!
EDDIE ROBLES and Family...who offered to use his Jet Skis which were paid off to use it in any way possible to keep the studio open!
SPECIAL NOTE TO JORDY: My wish is for you to develop a GREAT work ethic! People see who you are and what you are capable by how you work. The bible is SUPER CLEAR about work ethic. Jesus says to work as if you are working for God! No excuses, no complaints, just do it! When you work as if God is your boss you will find that people will have faith in you and want to help you because they know that you are someone who will not fail! What happened in the past 2 days was uncontrollable...but hey...thats business! Just know your daddy was blessed to be around great people, and in the arms of Jesus!
I opened the email and for the first time in my life I could literally feel my blood start to boil. The email read that I had to tell all of the accounts effected to ask their bank to reverse the charge, and then re-enter their accounts to be re-billed! At this point I really want to fly to Canada where my account manager Nima, currently lives and strangle him for continuing to not be be truthful with me. I did not have the greatest reaction upon reading the email and I woke my wife who was suffering from a nasty stomach flu and we decided that she could not be sick THAT day. I jumped in the shower and my nose started to bleed uncontrollably and at the point I knew I needed to calm down. As I got out of the shower I immediately phoned my manager, Caryn Kratzer and told her that today was Def Con 4 status and we needed to meet at the studio early and create a strategy to resolve the problem. As a high ranking employee should be, she quickly dropped everything she was doing...packed her 3 kids and arrived at the studio at the same time I arrived, which was pretty impressive. Within 15 minutes of our arrival my wife arrived at the studio...sick and with Jordyn. We did everything opposite of what my multi-million dollar billing company did...we were completely upfront with our students. Jane had to make over 40 phone calls with each call averaging 10 minutes to explain the situation. On top of the phone calls she had to hold group meetings in my office with my students to explain the situation. As she was attacking the problem of explaining the situation...I was on the phone with the billing company to find a way to ensure that their so-called plan would work. At this point Nima convinced the VP of the company to call me personally to work things out. I told him what we were doing to remedy the situation and he gave me his cell phone number and told me that if the reversals did not work, to call him any time. During all the craziness, Kratzer was teaching classes for me and was doing an amazing job! This situation is still not over yet...It will be over when EVERY client gets their return and when we receive the Feb. tuition that is needed to operate! I pray that God will watch over this situation and see it through! I want to send a special thank you to all of my students who were very understanding! I also want to THANK:
CHRIS PATTERSON and Family...who offered to lend us money if needed to stay open!
EDDIE ROBLES and Family...who offered to use his Jet Skis which were paid off to use it in any way possible to keep the studio open!
SPECIAL NOTE TO JORDY: My wish is for you to develop a GREAT work ethic! People see who you are and what you are capable by how you work. The bible is SUPER CLEAR about work ethic. Jesus says to work as if you are working for God! No excuses, no complaints, just do it! When you work as if God is your boss you will find that people will have faith in you and want to help you because they know that you are someone who will not fail! What happened in the past 2 days was uncontrollable...but hey...thats business! Just know your daddy was blessed to be around great people, and in the arms of Jesus!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
THE PATH WE CHOOSE.....
So this the second blog I will be posting....I erased the old blog because with all the negativity in the media, as well as the negativity I hear in peoples conversations...I decided I will focus on everything positive going on in my life and in the world I currently live in. Although I will share my failures and challenges that come my way, one day my beautiful daughter Jordyn will read this blog and learn that her Daddy was the type to look for something positive in every situation he encountered!
On Wed., Feb. 11th 2009...
I noticed a very alarming situation. I was conducting my weekly bank check and I realized that my account was WAY under what it was supposed to be. Upon doing my research, I realized that my trusty Billing Company whom I pay a TON of money failed to transfer my funds. So, I called my account manager Nima, and asked him if he knew what was going on. His response was very classic...."Oh did you not hear what happened yet? ...Basically a bank took your funds and they froze the account because they are in court fighting a legal battle with Alliance (who actually performs the transactions for my billing company...its complicated) and they are unable to release the funds to you." Of course...I was practicing my breathing exercises because my wife was sick and I didn't want to yell at him and wake her up and startle my daughter. So I gently asked "Why wasn't I informed earlier?" his response....."Well I have 600 people to call...." I rudely cut him off with " I DON'T GIVE A ......HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU HAVE TO CALL!!! YOU HAVE 1 EXTREMELY UPSET (of course that is the rated G version) PERSON CALLING YOU RIGHT NOW AND YOU ARE GOING TO FIX THIS NOW!" At this point I blew my top...wife awake...Jordyn looking confused but she was ok because she was playing with her toys. Then Nima says "You have to understand...the economy is no good and the bank is in trouble." Of course my response was a simple.."THE ECONOMY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU NOT CALLING ME WHEN THIS FIRST HAPPENED (JAN 30)! HAD YOU HAVE CALLED ME I COULD HAVE PREPARED MYSELF TO CALL MY LANDLORD AND MY VENDORS THAT I DEAL WITH! BUT BECAUSE YOU FAILED TO CALL ME...I HAVE SEVERAL CHECKS THAT WILL NOW BOUNCE BECAUSE YOU FAILED TO CALL ME!"
He then proceed with "The funds will be released on the 17th of February." Which gave me some piece of mind but I still had to take action to make rent this month. So I scheduled an emergency negotiation meeting with my investor and I was able to convince him to pump some blood into our account to make rent. Problem 50% solved.
*Note to Jordy: There will be times in your life when you are doing everything right! Working hard..Working Smart and in an instant, your world is threatened by failure. Remember that when failure comes knocking at your door you have a choice. To focus on the problem at hand, or QUICKLY FOCUS ON FINDING THE WAY OUT. I was prepared to do anything to make sure I made rent and rather than continuing my fighting with the Billing Company...I chose to fix the problem first! And then continue my verbal assault on Nima =)
On Wed., Feb. 11th 2009...
I noticed a very alarming situation. I was conducting my weekly bank check and I realized that my account was WAY under what it was supposed to be. Upon doing my research, I realized that my trusty Billing Company whom I pay a TON of money failed to transfer my funds. So, I called my account manager Nima, and asked him if he knew what was going on. His response was very classic...."Oh did you not hear what happened yet? ...Basically a bank took your funds and they froze the account because they are in court fighting a legal battle with Alliance (who actually performs the transactions for my billing company...its complicated) and they are unable to release the funds to you." Of course...I was practicing my breathing exercises because my wife was sick and I didn't want to yell at him and wake her up and startle my daughter. So I gently asked "Why wasn't I informed earlier?" his response....."Well I have 600 people to call...." I rudely cut him off with " I DON'T GIVE A ......HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU HAVE TO CALL!!! YOU HAVE 1 EXTREMELY UPSET (of course that is the rated G version) PERSON CALLING YOU RIGHT NOW AND YOU ARE GOING TO FIX THIS NOW!" At this point I blew my top...wife awake...Jordyn looking confused but she was ok because she was playing with her toys. Then Nima says "You have to understand...the economy is no good and the bank is in trouble." Of course my response was a simple.."THE ECONOMY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU NOT CALLING ME WHEN THIS FIRST HAPPENED (JAN 30)! HAD YOU HAVE CALLED ME I COULD HAVE PREPARED MYSELF TO CALL MY LANDLORD AND MY VENDORS THAT I DEAL WITH! BUT BECAUSE YOU FAILED TO CALL ME...I HAVE SEVERAL CHECKS THAT WILL NOW BOUNCE BECAUSE YOU FAILED TO CALL ME!"
He then proceed with "The funds will be released on the 17th of February." Which gave me some piece of mind but I still had to take action to make rent this month. So I scheduled an emergency negotiation meeting with my investor and I was able to convince him to pump some blood into our account to make rent. Problem 50% solved.
*Note to Jordy: There will be times in your life when you are doing everything right! Working hard..Working Smart and in an instant, your world is threatened by failure. Remember that when failure comes knocking at your door you have a choice. To focus on the problem at hand, or QUICKLY FOCUS ON FINDING THE WAY OUT. I was prepared to do anything to make sure I made rent and rather than continuing my fighting with the Billing Company...I chose to fix the problem first! And then continue my verbal assault on Nima =)
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