Category: Uncategorized

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I love math

Most of the physical world can be reduced to math, in one form or another.  

We can quantitatively describe every phenomenon.  

We can create an equation, and compare one thing to another.  

It may feel like and insurmountable task. 

But it can be done once we know the variables and the values. 

They can all be defined, and proven. 

That way we all agree on the inputs and the outputs. 

And we can agree on the results. 

That’s cool. 

There’s a funny thing though.  

Pain does not work that way. 

We all hurt. 

In one way or another.  

Your hurt can not be compared to someone else’s hurt.  

There are no units of varying types of pain.  

So don’t try to compare yourself and your issues and pain.  

It won’t work and will leave you feeling like a child attempting calculus.  

Then you will walk away with stomping feet in a tantrum. 

Your pain has value. 

Your pain is real.  

You do not have to compare it to mine, or to theirs.  

We all hurt, and every day we battle.  

Every day we fight for peace and happiness. 

If you try to compare, you are only hurting yourself more.  

You are wasting the energy that you should save for the real battle.  

Focus inside.  

Then maybe do some real math problems. 

I always feel better when I solve one. 

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I Hope You Had the Time of Your Life

Quote

To my daughters:

Whatever you do.
Wherever you go
Embrace the unpredictable.
Enjoy the little random curve balls that life throws at you.
This is what makes life worth living
It is not the planned events and adventures. It is the moments in between.
It is the “stuff” that fills in the gaps of your life that you will tell stories about.
You have to work hard and plan and act to make the kind of life that enables you to have these moments.
But it is those random moments that you will treasure.

Talking to a random person on the street.

Running into someone who knows an old friend.

Watching a child explore their world.

Drinking a cold glass of lemonade, sitting in the sun after working hard in the yard while smelling barbeque on the grill and hearing your favorite song on the radio.

Listening to your child play piano, glass of wine in your hand, lover sitting next to you, and looking at a painting in the wall.

You can’t plan these moments, you can only prepare yourself to experience them, and embrace the moment to appreciate them.

These are the times of your life.
These are what life is about.
Be prepared to recognize them.
Enjoy them.
Live them.

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Math

I love math.

Most of the physical world can be reduced to math, in one form or another.

We can quantitatively describe every phenomenon.

We can create an equation, and compare one thing to another.

It may feel like and insurmountable task.

But it can be done once we know the variables and the values.

They can all be defined, and proven.

Even the unsolvable will someday be solvable.

Once we all agree on the inputs and the outputs.

Then we can agree on the results.

That’s cool.

There’s a funny thing though.

Pain does not work that way.

We all hurt.

In one way or another.

Your hurt can not be compared to someone else’s hurt.

There are no units of varying types of pain.

So don’t try to compare yourself and your issues and pain.

It won’t work and will leave you feeling like a child attempting calculus.

Then you will walk away with stomping feet in a tantrum.

Your pain has value.

Your pain is real.

You do not have to compare it to mine, or to theirs.

We all hurt, and every day we battle.

Every day we fight for peace and happiness.

If you try to compare, you are only hurting yourself more.

You are wasting the energy that you should save for the real battle.

Focus inside.

That is where the real battle is.

But if you need a break from fighting those demons.

Then maybe do some math problems.

I always feel better when I solve one.

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The Secret

girls whispering

I’d like to share a secret with you.
Just one thing.
This is the one thing that will make the biggest difference in your fitness.
And your life.
Consistency.
That’s it.
Be Consistent.
Show up.
Do the work.
That’s the difference between being successful and not.
Some days we don’t have 110% to give.
But we still need to show up.
Reduce the scope, but stick to the schedule.
Scale. Row. Work on a goat.
Just stick to the commitment.
Trust the consistency.
Get to the gym.
Eat real food.
Consistently.
This is a commitment to yourself.
This is about the discipline to follow through.
No excuses.
Don’t play the victim of what life throws at you.
Don’t let shit get in your way.
The secret to success.
Inside the gym and out.
Show up.
Do the work.
Then do it again tomorrow.
Consistently.
That’s it.
I never said it would be easy.
But it’s not that hard.

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Duality

I meditate. 

I breath. 

I live like the water. 

To keep the beast at bay. 

The beast that wants to burn cities to the ground. 

We all sweep through this duality in our own way.  

It is very human to explore ideas and feelings. 

Sometimes those feelings rage. 

Sometimes they sooth.  

We all have a different sine curve.  

We do what we need to do, to dampen the amplitude. 

It is comforting to have control. 

It is scary that we could lose it.  

The beast could gain footing. 

But drawing on its energy can be helpful. 

We are not inherently good or evil. 

These parts of us simply exist.  

You are in control. 

Only if you choose to be. 

Once you see it, you can manage it. 

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Lead page

I give you my raw red center. 

This is my heart and soul. 

These are my angels and my demons. 

They are my ideas and my memories. 

Do with them what you will.  

I cast visions for the future. 

I opine on the past. 

I attempt to inspire. 

I lead by serving. 

I share my failures. 

I am an Engineer by trade, 

An Architect by choice.  

I talk about Love and Fitness 

Nutrition and Finance 

Managing and Drinking 

Children and Wives 

Philosophy and Technology 

I am an Architect.  

Leave me comments, I’d love to know your thoughts. 

Positive and Negative. Feedback is a gift.  

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Die Empty

Empty road

Forget about the old adage “You can’t take it with you when you go”
I prefer the phrase “Die Empty”

Those of you who know me, know that I intend to live forever.
That is just one reason I manage what I eat and I bust my ass in the gym.

I refuse to die.
I have too much I want to do, and too many ideas to pursue.
I will not be ready to go until I am empty.
Empty of ideas.
Empty of goals.
Empty of causes.
Empty of drive.
As far as I can see, these are all growing bigger and bigger for me, not smaller and smaller.

Every day I learn a little more.

Which spawns new ideas.

Every day I meet someone new.

Who helps me understand humankind better.
And gives me another cause to care about.

Every day I see a new problem to solve.

And I make a goal to solve it.

How about you?
Do you have more you want to do?
Are you the person you want to be?
Have you seen everything you want to see?

Don’t give up now.
Don’t give up ever.

Try to use it all up, try to die empty.
I’ll bet you find that you can’t.
I’ll wager even more that you will find that you have lived more in the process

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Psychological and Physiological Fitness

Brain

Our culture has shifted into a world where more people are considered “Knowledge Workers” than “Laborers”

Many of us don’t use our bodies for our work anymore.
We are thinkers and talkers and writers and planners.
Unfortunately, this has led to an abandonment of balance.
You are more than your brain.

I see people that are treating their body as a tool for nothing more than transporting their brain from place to place.
This makes me sad.
I am sad because of the lost opportunity for efficacy.
I am sad because they will not live and contribute as long as they could have.

We don’t all need to be competitive athletes.
We just need to understand that our bodies and our brains are linked.
Our brains differentiate us from other animals.
But still…
Our brain needs nutrition to operate.
Our brain is affected by hormones.
Our brain thrives when our bodies are active.

If you are a knowledge worker and value your mind.
Take care of it!
Work your body and improve your brain.
Each needs the other more than we realize.

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What is holding you back?

Holding you back

What are you waiting for?
You haven’t started yet.
You’re waiting for something.
What is it?
…
That thing, the thing you just thought.
It’s not really what you are waiting for.
It is a secondary rationale that you have given yourself.
Let’s dig a little deeper.
…
What are you waiting for?
…
What is stopping you from having the life you want
Right now?
…
It’s ok, I know you are afraid.
We have all been there.
Change is scary.
Change is the unknown.
Change is exciting.
Change is beautiful.
…
Are you really going to be able to do it this time?
Maybe you failed the last time.
And the time before that?
What makes this time different?
Everything!
You are a new person today.
You are going to join a group of people who are motivated
They will hold you accountable.
And you will hold them accountable.
You will see the joy in helping others succeed while succeeding yourself.
You will have a team of people helping you reach your goals.
You can’t fail this time.
We won’t let you.
…
Now, what are you waiting for?

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The Truth Within a Goal

Goals

I went through a period in my life where I did not believe in goals.

I felt that they left people wishing for something, but never acting.

I understand better now that this is not a failing of goals.

It is a failing of the individual.

If we spend too much time living in the future.

Dwelling on the goal.

Wishing and waiting for that “better life”

Then we don’t put enough focus and energy into actions necessary to reach the goal.

Build a clear vision of the goal.

Contrive a plan to get there.

Structure your life around core principles that guide your daily decisions.

Then live in the now.

Apply your energy today.

Be in the moment.

The future does not exist.

Until you build it in this moment.

Do you have a goal?

Life is going to happen.

The difference between winners and losers is who has the discipline to stay the course.

Your past has developed your principles.

Those principles drive your actions in the now.

Those actions now allow you to react and navigate the real world.

Navigation is what we do in the present moment to find a path to the goal.

Everything revolves around what you do right here, right now.

Make a mistake?

Course correct.

Don’t look back and dwell – or you will go further off track.

A series of those little mistake are all filtered out by time.

As long as you make corrections when they are identified.

We have to look up and check in on the goal from time to time.

But we can’t obsess over it.

If we only watch the horizon chasing the goal

we will get hung up on the near obstacles.

Believe in the goal, and know that it will change as you get closer.

Learn from the past and then leave it behind.

Discipline in the present.

What is your goal?