This weekend at the advice of the Barbell Business Podcast, I am reading The Power of Full Engagement, and my wife is reading 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Both are great books to improve your life whether you are an athlete or entrepreneur. I happen to be both, so they are super applicable to me. If you are reading my blog, odds are, they are applicable to you. When I am finished with them, I will give you a summary of each.
Today I want to talk about the biggest principle that both books have in common, and that is everyone needs a “Personal Mission Statement”. Who are you? What matters to you? What is your purpose? What principles will you always adhere to? These are questions that you have to ask yourself, and think long and hard about before answering.
The biggest question is what things do you want said in your own eulogy at your funeral with all of your family friends gathered to hear? It’s a tough one, but this will be your legacy. The way people remember you is directly related to how you lived your life. I have thought about this a lot lately, and the main reason that I’m on vacation right now is to figure these things out.
Here is what I have come up with so far. I want to be remembered as someone who loved God, and that every action in my life was a reflection of that love, the way I loved my family, the type of husband, and the type of father that I was. I want my team to say that he was the best coach, but more importantly he loved us. I want my friends and neighbors to say that I was dependable, caring, and loving.
In business I want to be successful because I worked hard, was honest, and delivered innovative services that helped others. I will never compromise my integrity to make money or gain power. I will strive to glorify God in all things that I do including business.
At the end of the day, second only to God, I want my wife to say that I loved her like none other. I want her to know that I provided, but more importantly I want her to know that time with her and my children came before work. God gave Drew to me, and I want to honor Him by loving her until I take my last breath on this earth.
That’s all I have so far, but I’m still working on it. What’s your personal mission statement? I’d love to hear. Maybe you could inspire me. No book on earth is better than the personal stories of other human beings.
I’ve also taken the time to workout everyday at CrossFit Vengeance in Myrtle Beach. First this gym is sick with nice bars, nice bumpers, and great environment. So many athletes will literally take weeks off in the summertime, and for fall athletes that is crazy. You guys have worked all year to prepare for the months of August thru November, and then you chill during the summer. Makes no sense!
Being a champion is an all the time thing! It’s not a sometime thing! The more people that I coach and get to know, the more I realize, why I was able to be the best in the world. I was willing to do the things that others were not. I would never have taken one week off while destroying my body at the beach with terrible food, alcohol, and sun.
If you are passionate about something so much that you love it, then why not love enough to be the best at it? I don’t understand mediocrity. It doesn’t do anyone any good, and it sure doesn’t glorify God. You can take a vacation week as a Deload week, but just don’t stop working at your craft. A week is a long time, and some major detaining can take place. Here is the video of some of my training at CrossFit Vengeance:
Today’s lessons:
1. Write a Personal Mission Statement
2. What would you like said at your funeral? (A little morbid but necessary)
3. Champions don’t take weeks off!
4. Being a Champion is an all the time thing!
Look we are looking to add more Weightlifters and Powerlifters to the Mash Mafia Online Team, go to www.MashElite.com/join-the-online-team/ for more information.
Check out our Learn 2 Lift Seminars at www.MashElite.com/seminars/! We will be in Albuquerque, NM at CrossFit Sandstorm and in Eagan, MN at Undisputed Strength & Conditioning in August.
