My good buddy Nicholas C. had a great question in this week's mailbag. I let him in on a little secret that I'd like to share with all of you.
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Hey Tony,After having the extreme honor of meeting you at two previous camps, I couldn't help noticing that you bring intensity and purpose to "everything" you do, whether it be just ordering dinner or teaching a class. I need to know your secret! How can the rest of us bring it with such energy and enthusiasm? Be blessed:) Nick Submitted by "niko63"Tony's Answer:
My Man Nick,
The short answer is choice. Life throws options at us every second of every day till the day we die. The combination of risk, faith, curiosity, determination, practice, desire, growth, hope and choosing right over wrong can build an incredible life. Super successful people all have one thing in common. They don't see obstacles. Their brain is wired for success. Problems turn to questions that get answered with solutions. No wining, bitching, complaining, blaming ever. Just doing, searching, learning and growing. You don't have to turn into an android robot from outer space to lock down this practice and philosophy, you just need a plan you'll stick with that works.
I think a lot of people get tripped up when they let other people slow them down. If family and friends aren't supportive of positive behavior then they need to be ignored. We all try so hard to fit in. Yuck! The great thinkers and doers did their own thing. They thought and acted way outside of the box. They didn't copy, they created. We all have this power. We live in a crazy "I can't" world and it's killing us. If we just said "I'll try" a little more often we could change the world. The winging it survival mode lifestyle is a joke. It's time to be accountable. This little trip to planet earth is far too short to waste any time. The time to start doing everything right is right now. I'm thinking way beyond a good diet and fitness here. Both should be automatic and are the cornerstone to everything else.
It's time we started thinking for ourselves and not so much about ourselves. We need to stop being influenced by others, look inward for a second or two, and discover that it's not about us. Fitness and a good diet are a link to discovering that there is more out there. When you learn this it becomes less about you and more about how to positively influence others. You'll never have the Double E (Energy and Enthusiasm) to grow outside of yourself until you hard wire a healthy lifestyle. There is nothing worse than someone who knows better and chooses the lame way out. I've learned that poor fitness and a bad diet lead to the status quo, AKA hell on earth. I am no different than you or anyone else. I'm not special, or smart, or lucky and nothing comes easily to me. I spent most of my youth scared, confused, lazy and sad, so if I can rise up from the ashes anyone can. Just choose it. 11/5/06
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7 comments:
TH -
Thank you for being the person you are. Your choices in this life have changed so many people for the better - me included. I'm sure this is nothing you haven't heard before and something you will continue to hear for long years to come. You are an inspiration and an amazing example of how fulfilling life can be. You 'da man, baby!
vtrain
hi tony! heading home today from playa del carmen. was really fun. i´m exausted from all the fun actually ;) Balence is important and spending time with a huge array of bb ppl has really been a blessing for me. a lot of the pics will come from this trip. it was a great party and an incredible learning week. a lot of ppl getting re charged to face the choices like you say. would have been interesting to have you here. everybody loves Tony! See you at the beach sometime hopefully before the end of the year.
Tony,
First of all, thanks so very much for taking the time and effort to answer my question with such honesty and heartfelt openness...
My dear younger brother, who along with many of his friends, is presently struggling with a series of social, physical, and professional issues. I had him read your answer to my question and he immediately copied and pasted it to about 10 other guys around this crazy town who really need a little infusion of T. Horton wisdom and knowledge at the moment, believe me! I know my brother was impressed...
You know, just like you, I spent a good part of my youth scared, teased, roughed up at the bus stop every morning for 3 years by five football players, confused, depressed, you get the picture...I spent many of my post-college years trying to please and agree with others at my own expense. Instead of making friends, I just found myself getting angry at the world and blaming others for my own faults. This ultimately led to how you say "hell on earth." Having a self-imposed pitchfork rammed up my butt for the rest of my life for absolutely no comprehensible reason is not the way one should live! So what did I finally realize that had to be done? Well, it has a lot to do with one of your favorite sayings: Modify, modify, modify!! I knew that I was stuck with years of misguided and wrong ways of looking at the world and others and that these thoughts and behaviors would not leave my psyche that easily. So, you modify by introducing a little faith, patience, prayer, persistence, practice, desire, hope, knowledge, determination, risk, and most of all, the right choices. It's like nursing a man back to life who's wandered through Death Valley for a couple days without water...little sips, one small cup at a time. Slowly but surely, problems begin to turn into solutions, obstacles to success begin to melt away, miracles start to happen. And before you know it, you're feeling better and life starts to show a smile. Part of this modification is food and fitness and without that guiding light, success would have never been attainable. Ultimately, just do your own thing, be accountable, and you'll never get bored! Guaranteed!
Thanks again, brotha!
Nick
Tony,
You are the man and I could only wish I lived near you and could just hang out once in a while. Although February is so far it seems like days to me. You rock and I will ride your coat tails until they wear. Went skiing at A-Basin today. Fun but boring. Just the groomers. Rock on my friend. A secret admirer.
This entry is brilliantly put. Very inspiring words.
Wow man, I sought you out for your fitness and nutrition advise. Immediately upon using P90X I noticed how inspiring you were during the workouts. But your genuine reflection and outlook on this journey we are all on is to me a far, far, bigger reason to listen to your advise. Bring It!
ello Tony and thx for P90X ; this program really brings out the best in me ...i have one question for you:can i do ab ripperx before the main workout routine(chest&back..legs&back
because after i find it very hard to do it(not because of my abs but because of my legs..they are shaking and i can't do the ab ripperx)
Thank you once again and hope to see you live sometimes
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