He's Counting On A Role Model (for life)

Ever struggle with your motivation to exercise or with making smart food choices?

(If you said no, you’re lying)

Yesterday while at Gold’s Gym Orlando, I asked one of the staff, “What is it that makes some people commit to exercise for a lifetime and others quit after a few weeks?”

What do you think?  How would you answer it?

I suggested that we can not do it for ourselves, we must do it for someone else. If we fail, we only let ourselves down. But if we do it for someone else and we fail, we let them down.

The other person challenged my rational (which is exciting), and in the speed of the day, neither one of us, in this casual conversation, really had a desire to debate this further at that moment.

Yet on the drive home, what I had been trying to say was revealed. We need to be a role model for great health habits. This is the secret that eludes people.

You must be someone’s role model, for life. This means you can not fail. There is no greater motivation.

If this is flying over your head, you’re at huge risk to miss this simple, but compelling health secret.

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USA Team Jersey...Priceless

Last night at Gold’s Gym Orlando in the Dr Phillips area, I meet Pleasant Lewis, the owner of several Central Florida Gold’s Gym facilities.

As a 50-year old, I struggle like everyone else, to find time and motivation to exercise.

This is one of life’s big truths.  We all are given the same amount of time. Successful people figure it out, plan for set backs, never give up and they find a million ways to motivate themselves.

And sometimes, if not more often, the thought of, “Is this worth it?”, enters their mind.

Gold’s Gym, Lifestyle Litness, Bally’s, YMCA’s, all struggle too – with finding a way to inspire people to make a lifetime commitment of healthy living.

I proposed to Pleasant that I could help.  We’ll see if “Goliath” has any interest in “David”.

Gym owners have the same challenge as their customers – finding time to do the important things that make a difference.

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May, 2008.  Nearly 18 months ago, just before Tiger Woods went to California to win the US Open and in the process, injure his knee, I had three brief opportunities to speak with Tiger.

First I asked Tiger Woods, “What one piece of advice would you give to anyone who wanted to be world-class?”  Tiger said, “Out work ‘em!”

As he was getting up to walk away I asked, “Do you ever get tired of being famous?”  Like I stated in yesterday’s post, Tiger said, “Since day one.”

As luck would have it, Tiger and I crossed paths a second time, “Tiger, if you had it to do all over again, would you go the famous route?”  Tiger said matter-of factly, “It’s not about being famous, it’s about winning!”

I thanked Tiger for his time and wished him luck and success on his rehab and upcoming US Open.

At the end of each Gold’s Gym workout, I finish up in a small, carpeted room (maybe 16′ x 16′) to work on some core exercises.  The last of these core exercises is called a plank.  Similar to doing a pushup, face down, but you’re on your elbows and you simply hold a stiff position for one minute.

When I look up to leave and pick up my son in the Kiddie Gym, who is lying next to me but Tiger Woods. I mean, what are the odds?

I promised myself I wouldn’t “bother” him anymore.  And besides, I had less than a minute to make it to the Kiddie Gym before it closed.  No time to talk, even if I wanted to.

With my son (7) on my back (he couldn’t walk this day), and sweat pouring down my face, we head to the Gym exit.

But wait.

A voice inside my head, “You will regret this for the rest of your life if you don’t do it.  You’ve been coming here for two years and you’ve never seen Tiger Woods, and you may never see him again.”

“Do it, or you’ll regret it for the rest of your life”, I whisper forcefully to myself.

We reverse direction, and find Tiger.  At this point I’ve convinced myself that I don’t care what he thinks, all I care about is not living with regret.

“Tiger, I’m not afraid of no.  I have big dreams about things I want to accomplish.  I’d love to have 30 minutes of your time.  We could meet for coffee somewhere.”

“Give me your number”, he said politely.

While Tiger has never called me, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that I am not living with regret.

I hope Tiger can say the same thing.

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Tiger Woods is the greatest golfer I’ve ever seen.  He’s a Dad just like me.  We go to the same gym, for the same reasons.

But do I have an update on Tiger Woods?  Not a chance.

I once asked Tiger Woods, “Do you ever get tired of being famous?” Without hesitating, he replied, “Since day one.”

It’s beyond my comprehension why others worry about what happened with such urgency and importance.  And it confuses me why we don’t, generally speaking, have the same concern and focus on the people that mean the most to us.

PS. Heading to the gym today for the first time all week.  Maybe Tiger wants to talk to me. Yeah right.  :)

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Had a great hour and a half with our son yesterday after school.  We had ice cream, played catch, rode our bikes and blogged.

Could have gone to the gym, but chose differently instead. Ultimately, a balance is required.  Working out is challenging. Finding time and energy is hard.  Finding excuses is easy.

Having very high health goals makes finding motivation easier.  But it is still a challenge to figure out how to achieve those goals.

Because it is so challenging, most people are tempted to give up on their big health goals.  Don’t do it.

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Body?  Well, he has a keen understanding of nutrition for a nine-year old. Much better than most adults.

Yesterday, after we pulled away from Twistee Treat, he asked me to call a number.  He said the first ten callers get a free t-shirt.

He passed the flyer up to me in the driver’s seat.  At the stoplight I quickly scanned it.

We were the fourth caller.  So today we go to Victory Martial Arts for a children’s safety demonstration, a t-shirt, and maybe something else.

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The other day jeff noel was at Dr. Phillips High School, at the Bill Spoon Stadium, running 400 meter intervals, in preparation for the 2009 Master’s Track & Field World Championships, in Finland.

I’ve found the harder I work, the luckier I get. Carpe diem, jeff noel

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