There Is Nothing Like The Present

How many times have you noticed your mind drifting back and forth between the past, present and future?

Think not? Have you ever regretted something? Mind is in the past? Ever been anxious about something? Mind is in the future. You know what is so amazing about the mind, although it exists with you in the here and now, the present, it has the uncanny ability to transcend time and space by being able to project itself back into time and forward into the future. How cool is that?

ADD? That is the mind's inability to deal with the Present. How many of us are guilty of this? An inability to be 100% totally present? But you say, "I am present."

Do you multi-task? Carry on more than one conversation at a time. Do anything other than the ONE THING you are doing with ABSOLUTE attention? Then you are not present. You are somewhere else? You are not in the present. For to be totally in the present requires that you be totally there on what you are doing.

For example. as I am writing this. I am "aware" of all the things I have to do "tomorrow." But for now, I am immersed in the music in the background and the screen upon which these words are being written. Nothing else matters to me at this moment in time. Not the sales of tomorrow, the phone calls I have to make, nothing.

Once you experience the absolute intoxicating ambrosia of the Present, you will never go back to the past again or worry about the future. Why? Because when your tomorrow comes, it will be your NOW. Think about it? In your entire life all YOU have ever experienced is the now! Now, your mind may have played recordings of the past or projections of the future, but truth be known,, the only place WE can exist is in the NOW. Our minds may wonder from past, present to future, but where we are is always where we are. We are Present.

So, how do we  get out of our present situation if we don't like it? Great question. Here's how. Accept it! That's right, accept it. Most people have a problem with there current situation because they want to be anywhere else EXCEPT where they are now. And in some cases, I don't blame you. But the truth of the matter is, "you are where you are." Just like a superhero being in a tight situation which they have to get out, you are in "your situation." So what are you going to do about it? Fight it? Resent it? Complain about it? Or DO SOMETHING about it?

You see, once you accept your current situation as YOUR SITUATION, you have the power to do something about it. It is only when we take a look at where we are and accept that this is where we are that we can ever make a positive change. Most people deny where they are. Drug where they are. Drink where they are or get mad at where they are. But that will not change the situation. The only thing that will change the situation, is changing the situation. And to do that, we must accept the situation as our own.

So in closing. If you are in a place where you feel you don't want to be here are a couple of questions:

1. How present are you?

2. What are you doing to actively take responsibility to change the situation? Or are you just complaining about it and doing nothing. For things to change YOU must make a change.

3. How willing are you to accept this as your "CURRENT SITUATION"?

One of the greatest things about SuperHeros? They always asses and analyze their current situation to look for the best way to get out. What about you? SuperHeros have bad days. They get lazy. They don't want to workout our eat clean. But the one thing that separates a SuperHero from common folk; A SuperHero is always willing to look for a solution.

Not happy with were you are? Be a SuperHero. Asses your situation and find a way to get out. Find a solution. And if you don't have one; focus more on the present because the answers to all the problems we face NOW are not in the past or the future but in the NOW.

Be well.

 

No Excuses Sports™ Spends The Day With Some Amazing Athletes and Veterans at The Agoge Challenge

On June 1, 2014 No Excuses Sports had the honor and privilege to watch over 150 “athletes” and spectators come together in the sweltering heat of Bedford, Texas for The Agoge “Crossfit” Challenge. What we witnessed was short of amazing.

The Agoge Challenge is a competitive, “community” Crossfit event like no other. It is (in our “opinion” ) one of the purest forms of athletic competition we have ever seen. Athletes from all walks of life and physical capabilities come together to compete in this one day event. Many are veterans, some are not but all attend with no excuses to compete and to have fun.

The Agoge Challenge is the brainchild of Aaron Throckmorton. After leaving the Marine Corps in 2006, Aaron found himself struggling like many veterans trying to make the transition from military life to civilian life. According to Aaron, “I was lost, trying to figure out what I wanted and what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. Then I found Crossfit and was surprised at the impact the sport had on both my physical and personal life.”

One evening while talking to a group of friends, Aaron decided he wanted to do something to share his experience of this spirit of community with others. At that moment, The Agoge Challenge was born.

This inspiring one day event is filled with fun, competition and camaraderie. The purpose of The Agoge Challenge is to help promote healing and to inspire participants and the local community to what can be done when we all pull together. As a first time observer of the event, we found it to be of the most inspiring and uplifting athletic events we have seen – in a very a long time. From the participants, to the volunteers, judges, spectators and everyone associated with this event all were there for one purpose - to participate and compete in a sport which they love and enjoy, CROSSFIT.

Recently numerous articles have surfaced on the dangers of Crossfit. What we find surprisingly missing from these articles is what Crossfit is truly about. Yes there are dangers associated with the sport, but injuries are inherent in any sport whether it be Crossfit, Motocross, bodybuilding, weight lifting or even golf. Any time the human body is subjected to physical activity injuries will and can occur. Injuries are not isolated to just Crossfit but to sports in general.

As an outside observer, it is sad how sometimes we become so myopic in our vision that we forget what the true purpose of athletic competition is all about; to build strength, confidence and to have FUN! How did we ever lose sight of this? Certainly competition is a part of it. As one who has witnessed first hand, athletes dismembered by the ravages of war and how they cheer on their fellow “competitors” to keep going and to finish. This is what w“true competition” is all about. Support. Encouragement. Being there for the other guy or gal. Yes, winning is a part of it, but it is not ALL of it. 

What we found in this community is a spirit that goes beyond just winning. It is about achieving your best and hitting your "Personal Record" or "PR". Hitting a PR is a win! Doing your first muscle up is a win! Completing your first pistol all the way up or just attempting some of the movements associated with the sport in our book is a huge win!

Having spent the day with these competitors in over 90 degree heat on a gorgeous Bedford, TX day on an amazing football field, we came away with a better understanding as to why The Agoge Challenge touches so many lives. This event is about iron sharpening iron. It is about men and women coming together to push each other physically as individuals to achieve their best or to encourage them as a team. 

Those who consider Crossfit to be a passing fad don't understand what the sport is all about. We believe Crosfit is here to stay. Events like The Agoge Challenge changes lives. We have seen how the dreams of people like Aaron Throckmorton has had a positive impact others. How people like Michael Jernigan, a military veteran who lost his sight in the war still encourage athletes to give it their all and when they have nothing left to give, to give even more. How coaches like Darin “D” Deaton through his selfless dedication, encouragement, support continues to inspire athletes like Aaron Throckmorton and others to be the very best they can be. How a man like Clint Bruce, a former Navy Seal and owner of Trident Response Group will go out of his way to attend this event with comments like, “I have a meeting to go later today, but would not miss this for the world.” How does one describe this kind of support in a community. 

The Agoge Challenge is all about people. People supporting people. People loving people. People encouraging people. People like Miles Knupp, owner of Crossfit Fort Worth East and people like Eric Weigand, owner of Kodiak Crossfit of McKinney, TX who give of themselves and their time to support a cause of a friend because they believe in him and what he is doing. This is what this is all about. People. A community of people and professionals coming together to share in our basic core American values of honor, love and respect for one another regardless of who we are. 

At the end of the day what we took way from the event was this: “A Crossfit Box” is where Crossfitters go to workout, but CROSSFIT IS ALL ABOUT COMMUNITY”

You Never Know You Strong You Are, Until You Have To Be Strong!

Interesting statement.


One the greatest joys about being associated with No Excuses USA and No Excuses Sports are the incredible people and athletes we encounter on a daily basis. Some are weekend warriors others, serious athletes.

Both however are committed to achieving their goals.

For example, we know several world class body builders who go through extreme workouts and diets. I admit, I am way too lazy to do so. No Excuses. Just lazy. Oh, I watch what I eat (for the most part) and exercise regularly, But these athletes eat clean every single day, Yes, they have an occasional cheat day but for the most part they put in between 1-4 hours of cardio either before their workout or afterwards. They also invest thousands of dollars in a personal trainers and nutritional supplements to help support them with their nutritional and physical goals.

Then we have our Crossfit friends. Who are these people? A community composed of athletes committed to doing burpees, snatches, clings, rows, kettle balls, wall balls, deep, I mean, DEEEP squats or whatever is the W.O.D.  They do workouts like Annie, Angie, Barbara, Chelsea, Cindy, Diane, Elizabeth and everyone's favorites; Fran and The Nasty Girls. (Personally, I've never met either of them but I hear these two will wear you out!)

So why do these people do it? Why commit months to a controlled diet of rice and grilled chicken or a Paleo diet only to spend hours in the gym for 16 minutes of intense, non-stop movements? All of which will only leave you laying on the floor on your back feeling like you're about to die? Asking, why do I do this?

Or why do our bodybuilding friends do rep after rep until they exhaust their muscle to the point where they can barely do one more rep, then their trainer yells, "Give me two more. Just TWO more. . ." and they do it?

Why? Because they are committed. THEY WANT IT! They have a goal and nothing and in some cases I mean NOTHING will get in the way of these athletes in achieving their goal.  Not a cold, broken calluses on their hands, skinned knees or sore muscles. They know that  to achieve anything in this life one has to be totally committed or why even try? Who does that?

Committed people do. People who WANT IT BAD ENOUGH. Whether you're a single mom, single dad, divorced or in the greatest relationship possible; nothing good ever happens without a commitment. I am talking about an all in commitment. Not one when you feel like it doing it. One where you do it when ever cell in your body tells you to stay home! What we are talking about is COMMITMENT.  You see, commitment doesn't start until I don't want to begins.

So, what about you? What do you want? Do you want to get fit? Commit Lose weight? Commit. Change things in your life? Commit. Regardless of what you want to do, all you need is a commitment to get it done. 

It still amazes me the number of people who say" they  want a certain outcome but are unwilling to put in the work.

"I'm too busy. . ."
"I  don't have time. . .."
"Let me think about it. . . ."
"I'm not sure. . . ."

Quit kidding yourself or better yet, quit wasting your trainer's time, your coach's time, your family's time. You either want it or you don't. Period. If you want it, go get it and quit making excuses! You will either find a  way find an EXCUSE and the excuses don't count! So, what are you going to do?

Nowhere in nature or physics has anyone achieved anything without some form of effort. It seems like the greater the reward, the greater the effort or resistance you must over come to achieve your goal. Just ask any elite athlete or successful entrepreneur. The difference in achieving and not achieving is in giving up! It;'s that simple. You will never fail if you keep going. Oh, it may take some time, but we each have our own cross to bear. What is yours? Regardless of what it is, we all have a story, be committed.

That's all it takes. Commitment.  The funny thing is, we never know just how strong we really until we have to be really strong. With commitment and a strong faith in God you can achieve anything!   Go out there and make something great happen today. This is not a dress rehearsal. This is your life! 

May God Bless you!
 

"It doesn't matter what you do, if you don't know why."

What a stupid thing to say. Are you kidding me? Who who says that?

Successful people do. Let me explain.

It really doesn't matter what you do if you don't know.

WHY do you go to work every morning? WHY do you wake up at the crack of dawn to jump in the showers, get the kids off to school and then jump into traffic for hours everyday just to come home, spend a few hours with your loved ones only to do this all over again? WHY?

WHY do you go to a job, for the most part which many of us hate, to work with people who for the most part, many of us don't enjoy the corporate politics just to do things we don't enjoy so we can earn a paycheck. WHY do you do this? Is it fun? Is it rewarding? Does it make you happy?

If you are happy putting you child into daycare to go spend the majority of your day doing something you don't enjoy so a day care person can see your child's first steps, first coloring or first of anything because you are too busy working at something which doesn't fulfill you, then this post isn't for you. This post is for YOU IF YOU WANT SOMETHING MORE!

What is that? Then let me ask you. Why do you do what you do?

Why do you wake up every morning to go to work? Why do you even bother? Why do you spend hours and hours in traffic going to your job? Do you like waking up early? Do you like traffic? Do you like your job? Do you like having to please your boss? If you do, then this message is not for you. This message is for YOU IF YOU WANT SOMETHING MORE.

What do you want? WHAT IF? (I precede myself for a what if is useless without a WHY. so let us understand the WHY's.)

Why do you get up every morning?  Why do you want up to shave everyday or put on make up every day only to take it off at the end of the day? Why do you leave your children in the care of people (who as wonderful as they may be) are not their parents and who could never love their children as much as you? WHY ARE YOU DOING THESE THINGS?

For MONEY! You as well as the rest of America and Americans are compromising what you love to do for what you need to do - FOR MONEY! Can I say something right now and it's not going to sound nice, that SUCKS! Why are you exchanging your happiness for MONEY?

Can MONEY comfort you when your down? Can MONEY bring you a cup of chicken noodle soup when  you're sick? Can MONEY snuggle with you when you need someone to hold on to? Then why in the world are you giving up your life for MONEY?

WHAT IF?

- WHAT IF you could do the things you wanted to do and MONEY came to you? Would that make you happy?

- WHAT IF, you could do things that made you happy, waking up when you wanted do, doing the things you wanted to do when you wanted to and MONEY still came to you. Would that make you happy?

- WHAT IF you could spend more time with your children and spouse doing what you wanted to do whenever you wanted to do it and MONEY came to you. Would that make you happy?

- WHAT IF, some one was willing to show you how you could do these things, would you be willing to spend one hour with them to learn how to do it and then commit yourself for 12 months in learning how to do it, or would you go back to spending the rest of your life sitting in traffic waiting for a raise?

IF . . . and this is a BIG IF. . . IF YOU are the 5 in 100 people who are so tired of being tired and are ready for a change in your life, then call me. I can't promise that you will be as successful as everyone else we've worked with, but I can promise you, we will keep working with you until you are or you quit. The choice is yours. You can continue doing what you are doing, getting the same results or you can change. 

We are all about helping people in making significant changes in their lives. Want to join us. Then give me a call. (713) 824-4636

Wishing you a blessed life where you know why. Let's do this thing called life together!

Allen Baytes
Co-Founder
No Excuses USA
"It's more than just a line, it's a LIFESTYLE."