Hello Dear Readers!


Thanks for reading!  I appreciate it very much.  I'm trying my very best to write a blog post a week, and if you'd keep me accountable I'd appreciate it even MORE.

Today, I'd like to talk about PATIENCE.

In the world we live in, patience is in short supply.  We have everything we could ever want at our fingertips.  24-hour news and election coverage, Seamless and Grubhub for instant snacks, Facebook and Twitter for instant friendship, whatever you need and mostly what you DON'T need, you can have in seconds.  

This is why I feel that patience is a lost art.  So many of us are doing our best to be present in the moment and live in the now, but we've lost the ability to be patient, which makes living in the moment nearly impossible.  How can I live in the moment, when I just wish the fucking line at Target would move faster so I can get home and wear this cool new Milennium Falcon T-shirt I'm buying?
Or when someone is on a walk with their dog, and instead of enjoying the time outside and bonding with their pet friend, they are on their phone, or yanking the dog toward home immediately after the little guy pees.  Poor dog.  He wants to smell some garbage and shit!

I see this kind of behavior in the weight room all the time. Without the dog, of course.  There is a great rush to lift more weight, burn more fat, get more this, lose more that. (that shit rhymes, I know).  The tragedy of no patience in the weight room is that it leads to injury more often than amazing success.  Like the song says, fools rush in, and in this case fools are rushing themselves into surgery, long term recovery time, and no friends.  And THAT my friends, is having patience FORCED upon you, which is never ideal.  

And now we've come to the real root of it.  (FINALLY!)  The real question is, are you going to practice patience a little everyday?  Or are you going to go go go go, until it is FORCED upon you by your own reckless behavior?  Personally, I'm beginning to practice patience every day.  I do my best to take in my surroundings, the people I am with, the activity I am choosing to spend my time doing.  I will say, it's leading to some very revealing thoughts about the way I conduct myself in all my relationships and interactions.  Practicing patience has made me slow down, which makes it easier for me to relax, and helps me open my mind to opportunities all around me.  Instead of constantly wondering "what's next?" I've started to ask, "how long can I sit and savor this moment?"  It's been a beautiful 180 for me.

I encourage you to do the same.  Find small moments in your day when you normally would be exasperated, and practice breathing, and relaxing into those otherwise tense situations.  When the train is late, or the line isn't moving, take that time and practice patience.  Don't pull out your phone right away.  Take in your surroundings.  Reflect on your day, or think of something or someone you are truly grateful for.    Delay your gratification a little and you will yield major benefit.

All we really need is a little....

Gushing on Gratitude

Good Morning TEAM!

I know it's been FOREVER.  It's always been forever.  I'm a terrible blogger.  I am doing my goddamn BEST to get better, though so please bear with me.


Today's post has been inspired by my colleague, friend, and mentor Brian Patrick Murphy.  He writes a regular blog.  He's a LOT better at it than me and I highly recommend his stuff.  Today his post was about things he is grateful for, and I'm going to take a page from his book and list some of the things I am grateful for as well.  Sorry to copycat, Murph, but a good idea is a good idea.


First of all, I am so grateful for my darling wife Rose.  She puts up with a lot from me on a daily basis.  From my lazy, bum-like habits, to my cranky, end-of-day attitude, she takes it in with a smile and her gorgeous laugh.  She makes me better every day by being in my life, and I would be lost without her.

My PARENTS are two of the greatest people in the world.  They have always supported me in whatever harebrained adventure I was undertaking, and they have never made me feel that I could be less than exemplary in all things.  Thanks folks, for always holding me up and making me the best person I could be.

My siblings are truly unique.  I am so grateful that they are in my life, and we have the same sense of humor, the same taste in movies and music.  I am fortunate enough to work with my brother-in-law Dan from time to time, and being paid to travel and work with family is one of the greatest experiences I have ever had in my life.  So thanks fam, for shaping me into the person I have become, and never letting me get too big for my britches.

 I am grateful for the city I live in.  I am SO grateful for my job at the Ninja Clubhouse.  I am beyond grateful for Mark Fisher, Brian Patrick Murphy, Michael Keeler, and Kyle Langworthy for creating this safe space and allowing me to participate in this Grand Unicorn Experiment.

I am so grateful for the Ninjas I get to meet, and talk to and work with.  Each of your journey's are fascinating to me, and I am grateful for the opportunity to be even a small part of your path to success.   And I am obsessed with everyone I have the joy of working with and for at MFF.  It truly is the greatest team I have ever been a part of.  Such love and compassion for each other, it's unreal.

I am grateful for the other professionals in my field who have been so welcoming and inspire me everyday to become better.  BPM, Rog Law, Kevin Larrabee, Kevin Carr, Aleks Salkin, Dan John, Harold Gibbons, Eric Cressey, Mike Boyle, Laura Smith, Amanda Wheeler, Todd Bumgardner, Kyle Balzer, Connor Ryan, just to name a few.  These are the professionals I want surrounding me at all times.

I am grateful for the twilight time of the evening, when the sun goes down, and it isn't quite dark yet. It's cooling off, and it's still half light....that's my FAVORITE time of day.  I am grateful for snacks. All kinds.

WHEW!  That feels great!  Thanks MURPH.  I honestly believe you can store gratitude inside you, almost like pent up frustration, and DAMN if it doesn't feel good to air that stuff out.   I am grateful to Brian Patrick Murphy for this inspiration.