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Month: July 2025

…Too Busy To Exercise??

Published on July 23, 2025

I had a disheartening conversation with a martial arts student yesterday.

She asked if we could cancel her membership because Med School was becoming too much for her to handle.

The classwork and labs and studying had become so much that she couldn’t devote the two hours per week required for training.

I spoke to her about the benefits formal exercise can have in the studying/learning process—of which there are numerous!

I spoke to her about time management and we talked about how two hours per week is only 1-2% of her available weekly waking hours (24 hours per day – 8 hours for sleep = 16 waking hours per day; 16 waking hours x 7 days per week = 112 hours; 2 hours of exercise / 112 hours = .017 or 1.7%)

I even spoke to her about the importance of leading by example and keeping exercise as a priority even when she was busy so that when she was a medical professional telling busy people to prioritize exercise—she had a foundation of experience she could reference.

And she politely smiled and nodded throughout, listening carefully to each of my points.

And then said she agreed and thanked me for what I said, but that she still needed to cancel because it just wasn’t possible with Med School.

And that was that.

Current State vs Future State Thinking

Published on July 22, 2025

I remember one of my ex-staff members reaching out to me saying they might be interested in coming back to take on a full-time role after college at the martial arts school I ran.

And I remember thinking to myself how tough it would be to hire another full-time employee with the current state of the school at that time.

When speaking to my associate and boss about it, they answered completely differently and with an unhesitating, “Yes.”

…Because they weren’t thinking about how they would make it work with the current state of the school—they were thinking about the future state of the school once this person added that much value to the business—if not more.

And this is a mindset I’ve tried to hold close ever since—especially when it comes to teaming up with people who can potentially add tons of value.

Don’t think in terms of current state… think in terms of future state.

…All I had to do was make sure the culture, training, and systems were in place so as to pave a clear way.

In what ways might you benefit from thinking future state vs current state?

Flight Delayed

Published on July 21, 2025

Yesterday, my flight got delayed.

The first announcement was that the plane had been sitting in the sun all day and the A/C wasn’t able to cool off the inside of the plane enough to allow people to board. So they told us they were going to keep trying and keep us posted.

The second announcement was that they attached a separate A/C unit onto the plane that should help expedite the cooling process.

The third announcement was that the previously mentioned A/C unit wasn’t working and was only blowing more hot outside air into the plane.

The fourth announcement was that they were going to have us fly out on a completely different plane that was still 40 minutes away from landing at the airport.

And finally, after around three hours of delays, we finally were able to board the freshly landed plane.

You can imagine the irritation and frustration experienced by the people waiting at that gate.

The people I was with, however, ended up having a great time.

We had some great conversations. We joked and laughed. We shared ideas, pictures, and videos. And, in retrospect, it ended up not being a three hour inconvenience, but a three hour opportunity to connect more deeply with the people I happened to be delayed with.

When you stop letting things outside of your control ruin your state… suddenly… your state isn’t ruined nearly as often. Because, generally speaking, your state is always something that’s within your control. Get it?

It’s as John Wooden so famously once said, “Things turn out the best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.”

An Impressive Response To Losing

Published on July 20, 2025

I took a martial arts class from a former UFC fighter yesterday and he said something I loved.

He described to the class a time when he competed against an incredible Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitor and lost.

And rather than talk trash… or print the guy’s picture out and place it on his treadmill… or even sulk in his loss and beat himself up over it… guess what he did?

…He invited the guy to his school to teach a seminar and then took a private lesson with him after.

I knew very little about this guy before I took his class, but I can tell you what… I have a pretty good idea of why he’s successful after just that one story.

Phones Face Down

Published on July 20, 2025

I’m in Florida at one of the biggest Martial Arts tournaments in the world.

I have several students competing and took them out to dinner last night.

Two of the youngest suggested we all put our phones face down and on top of each other in the middle of the table—so we could all be more present.

And it wasn’t until they suggested it that I realized I was the one who was on my phone more than anyone else at the table.

…To my defense, I was texting people who I was going to order food to-go for, who I was going to meet up with later and tomorrow, and who wanted pics and vids.

And yet, it really wasn’t an excuse.

…There I was, at the table with around 15ish of my team members, sending texts to other people.

And it took two of the youngest to remind me: there’s a time and place for those text convos… but right there, right then? …With all of us together IRL? …Enjoying the victories of the day and talking about the excitements of tomorrow? …Wasn’t it.

“Is That A Buddha?”

Published on July 17, 2025

I donated blood today.

And for whatever reason, I was being short with my answers and quiet.

Sensing this, the guy doing the blood drawing didn’t try too hard to start a conversation, just was doing his job quietly and efficiently.

Right after he stuck the needle into my vein and the blood starting swirling down the tube out and away from my body, he asked me two simple questions:

  1. “Is that a buddha?” —Referring to my tattoo. “No, it’s a reading warrior.” —And then continued to explain what it represented to me.
  2. And “Are you reading anything good right now?” —An easy segue from the above discovery.

Which resulted in a fine conversation that lasted the rest of the appointment. He recommended several books to me and I to him.

The takeaway for me is to, yes, meet people where they are and if they’re being short with their answers and quiet—maybe don’t force the opposite kind of energy onto them. But, maybe don’t assume they’re in a bad mood or hate you. A few simple questions are always classy when interacting with unknown or sullen people.

The “Green Monkey” Strategy

Published on July 16, 2025

An 8 year old martial arts student of mine was having a breakdown in the lobby today.

When he finally opened up to me, he said he was having a “really bad day” and his mom was forcing him to take the class in spite of it.

After thinking about it for a minute I asked him, “Do you know why mom is trying to force you to take class today?”

And after a few moments of contemplative silence I told him, “It’s because of green monkey.”

You can imagine the facial expressions that followed—which was partially my goal.

But, it lead to a very important point.

I told him that our minds are awful at negating thoughts. Meaning, if we tell ourselves not to think about our “really bad day”—all we’re going to think about is our really bad day. Just like if I told you not to think about a pink elephant—you can’t help but think of one.

What I suggested was mom wasn’t trying to make him miserable… mom was simply trying to give him a “green monkey” for his mind to focus on for a while—so that he didn’t have to dwell on his really bad day any longer.

By attending martial arts class and moving his body, pointing his mind at specific techniques, and connecting with other students and instructors—he would undoubtedly feel better. Certainly more so than continued dwelling would make him feel.

And guess what…?

He said it made sense… went to class… and left class jump kicking with a smile on his face.

Never underestimate the power of the “green monkey” strategy in your life.