Yesterday was a hot and humid day in Joisey. We had a few crews of Gladiators training, 5 - 6 in each group. I watched them sprint, jump, rip through kettlebells, sandbags and perform countless pull ups and push ups.
They ripped through heavy sleds, others were jumping rope and others practiced their handstand push ups.
I was in a daze for a few minutes as I watched, and I was proud of what I saw, BIG time proud.
For some reason it brought me back to the times of people telling me what I couldn't and shouldn't do.
Oddly enough, I was remembering that very day in high school, asking my Guidance Counselor if he would be so kind as to write me a reccomendation for college. He told me he couldn't do that for me because my SAT score was too low.
The conversation quickly evolved into him telling me, "Maybe college isn't for you."
This paralleled all the times people told me I can't train athletes with stones, at playgrounds, pushing my truck, etc. People said it was not professional, parents won't like it, and the naysayers kept going on and on.
Today, I own a small gym, 1500 sq. ft., with athletes traveling from out of state to train here, some over an hour away each way. They sweat buckets and buckets, some run for the bucket, many endure pain and fatigue they've never experienced before and continue to push the limits.
These athletes have the eye of the tiger. It reminds me of watching Rocky III, I kept on rewinding the part where Apollo takes Rocky back to his old gym, called 'TOUGH Gym'..... I grabbed a sheet of paper and started drawing a building, with a sign on top that said 'TOUGH Gym'.
It was in my head and in my heart, that one day I would have my gym. My rules, no whining, no cry babies. Anyone who didn't follow the creed of kicking ass and nothing less would be removed from the gym. There would be no place for average, no place for mediocrity.
I always wanted to own my own gym, a hardcore place where people were training harder than everyone else, training to be the best at what they do.
I would travel to gyms all around NJ, looking for the most hard core gyms. I even trained at Joe DeFranco's father's old Gym, Empy's Barbell Club. Wow, this gym was in a tough area where everyone was strolling around with some mean lookin' Pit Bulls! Not the place to take a wrong turn!
As I drove home last night, after my workout, around 9 PM at night, I felt that knot in my gut and cracked a smile. I thought about myself and everyone else who is told "NO" to dreams.
There are going to be countless times where people tell you, "NO", people will count you out, they'll knock you down, they'll steal from you and blame you for it....
You've always got to remember that success is up to you. Do whatever you want, and do whatever it takes to get it done.
If you ever lose the "eye of the tiger", or lose your "edge", you're screwed.
I'm telling you now, that beating the odds and following that feeling deep in your heart, deep in your gut, that is what you MUST do. You have a calling, you deserve to do what you love.
I'm only getting started, there's a boat load more to come!
Be ready, be ready!
Dedicated to your success,
--Zach--
P.S. - I have a FREE gift for you. It's new and updated, it's a powerful upgrade. Use it and make something happen! It's waiting for you right HERE.
P.P.S. - I've got a few kettlebells sitting in my backyard. Time to do some damage. Here's where I get my Kettlebells, you can get them too!
