This Blog Post is gonna get intense.

Why so intense?

Because I don't accept or encourage mediocrity.

Mediocrity sucks.

I can't stand it.

Even more so, I get pissed off how passionate people get reprimanded, lose their jobs, etc while mediocre people and even worst than mediocre people get jobs and get accepted into society.

I would rather be hated and get fired from any job then to settle for mediocrity.

Success requires intensity, dedication, passion, commitment, durability and a "I don't give a sh*t" attitude regarding what "normal" people think of you.

Being like "everybody else" and training like them is the perfect recipe for mediocrity.

For those of you still with me.....

See this photo and my short caption from my Instagram

See those foot steps? The sidewalk was maybe another 10 steps ahead where somebody did not have to cut across the front lawn. The shortcut is never the answer. There are many lessons to be learned from this. #UndergroundStrengthGym #UndergroundStrengthCoach #LiveTheCode365 #Manasquan #Edison #NOExcuses

A photo posted by Zach Even - Esh (@zevenesh) on Mar 4, 2016 at 12:33pm PST

I see this ALL the time.

Those steps are likely from the person delivering my mail.

When I was a kid, I NEVER saw our mail man cut across the lawn.

He always took the sidewalk and the driveway because he took pride in what he did and respected other people's property.

But....

ONE TIME....

I guess our regular mail man was sick and someone filled in for him.

That mail man walked on my neighbor's lawn.

My neighbor was VERY serious about his lawn.

VERY SERIOUS.

He would mow the lawn and trim all the edges with immaculate precision.

He would mow the lawn one week with a straight path and the next week with a diagonal path.

He paid attention to the little details that made the difference between a nice lawn and the best lawn in town.

He would finish mowing the lawn and then would walk to the middle of the street and stare at his lawn......

Perhaps admiring his lawn?

Perhaps seeing how and what he could do to make his lawn even better?

With a cigarette in one hand he took a few puffs and stood in the middle of the street, analyzing his lawn, checking for any mistakes he might have made.

Checking for the slightest imperfection.

He would then walk up to the lawn and fix things with a pair of scissors.

Yes. Scissors.

So can you imagine what happened when joe average mail man decided it was OK to walk across my neighbor's lawn instead of walking 5 or 10 extra steps and sticking to the sidewalk?

I saw my neighbor bolt out his front door and he yelled, screamed and dropped more expletives in one sentence than I had even known existed.

I thought my neighbor was crazy.

But guess what?

People think I AM crazy.

People think our intensity at The Underground Strength Gym is Crazy.

Not many people can handle this dedication and intensity that we expect of them at The Underground.

People look at other passionate, driven people and call us crazy.

You see, being normal IS the short cut.

"Normal" is the 6 weeks to getting in the best shape of your life.

"Normal" is the "summer speed camp that builds champions" and you fall for it.

Champions don't get built in 1 summer. It takes time. So I suggest starting NOW, not after the season when "I'm too busy" is done and over wit.

"Normal" is buy this protein powder and you'll be lifting cars, breaking PRs and crushing the competition like Godzilla crushed anything that stood in his way.

Well I DON'T want to be "normal".

Do you want normal?

Ask yourself, are you accepting normal behavior for yourself?

Looking for the short cuts, fads and gimmicks?

Are you blaming the world and everyone else for your lack of success or are you realizing that you need to work smarter, harder and with consistency?

I've already received e mails and phone calls and text messages from athletes who JUST ended their season and not even 24 hrs later they are setting bigger goals and planning how to attack their weak areas and in the gym tearing The Underground apart.

Those Champions are what 98% of everyone else is calling "crazy".

GOOD.

I want NO part of being normal.

Let me tell you what happens during those "normal short cuts" you take.

You are good enough.

You win against average opponents.

You are ahead of 90 or 95% of people.

Heck, maybe even ahead of 98% of the competition BUT don't fool yourself.

Some schools do NOT have a competitive sports schedules so they show up for the big competition at the end of the season with this awesome winning streak and when they finally meet someone who isn't into the "normal" way of training they meet someone who didn't adhere to normal.

Coaches should be making the competition schedule tougher. Otherwise, you're just lying to yourself about where you stand among the competition.

I recently watched a kid win a state title. He was losing until the very end of the match and then you saw his toughness, drive and conditioning pull through.He tied up the score and began pushing the pace of the match beyond what his opponent could handle.

This wrestler's Dad runs a wrestling club where they turn the heat ON in June and it reaches 90 something degrees or more in that barn. It is TOUGH in that barn.

When the clock was ticking and I saw this wrestler pull through and his opponent began to gas out, I KNEW that it was the YEARS & YEARS, THE THOUSANDS OF HOURS he worked through hell where it all came together for him in the last 60 seconds, pinning his opponent with 1 second left in the state finals.

The "light at the end of the tunnel" might be YEARS away. That is the reality of success, be it in sports, be in business, life, etc.

Normal actions and short cuts always come back to teach you a lesson.....

You LOSE when the competition is tough and serious wins / losses are on the line.

So don't feel like you're "crazy" when 98% of the people around you take short cuts and tell you to skip that workout.

Because When it REALLY Counts....

YOU will be the last man standing.

Don't take that short cut.

Don't cut across the front lawn.....

That 1 short cut could be the BIG difference maker in your life, whatever area of your life that is. It counts BIG time.

The Obstacle Is The Way!

Live The Code 365,

--Z--

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