Before I get started I want to THANK EVERYONE who voted for me. I ended up winning 3rd place and receiving a $500 scholarship.
This was right on time because I broke my glasses and they cost just about $500 to get them fix.
So from the bottom of my heart I really just want to say THANKS! Now on to the post…
This is the busy season for me. I have two presentations, a final and two papers to do. I have been cutting out some things like putting up blog post, responding to comments, working out, taking care of the house and not being a good boyfriend. All to stay on top of my school work… I know a lot of people are going to say, well school comes first. Yes, I think that school should come first but school is not who I am.
I am more complex than that and life is not all about school and work. Have you ever heard anybody on their death bed say, “I wish I would have worked a few more hours in the office?” No! They are usually saying I wish I would have spent more time with my family, travel the world, or did things that made them happy. I know you are all are thinking this is cool Martinus but where are you going with this?
Well something happened to me yesterday that changed my life perspective. A couple of days ago, I was feeling blah, I left out of my stat class with my brain fried. I sat there for 2.5 hours not knowing what was going on. I felt as if I was wasting time. I got two papers to write I should have been doing that instead. So after class I went to the office to eat lunch. So I’m searching through YouTube looking for something light-hearted to bring my spirits up. Instead I found something inspirational. I came across a video from ET The Hip Hop Preacher @Ericthomasbtc. He was talking to students about success. (I suggest everyone check it out) He was telling a story about a guru and a kid. The kid asked the guru if he could help him be successful. The guru said yes…Meet me at the beach at 4am.
The guru take the kid out to the beach and dunks the kids head in the water until the kid was about to pass out then he pulled the kid up. The kid asked , “Why did he do that – the guru said, “In order to be successful you have to want success as bad as you want to breathe like when I was holding your head under water. The guru asked the kid did you see how bad you wanted to breathe that’s how bad you have to want to succeed.
Wow, wanting and needing success is like wanting and needing to breathe. I thought to myself that’s a great story and I am motivated. Let me get back to writing this paper.
However, the message of the story didn’t hit me until I went to CrossFit later that day. (I know I haven’t given you an update yet…it’s coming…promise.) The workout was the toughest workout I ever did… The WOD was called whiner niner it was 9 rounds of 9 box jumps, 9 ring dips, 9 double under, 9 back extensions, 9 burpees, 9 dead lifts 9 mountain climbers, 9 push press, and 9 kettle bell swings and did I mentioned that this was timed.
While I was on my 5th round I just wanted to give up …..it was super tough. I couldn’t hardly breathe I’m grasping for breath. All I wanted to do is to stop and catch my breath. Then it hit me…When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe. “DAMN THAT’S DEEP” Here I am in CrossFit trying to relive some stress and I enlighten myself. I’m in CrossFit breathing heavy I’m uncomfortable but it’s not painful. So I pose myself a question to myself, which is more important to me right now… stop and catch my breath or pushing through the discomfort and completing this WOD. I choose to complete the WOD. I finish the workout in 46 minutes and 49 seconds. Everyone was clapping and congratulating me for finishing the workout but I was amazed how that message resonated with me. “When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe.”
During the car ride home I applied that quote to the current situation that I’m in. It’s a busy time in school…So what! Don’t let it stop you from your other responsibilities, being a boyfriend, blogger, business man, etc. Do all of these responsibilities matter to me just as much as breathing? YES…they do. Well make a way to get it all done Martinus, make sacrifices. Give up less important things to get the things that matter the most done. If y’all are not inspired by now I don’t know what to tell you but I know one thing I want to succeed as much as I want to breathe.
I want to thank ET the Hip Hop Preacher @Ericthomasbtc for being an inspiration to me even through you don’t know me. Being that I was born and raised on the east side of Detroit, MI and he’s from Detroit also… I can tell that his message is real and from a place of passion. I wish I could show him some support of something and buy his book but I’m on a graduate student stipend it does not leave much room for extra spending…
Until next time I’m 300 pounds and running….
