The Future

For the past decade my routine was pretty much the same. I would wake up train, work, train, then finish my day with more work, Monday through Friday. Most Friday's I would board a plane and I'd be off to do a seminar or competition, returning late Sunday night, and my week would repeat.

Then one day I woke up and I was 26, Jiu Jitsu the art I loved, went from my passion to being my job. Although I loved to train, learn and compete something was missing. I had just opened my Academy and at that time although I did most of my training there I was still teaching at different gyms.

In 2012, I stopped teaching at other gyms. I started to focus on my academy, and created my association. My life just got busier. Of all my responsibilities, teaching was the one thing I enjoyed. In my crazy world, teaching Jiu Jitsu kept me sane.

In 2013 the stress, the training and my life was too much for my body and I got sick. It was at this time I took a moment to re-evaluate my life. I chose to focus on things that mattered to me, and this gave me a clear focus.

When I wake up every morning I no longer dread the day ahead but embrace it. I have accepted and embraced the role of instructor, not competitor. Seeing others succeed and being a part of others lives is much more enjoyable than my own success. If I only knew that earlier. I still work hard, but now the work I do is more of the work I choose to do.

After all, our lives are truly what we make it, although some things we feel we have to do, in the end we decide what we do. We control our own destiny, make our own obligations, and for me anyway, the goal of being happy out weighed the goals of what it means to be a success. The Future, my future is filled with hope and promise not anxiety.

Looking forward to the rest of 2016, one amazing day at a time!