I saw a quote that said, “A man without a dream or a vision shall perish.” I believe this is true and applies directly to the way we set goals for ourselves. Our goals and dreams are the things that motivate us, inspire us, and give us the hope to achieve something on a day to day basis. However, I also believe that a person who has a goal but doesn't take immediate and continuous action toward turning that goal into a reality is just as doomed to perish as the person with nothing. Once we set a goal for ourselves, there are a million different ways we can go about achieving it, but the one thing that will always remain the same is that first step—taking action. That is what makes all the difference between failure and seeing your dreams come true.
About a month ago, I was sitting in my bedroom clicking through articles on EliteFTS, and I read "Functional Muscle" by Kyle Newell. I saw under the article that Kyle was a physical education teacher by day and a strength and conditioning coach by night and that his gym was located about 20 minutes from my home. As someone who is looking to follow the same career path, I decided to e-mail Kyle and see if he had any need for an intern over the summer. I could have just sat on my ass and watched television that day, but instead I took action. I took that first step toward reaching a goal that I want to achieve in my life. Long story short, I’ve been working with Kyle at his new facility for a few weeks, and the amount of experience and knowledge I've already gained is beyond what I ever expected. Every single day, I see myself coming closer to reaching my goal. To think it all started with something as simple as clicking the ‘send’ button on an e-mail. It all started with that first step.
The point I'm trying to make is that whether your goal is entering that first powerlifting meet you’ve been thinking about, getting out of a lousy job and finding a career you love, losing those ten pounds, or anything else you can possibly imagine, don't hesitate to take action. Never be afraid to take that first step. The second one will be easier and then the third. Chase your goals relentlessly, and doors will start to open up for you, opportunities will begin to present themselves, and one day you will step back and realize how far you’ve come. All because of that first step…
The title of this article is “Seven Words That Changed My Life,” so I guess it’s about time I told you what those words are. I know they won't have the same effect on everyone as they did on me, so interpret them however you choose and hopefully find some meaning in them. Let me preface this by saying that each year on my birthday, my grandfather sends me a poem typed up on the ancient typewriter that’s been sitting in his house for much longer than I’ve even been alive. This is taken from the poem I received on my 21st birthday:
“Expansive are the middle years
Filled with zip and zest and lust.
All for the taking
If you just."