Sunday, December 2, 2012

Awesome Is As Awesome Does

Living the life of "Awesomeness" is just that.....AWESOME!


Just like anything in life, you have to work real hard in order to gain & reap the benefits of living the awesomeness lifestyle. It takes dedication, perseverance, consistency, integrity and a whole lot of "cajones" to stand up for what you believe in while doing what's right for you and your well being.

So, how would you define what 'awesome' is?

Is it something you see?

Something you feel?

Something you taste? 

Something you can touch?

If you look it up, by definition 'awesome' simply means "Extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring great admiration or fear; extremely good; excellent".

I'm almost certain that many of you will agree that 'awesome' can take many shapes or forms - whether it be an amazing person, an extraordinary place or a phenomenal thing! I can also say with 100% certainty that 'awesome' will also bring out the best in you. It may also bring out the best in those you around you.

So let me ask you - what are some things that you consider awesome in your life? How do those things make you feel? Do they benefit you in any way? If yes, how so? Does it give you satisfaction? Does it create a gateway to bigger & better things that may impact your life in a positive way?

There was a story that I read once not too long ago about a lady who made a pact with herself. She was an avid smoker who had been trying to quit for years. One day this lady decided to try something different. She 'tricked' herself into quitting smoking by swearing to donate $5K dollars to the Ku Klux Klan if she ever decided to smoke another cigarette. From that day forward, she never smoked again! Ever!

I question, would she have donated that money if she had given in? Maybe, maybe not. Whether you believe that story or not, I still think that it was pretty awesome of her to do something so outlandish as to wanting to donate her hard earned dollars to the KKK in order to quit smoking. Was it far fetched? I would say so. Regardless, it worked for her.

You see, sometimes we have to take extreme measures and/or do preposterous things so that we may be rewarded with the 'goodness of awesomeness'. It may require that we 'think outside of the box' and take a leap of faith. No matter the outcome, things will almost always work themselves out. I firmly believe that.

I also believe that the type of character you build for yourself - how you carry on & how you're perceived in the eyes of the outside world - will carry more weight imaginable than so-called gossip from the naysayers. I guess you could say that I'm the type of person who is more about 'action taking' vs. 'talking and doing nothing'.

The last few weeks I've had some pretty amazing conversations with some good friends and colleagues of mine about this topic. It's not common in our world to deal with clients who are on the bubble or hesitant to get started on their journey to optimal health & wellness. For many, the thought that they have to "get in better shape" before starting their 1st training session with their personal trainer is outrageous. Or how about those New Year Resolutions of starting up their fitness program on January 1st? Why not start today and get a jump start before the New Year begins?

Many people are good at talking up the game....but very few are able to dress up and step foot on the playing field and perform.

Do not let any excuse or any person for that matter try to sway you away from your goals. Do not let any bad decision dictate the direction that you're headed - which is directed to the road to SUCCESS.



Do me a favor - when you get the chance, I'd like for you to take the time to sit back, grab a cup of coffee or tea, find a nice quiet place, relax and reflect on the things that you feel bring the awesomeness factor into your life.

I want to share with you some of the things - whether it's a person, place or thing - that have brought me the utmost pleasure, contentment, gratification, enjoyment and happiness in my personal & professional life. Not only that, but these are the 'Awesomeness Factors' that have impacted and continue to impact my life in abundance. Keep in mind that this list is in no particular order.

AR's List of Awesomeness:

  • My family - I grew up in a very close knit family who is very supportive and is all about loving each other. I'm blessed in the fact that we know no race, color or creed and that we treat those around us with respect. That's the way I was raised - and probably the reason why I have so many wonderful & awesome family & friends of all ethnicity's.

  • My "Fit-Fam" - I'm so fortunate & blessed to have so many wonderful, down-to-earth, well-respected friends & colleagues in the health and fitness industry whom I consider my "Fitness-Family". It's you guys who make my existence as a fitness professional extravagant and beyond measure! You are all AMAZING and I thank you for being and playing such an important role in my life! You know who you are!



  • 'Self Discipline' and 'TFW' Wristbands - I thank my good friends & colleagues Gregg Miele - high-profile personal trainer to Jay-Z, Reggie Bush, etc. and founder/creator of the "Self Discipline" bracelet and Martin Rooney - owner & founder of Training For Warriors, for my wristbands. I wear both of them on my right wrist as they serve as my daily reminder to always live my life by having the 'Self Discipline' to always bring out the 'Warrior Within'!


  • My Blendtec Blender - I was at Costco a year or so ago and I remember this dude doing a 'demo' about this high-speed, industrial type blender that could pulverize just about anything. To make a long story short, I bought the Blendtec and have been so happy with it since day #1. I figure, at a $400 price tag, I better be getting a high-quality product. And I have without a doubt. Plus my shakes & smoothies are off the hook! (wink)
Blendtec - "Will it blend?" You bet your ass it will!

  • The Power of Facebook - I've had the opportunity to meet many awesome & wonderful people through the social interaction on FB. Though it may be superficial to some, I find it as an avenue to keep up with distant friends & colleagues while allowing us to catch up on the latest & greatest!

  • Skype - The ability to video chat with family, friends and colleagues from around the country and beyond has been a tremendous and awesome experience. In the last week, I've had some pretty amazing conversations with some great people whom I consider great friends. I can also thank FB for setting the platform in helping me establish a connection thus leading the way to personal communication and outreach. Thank you to those friends and colleagues of mine for taking the time to connect & chat with me. You guys ROCK!

  • Betty Rocker's Fuel System - "It's not a "diet", it's a SYSTEM!" My good friend, colleague and Ninja extraordinaire Bree Argetsinger, aka The Betty Rocker, has just released her eBook - "Betty Rocker's Fuel System". This eBook is packed with so much detailed info that's easy to comprehend and is beautifully constructed so that you can put things into ACTION right away. Upon purchasing my copy, I took the time to read this eBook from front to back cover (all 91 ages) within a couple of hours. All I can say is that Bree has laid out the ground work for you in a step by step plan to get your best body ever in 30 days! She speaks from personal experience and showcases where she is today through her hard work, consistency and dedication to living the optimal health & fitness lifestyle. What you get is an intelligent, lean, strong, beautiful young lady with the will & determination to live the life of awesomeness by practicing what she preaches and sharing it with the world! Trust me - at $47, this eBook is a steal as I think it's worth 10x as much. It's all about heart & soul and it entails everything about Bree's personality and the life she lives as a fitness pro, nutrition expert, and health & lifestyle coach. She's the real deal! I highly recommend you get your copy NOW by clicking HERE! You'll be glad you did.

  • My dog Chelsea - I love my dog and I think she's the awesomest! Ever since she was a pup, I knew there was something special about her. She'll be turning 7 this coming January and I plan to spoil her (as I always do) with her homemade carrot, carob & peanut butter birthday cake. And yes for the record, she does go to doggy daycare - it's been the best thing since berry flavored fish oil caps!
Chelsea - my mixed breed Boxer/Lab

  • My JK Conditioning Dragon Tee - My good friend, colleague and bad-ass strength coach, personal trainer and fitness writer, Jon-Erik Kawamoto - owner & founder of JK Conditioning, started his Dragon Tee as a side project. Now it's grown into 'The Dragon Tee Nation', which has expanded globally and for great reason. There's something mysterious that happens to you as soon as you put on the Dragon Tee. You start feeling the power within come out of hibernation, the blood rushes everywhere around your body, the fire within ignites and starts to grow hotter and bigger - you awaken your inner dragon! It's AWESOME! Hurry and get your Dragon Tee by clicking HERE!
Jon-Erik Kawamoto - Elite, calm, cool & AWESOME!

  • Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations" and "The Layover" - I've always been a fan of Anthony Bourdian and what he brought to the TV screen in terms of food, travel, culture and entertainment all wrapped into one! Being that I love to cook (I can hold my own in the kitchen very well and with complete confidence) and travel, these 2 shows depict the real world as it pertains to epicurean living, satisfying the palate and sharing this ultimate experience with good company. 

  • Drums - If there's one thing that a lot of people don't know about me is that I'm a self taught drummer. Yep, I don't read music - I just have a keen sense of listening to a song and translating that to my hands and feet and going through the drumming tracks by the good old method of playing, rewind, analyze, play, rewind again, repeat. It's timely but a cool way to develop your own playing style! Plus drums are just awesome! Some of my biggest influences - Neal Peart (Rush), Mike Portnoy (formerly of Dream Theater), Terry Bozzio (Missing Persons), Mike Mangini (Dream Theater), Danny Carey (Tool), Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden), Sean Kinney (Alice In Chains), Rick Allen (Def Leppard).

  • Inov-8 F-Lite 195 - I bought a pair of Inov-8 F-Lite 195 (black & white) cross trainer/running shoes and they have been the best shoes for all of my fitness and interval training needs. The shoes are low profile with an even 3mm drop from the heel to forefoot and mimic the perfect barefoot style feel. They feature a "Meta-Flex" component that allows your foot to bend at the metatarsal-phalangeal joint without restriction. I like them so much I'm going to buy a 2nd pair soon.

  • Coffee Shops - I like hanging out at coffee shops whether it be sipping on a hot "cup of joe" or herbal tea and connecting to the Wi-Fi to get some work done on my laptop. There's a certain ambiance that I appreciate while being surrounded by the smell of fresh brewed coffee, a brightly lit environment that makes me happy, while being surrounded by cool people.

  • New Life Church - My church is AWESOME! Pastor Troy Jones is the coolest pastor and he speaks the truth and tells it like it is. He's down-to-earth, funny, entertaining, brilliant and a man of his word! Everything about this church is amazing - the environment, the people, the music, the service, the connections, the message, and most importantly - my relationship with God & Jesus Christ! If you're ever in the Seattle area and/or if you're looking for a church home, I highly suggest you come check out New Life Church

  • FTR Nation - I'm very fortunate & blessed to have crossed paths with Brian Grasso, Carrie Campbell and the rest of my FTR Nation Family. Being a part of this formidable group of professionals has given me the ability to "go against the grain", if you will, and allow me to inspire & express everything that I'm about with no judgement or negativity. It's all about finding your true purpose in life, being and staying motivated to create change within the world and being audacious in doing so. Thank you Brian, Carrie and my FTRN brothers and sisters for allowing me to "come home"

  • My Birthday - I was born on December 25th - that's right, Christmas Day! Most folks ask, "Doesn't it suck having your birthday on Christmas?" Are you kidding?! It's the coolest & awesomest thing ever! How many other people can officially say they share the same birthday with Jesus Christ?! I'll leave it at that.
This is my perception of Santa Claus - pretty AWESOME!

  • My Life As A Fitness Professional - I absolutely love what I do. I get to inspire greatness in people's lives and help them look, feel and perform better. It's an absolute honor & privilege to be able to do such a remarkable thing in transforming people's lives so that they may achieve and attain their goals while living the fitness lifestyle. It's not just about being in fitness - it's about being into fitness. My mission is to bring out the "inner athlete" in everyone I train so that they may be rewarded with optimal health while maintaining an excellent level of fitness. 

  • The Ninja Handbook and Wisdom Deck - The Ninja Handbook and Wisdom Deck (both sold separately) contain the essential elements of the know-how, how-to, how-not, what is, and what is not necessary for living and paving the way of the Ninja Path. I firmly believe that we can learn a lot from Ninjas - from being stealthy fast to just being a kick-ass person....just like Ninjas are! Take it from me, being a formal member of the International Order of Ninjas (ION) - the book & deck are legit and they're both AWESOME!

So there you have it - a small sampling of some of the things that have created the awesomeness factor in my life. Now granted there are plenty more factors what I could list, I didn't want to list every single thing imaginable. That just gives me more of a reason for creating a continuation of this blog post - maybe part II or something of sorts.

All in all, keep in mind that 'awesome is as awesome does'. In other words, while maintaining a level of confidence and super-competitiveness to help steer constant never-ending improvement (Kaizen), we can project a life of hard work, graceful humility, while being absent from any narcissistic self-praise.

We'll simply go on living the life of 'AWESOMENESS' cause that's what we are......

AWESOME!





















-AR

2 comments:

Betty Rocker said...

OMG. This is the MOST AWESOME LIST EVER. I was fist pumping Jersey Shore style when I saw that I was on it!!
Plus I found out about some other amazing people and things!
Adrian, it's so great having AWESOME people like you in my FitFam.
YOU RULE.
Happy Holidays,
Bree
aka Betty Rocker
PS - Capricorns rock. I'm on Jan 3rd, right behind you :)

Adrian Robles said...

Bree -

Thank YOU so much for taking the time to read my post and for your support!

I'm truly ecstatic to have you listed under my "List of Awesomeness" cause quite simply, that's what you are....AWESOME! :)

Thanks again for checking out my blog!

-AR

P.S. - Yes, we Capricorns do ROCK! That explains why you're AMAZING & AWESOME! :)