The Challenge.

Do you have discipline or self-control? Hi everyone, my name's Jaime. I want to inspire some of us to simply try to wake up tomorrow or the next day with a purpose in mind. Why? I think why not is a better question. Why not wake up and feel good about the day about to unfold? Why wake up jaded as if you already know what to expect? You might have an idea although we can't plan for everything. Break the cycle of hitting your snooze button and use that time to motivate yourself. Establish a goal from the first moment you become self-aware. Even if it's as simple as sitting up, at least you can stretch a bit. My reasoning behind writing this is just to give someone that push they need to try something new. Even you don't apply this logic towards waking up, use it for something. I doubt you'd have read this far into it if you couldn't use the information. Personally everyday I wake up in the morning and start the same basic routine. You might be thinking, what routine? You already know. The basics, taking care of my hygiene, shaving, walking and feeding my dog before riding my bike off to school. Digressing from my personal routine... I was raised differently than to only do just these basic things most of us abide by. My dad taught me at a young age how important it was to wake up early and do a warm up exercise and stretch my body out. Aside from that he taught me to literally stand in front of the wall and throw a hundred punches in horse stance and to do my kicks afterwards. He also told me to do at least a hundred push ups and sit ups. Every morning. Was this training just to build my body? No. Did he enforce this behavior? No. It was a choice, and so is self-control. It was also a way to instill me with discipline. Why punch at a wall? How accurate do you think your punches are if you don't even know the depth of your reach? Why do it in horse stance? It wasn't just to make my legs feel the pain of a slight burn. It assists in establishing balance and provides a foundation of perseverance and determination. Push ups are great, you get to push the entire world down. What better way to relieve stress? Sit ups just plain suck. To this day I have to flex for my abs to show through my skin. I hate that. They're both also great basic calisthenic workouts and efficient ways to get your blood pumping before you stretch. I'm 25 years old right now. I have a natural build and I only weigh in at 135 lbs. Did I listen to his advice? No. If I had I'd be in remarkable shape and mentally speaking my self-confidence, and self-regard would be exponentially higher than it is. Can you imagine 20+ years of training like that? I look back and wish I had. I mean it only takes 20 minutes out of the day. This is a message to everyone including myself and I hope people can give me some motivation back. I want to start this training again like I did as a kid. My challenge to everyone is to simply wake up with a purpose. Help support the cause and send some feedback motivating me and others to get up and change our days for the better.

That's really impressive. I go through a light warm up in the mornings just to stay loose, I feel like crap if I don't. But more specifically any day I work, I get in a good training session for at least an hour. I figure if I'm going to put in 8 hours towards someone else's goals, I'm damn sure gonna put in at least an hour towards myself and my own development. People think physical activity is simply that, physical. But it is so much more. The time to reflect on yourself while you do these things. Taking a moment to shut out the entire world and focus on honing yourself. Or stopping for a moment and taking the entirety of the world into yourself. I also take the time to remind myself of how far I've gotten. Everything I've overcome to get this far. For all the "troubles" I have, there are many who didn't even get this far. When I have a down day or am being hard on myself, I remember. I remember that for 26 years, every "problem", "barrier" or "obstacle" that has stood in my way has been knocked on its ass. Any current "troubles" are just next in line. Fight, strive, push and they will fall... Just like all the others. "What do you want? What do you wanna do? Where do you wanna go? Cut through the darkness and run to grab what you want all through the night" Yo Jm... I ain't running from a challenge.

I've heard of that philosophy before, well said Absolutely. I appreciate myself so much more when I invest my time into myself. It truly does give time to reflect on oneself too, specifically it allows me to challenge myself from past experience. I've been through a lot these past few years yet I seldom take the time to consider patting myself on the back. I've still got a long way to go to reach my goals so thanks for that motivation. Individually it can be difficult to acknowledge what ones true limits are, past the walls of security we set ourselves. That being said its good to read that you've knocked yours down, its inspirational. That quote reminds me of a similar one from Terry Goodkinds Sword of Truth novels. I've told people it before but most have failed to realize what it meant, you might. -"Once committed to fight, cut. Everything else is secondary. Cut. That is your duty, your purpose, your hunger. There is no rule more important, no commitment that overrides that one. Cut. Cut from the void, not from bewilderment. Cut the enemy as quickly and directly as possible. Cut decisively, resolutely. Cut into the enemy’s strength. Flow through the gaps in his guard. Cut him. Cut him down utterly. Don’t allow him a breath. Crush him. Cut him without mercy to the depths of his spirit." -Richard Rahl -Terry Goodkind I've woke up twice to that routine so far, cheers to making progress and to striving for Self-Actualization and Self-Transcendence. Those words specifically coming from Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. I'm truly thankful for your response and inspiration.