THE BENCH: LET IT GO

So we continue on this journey of being a better leader and a better person as you look back at your career and your life, what do you see? Do you see the awards, the promotions, the bigger houses, the more expensive cars, the bigger bank accounts? Some do, and some do not. Like on the BENCH, you see I was able to BENCH 150 lbs. later 200 lbs, later 300 lbs, but as one matures and life evolves you see that you now are back to that 200 lbs again? Is this a failure or just an evolution, it is about MINDSET, you can see this as doing less or doing different but still doing or you can see this as failing.

Life gives us choices and how we see( MINDSET) is key, I am very blessed to have what I have, my health, an amazing wife and partner, and 3 amazing loving HEALTHY children. So am I making millions every year? No but who cares? I am giving back today more than ever, I have found some amazing new friends where we moved that see the world very differently than where we moved from. They only care about doing more for others and if I need anything they literally after working a 10 hour day will show up to help, give up a weekend to help, or after a 12-hour shift show up to help. No questions no excuses just want to help. So what matters most to you as you look back? What did you take? Do you know what you gave?

I sat watching the Alabama Georgia game with a house full of these new friends, the mix was amazing and to hear the conversation, a teacher, a firefighter, 2 doctors, a cyber security head for homeland security, another surgeon, another ex military commander and it went on an on, yet laughing not one person talked about what they did they talked about the kids, the great community we all live in, what we together could do to help others. We talked about giving back as we watched a fun game and only we were in Alabama as our daughter goes there but to show their support they all bought Alabama shirts when they came showing they cared about our family.

The moral of this story is to surround yourself with those who share the same MINDSET and who will stand up with you and BY YOU, fun times are easy but in tough times will they show up for you, and will they cheer for you in the worst of times? I have learned to be happy with what I have today as it is often much more than many and to take what I do have and give back as that is much more satisfying than stuff. The BENCH helps me stay strong and healthy so I can give back not show off, think about this. And this is a message to my younger readers to really stop[ and evaluate your friends, who you invest time with as it matters and it impacts what you do and who you become. Each year of life is worth 8,732 hours, so if you live to 76 (the average age of a male today) you get about 666,000 hours to invest. I have used up over 90% of this and you want that to be invested in doing good, doing right, helping others not just having stuff. Think about it do the math, where and with whom have you invested most of your time? IT MATTERS