THE BENCH: Nothing lasts forever

So this week as a real solid reminder of what another lesson learned from the bench has for me and for many that should learn this lesson much earlier in their career is that, just like the vinyl covering on THE BENCH wears out and the new DUCT TAPE has to be applied to keep going, that over time things do change. So what is the lesson here? Pay attention to what really matters.

There is a profound lesson coming here. The bench wears out, the covering needs to be repaired and my solution is and was DUCT TAPE, but even that needs redone often over the years. The key was even with age, my workouts had to change , the bench had to be fixed but the essence in all this was the importance of still everyday showing up and working out. The belief in myself, in staying healthy for my family, for being an active healthy father, son and husband is really what mattered. This is the key that it is not the OBJECT, the BENCH, but rather that important WHY. Do you understand? We go through our careers, our family life and we fly along. Meetings, in/out, just flying day by day, social talk, event to event, dinner and drinks, but they are just that stuff. What really matters?

We all need to step back and ask ourselves was it the importance of the DUCT TAPE? or was it the importance of the WHY I work out using the bench daily?

I sit here in my home office and I look up at this picture on my wall, FAMILY 2013. In this Picture is me with my amazing wife, 3 children and my parents. Today the picture 10 years later would show me, my amazing wife and 3 children and no parents. This past week, I received a message that my college roommate passed away. Another reminder of stopping long enough to ask the why? Why am I rushing through the days ? To each meeting, to each next paycheck? WHY? Is it for that next replacement paycheck ( Duct Tape?) or is it for the essence of the excercise to be a better father, husband and, in the past SON. You must learn to focus on what matters, the BENCH helps me remember my WHY. I have learned some brutal lessons the past 5 years. Things I thought were very important, relationships, people I have trusted and relied on and found in the end, they were not my BENCH, they were not what supported the WHY. Do not wait too long to understand this. Today I cannot hung my father, feel his unshaven face rub against mine when I gave him a kiss and told him I loved him. I cannot harass my mother and hear her laugh out loud with our daughter. The BENCH is a stark reminder to think about what counts and why it counts, somethings cannot be "Duct Taped" back , know that and take action to make this part of your life important. You can never be a great leader until you center yourself in the right WHY.