Quick Life Lessons from a Douchebag...

Picture this.

You’re 22 years of age, a British champion weightlifter and not long back from competing in the world championships.

On track for the Olympics and your future’s bright.

You’re living your best life and achieving greatness, all from being the fat kid who was bullied at school.

An amazing transformation you’ve come a long way. A lifetime of hard work, dedication and perseverance and you win a silver medal in the commonwealths too.

It’s all coming together.

As you reflect with your silver medal around your neck in Samoa you feel the most exquisite sensation of perfection that you’ll never forget.

“No wonder Robert Lewis Stevenson moved out over there and based the story Treasure Island on this place” you think to yourself.

You realise the island of Samoa and life- is beautiful.

You vow to live here one day.

But in your next competition you suffer a cataphoric injury and break both your knees… The dream’s over.

It’s all gone.

Now you’re sat in hospital being told you’ll never walk again.

Plans are dashed - the life you thought you were destined for is no more.

From hero to zero.

You were convinced to lift a weight that you didn’t want to and paid the ultimate price.

Your ego got the better of you.

More painfully you didn’t listen to your gut feeling.

You messed up big time.

You gave into the pressure.

You’ll never make that mistake again

Lesson: ALWAYS follow your gut instinct

Next.

Sat in the hospital and bed bound you’re in agony.

You’re offered paracetamol for the pain but refuse.

Not wanting to cause a fuss you ignore the stupid question at the back of your mind

“Why on earth are they offering me paracetamol when I have two dislocated knees and torn quad muscles, surely they know I need morphine?”

13 days later you’re wondering when you’ll be offered some.

You’d also like to know when you’ll be operated on but you don’t want to make a fuss.

You can’t stand making a fuss and hate bothering people.

Growing up in a crowded house you get used to being self sufficient.

“They’re busy - leave them alone they’ll get round to you” you tell yourself.

In pain you can’t sleep.

On day 13 a nurse shouts “You must be self-medicating” while on her morning rounds.

Confused you ask her why she’s being mean.

You’re vulnerable and helpless.

She tells you that you must be self-medicating because you’re refusing pain medication.

Trying to calm the nurse down you learn that in order to get morphine you have to first of all accept paracetamol – it’s procedure

You’ve got to jump through hoops first.

Lesson: Put people ahead of procedures – Make sure nobody you ever speak to is made to feel that helpless ever again

She was you’re least favourite nurse but on this occasion I was grateful for her confrontation.

Thank you so much angry nurse.

You taught me some more lessons that day

Lesson: Do NOT be afraid to make a fuss and DON’T be scared to ask stupid questions

Operation done a few weeks later there’s a follow up appointment with either a doctor or physio.

I can’t remember which.

He didn’t make me feel looked after, he came was arrogant and dismissive.

I didn’t go back to see him ever again.

He didn’t care and I’m sure he was under stress.

I could sense he couldn’t wait to get me out of there.

I was ashamed.

I didn’t bother him again and never went back.

I don’t like bothering people.

Another lesson learned.

Lesson: Knowing somebody cares about you and listens is essential

On my own again I made my own plan up.

I followed it to the tee.

I would put a DVD on a do my own physio religiously every day.

I talked to myself positively in what became my first learnings of positive psychology.

My dad wanted me out of the house as quick as possible so I had to get back on my feet literally as soon as possible.

Life in Manchester can be a bit harsh like that.

Lesson: You can always rely on yourself

Exactly 5 weeks and 6 days later I did my first shift back as a doorman, working for a reasonably legitimate door company.

Better than some of the others I’d worked for anyway.

Knees strapped up, I stood there every night and kept my gob shut too.

I made it through one shift and was grateful.

I set the goal to get through the first week and build up from there

I was in agony but had bills to pay

Another lesson learned

Lesson 5: When you want something bad enough you can do whatever you put your mind to – shrink the change and take it one step at a time

The very first night I was back at work one of the surgeons who operated on me came to the night club.

He fixed my left knee he told me as he reached for my leg in astonishment.

I moved away and asked him not to mention it if he wouldn’t mind. I couldn’t afford people to know I wasn’t in peak performance.

Afterall in my job you need confidence in yourself and people need to know you can look after them.

It was my and his little secret.

Calling the bar manager upstairs I made sure he never paid for another drink in the club ever again.

The manager said “no problem, Mike, a friend of yours is a friend of mine”

It was possibly the only time I asked him or anybody else for anything.

I was deeply humbled.

I still remember thinking about how little old could look after a doctor.

To the manager who’s name’s Dave Smith; If you’re reading this you changed my life with that gesture.

You have no idea how thankful I am for that lesson.

Lesson: There’s no greater gift that looking after others and what goes around comes around

So, there’s a few lessons I’ve learned on my journey to being here now I’m back from my wedding and back to coaching my clients and living my best life.

That’ll do for today - let’s bring this into landing.

Since my injury in 2007 I’ve successfully qualified for the world championships again and came second in the British championships too.

I fully recovered and achieved greatness once more.

I’ve got in the best shape of my life physically and mentally and learned many lessons to become one of the best behaviour change lifestyle coaches on the planet at the moment.

I live and breathe what I do and am grateful for you reading the post today – it means the world.

My motto is “clients first clients last” as I know exactly what it feels like to be the man left behind.

If you’re ready to pull the trigger and want to look and feel your best - reach out and let’s talk

Happy Monday

Mike

PS I have 2 spaces opening next month

PPS Here’s a photo that commonwealth medals silver too. Now that I have an amazing online coaching business I can finally move to Samoa and follow my dreams once again.

#coaching #lifestyle #menshealth #nevergiveup #transformation #fitness #habits #personaldevelopment #behaviourchange