Fit for Life: It’s Up to You to Create Your Own Destiny

Saturday, October 20, 2018
Matt Espeut, GoLocalWorcester Health +Lifestyle Contributor

Time for war.

It’s the eve of playing one of the most decorated football teams in RI history, and unfortunately, I can’t be there.

Bishop Hendricken has dominated D1 for years.

Since I played high school football they have won several state championships they have played in.

They are big, and the talent runs deep.

They have sent several players to top college teams such as Michigan and they recruit top athletes every year.

We are in our first year in division 1 and have a team full of young, small (but fast) players that are facing their toughest test EVER!!

I told the team during Monday’s practice that a sharp ax can take down a huge oak tree if you strike it enough times with precision accuracy, and that we can be that sharp ax if we are both physically and mentally prepared.

I also wrote the following, and delivered it to the team via video

Hey team,

Unfortunately, I can’t be there Friday, but I wanted to shoot you this video because I have 2 pieces of advice to give you. (From Legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden)

1. Don’t worry about the competition

2. Don’t worry about the conditions

 

Why you may ask?

I’m going to tell you why. Because neither of those should factor into the outcome.

When you are prepared to your fullest capacity and your mindset is 100% focused on YOUR game, it doesn’t matter who the competition is.

It’s irrelevant.

You need to go out and play smash mouth football regardless of who lines up in front of you.

I use the same principals in business.

I have some monster competition right outside my back door, and several other places within a few city blocks of me.

Does that worry me.

Not in the least because I know that if I show up and give 100% I will always prevail and never have to worry about competition.

I wake up every day and prepare myself as if someone is trying to destroy me and my business, so I relentlessly work hard to avoid anything close to that happening.

If I fail, it’s my own fault and on my own terms. NOT because someone took it from me.

I don’t study, stalk or compare what I am doing with my competition, and when they copy me, I take it as a compliment, then work on a new strategy until they copy that.  

It’s the day I show up unprepared and off my game that I need to be concerned. That’s when we fall.

The same goes for Friday night.

It doesn’t matter if the team is undefeated or winless, the team that prepares the best and brings their A game will prevail.

As far as the conditions go, that doesn’t matter either because your opponent will be playing on the same field and under the same conditions.

If it’s cold and rainy they are suffering just as much as you are.

If the field is muddy, they’re slipping too

If it’s hot and humid they will get tired too.

In business, when the economy is bad, it’s bad for all businesses. So only the strong and prepared will survive. When everyone faces adversity, it’s up to you to create your own destiny.

Therefore, we can’t rely on the conditions or any other outside circumstance to succeed.

You need to bring your best all the time and when you do that nothing will matter, you will always win!!

What is our policy?

It is to wage war, by sea, land, and air, with all our might and with all the strength that god can give us; to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark, a lamentable catalogue of human crime.

That’s our policy

What is our aim.

One-word VICTORY. Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be. For without victory, there is no survival.

-Winston Churchill

So, it doesn’t matter what your goal in life is, you always need to be prepared for war. If its fitness and health you seek, it’s a struggle. Running a business is a struggle. Winning football games is a struggle.

It’s all up to you and what you are willing to sacrifice and bring to the table that will dictate your results in any arena of life.

If you work hard and prepare, you will always walk away victorious. Now get ready to battle.

Committed to your success,

Matt Espeut, GoLocal's Health & Lifestyle Contributor has been a personal trainer and health & fitnesss consultant for over 25 years. He is the owner of Fitness Profiles, a one on one, and small group personal training company, as well as Providence Fit Body Boot Camp, located at 1284 North Main St., on the Providence/Pawtucket line. You can reach Matt at (401) 453-3200; on Facebook at "Matt Espeut", and on Twitter at @MattEspeut. "We’re all in this life together – let’s make it a healthy one.