Learning From Tebow: Lessons from the NFL's most polarizing figure

 "I don't believe it's the will to win. It's the will to prepare. If you wake up early, stay late, grind, those 14 games will come easy to you." - Tim Tebow

   
      Tim Tebow. Just say the name and you will provoke talk among any group of people. Mothers will talk about how great of a guy he is; fathers will talk about his lack of throwing ability; daughters will talk about how beautiful he is. Regardless of which side of the Tebow spectrum you fall on, there is no denying that Tim Tebow is one of the most polarizing athletes in football's recent history. With that said, there are definitely lessons that one can take from the way Tim Tebow handles himself. Without further ado:

1- Be Humble-With all the love (and hate) that Tim Tebow receives, it would be easy for Tim to get a big head and forget about working hard. But Tebow does not do this, instead he works harder to make his haters believers.

2-Commit to what you believe in 100%-I am the first one to get tired of Tebow mentioning God in every interview that he partakes in. However, Tebow is committed 100% in his belief of God. And is that commitment that everyone can learn from. It is too often that someone begins a new journey, and upon reaching an obstacle he/she quits. If you commit 100% to living a healthy lifestyle then all of the challenges that you face will be far easier to handle.

3- Do not let others tell you that you cannot do something-This one goes hand and hand with commitment. 'For every successful person there is always a group of haters,'successful people have managed to put away all of the criticism and manifest that hate into fuel for their daily lives. If you can do the same, then there is no doubt that you will reach your goals.

Regardless of whether you believe in Tim Tebow as a quarterback, you should recognize a man who acts with the respect of others, and you should recognize a man who has put his work in both on and off the field.

Thanks for reading. JG

A Quick Note on Reading

            "If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or tools) to write"- Stephen King

                               

            We live in a world where learning can happen in any place, regardless of the setting. Learning is made possible through numerous outlets; however, reading is still one of the best ways to learn information. Sadly, many people -- supposedly-- do not have the time to read.  If you are one of those people, you must make the time to read. It does not matter what you want to be in life, if you want to be the top in your profession-- which is what you should strive for-- then you must educate yourself. That’s right, if you want to be active learner, then you cannot rely solely on the schools criteria. Each school has its own agendas, and if you are interested in a topic that the class spent only 20 minutes on, YOU must do the further research. This is called being an active and engaged learner. So the next time you leave the house, bring a book – you never know when the opportunity to learn will present itself.


Thanks for reading. JG

Book Review ~ Romo: My Life on the Edge- Living Dreams and Slaying Dragons

       

Let me start of by saying that this review is long overdue. I first read Romo, two years ago. It was a book given to me by my older brother for one of my birthdays. For those of you who don't know who "Romo" is, I will explain. Bill Romanowski was an NFL player for 16 years, he played for numerous teams including the 49ers, Eagles, Broncos and Raiders. His NFL career intrigued me because of the fact that he played so long, the average length of an NFL career is 3.52 seasons. I desperately wanted to know the secret to quadrupling that average number of seasons played. The first thing that I learned from this book is, that there is no shortcut to success. In the first chapters, Romo talks about his family having arguments due to their lack of money. He proceeds to talk about his desire to go to college for free, and his search for how he was going to do it. After reading an article on  Herschel Walker, Romo found the answer. Pushups, Sit-ups and sprints were integral for Romo; eventually leading up to a  Division 1 College Football Scholarship to play for Boston College University. 

One common theme throughout the book was the passion that Romo displayed on an everyday basis. While his college teammates were out partying and drinking, Romo was lifting, reading, or eating healthy. Romo never drank during his time in college and it paid off; Romo was selected in the 3rd round of the NFL Draft. Among the many lessons that this book offers, there are 3 that stick out to me.

1. Do not be complacent - Throughout his life, Romo can be described as someone who never stops trying to improve, whether it be tackling form or becoming a better parent; Romo always searches for experts and tries to learn.
2. Talk to the Experts - In his life, Romo always tries to contact the most elite in their respective fields. Romo works with the best in various fields, such as:  Football, Nutrition, Massage, Stretching and Recovery.
3. Stick to your values/goals - Perhaps, the most important lesson one can take from this book is the idea of sticking to your values and goals . Romo faced many pressures from his peers, and, unfortunately, many of those pressures were negative. When his peers told him to go out with them, Romo declined and instead would make sure to get in 8 hours of sleep. Why did he do that? He does this because the voice in the back of his mind says, " Will going out with them help you achieve your goals?"  

If we all use this same reasoning then I believe reaching our goals will not be as daunting a task.

Thanks for reading. JG

The GOAT: Internet link edition

Today, I plan on writing about my favorite articles that I have found on the internet. My views are completely MY opinion on the article, however , I will add how that article has helped me. As I continue to gain knowledge; more links will be added to this page. My goal is to have a database for people who are searching for the best links on the Net, with topics ranging from Mathematics - Sleeping tips. 



                               "GOAT"= Greatest of all time

LINKS ON SLEEP : http://www.trickstutorials.com/content/sleeps - To me, this is the greatest page on sleep and how to get a great sleep that is on the internet. Although I have not read every sleep article on the Internet, (If you have then I suggest you reconsider your thought process and/or get a job) I can honestly say that this article has helped me the most. The author, a man who goes by Jujimufu, has tested sleep strategies out in the best way possible; which is to actually try them all out. Major points from the article that have been effective for me include: 1- Get up on your feet at the same exact minute every morning for 1 month ( once you have this habit you most likely will keep doing it for more than 1 month). 2- Buy earplugs so that all outer noise is eradicated.  3- Create "white noise" by having a fan blow during the night. 4- Darkness + Earplugs + Fan= great sleep.

NEED MOTIVATION? : http://jasonferruggia.com/life-wasted/ - My personal favorite article of all time regarding any topic. If you feel like you need to get your life in order, or that you are having problems achieving a goal that you set out to accomplish, look no further then this article. Jason Ferruggia would best be described as a Health addict, a complete beast in the weight-room and a excellent motivator. (although he claims he hates motivating people) Despite this article mostly being about weight-lifting and health, you should apply the same passion that Jason gives to those subjects, to both your school/work, friends, and family. As Mr. Ferruggia so aptly puts it, "Don't wait till tomorrow because it will be to late."

IS STRETCHING IMPORTANT? : http://robertsontrainingsystems.com/blog/hardcore-stretching-part-i/ - No longer should kids be asking, "Should I stretch." This article explains the fundamentals of stretching and why it is so important for young and old athletes. Instead of getting a injury and being forced to 8 months of rehab, how about you do 10-15 minutes of prehab before and after every workout/practice/game. For examples of actual stretches go here .

WHAT YOU NEED TO GAIN STRENGTH: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1125982/index.htm
This is exactly what anyone needs to achieve strength. Herschel walker says exactly what made him the beast that he is. The formula : Pushups, Sit-ups and Sprints. The Challenge: You must do these everyday, in the first year Herschel totaled over 100,000 pushups!

TO BE CONTINUED.........

Remembering the Fallen: Petty Officer Jon Tumilson

As many of you may or may not know, on August 6th 2011, 25 Navy SEALs were killed when Afghan insurgents shot down a Military helicopter located in eastern Afghanistan. ( I will follow this post with a synopsis of the event, but for now use this http://abcnews.go.com/m/story?id=14245387&sid=76 abc story as a starting point.)

Today, I would like to talk about 1 of the 25 SEALs who were killed on August 6th, 2011. His name is Jon Tumilson and he was a Petty Officer, from Rockford, Iowa. Jon was also a member of SEAL Team Six; the team credited with the killing of Osama Bin Laden. However, on this day Jon found himself and his other 30 comrades (  a total of 30 men with 5 not being Navy SEALs and 1 being a rescue dog) defenseless as a rocket propelled grenade launcher was able to hone in on their helicopter--killing everyone on  board. 

Jon joined the  SEALs straight out of highschool and was described as his peers as someone who always, "did the best that he could" and someone  who, "pushed others to be better." Yesterday, August 24th, Jon's funeral was held in his old high school. The picture that you see in this post, is of his casket and his loyal dog laying beside it. Of the people who commented on Jon's funeral they all noted that Hawkeye (Jon's dog) did not move from the casket for the duration of the memorial. 

In my humble opinion, we should all try to learn from Jon and put into action even the simplest of things that he did on this Earth. For one, instead of  just going through the motions, how about you strive to improve in every day life.Also, instead of just focusing on yourself, push others around you to excel in their daily endeavors as well. Although we may not be able to do what the SEALs do, we can still make the community and the world a better place.

Make sure to like Jon Tumilson's facebook page ~  http://www.facebook.com/pages/In-memory-of-Navy-Seal-Jon-Tumilson/231252930243390

Thanks for reading. JG

Book Review ~ The Warrior Elite: Forging of SEAL Class 228

                                                 4 out of 4 stars

                 
Where do I begin? Let me start off by saying, The Warrior Elite is the most influential piece of literature that I have ever read. This book gave me the answer to the biggest question in most young adults minds. That question: what do I want to do with my life? I can proudly say that becoming a Navy SEAL is now and has been my ultimate goal ever since reading The Warrior Elite. 


The week before the SEALs killed Osama Bin Laden, my eldest brother (who happens to be pursuing a career as a SEAL currently) handed me a book called The Warrior Elite. He simply said, "Read it, and let me know what you think." So listening to what my brother said I did read the book; however, I did not stop after the first time or the second time. That's right, I read the book from cover to cover three times in two days!

The book, which is a firsthand account on how SEAL candidates complete the grueling six month training course known as BUD/s, is impossible to put down. As you progress in the book , you become connected to the candidates, rooting them on as they test both their physical and mental limits. In some instances, when a candidate quits or is failed-you feel as though you failed yourself. However, once the book reaches its end, and the candidates graduate- you feel that you need to prove to yourself that you could go through this training  and survive. In the near future, I will be  in Coronado, California to test my limits and work with the best of the best. All you need to know about the Seals and their life is this: "The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday."

Thanks for reading. JG

Hell Week Explained

                                     "It pays to be a winner" - Every Navy SEAL

I feel that it's time for me to further explain the phenomenon that is Hell Week. Hell Week is the third week in BUDs* and it is 5.5 days of complete misery. The purpose of Hell Week is to "Separate the men from the boys" and in the process the trainees learn the values of teamwork, handling yourself under extreme stress, and the importance of paying attention to detail. One thing the trainees learn during Hell Week is that it,"Pays to be a winner." During the Surf passage races <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwJBD6kMP6k> the winning boat crews are granted 15 minutes of nap time--while the losers are forced to race again. This may not seem like much time, but it adds up-considering the trainees are only granted 4 hours of sleep during Hell Week. One of the hardest parts of Hell Week is the surf torture: the trainees lie in the shallow part of the ocean and have to lock arms and not move as waves of 58 degree ocean water hit them-repeatedly. But, as you might have guessed, there is more to Hell Week: candidates must perform not just survive. Their performance is measured by the 4 mile timed runs that they must endure during the week. If they don't make the 32 minute time limit, then the candidates may be "performance dropped". However, most of the candidates who don't make it through Hell Week are not performance dropped, rather, they just quit. When a candidate wants to quit all he has to say is, "I quit!" Once the instructors ask him if he is sure, the quitter is forced to ring the bell 3 times. They make the quitters do this because it lets the other candidates know that warm and comfort is only 3 bell rings away. On average 80% of candidates don't make it through this grueling week. Most of them can handle the physical rigors, but mentally they are just not strong enough. So my question to the reader is Can you survive Hell Week?

Thanks for reading. JG





* BUDs is the training that all Navy SEAL candidates must complete - It is six months and is broken into 3 phases- Typically 85% of the candidates do not make it the graduation day, however there has been one class with 0 graduates. BUDs stands for Basic Underwater Demolition School.

Why a Navy SEAL?

 "Hell Week is a mental gauntlet as well as a physical one"-  Navy SEAL Joe Burns

Throughout my life, I have always admired the people who truly had the trait known as self-discipline. Until recently, that trait was never fully a part of my repertoire. However, now that it is, I have become a better person and I feel if more people possessed this trait then the world would be a better place. Self-discipline, to me, is the ability to do the right thing when no one is looking. Along the same lines self-discipline is the ability to withstand the greatest of temptations, because you won't let anything stand in your way of achieving your goals. With that said, recently I have been researching jobs that I may want to pursue once I have completed college. During this time my brother let me borrow the book The Warrior Elite  and upon finishing the book, my search for a job ended. This book,authored by ex-Navy SEAL Richard Couch, is the most impactful book I have ever read. It gives an all-access look into what the SEAL candidates do from day one to the day they earn their tridents and everything in between.

 The reason I want to put myself through the torture of BUDs (the training each candidate must last through) is because I believe that it is the ultimate test of discipline--both physically and mentally. Whether its going through Hell Week--where you only get 4 hours of sleep total-- or it is enduring thousands of push-ups each day, I know that this is the place and eventual lifestyle for me. I want to be a warrior who walks among the modern gladiators that "train for war" and "fight to win". I also understand that most people will not comprehend anything I have just written, but I know that I am different than most people. For example, I look forward to pushing myself mentally and physically to and beyond its capacity, while others dread it. So this blog, in general, will be for those people who want to push themselves and do things many deem as impossible. No matter where you are in life, and no matter where you have come from the bottom line is this: we still have potential to reach, we still have lives to change, and we will still have goals to meet. The race aint over.

Thanks for reading. JG