When STRONG is More Than A Word

It's pretty amazing that when we look back, we can see that everything happens for a reason.  Had any of our choices or decisions along the way been different, our paths would never lead us to where we are now. Think about all the worries and thoughts that kept us up late at night, that, when looking back, seem so much smaller than they felt at the time. Seven months ago, I sat with my Todd Durkin Mastermind Team at a retreat in Beaver Creek, Colorado. Todd had something BIG to share with us. He was scared of the potential of a dream he had for a long time coming true.

Scared for a dream to come true. Think about that. 

We should all have dreams that big, that the reality of them ever happening scares the pants off of us!  I remember his list of concerns and obstacles and fears. He listed them systematically, and he could see his way through each one. Except for one. The fear of succeeding.

It holds us back, even the best of the best. Because, what next?

When the dream is over, where do we go?

Todd shared a message with us from one of his members at Fitness Quest 10. He was an older gentleman who said, "Make sure your dreams are always greater than your memories." What next? You keep dreaming.  When we get older, we stop dreaming and we live by memories. That is not our purpose, is it?

We are all called to do what God created us to do. Without a dream, we have no place to go, and that tends to lead to unhappiness. Todd asked this same gentleman what he believed IMPACT stood for.  His response was, "I Must Perform At Capacity Today".

Are we performing at capacity today?

Fast forward seven months. I came across this picture.  Todd's dream came true, despite all his fears, he was placed in this woman's life (the girl holding up the black shirt, standing in the center of the picture). They were paired together on a TV show produced by Sylvester Stallone, on NBC called STRONG.  Todd was to be her trainer, her coach. Not only did he have to help her to become stronger in all aspects of life, but he had to get stronger with her.

What I love about this picture is that she is me. The faces in the picture of family members look like the faces we all know. I was in my early 20's, overweight, knowing that I desperately had to do something about my health. My personal life situation was different from hers, I was newly married, had a good life, except that I was not taking care of my health. I knew I needed to do something about it. I was surrounded by family and a husband who supported me.  I overcame struggles with obesity and dis-ease.  I look at this picture, and I think to myself, "I know her".

We all do; know someone who desperately wants help and to change their life situation. To become the person they are meant to be. That is what Todd is all about. That is what I believe this TV show, STRONG, will be about. My friend and coach and mentor is not a TV personality type. He is real and authentic and talked to our mastermind group that day in Beaver Creek in September about how he would not compromise his belief system to do anything for a TV show that was not congruent with his values. A room of fitness professionals stood together that day, holding hands, listening to The Lion King's "The Circle of Life", tears streaming down our eyes. Dreams rekindled in all of our hearts, love and support for our leader, and a commitment to be our best and keep dreaming.

It is hard somedays. Many people do not want to be challenged to be great. To dream and to perform at capacity. But to know that we can stand together, a unified force, not afraid to face our dreams, is a true gift. Because we are called to help each other and to help others dare to dream and become their best selves, we can ask ourselves, "what next?" We can strive every day to perform at capacity, to live and to leave our mark on the world and maybe, just maybe, someone's life can change for the better.