How To Become The Strongest Version of YOU!

Elliott describes his evolving position on personal development, health and fitness. The 6 principles provide a holistic perspective for becoming “The Strongest Version of Yourself”.

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24 hours with Elliott Hulse

From what I understand, reality shows are ultra popular.  It seems that people just like watching other people going about their lives while experiencing their challenges, successes, failures and faults.

So, today I’m going to give you a “fly on the wall” look at 24 hours spent with me living my weird, rebellious and awesome life

24 Hours With Elliott Hulse — June 2nd, 2010

5:00 am – The alarm on my Blackberry Storm proceeds with a gentle humming alert to let me know that it’s time to “GET MY ASS UP”.

For the past 3 years I have been training a focused, dedicated and hard working group of men that average the age of 50-ish at 6 am on Monday – Friday.  Although I get requests for admittance into this exclusive training group on a weekly basis, admission to this class has been closed for about 1 year.

These guys have been well trained to work their asses off with little or no instruction on my part, I simply design the daily workouts and make sure they don’t mess it up.

Since my injury in April I have had to discontinue training for strongman, so I have joined this rough and rugged gang of men in training at 6 am.  I am their coach and training partner now.

Today we did a high volume combination of Keg Carries, Sandbag Loading and Knees to Elbows on the chin up bars.

After about 45 mins we are all soaking wet with sweat.  We tell a few jokes, share a quick story or two, then shake hands and go about our days.

7:12 am  – After taking a 10 minute ride in my 1988 Ford Econoline Van I arrive at our new home in Old North East St. Petersburg to cook breakfast for the ladies.

It had been a dream of mine to live in this neighborhood 5 years ago when Colleen and I migrated to the south from Long Island, New York.  I remember driving around these red brick paved roads in Colleen’s raggedy, white Ford Escort studying the large, beautiful colonial style homes that sat like proud relics of the “good old days”.  After 2-3 hours of burning more gasoline than I could afford, we would putt-putt our way back across town to our little condo in the “bad” part of town.

After I get home and toss my sweaty clothes in the laundry room, I wash my hands and climb the staircase to the bedrooms upstairs.  Isabelle, my oldest daughter, meets me at the top of the stairs with a big front-toothless smile and says “good morning daddy”… it’s enough to make me melt!

Colleen is brushing the younger girl’s hair and getting them ready for their first day of summer camp, and her first day without children for longer than 3 hours.  We are blessed (or crazy and committed) enough that we can keep Colleen home to be with our children.  Even when we were living on credit cards and on the verge of living in my van, we “stuck to our guns” and never decided for her to work outside of the home… it was THAT important to us.  Honestly, what is it worth to have more money (even enough to meet bare necessities) if you have to send your children to be raised by strangers in a daycare somewhere.

“Mothering” is the most honorable job on the face of the earth and should be treated as such!

I am always shocked by people who go to fertility clinics in their desperation to conceive a child and then after the child is born, the mother goes back to work at some stuffy law firm and daddy is nowhere to be seen until after 9 PM when all the executive meetings have finally let him out, leaving their darling little devil to be raised by some overweight, malnourished, middle-aged woman on Prozac an Prilosec, running a daycare.

Excuse my French, but that’s just fucking weird!!

After harvesting my kisses from all the ladies in my house, I head downstairs to cook breakfast.

Now, I have very little control over what my children eat when they are at school or at friends houses, so I make a concerted effort to feed them like prize winning racehorses when they are at home.

Everyday I scramble almost a dozen WHOLE (yolks and all) eggs for my growing tribe to chow on.  Many people are confused about the value of animal fats, egg yolks in particular, and make the mistake of eliminating them from their diets.  Well, the fact is that the fat and cholesterol found in egg yolks provide TREMENDOUS aid in physical and mental strength… and my girls are strong and smart!

I also give each of them some Fish Oil and a piece of gluten free toast smothered with grass fed butter, mmm!

8:12 am – After breakfast Isabelle and I pack our bags and hunt down the other women for good-bye kisses, then hop in The Van.

As she and I cruise south on I-275, sweating our butts of cuz’ The Van ain’t got no AC, we dance in our seats while singing our favorite song together in sync with Josh Turner.

After the song and dance Isabelle usually interjects with some very inquisitive, 1st grade philosophical question like, “Daddy, why does Ms. Alverez (her teacher) always smell like raisins?

Once I’ve concluded that she really did just ask what I thought she asked, I reply with something ingenious like, “Well baby, maybe Ms. Alverez eats raisins for breakfast!”

At school I always hold her hand as we walk to her class room.  She knows that holding her hand is one of my most favorite things to do in the world, so today instead of waiting for me to grab her hand she made it a point to purposefully place her hand in mine.  By the way, our other favorite song is “Hold My Hand” by The Beatles.

8:57 pm – My gym, Strength Camp, is about 5 minutes from Isabelle’s school.

I get over to the gym and get cracking on my “Passion Cash” business.

What I call a Passion Cash business is really termed “information marketing”, but that term sounds so cold and technical.  Really what it means is that I share my ideas and the things that I am passionate about with other people who also have the same interests, passions and values as I do.

Often times I’ll simply post an article or a video on my blog (which you are now reading) that I think would be interesting, entertaining and valuable to the people who like what I have to say (which, by the way, is NOT everyone!).

I use the internet to build this business, so all I need as far as equipment is my laptop computer, a camera and an internet connection.

Although misunderstood and believed to be a tool for spam, stealing, money schemes, pornography and E Bay by some (weirdos)… the internet is just a new and very powerful way to reach people.

If I were building my Passion Cash business 20 years ago I would have to write a published book that the publisher would pay me 30 cents for each one sold, do speaking engagements that would take me all over the country leaving my family for weeks at a time and hire a publicist to get me on television.

But we live in the most AMAZING time in human history!!  I and people who have Passion Cash business’s like mine (and I personally know dozens), make money by sharing their ideas and passions all while sitting at a computer for a few hours a day.  In fact, one very good friend of my text messaged me last night that he in projecting in the high $SIX FIGURES for income for this year… and I know for a fact that he sleeps until 10 am, goes on vacations all year round and spends about 5 hours a day working on his website all about a SINGLE EXERCISE! (not an exercise program, a single damned exercise!)

When I share information that I’ve learned through many years, many experiences, and tens of thousands of dollars, that people seem to really benefit from… I’ll often ask them if they would like me to spend time creating a product for them that may help them to better understand and implement the things I have been talking about on my websites.

To date I have created several “Passion Cash Machines” (or information products) that help people implement the things that I passionately speak about on my websites.

Examples are my Football Strength Program, How To Open A Warehouse Gym Course, Lean Hybrid Muscle and, my most recent service The Hulse Strength & Wisdom Tribe membership (which is currently closed to new enrollment)

If you think that this type of business is cool, you’re right!

It’s awesome! — It allows you to make very good money, work where ever you want, whenever you want, teaching people about the very things that you are most passionate about.

But, for all of you Lazy Larrys and skeptical nay-sayer’s out there, understand this…

YES, this requires work (not over working, but a solid commitment and effort) and the right knowledge to do it.

YES, this can be done legally.  If you think that I am a crook, then you’re probably not going to listen to what I have to say anyway.  But if you believe that I am honest; if you feel that you know, like and trust me… then I invite you to consider that this is EXACTLY what I do to earn a living and nothing I do compromises my integrity, NOTHING!

==> Click Here to learn more about my “PASSION CASH” business <==

10:04 am - I recorded and sent out a new video about How To Make Money By Helping People to my Hulse Strength & Wisdom Tribe Members, while snacking on almond butter and blueberries.

Then I called back several prospective athletes, who have applied through my website, that would like to train at my gym.

11:19 am – One of my best friends and business partners Mike Westerdal charges through my office door holding his laptop under one arm and a cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee in the other hand.  He’s all excited about the new powerlifting program that he is making for his readers and asks me a ton of questions about the best way to help them.

Mike owns a bunch of strength training and fitness websites including CriticalBench.com and is partners with me on Lean Hybrid Muscle. He has been a great friend and tremendous resource to me about building my Passion Cash business.  He has been doing this type of work for over 10 years!

It’s funny, last night I was reading an essay by Ralph Waldo Emerson on friendship.  In it he describes your real friends as spiritual extensions of yourself.  Basically, before you even physically meet, the friends you are meant to attract into your life already have a soul connection with you.  Your souls are conjoined, but your bodies have yet to meet!

This is exactly how I feel about Mike.  He and I both played high school and college football (in fact, we played against each other and didn’t even know it), we both compete in strength sports, we both started Passion Cash businesses and we both harbor many of the same life, religious and political values.  We’re really like soul-brothers!

Our meeting was pretty strange also.  One day I found his website and called him to order a DVD that I wanted to purchase.  After Googling my name he realized that I was a sports trainer that happened to also live in the same city as him!  He came down to my gym to train a few weeks later… and the rest is history.

Mike and Ryan Magin along with Chris Barnard, Byron Brazzle (2 college football players that I’ve trained for years) and a few of my long-time clients and training partners, make up the closest extension of my Walking Tribe.  I don’t have too many friends and usually keep people at arms distance, but I am grateful for each of these men.

1:22 pm – One of the coolest things about not working for “the man” is that you get to live on “off peak times”.  Basically you get to go for lunch when everyone else has already left the restaurants to hurry back to their cubicles before Mr. Ludsberg discovers they are missing.

About twice a week Mike and I take a beautiful scenic trip, over bridges and past million dollar yachts, about 15 minutes south of the gym to eat lunch at a resteraunt named Billy’s.  Usually we stuff ourselves with fish and iced tea while sitting where we can see the water, but on several occasions we’ve gassed up on Rum Runners and spent 2 hours there… just… bullshitting.

Today I had a grouper sandwich and Mike ate Mahi-Mahi.

3:00 pm - After our 90 minute lunch we headed back to the gym where I met my buddy Brandon who was lifting some stones and logs while I waited for Chris & Byron to show up and help me train the high school athletes at 3:30.

3:30 pm – Chris, Byron and myself trained a group of 6 baseball players for strength and speed.

When they first arrive they go through a series of warm up exercises and stretches.

Next, Chris takes them through about 10 minutes of agility and speed training.

Then they come “inside” and perform their weight training workouts.

Today it was heavy dead lifts and high rep inverted rows followed by a barbell complex that included keg carries for 3 rounds.

After about 60 minutes of kicking ass, they are done!  Soaking wet, tired and accomplished.  I love watching boys become men while training at my gym!

4:30 pm – The next group of athletes comes in to train but I sneak away to push The Prowler (a horrific training sled that is notorious for making people puke!) with my buddy Ryan while Chris and Byron train the next few groups.

Ryan and I have been pushing The Prowler 3 times a week for about the last 3 months.  Since my injury I have been focused on losing fat and increasing my conditioning.  The Prowler is like a fat burning / cardio massacring apparatus from hell… but it works!

We load it up with 2 45′s and 2 25′s and push it in turns for 40 yards.

After about 5 sets I was ready to pass out and puke in my sleep!

Once we killed our mini workout we went back in the gym where I could yell some encouraging rants at the athletes training, slap a few butts and exchange high-fives.

20 minutes later Colleen text messages me to get my ass home because she’s “going out with the ladies tonight, so I had better get home and wash these kids!”

5:35 pm - Driving home at 65 MPH which is fast enough to make The Van explode (and happens to be the speed limit in FL) to get home in time for Colleen to serve dinner and for me to get the girls ready for bed.

Colleen made chicken and coleslaw.

She is an AWESOME cook, mainly because my mom taught her how! (don’t tell her I said that)

Around the dinner table we deal with the same old shenanigans every night… Simone is screaming for bananas (she calls them “blah!”) and refuses to eat her chicken, Emerson insists that there is something “yacky” on her plate, and Isabelle jams as much food down her throat as fast as possible and proceeds to ask for desert before she has even swallowed.

At this point Colleen has already snatched up all her bags and stumbles out of the front door carrying her shoes in one hand and waving “hasta la vista baby!” with the other!

I’m stuck with the maniacs, but at least they’re clean.

Colleen bathed them before I got there… what a relief!

6:42 pm -Instead of letting them watch 1964 re-runs of Tom & Jerry I ask Isabelle to take Emerson to the one of our several “thinking walls” (white boards attached to the walls in our home where we draw mind-maps and share ideas) where the affirmations are written and teach her sister how to memorize an affirmation.

I taught Isabelle that in order to teach different people she must discover their preferred method for learning.  Unlike Isabelle who is a very auditory learner,  Emerson is visual.  So, I show Isabelle some physical gestures in order to act out the affirmation in pantomime for her sister.

7:30 ON THE DOT! – It’s bed time for all little ladies in my house

Emerson and Simone hop into their bunk beds and Emerson protests on her way up the latter to her bunk.  After hugs and kisses I stand next to the bed and stare at Emerson.  After about 40 seconds she become uncomfortable with me standing there and says, “Daddy, can you let me go to sleep — and you get out of here now? She is the exact opposite of her older sister Isabelle.

I go into Isabelle’s room to say prayers and kiss goodnight, afterward she asks me to stay a little longer so we can talk about our “favorite part of the day”.

Her’s was going bowling with her Girl Scouts and mine was sharing my ideas and helping people.

After a second attempt to leave her room she calls me back to check if there are any more termites in her bed (we had huge swarm this weekend).

By the third attempt she had to go pee-pee.

7:45 pm – I go downstairs, wash the dishes and then grab a new book that I am reading by Brain Tracy called No Excuses – The Power Of Self Discipline.

8:57 pm – Colleen gets home.

We talk about our days (women love to do this!).

We shower.

We go to bed.

And in 7 hours… it starts all over again!

Fortify Your Blood Tribe Lock

I recently attended the wedding of a good friend of mine.  Like most typical weddings there was angelic-type music, flowers and pedals scattered about and over 100 people dressed in the finest clothes they could afford were in attendance.  Like I said, it was beautiful… and typical.

If we are to continue down the typical path, how would we find this newlywed couple in 2, 5, 10 or perhaps even 50 years from now?

Well, most marriages typically don’t last.

Here is how I see the story developing… Two super sexy singles lock eyes at a upscale restaurant during “Happy Hour” on a warm and sunny Friday in April.  She is wearing makeup that costs more than most people’s grocery shopping for a month, He hasn’t been laid in months.

He approaches Her and offers to buy Her a low quality alcoholic beverage mixed with a sort of syrup substance named after a Caribbean Island, that costs about $9.  She accepts the drink under the assumption that she is to proceed with smiles and giggles for the next 10 minutes, or until one party reveals their dark and dirty past a little too soon.

All goes smoothly and She accepts His invitation to His home (an apartment apparently inhabited by a man, but decorated with feminine amenity in mind) to have “coffee” or sex.

They are in love.

For 6 months they meet each other after working at their middle management jobs for an insurance agency and Target, until he presents her with a ginormous diamond ring that he’ll be paying off for the next 17 years.

They’ll be married come February.

The wedding is, of course, in a church… although neither have attended service since receiving Confirmation in the 7th grade.  She mistakenly calls the priest ‘Mister’.

Tens of thousand are spent to ensure a matching theme between the bridesmaid’s red adornments and the blood dripping from the dead dude on the cross above at the alter.  It is beautiful.

Grandparents in wheelchairs, alcoholic uncles and seductively dressed aunties hoping to find love that will last a lifetime, again, are in attendance.  Gifts of dinner plates, picture frames and vacuum cleaners are presented.

Ahh, the elements of a perfect union.

If you’re anything like the majority of adults living in the US, this setting and situation sounds familiar… and so will its conclusion.

1 year post wedding, She changes her mind about their agreement not having children (so they can “travel”) and realizes that at age 39 she can practically smell her eggs rotting.  The stench is gut wrenching and her guilt for not fulfilling her maternal instinct is devastatingly strong.  She NEEDS children now!  He’s getting ready for their trip to Amsterdam (and banging his best friend’s little sister).

She poses Him with an ultimatum… Children or Divorce.  He has no choice, “this bitch is losing her mind!”, he tells friends.

4 years later She has a daughter (who will repeat her choices and life cycle) out of wedlock with another stranger, and He is preparing for a long life of “freedom” (aka Loneliness).

The Importance Of A Strong Blood Tribe

As far as we have come we are the still the same.  We may have more conveniences and choices than ever before but our deepest human needs and authentic desires have remained unchanged for tens of thousands of years.

According the Maslow in his human Hierarchy Of Needs model, the most basic of human needs beyond safety and security is that of Tribal Association.  We need to belong.  A strong Blood Tribe is the foundation for association as well as evolution and expression (having or raising children).  Creative expression is also a result of the safety afforded by being a member of a strong Blood Tribe.

Your Blood Tribe also affords us safety and protection.  Unlike the other “beasts of the land” that have eyes on the sides of their heads for 360 degree vision,  primates were the first to have eyes in the front of their heads which allowed us to focus and concentrate on single objects but also limited our vision to a narrow scope.  As a result of our limited vision, primates had to “band together” or create tribes.  As is often observed today with monkeys in the wild, they sit in circles with their backs to each other in order that each monkey could focus on one area in the 360 degree land scape offering surveillance and protection to the rest of the tribe.

This “banding together” has the tendency to forge trust and stronger relationships within the tribe.  Each member places the entire tribe in the best interest of their heart.

As humans, we have retained this need for association self expression and protection.

The Importance of Commitment in a One on One Union

The foundation value in a Blood Tribe is commitment.  If there is a lack of trust or commitment from any one of the members that is meant to “have our back” the entire infrastructure of the family is in jeopardy.

In nature the male and female counterparts are equal halves to all of God’s creations.  Basically it takes both male and female qualities to merge in order that life can expand.  For example, for a tree to come into existence (and continue to reproduce in its own right) a seed (male) must be inserted into the soil (female).  To continue… for electrical charges to exist there must be a positive (male) and a negative (female) charge; the computer you are reading this on is nothing more than a series of switches moving from on (male) or off (female).  And of course for any animal to procreate there must be a male and female participating.

The vast difference between human beings and the other beasts of the land is that humans have the capacity and great primal desire for mental, emotional and spiritual evolution.  So, where animals pair up to simply make baby animals, humans pair up to physically procreate but to continue in the evolving union that allows for the birth of higher qualities in character, wisdom and understanding.

“Elliott, what the heck are you talking about?” – Because we are so much more than mere flesh and bones, we have the capacity to create or harness unseen gifts and power!  For example, we have discovered how to harness the power of electricity, which is completely intangible (it’s like some magic energy juice that we figured out how to use).  Like I mentioned before, electricity is a by product of the intermingling of positive and negative charges.  Another great example is the use of magnets… positive and negative charges that create a VERY powerful intangible force, magnetism!

When human beings overcome the limitations of our flesh and ego, we are afforded the capacity to strengthen the “electricity and magnetism” between the positive (man) and negative (woman) forces between us.  In the same fashion that electricity has the power to light an entire city and bring day into the night realm, the intangible forces between man and woman have the power to create and build a SUPER STRONG BLOOD TRIBE that has the capacity to not only bring light to a single city but to shed its light on the world!

The strength of the Blood Tribe may be responsible for some of the most powerful forces in the universe.  Since human beings possess many of the qualities present in our Creator (“made in the likeness and image”) and since God is both male and female it is very clear that in order to fulfill our greatest capacities both male and female must be present to first bring forth (children for example) and cultivate creative strength.

Unity Within (beyond the flesh)

This may be considered moving off track for a moment, but bear with me.  Many of the greatest thinkers, artists and contributors to ever live may have lived in separation from the opposite physical sex and did not procreate to form a Blood Tribe.  But if you study their lives, they were often times so powerful that moving beyond the proliferation of flesh bodies, they created spiritual bodies with their hearts and minds.

For example, Michelangelo’s physical act of painting the Sistine Chapel (action = male) was balanced with the rest, meditation and contemplation time (rest = female) that he is well known for valuing.

I may be delving a bit deep here but I wanted to make the point that we, like God, can also harbor the qualities of both male and female in order to create in absence of the opposite physical sex… although this takes a highly evolved person to accomplish.

Prerequisites For A Strong Blood Tribe Lock

It is often said that “two halves make a whole”, but as it relates to a strong Blood Tribe union… two wholes are needed to create a whole.

What I mean is that both partners must have an evolved enough “Tribe of One” that it will allow for the creation of a strong “Blood Tribe”.

For example, if the seed that is planted in the soil is still immature, no matter how fertile the soil is a tree will never grow.  Likewise, if the soil that a mature seed is planted in is not fertile then a tree will never grow.

Each person must first be whole.

Each person must also harbor the same VALUES as the other.  They may be whole, but if they ignore incompatibilities (because they are “in love”), the union will not work.  In Florida, palm trees grow in the sand… the values of the palm tree, hot weather, hurricanes and sand provide the right conditions for the tree to grow, the values match.  An oak tree will NOT grow in the sand.

If you value modesty yet you marry a woman who likes to dress provocatively (hey, that’s what caught your eye!), no matter how much you think you love her there will always be resentment which will lead to a weak “Tribe Lock”.

I am not saying that you can’t work these things out, but I’d invite you to ensure enough of the core values match up front before making a commitment.

Clarity, Commitment & Discipline

Surly you’ve heard me site my CCD model for achievement.  Well, with regards to choosing a Blood Mate and creating your Blood Tribe the same parameters apply.  You must first be VERY clear about who you are and what your values are before getting married.  When you have made a conscious choice (not out of “love”, which is a fickle emotion) to partner with a person you must do everything in your power to serve this person and retain a strong “lock” for insurance of a strong Blood Tribe.

Finally, you must discipline yourself to “re marry” your wife / husband every day.  By this I mean that you recommit to them in your words and actions, just like you originally did on the day of marriage.  Just because Aunt Marcella is not holding your hands and reciting The Lords Prayer over your marriage, doesn’t mean your now free to loosen the ties of your agreement.

Just like you are “born again” everyday, so is your marriage.  Re-commit every day!

Marriage is IRRELEVANT!

Over 50% of marriages fail.  Is this because marriage is an antiquated institute?  Yes.

Marriage is antiquated and irrelevant today because the values associated with marriage have become irrelevant to our society.

Today, it is no longer relevant to have HONESTY, as is evident by many of the recent developments in the business and financial world.

It is no longer relevant to have LOYALTY, as is evident with all of “open marriages” and infidelity that we observe in our modern world.

It is no longer relevant to develop the TENACITY associated with overcoming challenges and achievement, as is evident in our “everyone’s a winner” society where every child is entitled to a trophy weather they worked hard to win or were lazy and fat, so lost.

It is no longer relevant to have CLARITY, COMMITMENT and especially DISCIPLINE as is evident in, well, everything!

I Am Not Trying To Save The World

Look, I am not some religious zealot claiming that the end of the world is near and everyone needs to get married and have children to stop Armageddon from erupting.  I am NOT trying to save the world.  The world is not meant for saving, just evolving.  And as a believer in Christ, I am also a believer in Darwin.  Survival of the fittest, evolution, is inevitable.  Some versions of the human species are meant to evolve, grow and proliferate… while others will become extinct due to an inability to adapt.

Although I will not stand in the way of evolution, I will share a message that may strengthen (or make fit) those who are looking to evolve.

If my message resonates with you, walk with me.  If not, that’s fine too.

Our physical bodies may be unchanged for the past 10,000 years.  No matter what you believe, it is clear that man is physically the same today as he was in prehistoric times.  But we are changing, rapidly!

We have harnessed the “magic” to fly in the air and to instantly communicate across the globe… but our primal needs are the same.

We need each other.

We need tribal association.

We need creative expression.

We need to evolve.

The strength of The Blood Tribe allows us to evolve.

A STRONG marriage creates a STRONG Blood Tribe.

Strength & Wisdom Journal part 11

How To Construct & Lead Your Tribe

This post is in response to The Essential Art of Tribal Leadership video that I created for Strength & Wisdom Tribe Members earlier this week.  It is also an intricate part of The 6 Strength & Wisdom Principles which are the foundation for my new book (that will be available in early July), “The Manifesto Of Strength”.

The 6 Strength & Wisdom Principles include: Strong Character, Strong Hands, Strong Heart, Strong Tribe, Strong Work and Strong Faith. I can’t wait to bring this book to you, it will bring great awareness to your REAL strength and begin your journey through Strong Legacy Training!

—

Whether you realize it or not, you are a leader.  The very first part of your leadership role begins with leading yourself, followed by what I call your “Blood Tribe”, your “Walking Tribe” and your “Legacy Tribe”.

The Tribe of One (self leadership)

You hold the steering wheel of your life.  You cultivate and nourish the thoughts, take the actions, develop the habits, become the character and leave the legacy of YOUR choosing.

You are NOT a victim of your health, your sex, your race, your religion or socioeconomic position.  Each of these things are simply circumstances, they have absolutely no bearing on your RESPONSE to them.  The word RESPONS-ABLE, if examined from the correct perspective makes it clear that a responsible person is able to respond in a resourceful manner… no matter what the circumstances.

You must learn to be self objective, focused, committed, disciplined, honest and hold your own integrity to the highest standard if you are to realize your potential for personal leadership and ultimately fulfill your role as a Legacy Leader!

Your Blood Tribe

This is comprised of people who are the greatest expression of your energetic power.  They are either born of your blood or you have made a life long commitment of service to them.  This is your family.  Protect their bodies, but more importantly… protect their minds and integrity.

As the most direct extension of you and your character, it is imperative that you go to extensive lengths to see that they are fit.  They must have all of their physical, emotional and spiritual needs met.  Your values and your convictions will be reflected in your Blood Tribe.

My father used to express his commitment to me and my siblings by demonstrating how he would “cut off my right hand” for us.  This was a very crude assertion as to how much he loved us and realized that he is a living sacrifice to us.

By no means should you EVER put any of the tribal rings laying outside of your Blood Tribe ring, before them.  To serve your Walking Tribe through acts of service and volunteering, etc., while your Blood Tribe suffers due to lack of creative attention from you is sinful.

You’re first purpose after nurturing your Tribe Of One is to devote yourself fully to the growth and maturation of your Blood Tribe.

Your Walking Tribe

When you leave your home, when you contact people via the internet, when you go to work, when you go grocery shopping, you are encountering your Walking Tribe.  These are people who are watching and judging you.  Why? — because they are waiting for you to take the lead.  They want you to be their leader… everyone is looking for a leader.  We need examples of righteousness, goodness and integrity so that we can have faith in God, life and ourselves.

When your Walking Tribe sees you encourage a downtrodden co-worker who is having marital problems, they hold you high regard.  When your Walking Tribe recognizes that you choose not to partake in back-biting or gossip, they will hold you in higher.  When your Walking Tribe comes to you because they are looking for direction and support during a difficult time in their life, they are saying to you “I have been watching you, you are someone I can trust, please show me the way because I am lost.”

We are ALL lost, and we all look for leaders in different stages of our lives.  When we encounter someone who needs our support it is not because we are superior to them, its because God is asking you to SERVE them.  And in opposition of a good friend of mine in the Strength & Conditioning industry, I assert that we are to “Lead From Behind.”

When you have a very strong Tribe of One, when your strength is clearly reflected in your Blood Tribe, your strength will become very evident to those who may be in your Walking Tribe and you will attract a larger and larger Walking Tribe.  The better you serve, the more people (Tribe Members) you will be asked to serve.  This is a position of great, positive power.

Your Legacy Tribe

When you live a fully self actualized life, becoming the Best Version Of Yourself, your legacy will be a natural, positive extension of your character.  When you have built great internal strength through training The Tribe Of One, when you devote yourself to the life long service of your Blood Tribe and, stand as a living example while teaching and guiding those who you encounter on your Walk (Walking Tribe) your legacy is already written.

Why do you want a Strong Legacy Tribe?  Because well after the passing of your physical body, the positive OR negative effects of the thoughts you’ve harbored, actions you’ve taken, habits you’ve formed, character you’ve built and Tribes you’ve served will be felt for generations.

Your children will wear your crown but, as The Bible says, they may also “bear your sins.”

Your friends and others sent to you in order that you may serve them may alter the trajectory of their lives and transform what may have been a tragic and useless existence into a lasting and positive Legacy for them and the Tribe that they choose to serve.

You are planting seeds today, which will create the trees that your Blood Tribe will sit under or build their homes with.  The seeds from the fallen fruit of your tree, will plant more trees which will bear more fruit which will make more seeds and more trees!

With your life, are you creating a beautiful orchard or a baron wasteland?

Strength & Wisdom Journal part 8

*** Before I begin this weeks journal… I’m sure you’ve noticed the change in my Journal title from “Strongman Training Journal” to “Strength & Wisdom Journal”.  The reason why I have changed the name of these posts, is because I feel that Strength & Wisdom better reflects the content that has been distributed through these musings.  ALSO, over the course of the next few weeks you will notice several awesome upgrades to this site as well as the quality and quantity of content.  My purposes for this shift will become more apparent to you as the evolution takes place and I show you how this new position will support you in not only maximizing your physical strength, but act as a catapult for success in your WHOLE personal development.  THIS is what really matters most!***

How To Succeed With “Quantum Leaps”

Emerson – Colleen and mine’s middle daughter has taken what seemed like an eternity to stop sh_tting herself.

Unlike her older sister who spoiled us by being potty trained at 13 months, Emerson had been “pooping her pampers” until shes almost 3 years old.  I’m sure many parents are saying that 3 years of changing “crappy pampies” is really not that bad, but we had enough!

For the past year or so Colleen and I had been “training” Emerson to tell us when she had to poop.  We’d say things like, “Emme, be sure to tell mommy or daddy when you need to poop… okay?”

Emerson would shake her head, say “Yes, daddy”… and the proceed to explain why her favorite color is yellow and since the bird outside has yellow feet, she would need to wear yellow shoes (or some random musing of the sort).

Then, no longer than an hour later she would come and climb on my lap smelling no better than the nasty-ass “reclaimed” water that nourishes the public lawns here in Florida (If you’ve never smelled reclaimed water, just imagine sticking your face in a Port-A-Potty toilet bowl.)

Shenanigans of this sort, including the removal of poop from her pamper with her hands, pooping in her Dora The Explorer panties, and pooping in the bathtub with both of her others sisters present went on… FOREVER!

And with each and every “Fecal Failure” Colleen and I would reiterate… “EMERSON! Where does poop belong?” — her reply, “in the potty.”

In one of my least proud Daddy Moments I then proceeded with, “Then WHY do you keep sh_tting yourself!”

Well, I am proud to announce that this weekend… about 5 days ago, Emerson is 100% potty trained.  She even wipes her butt and washes her hands like a big girl.

After more than a year of “training”, something clicked.  It was like a switch was flicked last Saturday morning.

Friday night, she craps herself…. Saturday morning, potty trained.  This was CRAZY!  I still can’t believe how this seemingly instant transition took place.

Even crazier… was what I noticed next!

Tuesday morning at breakfast Emerson joined me, Colleen and older sister in saying grace.  Prior to this day Emerson would either be babbling obnoxiously with her little sister or kicking her older sister under the table while we attempted to thank The Creator for our food!

After grace I leaned over to Colleen and asked her, “Is it just a shift in my personal perception of Emerson since she’s now potty trained or is there something all together different about her?” Colleen affirmed the latter.  “Yea, she is definitely NOT the same child!”

New Personal Advances In Emerson Since Being Potty Trained:

* Talks more and is expressing herself verbosely
* Is more affectionate with her little sister
* Eats (most) of her dinner without being harassed
* More awareness of other people and her environment.

Here is a VERY IMPORTANT principle that I noted that morning and began to explain to Colleen at the table…. “This type of rapid personal transformation NEVER STOPS! Whether you are 4 or 40, your brain, body and spirit is predestined to Continuous Evolution. ”

We NEVER stop growing, unless we decide to.

Personal Growth Happens In Quantum Leaps!

It seems that when Emerson become potty trained, she had also accessed an entire new level of consciousness that not only fulfilled her desire to “poop on a potty”, but was accompanied by a basket full of other, new virtues!

I’ve seen it happen before….

A skinny, young , weak baseball player at the age of 13 joins my Strength Camp.  He can barely do 10 push ups and crumbles to the floor when I ask him to perform a body weight squat… he is structurally and functionally – a mess.

12 weeks later he can squat with a barbell weighing 135 pounds; he can do 50 push ups and has gained 23 pounds of lean muscle.

Besides the obvious physical changes, he is also looking me straight in the eyes instead of at his shoes when talking with me; he is text messaging girls when he walks into the gym; he is wearing cut-off sleeve t shirts and his parents tell me his grades are the best they’ve ever been.

He is NOT the same kid.  He has evolved… with a Quantum Leap.  He has accessed a new, more powerful level of consciousness by simply affecting one area in his life… in this case, his physical strength.

How Do You FORCE Quantum Leaps To Occur?

Like I said, we always have the capacity to evolve… until the day we die.

But, what it takes in order to grow rapidly is something that most people avoid.  They avoid it in one area of their lives which is reflected by the dysfunction in that area or they avoid it all together.

The formula for Quantum Leaping is (Challenge + Consistency)

In order to grow you have to be under pressure.  Most people wait until pressure is placed on them (losing a job, divorce, etc.) before making a shift.

But people who are AWARE of this formula create pressure for themselves to grow.  Theses people love challenges, not for challenge-sake, but because the know that these challenges if approached with CONSISTENCY and constancy of purpose will reap an enormous reward!

What’s better… is that they understand that when they evolve in one area of their life, they can also expect to reap the rewards of growth in other areas as well (like Emerson and the young baseball player). — If they make more money, sex might be better! hmm?

Here are just a few ideas for ways to challenge yourself in order to stimulate a Quantum Leap in Personal Growth.

1. Get Stronger… strong enough to lift a weight that has always intimated you.

2. Apologize… to someone that you have a strained relationship with.

3. Start… a new business on the side if you have a job. (stop wasting weekends)

4. Learn… a new language, instrument or to change your oil.

5. Quit… harmful behaviors (smoking, drinking, drugs, porn)

6. Be nice… to people, even when you don’t want to be. (smile)

7. Take up… a new hobby, sport or art project you’ve wanted to.

8. Ask… for a raise, the sale or a date with that hottie in your office.

Basically, do something that you thought you could NEVER do.

Challenge yourself to talk to people, quit something you hate, start something you love or just to sit…. quietly, by yourself, doing nothing, just sitting, alone for 30 minutes per day.

And in time you will LEAP your way to being a newer, better version of yourself… all around.

Strongman Training Journal part 7

Ask. Listen. Act.

“For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8 NAB)

Last Saturday morning I woke up at 5:12am.

Not because I am a maniac who loves to beat the sun up, but because I HAD to.  Normally I’m drooling on my pillow and face until about 7:15am on Saturdays… then my second oldest daughter usually walks into the room and says “Daddy, I have poop.  Change me!”

But this morning was different.

I lay wide awake in my bed with the overwhelming feeling that God had been asking me to consult with him (ie. Pray)  Really, I never have these types of intuitive moments where I am prompted to act based on a divine summons… but, that morning I knew I had to ACT.

Lately my life has been evolving in Quantum Leaps, basically things are moving VERY fast.

A new baby on the way (#4 and the only boy!) and our need for a bigger home has led Colleen and I to make some very difficult decisions.

When prompted to consult with The Creator early that morning, my assumption was that He wanted me to speak with him about moving my family and our new home options.

So, my prayer went something like this…

“Dear God, you are the All Knowing, All Wise, Omnipotent Creator of all that is good.  You have entrusted in me the care of Colleen and our 4 children… you have bestowed this responsibility on me because you trust that I am a good servant and steward.  My desire is YOUR desire.  I move and serve based on your will and know that you will provide me with all of the tools necessary to fulfill my services to my family, my clients and all those who you have placed in my path. (HERE IS WHERE IT GETS GOOD…)

My Father, I beg that you show me today, with COMPLETE CLARITY the path by which you have set before me in order to fulfill your desires through me. Lord, make my path VERY CLEAR and remove any ambiguity that would allow me to mistake another path for the one that you hold for me.

Blah, blah, blah, AMEN!”

And then I went about my day.

At 8:45 that morning Roger, one of my best friends, clients and Realtor had some great news for me… the house that Colleen and I really wanted had become available and at the exact price that we wanted!!!

Yea!!  God really DOES answer prayers!

So, I went about the rest of my day telling everyone the great news AND my nifty little “divine intervention” story along with it.

Strongman training was at 1pm that afternoon.

As I am preparing for my first Professional Show, I went SUPER heavy and had one of my best workouts all year…. I KILLED the Conan’s Wheel at 635lbs.  I SMASHED the Farmers Walk at 320 per hand and even did some extra grip work… later I finished up with a few stone loads.

And it was good.

After Saturday morning training I always take the girls to my parents house for dinner and fun with Grammy and Papa.  This day was no different.

After a wonderful dinner of Lamb Chops and Yams I started giving the girls baths in the kitchen sink (they are still small enough to do embarrassing stuff like that), while bathing Emerson my dad popped his head in the door and asked me to help him pull up some old tree roots in his garden.

“Sure dad! Give me 2 minutes and I’ll be there to give you a hand.” (what a good son!)

The old palm tree that my dad planted the summer before had withered away during this, the coldest winter EVER in Tampa Bay.  I took one look at the shabby little twig that lay half in the ground and half out, I grabbed it with both of my fiercly strong hands… the same hands that held 320 lb farmers bars only 3 hours earlier, and I PULLED.

As my dad stand by my side watching the old, nasty tree loosing root… he and I heard 2 loud cracks. *POP-POP!*

Dad thought it was the tree… I knew it wasn’t!

My arms are pretty strong, and they LOOK strong.  But when I glanced down at my left bicep after hearing the loud pops, it looked NOTHING like a “strong arm”.

The bicep muscle had slingshot all the way up my arm into my shoulder where it stayed balled up and looking… weird.

The rest of the evening was even weirder.

While sitting on my parents couch with the ice wrapped around my elbow (which was a BAD idea, never I ice a torn bicep as it causes it to contract and retract up into your shoulder!) I rapidly traveled through several emotional stages.

But beyond the emotional responses that caused me to first laugh and shrug it off, then to shake my head in disbelief, then to cry for the first time ever in front of my children…  Yes I cried, but not because of the pain my arm but because of the pain of DEATH… I knew that I had ASKED for this tear to occur and I knew exactly what it meant for me and the identity that I’ve created around strongman completions over the past 3 years.

I was going to have to KILL this identity, right then and there.  Like the old cowboy who had to shoot his trusty horse after it broke it’s leg.

The prayer that I extended to God earlier that day had been answered, again.  Only this time the answer was much clearer and would create an even BIGGER change in the direction of my family, social and business life.

For about 4 months I have been wrestling with the idea that Strongman Competitions (not training, but competing at the high level that I do) had been draining my vital resources that could be allocated toward serving as a better father, husband, friend, mentor, business owner and role model.

I was spending well over 65% of my energy on preserving and serving a version of “Elliott” that was only fulfilling about 10% of my greatest life capacity.  I was serving a “lesser version” of myself and had created an entire “kingdom” around this identity in order to build and protect him.

This “Elliott” was physically strong, no doubt.  But this “Elliott” was a weak communicator, a weak lover, a weak friend, a weak servant… and a tired, distracted, self-centered steward of a miraculous kingdom that God had entrusted him with.

He was winning competitions but losing at life.

Now, you may think that I am being silly.  You may think that I can do BOTH and that perhaps I am not really doing so bad as a father, coach, etc… but I beg you to consider that we each intuitively know our own TRUE potential and limitations.  And regardless of what it may look like to you, I know that I am not operating at 100%… in fact, I’ve been giving less than 35% to all that truly matters.

Love me or hate me… it doesn’t matter.  The “Elliott” that you have grown to know – is dead!

I killed him, right then and there, on the couch with a bag of ice on my left arm and my children staring at “the strongest daddy in the world’s” tear-filled eyes.

Ask. Listen. Act.

There is a version of each one of us that is, to quote Mathew Kelly, the “Best Version Of  Ourselves”.

We are all born with the capacity to fulfill this station and it is the purpose of life to maximize all of the capacity that God had endowed us with.

Since becoming a father myself and growing closer to my earthly father, Edmund Hulse, I have also come to see why God is called “The Father” in many religious traditions.

As a father, I am a co-creator of my children, I’ve watched them grow, I study them, I know their minds and hearts, I know their capacities and faults.  And I love them.

Often times my children will ask me for something that I know is not best for them, they may ask me for cookies or candy, to wear a particular thing, to play with a dangerous object or to put some “choking hazard” in their mouths.  They may REALLY want the thing that the are asking for and they usually become very upset when I tell them “no” or take the object way from them.

As their father, I know that their desire is NOT best for them and may detract from what is best.  It may damage their capacity to fulfill their their potential and become the “Best Version Of Themselves.”  I also know what will benefit them and do all in my power to direct their steps towards it.

You and I are no longer 4 years old. We don’t ask our earthly parents for permission to do or have a thing.

But in the eyes of God (our Primal Father), we are still children.  He created us, he watches us grow, studies us, knows our minds and hearts, capacities and faults.  And He loves us.

When we (especially our “lesser version” or ego) desires a thing, whether or not we blatantly ask Him for it, He knows if it is something that is good for us or something that will detract from us.

The problem that most of us run into is that we are usually too distracted, attached, or plain old dense to LISTEN when our Father directs our steps… especially when we ask him to through prayer.  (You’d be amazed at how many people pray and never listen for the answer or just don’t like the answer, so they simply continue to live in dysfunction)

We may not like what He has to say about our choices, but neither does my daughter when I remove the steak knife from her tiny little hands at the dinner table, but we should at least acknowledge it.

ACT. I once told you that I believe most depression is caused by either doing a thing you feel you shouldn’t be doing or not doing a thing you feel you ought to be doing.

This is why the third part of my message here is to ACT.  It is not enough to ask and listen to God or our intuition without acting on it’s promptings.  God can not “take the steak knife out of your hands” but he can cause you to hurt yourself with it.  God doesn’t want you to hurt yourself with it, but if you don’t listen to your “daddy” you might hurt yourself…. and that’s usually what happens.

It’s been 4 months that I have been feeling like I should discontinue my Strongman competitions.  For 4 months God has been telling me to put down the steak knife!

On Saturday morning, with the steak knife in hand, I asked my Father for some advice… and VERY CLEAR instructions about what to do.

I had one of my best training days ever that Saturday.  I played with the knife with such joy and enthusiasm.

Then I cut myself.

I put the knife down.

Now, I can choose something better.

Strongman Training Journal Part 4

My parents are from Belize.  It’s a small, poor, country in Central America that, like most Latin American countries, is poverty stricken.  My father grew up in a house with dirt floors and my mom relates stories about the cockroaches that shared a bed with her.

So, as my parents embarked on the American Dream of raising a family and owning a home…  they went FAR beyond the typical 3rd World immigrants expectations and purchased a HUGE house on Long Island.  This is where they raised me and my 3 siblings.

As did most suburban families, my parents would take us on short vacations once or twice per year.  Usually to places like The Jersey Shore and The Catskill Mountains.  We always stayed in moderate hotels and mostly ate food that was purchased at a local supermarket or prepared by my mom.  This was awesome! and I am eternally grateful to my parents for providing us these experiences.

BUT… there was one type of vacation that practically ALL suburban families would take that my parents were adamantly against.  My parents would never, ever, under any condition consider taking us camping. For my dad, the thought of returning to the dirt floor to sleep and for my mom to again share her covers with insects was appalling!

My dad would say, “Why the hell do you think we worked so hard to come to America?  — So that we can buy an expensive house and then have our children sleep out-of-doors?”

I totally understood… that’s why we (my brothers and sister) never really made a press to go on camping trips.

Buuuut, as the “King of my own castle”… my kids get the honor of resting their heads upon dirt mounds, amongst the wild life, out-of-doors, in the freezing cold!

We went on our 2nd family camping trip last week… as a part of my commitment to “spend less time working like a mad man”, I forced myself to shut off the Blackberry and leave my laptop at home in order to spend 6 days living outside with my 4 women (and the surprise bun-in-the-oven).

Below is a 5 minute video of us doing…. nothing.  Just sharing some sugar and talking about non-sense… just the life I’ve envisioned.

Honestly, I wouldn’t expect you to watch this video… it’s actually pretty boring (unless you love kids).  But I post it here anyway, perhaps as a means to show you that I am making good on my goals and promises for 2010.

*** If you are shocked that my children are eating smores… understand that they are allowed sugar only about once a week.  AND the majority of their diet consists of grass fed, organic meats, veggies and LOTS of whole eggs!  My children literally fight over who is going to get the first dose of Cod Liver Oil every evening… and even more strange is that my 5 year old has no clue who Ronald McDonald is!  (this is also a product of limited TV time)

Think Strong Thoughts!

Like I mentioned earlier my parents are from Belize.  Most of my dad’s siblings lived with him in a small apartment in Brooklyn when the moved to “the states” and my mom was forced to live with he aunt and 7 cousins. Less than a welcomed guest, my mother earned her stay by spending her weekends at the laundry-mat washing shopping carts full of dirt laundry.  She had no social life and spent her days “looking after” her little brother and cousins.

My father is a dreamer and a pragmatist.  With an ever optimistic view on life and rugged discipline he has cultivated what I call his “Iron Will”.  He thinks about what he wants and NEVER settles for anything less.  In fact, when he decided to buy a massive home on Long Island in an “all white” community, not only did the neighbors look upon him with contempt and disapproval… so did his own family!  Everyone (including my mom) thought he was crazy… but in his own words, he didn’t “give a shit” what anyone else said, he WAS going to buy this house!

Not only does my father THINK strong, he is tirelessly DISCIPLINED!  He understands the eternal law that states, “ask and you will receive” as well the old Quaker saying, “Pray and move your feet.“  Clarity, Commitment and Discipline are the qualities that construct his Iron Will.

My parents with my sister and her son.

Clarity

I once heard it said that, “Most people are wandering generalities instead of meaningful specifics.”  And again, “If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.”  (If you couldn’t tell, I love quotes!)

If you ask most people, especially miserable people, “what exactly do you want?”… they usually have NO idea.

This is the first stumbling block towards to fulfilling life.  If you are not 100% clear about what you VALUE, then you will never be content.  Even if you’ve achieved so-called worldly success… if what you have accomplished is not in line with your inner most convictions about what is right and good, you will remain unhappy.

When my father talks about something that he wants (and today it’s usually an intangible goodness), he uses his entire body, hands and face to describe it (if you’ve ever watched me talk you’ll know what I mean ).  When he’s relaying his VISION to you, it’s as if it is already here and he is showing it to all to you down to it’s last detail.  It’s incredible!

As an adult I now understand, the reason why my father got what he wanted, has the type of family that he wanted, and lives the life that he wants to…. is because he is always very clear and passionate about his desires.

Also, and this is very important, he is NEVER stressed out about anything.  As passionate and aggressive as he is, nothing really ever gets under his skin!  Worry never stops him or slows his mission.  He has an almost child-like sense of confidence and optimism.  If things don’t work out as he planned it… he sets his project aside and takes a nap.  His sleep is never interrupted by anxiety or depressive thought.

This is very important to understand.  Knowing what you want with super-clarity is critical, but you must also develop the peace of mind that allows you to set aside all distractions (and there will be many) as you move towards your hearts desire.

Commitment

I have recently shifted my desires from material things (and I really didn’t desire much material stuff prior to this shift anyway) to VALUES or ideals and VIRTUES or character traits.  In previous journal posts I relayed how important time and freedom, as values, were to me.

Most people would agree that these are good things to value and that we would be well off structuring our lives in order to maximize our ability to cultivate these values…. just like any other goal, material or intangible.   But what made my statement about these goals CONCRETE was that I chose specific steps and took immediate actions towards making them a reality.

The act of drawing my “Leverageable Business Model” and marking my 2010 calender with the 8 weeks where I’ve forced my myself not to work (and go camping) set my mind, as well as the powerful unseen forces of our universe (ie. God) to work in my favor to bring this ideal into reality.  This, in the same fashion that my father stated, “I don’t give a shit what anyone says… I’m going to buy this house.” over 30 years ago!

When you “burn the boats” (see the video below) you destroy any opportunity, in your mind and then reality, to backslide.  You slam the door behind you SHUT and never, ever consider turning back to face it.  That option no longer exists.  You are 100% committed, with out a single fraction in your consciousness, to MAKE what your heart’s desire a reality.

“10,000 Angels” will come to your aid…

Discipline

Brian Tracey once said that “disciple is the glue that hold your dreams together.”  He also said that in order to cultivate it, you must consistently do what you need to do, whether you feel like it… or not.

I have to be honest with you… this particular VIRTUE is at the top of my list for character traits that I aim to strengthen.  I have my father’s capacity to dream with clarity and I have a semi-dangerous ability to commit wholeheartedly (this explains a part of my talent as a football player… everyone knows that you’ve to to commit to smacking the shit out of your opponent or you’ll be the one on the stretcher).

But, when it comes to the “daily grind”… I have had the tendency to drift.  I am sure that you would agree that it is in the “carrying out” of our plan that most of us fall short.  Yet, it is precisely THIS capacity that “glues your dream together”.  The day-in, day-out, mindless, emotionless commitment to DO exactly what you have set out to do… weather we feel like it or not.

Most of us would agree that the temptation for achievement in absence of disciple pervades every aspect of our lives.  People want to lose weight, but they don’t exercise EVERYDAY.  People want better families, yet they fail to tell them how much they love and appreciate them EVERYDAY.  People want to make more money, but they fail to serve others EVERYDAY.

The magic is in the EVERY-DAYS.

Super Virtues

Aristotle is often considered the Father of Modern Western Philosophy.  It has been said that for the past 5,000 years, all philosophy has simply been footnotes to Aristotle.

Well, according to the father of western philosophy… “An intelligent being can only be happy if it acts virtuous.”

If I had to pick only 3 virtues that, if practiced and cultivated, would bring about the most happiness and success in the lives of those who made them goals… they would be CLARITY, COMMITMENT, and DISCIPLINE.  These are the Super Virtues.

My father came to this country in the early 70′s with nothing but his “Iron Will”, the combination of clarity (knowing exactly what he wanted), commitment (staking his claim with an immovable mindset) and discipline (even today he awakes at 4:45 am in order to exercise and train his body for everlasting health).

With his “Iron Will” as his only asset, he built a life that he often smiles and “cackles” a giddy laugh about.  He sits at the head of his living room table and propounds in his wise, yet child-like way that, “Life is pretty awesome.”

He was “poor” in flesh but rich in spirit and now swims in the warm waters of his dreams.

Most of us have been born into relative affluence.  We have food, clothes and cars… yet we are miserable.

And guess what? — It’s our own fault.

We are responsible for our thoughts, thus we are responsible for our words, our words dictate what types of actions we’ll take, our repetitive actions become our habits… these habits become our character.

Your “outer life” is a mirror reflection of your character, the values and virtues you’ve chosen to cultivate, or not.

First Steps

Hey we’ve all got to start somewhere… right?

Like when I first started Strength Camp, most all of my training equipment was either found in the trash or I made it.

=> How To Make Your Own Gym Equipment

Well, yesterday was a BIG day for my family…

As you know, I have 3 daughters… the youngest, Simone is only 14 months old.

She still drools all over her chin, crawls and, mommy nurses her.

But last night as soon as I walked through the door after leaving my gym… she came RUNNING up to me with the biggest smile ever!

Check out her very first steps:

The Tao Of Dad

If you are anything like me and countless other men on this planet who have healthy relationships with their fathers you’ve taken notice of the incredible evolution of admiration and love between a father and son.   Movies like The Lion King where the son (or in this case, the cub) spends his early years admiring his father until the day that he must take his place; or Big Fish where the dad is misunderstood and despised by the son until the young man realizes that he is just like the “old man”, depicts the typical tales of the father son relationship.

My father emigrated to the US from a small country in Central America named Belize.  There he spent his former years climbing trees, swinging from vines and living a generally care free Caribbean lifestyle.  His home had dirt floors, he shared a bedroom with his 5 other brothers, often sharing the same bed as well, and his father was a pig farmer.  My mother often jokes, “Your father was raised like a wild animal.”

The truth is that my dad was raised to be “wild”.  He would often go days without eating prepared food (although his mother DID cook great meals) on account that he was “out playing” , so he would simply fill his belly with wild growing fruits and eggs that he would steal from sitting hens.  He was enrolled in school, but would often choose to spend his days playing soccer with a coconut or catching fish with his bare hands in a nearby river instead.

Although his formal “education” may have been lacking, my father’s wisdom… realized along with snake bites and “butt whoopings”, far outweighs that which would be afforded by a modern university degree.  Upon first impression most typically conclude that my father is just another “brown skinned dude with a bad attitude”.  But beneath his rough and relentless exterior is a roaring flame of passion and excitement about life.  He often bears an giddy smile and randomly exclaims, “Man… life is awesome, huh?”

He has very little tolerance for laziness, mediocrity and people who call themselves “depressed”… and he’s not afraid to tell you about it.  People who come to my dad for advice get straight talk, he never reserves his harsh judgment in order to coddle your ego or enable dysfunctional behavior.  Consequently, fewer and fewer people come to him for advice.  But he is the first one that I go to when I’m unsure about a life principle.

Growing up “wild” had afforded my dad experiences that most people only read about in books.  The lessons he’d learned, his ability to apply them and his cantankerous form of communication has developed in my father what I call “Crude Wisdom”.

Although I have evolved into being able to understand, appreciate and even admire my father’s Crude Wisdom… there was a time that I despised him for it.  He would often make harsh, offensive and explicit statements like, “There is no such thing as having ‘friends’…” or “that woman is useless…” which would make most people think that he was insensitive and arrogant.  But as I have gotten older (30 this year) and have my own family, I find myself not only verbalizing these very statements but defending them in my mind and using them as a frame work for my values system.

Below I have listed several Crude Wisdom remarks that I remember my father reiterating throughout my childhood.  Below each one, I give a valid interpretation that I know he would affirm and approve of.

WARNING! – if you are overly sensitive or easily offended by harsh realities then DO NOT READ the rest of this article.  But, if you enjoy wisdom and truth in ALL of its most pragmatic and practical forms… enjoy!

#1 – “YOU just take care of YOUR shit and don’t worry about anybody else!”

Jesus once said the same exact thing but he used a little bit more diplomacy, “Why do you look at the speck of dust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the log in your own eye?”

BOTH meaning to say — that instead of pointing fingers, being a victim of or complaining about other people… take a good look at yourself and where YOU may be causing pain or dysfunction in your life and the lives of others.

Spend more time working on YOURSELF than worrying about the inadequacies of other people!

#2 – “Do you want me to tell you, ‘You did a good job’?”

Don’t expect praise or pay for sloppy service.  It’s funny how many people feel ENTITLED to payment, praise and acceptance when they have only offered a half-hearted effort. They want to be told or shown appreciation where none is really due.

For example… I had once spent several hours cleaning the living room in our home, when I told my father that I was complete, he strolled into the room and immediately began pointing out all of the spots that I had missed.  In the typically rebellious teenage manner I charged my dad for not being appreciative and being overly critical.

He then asked me… “Well, would you LIKE me to tell you that you did a great job? — even though you didn’t?” Then he began to demonstrate sarcastically as if he were proud of me and the wonderful job I did cleaning the living room.  His fake praise and sardonic show of appreciation was ridiculous– and it taught me that I was ridiculous for expecting it!

#3 – “You need to be BRAINWASHED!”

Just think about the word “brainwash”.  Besides it’s negative associations, it is really an incredible word!  Consider that most of us are walking around with a brain full of garbage.  Bad habits and conditioning, negative thoughts, poor self esteem and the 7 O’clock News all sully our brains.  It may actually be a GREAT thing to wash your brain every once in a while!

Because my dad is notorious for being brutally honest… whenever extended family members, cousins and friends have hit the absolute rock bottom in their lives they would often seek his advice (but usually never return for another dose!).

I remember a time when someone (I won’t say who) came to my dad for some family and relationship advice.  When they concluded their story, my father explained that they needed to be “brainwashed”.  But the crude sound of that term was so offensive to the receiving party that they argued that my dad was cold hearted and mean.  But, they should have understood that that’s the type of term you should expect when you go seeking Crude Wisdom!

I have taken my dad’s advice and “wash” my brain daily through meditation.

#4 – “Go do something… I don’t care what it is!” / “You have to FEEL some pain”

Often times when people are upset or unsure about a decision to be made they “sit on the fence”, waiting for something magical to happen.  They become paralyzed by their fear and indecision and end up depressed.  These people are more interested in maintaining their false sense of stability rather than expose themselves to the possibility of failure.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Do the thing you fear and the death of fear is certain.”

My father’s point is that ACTION breeds confidence!  Rather than sitting down and making yourself sick, get up and do SOMETHING… ANYTHING, it really doesn’t matter what.  He taught me that in order to grow you are going to need to feel some pain.  And that if you can accept that WHICHEVER choice you make will be the “wrong one” and develop the courage to act anyway… then you will be a success.

You can’t tip toe your way through life being afraid of failure.

#5 – “This is just the way I am… and I don’t give a shit if you like me or not!”

Most people move through life in a very apologetic manner.  They seem as if the are constantly apologizing for who they are — but not my dad.  He says what he thinks, does whatever he wants and gets results “with or without you”, and whether you like him or not.  Either way he doesn’t care.  “Don’t do me any favors” is another one of his favorite terms.

“I’m not going to change just because YOU have a problem with me… that’s YOUR problem, not mine.” This may sound arrogant and mean to someone who doesn’t have a keen sense for Crude Wisdom,  but if you listen a little closer and pay attention to the context in which it’s relayed…. this is one of the most profound statements that my old man has ever shouted.

Contrary to appearance, my father exhibits a great deal of humility, he thanks God for all of his blessings and helps anyone who is willing to help themselves,  but understand that he also balances this equally with a great deal of confidence and self respect.  These are 3 values that many men lack today.

Fathers Day is in 3 days…I invite you to consider all of the ways that your father has taught you to be a man.  Like my father, his words may have not been the kindest and he may have even been absent, but you learned SOMETHING from him.  And he has had a hand in the shaping of your mind and character.

Please comment below with a short story about your dad and maybe even how you plan on showing him your appreciation this weekend.

To my dad, Edmund Hulse… I bow to your Crude Wisdom and all that it has taught me

Happy Father’s Day!

Strongman Training For Kids (or just my kid ;)

Last week I met a guy who had 3 sons, he seemed to think that the fact that his children had penises and mine didn’t somehow made him more of a man than me.

I’m pretty confidant in my manhood and it takes a lot to offend me.  Besides my arrogant and stubborn nature allows me to shed the ridiculous opinions of morons, while simultaneously accumulating evidential ammo for the next attack.

While his sons are at Chuck-E-Cheese filling their little bellies with purple soda and Hot Pockets… my GIRLS are swallowing raw eggs and tossing heavy objects around for fun – or something like that

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