Displaying items by tag: life experiences

So, hindsight is always 20/20 eh?

And it is.

I was talking to a friend of mine this afternoon about this, and many memories came flooding back.

A country I fell in love with at the callow age of 17 . . . if just due to the sheer FREEDOM it offered, and the “smell of opportunity”!

A jaunt down to the local U.S. Army recruiting center . . .

China, way back in 2004 when I first showed up there - - and believe it or not, that China was a far, far nicer place to be in than the China of TODAY.

Yes, they were hiding their strengths and biding their time!

But it was still a nicer place to be, and much much more “open” in many regards. The Internet etc wasn’t near as closed as it is now, and in general, it was just a far nicer and “developing” place to be – which again, in turn meant OPPORTUNITY – and there was lots of it back then!

Now?

The polar opposite, and that’s sad, because the Chinese people as a whole didn’t really do much to “Deserve” what is going on now.

Then again, did they not?

As we think, so we are. The great Claude Bristol wrote about this in the Magic of Believing, and he’s RIGHT.

I find it hard to believe that Communist China could have and does keep more than a billion people literally under it’s thumb without those people “tactitly agreeing” to the repression (and worse than that if we’re talking about the Ughurs and other ethnic minorities) . . .

. . . anyway, where am I going with this, you might ask?

Damned good question. Other than the numerous flashbacks pouring in, I’m not quite sure myself!

But the trip to the US Army recruitment center stands out, and I was chatting with my friend about it this morning . .  .

Many other things do as well, but this email is about hindsight. If’s, but’s, maybe, many things!

And while yours truly could certainly have probably joined the Army, or Marines, or perhaps even stayed on long term in the US, it didn’t quite work out that way due to various reasons.

If you read Think and Grow Rich, or “Outwitting the Devil”, or any of the other books by Napoleon Hill, a man roundly ridiculed in his time as a “charlatan”, but revered today as a thought leader and indeed a visionary, you’ll find one common thread.

At least, the thinkers amongst you will.

You’ll see that the guy could have done damn well anything he put his mind to, but for whatever reason, down the years, despite all the many businesses he was “into”, he never really succeeded until he found and STUCK to his main purpose in life (and finding that itself was a journey that took many many years!).

WHAT is it that you were truly brought onto this planet to DO, my friend?

WHAT is the ONE THING that nigh on NO-ONE - - even your worst enemies would even think of criticizing you for?

That ONE THING is the thing you were meant to do and until you find out that thing, and DO it, well, hindsight’s will keep popping up in mind!

And they did for me today, but not for the reason mentioned above.

Yes, sometimes yours truly sits back and reflects upon “what if I had done this”.

What if I had taken a different path. Made a different choice. NOT made all the mistakes I have, and still do.

Had more support.

Was “shown the right direction” (and more importantly in the right WAY, as a professor of mine tried to do once . . .) . . .

And after thinking about all of it, do you know the UNANIMOUS and unflinching decision I always arrive at?

That things always happen for a reason my friend.

And would I change a damn thing about the past, pleasant or not?

Hell no.

I wouldn’t be the person I am today without all those experiences shaping me!

And last, but not least, fitness wise?

Curiously enough, or maybe NOT, much like napoleon Hill, despite my many ups and downs, despite the uncanny similiarity my life thus far bear to Hill’s, there is ONE thing (that much like Hill) I have NEVER compromised upon.

Not for long periods at least.

My fitness.

Back then, I swam, and walked a hell of a lot up and down stairs etc. I wrote about that in the book on 16 Inspirational Fitness Recollections!

In China, I did pushups and found my hill courtesy the very “stern” Miss Lee. Thank you Madam – that is the ONE thing I’ll remember you for, always will!

(A hill right next to my house, right under my nose, and I didn’t even know about it! Haha).

I then moved on to subway sprints during my couple of years in Delhi.

IN the Middle East, it was runs along the beach and hitting the heavy bag.

Back in China, back to my hill, and then . . . finally, well, 0 Excuses Fitness, and well, you know the rest!

Would I change a damn thing?

Hell no.

But fitness wise, this is the point I’m making.

Lots of people look back and say “oh, I COULD do this when I was younger”.

Or, “I wish I had done this . . . “

Well, unlike many other choices my friend, fitness is a choice where you aren’t constrained by much other than your own thinking and BODY.

And there’s always a way, my friend. Always a way if there is a will.

On that note, I’ll leave you be, but before that . . .

It ain’t about “what if” and “but” when it comes to fitness”, or hindsight.

It’s about doing the thing now – and getting to work – NOW!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

PS – Here is where you can learn how I got into the best damned shape of my life – The 0 Excuses Fitness System.