Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Identify The Enemy

Guest blogger: Tom Rancich

9/11. The day that changed America. Separated us into pre and post 9/11. Well, those who have read "For the Courage of the Founders" know how I feel about that. It is wrong. But, for this guest appearance, that got me to thinking about the things that change us and how. So there have been some positive changes in the country since 9/11, but I think that at a very basic level, when you allow your enemy to change the way you conduct your life, you are making a fundamental mistake. Your enemy does not want you to succeed. He, by definition, wants to see you fail. So to change the way you live because of his actions, well, just fundamentally wrong to me.

So what does that have to do with Charlie Mike? Well, continuing the mission is CRITICAL to the success of the mission; be it a Pyrrhic success or otherwise. The point is, if you let the enemy stop you---well no Charlie Mike in that. So who are your enemies in your quest for fitness and a more healthy lifestyle? Is it the high school gym teacher that said you can’t do pull-ups because you are a girl (whether or not you actually were a girl)? Is it the pie in the fridge? A beloved enabler on the couch? Or, like most people I know, is it the voice that says, I can’t, or I don’t have the time, or I am too tired, or, or, or……

So on this 9/11, let’s share some of the enemies that are trying to turn us away from fitness---and then share ideas on how to defeat them. I have met a lot of people who say, “I want to be fit and I feel better when I PT, but I just never have the (time, energy, desire.)” I could never make sense of that thought---but clearly an enemy is getting in the way---let’s kick its ass.

There I was in the Tora Bora mountains; enemy in my sights---when suddenly I smelled a pie and just had to have a slice………

Postscript: Incidentally, no pies were hurt in the making of this blog. On a very serious note---to all the people who have seen the worst of this conflict---I know the hollowness and lack of joy you might experience daily. I do not know if it will ever be great again but it sure is worth the attempt. So if things aren't going well, contact me at Off-Shore Consulting or visit the Veterans Hotline.

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Lt. Commander Thomas Rancich, US Navy SEAL (Ret.) is the co-founder of VRHabilis, a disabled veteran-owned small business with the broad vision of increasing career opportunities for disabled veterans in construction and related fields. Rancich and co-founder Elliott Adler are developing an enhanced remote controlled capability for land clearance and target placement. With this device, a disabled vet working from a pickup could be fully operational. VRHabilis, which stands for Veteran Run Work (Latin derivative), is pioneering the concept of using adaptive technology to bridge the gap between industrial and medical technology ... because the highly trained, motivated and adaptable veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are not looking for hand outs but rather the opportunity to reintegrate into the work force.

Through his consulting firm, Off-Shore Consulting, Tom provides professional advice on leadership, team building, program development and strategic vision.

Alden Mills and Tom Rancich served together in the Teams. Tom has been a guest blogger and “on-line” coach for the Perfect Pushup team many times over the past few years: this is his third guest blog on Charlie Mike.

9 comments:

Up My Mind said...
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Up My Mind said...

Tom- Once again, you wrote an awesome post!

So here's my list of enemies & solutions:

1) Voice In My Head that says a lot of mean things. It's hard to ignore so I try to write down positive things in answer. Hang them on the fridge, the bathroom mirror, the door I use to leave the house. I DO NOT engage in the mental verbal battle with that VIMH. [g]

2) "The Person on the Couch" - Umm. That would be me. [g] I've engaged my Little Sister & her family in my personal battle. They encourage me to work out, eat better, etc.

Action Taken: Joined a gym & made a weekly date with my Little Sister (she's on my account) to go.

Goals at the Gym:
- improve swimming skills (strength, types of strokes we know, etc., so she can get on the school swim team)
- learn how to climb the rock wall (gulp)
- play basketball
- water aerobics (better for arthritis in my hip)

I know I am my own worst enemy. :) And most of what I tell myself is garbage! So I'm throwing it out. It's trash day every day.

Natalia

PS- This summer I met my personal goal from last year of hiking to the top of Mt Helena (in my town), just under a 3.5 mile hike round trip. :)

Tom said...

Nat!
Awesome! I have dined in Hell's Kitchen (or is it the Devil's?) on the way to the top of MT Helena myself. That is NOT an easy hike--congrats and congrats on recognizing the enemy!!! You are an inspiration---HOOYAH!

Up My Mind said...

Thanks Tom! I've heard it called both. It felt like Heaven to me. :) We stopped there on our way down (the 2nd time we headed down, that is) for lunch. It was nice and cool.

Question for you (and Alden):

My 13 yr old Little Sister wants to join the swim team. What can we do (outside the swimming pool) that would most help her improve her swimming?

Tom said...

First--RUN AWAY--swimming is just too hard--but if she insists--the biggest thing is FLEXIBILITY---never too much time spent on stretching---back in my day you had to be humongous up top to swim---as in really super upper body strenght--by the appearance of today's athletes that has appearred to change--swimmers are much longer and thinner than when I was beating the water to a pulp---but I am sure the flexibility part is still key, and of course--the ability to do 400 perfect push-ups ;)

20 Meterville said...

Tom, Once again, thank you for a inspiring guest post.

It was just what I needed to help get back on track after a rough couple of weeks. We moved Dad from his house to assisted living -- the right thing to do, but it's tough. I really needed to work out to relieve the stress but the "buts" won out among work, farm chores and seeing to Dad.

I'm taking off work this week to get the time to ride, work out and attend a wedding -- next week, it's a business trip, but I have no trouble working out on the road.

When I get back I'll focus on those enemies and re-establish my PT routine.

Carole

Up My Mind said...

Gulp. 400 PPUps? Even with that ;) I'm not sure if you're serious or not.

Although she could probably knock out a bunch of pushups. I refuse to let anyone younger than myself use the PPU in front of me since my nieces & nephew tried my set out last December and humiliated their Aunt. [g]

Thanks for the reply! We'll work on that flexibility and strength.

Anonymous said...
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PSA said...

Okay Tom, you asked for it...identifying the enemy...

1) Fear of success. Sounds stupid I know but being overweight/ unfit is a handy excuse for certain things that can be seen to be 'wrong' in my life. If I get healthy and these other 'issues' are still there then what am I going to blame? The potential to have to deal with thornier issues than getting healthy can make finding excuses to put off exercise pretty attractive. I get fit and I'm going to have to deal with that low self esteem/shyness issue that I have (some people would lol at the thought of me being shy..but I am...honest). I know getting healthy would actually help but the fear is still there. Does any of that make sense?

2) Time. I can't really use that as an excuse in the past but it's definitely about to become one. I'm about to have a hectic and stressful couple of months at work and I know I would benefit from the stress relieving aspects of exercise but I struggle with the timing of exercise. Realistically it's going to be the evening that I exercise. I'll get out of work around 7 and head for the gym/rev then get home around 9. The problem I have is where do I fit in food? Should I try to eat before the gym? If yes, how long before going to the gym should I eat and what type of thing? I certainly don't want to be eating my main meal at 9pm. Should I be trying to have my main meal at lunchtime?

Time to start feeling the fear and doing it anyway I think. It'll be a late night at work tomorrow night and then I'm meeting a friend for her birthday gathering on Tuesday but Wednesday I'll be at the gym. If I post it here I've got to do it...right?

Thanks for the encouragement in your post.

LG