Wrestling is a large part of my family. My uncles and brothers have all wrestled and now my youngest brother has followed in the family tradition. I have spent a large part of my childhood going to my younger brother’s wrestling tournaments and now as an adult, I am going to my baby brother’s. Even though it is a huge part of my family, I am not the biggest fan of wrestling.

I have learned enough of the practice to understand that a large part of the game is strategy and to discover your competition’s weaknesses. This last tournament I had a different perspective of the game, and have a whole different level of respect for these athletes.

I was alert to what was going on and off the mat. While I was watching each match, I watched the intense focus that each wrestler had before they took their position on the mat, pacing back and forth, jamming with their headphones on, preparing for the match. I was amazed as these wrestlers worked through each match, with microseconds to react or make a decision.

I saw a lot of similarities in the way we live our lives and try to “wrestle” with life. Every single human on this planet is “wrestling” with something. From weight, finances, confidence, to issues about love or addiction, just to name a few. We may have more time to come to a decision, but in the end we have to make and own the decisions that we make.

We are all trying (period). Life doesn’t give us a play book or an owner’s manual (It would be nice if it would though).

Weight continues to be the struggle that I wrestle with. I am nowhere near where I used to be, but I am definitely not where I want to be. Right now, I am 240 pounds, 25 pounds heavier than I was at my peak performance and where I felt like I was crushing it. I am not going to make any excuses, and my competition is the lesser version of myself. His weaknesses are comfort food. I have made poor food choices, choices that I know detract from my goal, but in the moment give me a false feeling of gratification.

The true gratification I need to constantly remind myself, is when I am eating, running and working out the way I need to. I want that version of myself back. I want and know that I can crush it again. The badass version of myself is coming back and in a BIG way!

At my brother’s wrestling tournament, I heard the best piece of advice I have ever heard, “it’s time to go to work.” Well, you know what, he was damn right, “Let’s get to work!”

I would love to hear from you and hear how you are crushing it!