Turning Pro

It’s been a bit of whirlwind travel for me these past couple of weeks.

Last week I was in Orlando working with a client and friend who plays for the Orlando Magic NBA basketball team.

I’ve been working with him for a few months now and his work ethic and dedication to his craft – not only improving himself for his sport, but understanding that he is in the twilight of his career and is doing everything he can to stay healthy and “unbroken” for the years after he retires.

I remember the night before my 6am flight I got a call at 9pm asking me if I can come with him to the Amway Center to work with him and some of his friends before they started playing pick-up.

By the time everyone got there it was 10:30…

…his manager, his chiropractor, his shooting coach (a former NBA standout), 8 other guys – a mix of his college buddies from their NCAA Championship team at UConn, a young college player that he’s mentoring and a couple of local highschool standouts – and ME.

We were there until 2 in the morning working, training, playing pick-up. It was nuts.

“BG”, as his friends call him, truly gets it. He’s known as being the hardest worker on every team he’s played for – regardless if he was seeing the floor or stuck on the bench.

He is a true PRO.

Right now, I’m in Sitges, a small beach town just south of Barcelona, Spain…

Rozanne, the kids are I are here with my mother-in-law and her family enjoying a beautiful time of year and celebrating my mother-in-law’s 25th Wedding Anniversary.

I’m typing this on the balcony of our villa which overlooks the Balearic Sea.

From this villa on a hill, I’m facing the south eastern coast.

Across the valley, i’m looking at a big modern house which belongs to Gerard Pique, the all-world defender that plays for FC Barcelona. My 17 year old daughter has been sitting on this balcony all day creeping, trying to catch a glimpse 🙂

I’ve never been to Europe before. And I’m happy that my first visit is to Spain which – going many, many, many generations back – is the land of my ancestors.

Being in a different time zone, I’ve had to struggle staying on schedule. I’ve been up early every morning – 4am – but maybe that’s because it’s only 10pm back home.

The struggle is in the afternoon when it feels like I should be in bed. Yesterday we spent the day in Montserrat – a Spanish Monestary built in the mountains outside of Barcelona – and almost missed our stop because everyone fell asleep on the train! lol

Nonetheless, the AM Routine – The H.O.P. – must continue. It’s what keeps me sane and on point with progress and achieving my goals.

Making The H.O.P. automatic is what makes me a PRO.

It can do the same for you.

Ironically, this morning I read this exerpt from one of my favourite books…

How Your Day Changes When You Turn Pro

When we turn pro, everything becomes simple. Our aim centres on the ordering of our days in such a way that we overcome the fears that have paralyzed us in the past.

We now structure our hours not to flee from fear, but to confront it and overcome it. We plan our activities in order to accomplish an aim. And we bring our will to bear sot hat we stick to this resolution.

This changes our days completely.

It changes what time we get up and it changes what time we go to bed. It changes what we do and what we don’t do. It changes the activities we engage in and with what attitude we engage in them. It changes what we read and what we eat. It changes the shape of our bodies.

When we were amateurs, our life was about drama, about denial, and about distraction. Our days were simultaneously full to the bursting point and achingly, heartbreakingly empty.

But we are not amateurs any more. We are different, and everyone in our lives sees it.

-Steven Pressfield, author “Turning Pro”

What do you need to do to Turn PRO?

What structure do you need in your life to make your actions work in favour of your goals?

What habits do you need to create to live the life of your dreams – the#AlphaDad Life?

We all have been the amateur – not taking responsibility, acting weak, succoming to our fears, getting caught up in pettiness and gossip.

But when we live with purpose – when we turn PRO – we leave that all behind.

We focus on what’s important. We don’t get distracted. We don’t care about instant gratification.

So today, on this last week in May, I challenge you to set up your plan to Turn Pro.

Take out a piece of paper, or better yet, go out and buy a new notebook or journal and answer these questions…

• What are your goals?
• What do you want to accomplish in this ONE LIFE that we’ve been blessed with?
• How do you want to be remembered?

Start with that and we’ll work together to create your mission on how to go from amateur to Professional.

=>Pick-up Turning Pro by Steven Pressfield HERE