I had the opportunity to speak at my former place of employment this week & started working in 2007 at the Hollidaysburg Area Junior High and spent three years teaching Spanish and coaching wrestling. I have only positive things to say about my time there and the experience and knowledge I gained. My principal, in particular, was my number one fan in pursuing the UFC. He didn’t advise blindly following a passion, rather a systematic approach to achieving a goal.
It was neat to return to the junior high. On one hand, I am a completely different person than I was in 2007; I have lived a life I never would’ve imagined in my wildest dreams. On the other hand, though, I’m no different than I was in 2007, or even 1997. The experiences have changed. My viewpoints on certain things have changed. My knowledge base has changed. But as I told the kids sitting in the auditorium, I’m essentially the same person at my core as I’ve been my entire life. Just like I did at six years old, I still watch Rocky and do push ups in my living room. My values have remained intact, and I still want to do something extraordinary with my life.
In conversing with my former colleagues/friends, several of them said I had “made it.” As a kid, I thought “making it” meant a million dollars, a new corvette and a summer house at the beach. But as I talked with them, all of whom knew me before “The Spaniard” was ever born, they stressed the value and importance of actually pursuing goals and dreams. It got me thinking, and I’ve concluded that “making it” and “success” are defined by one thing: PEACE OF MIND.
Rather than focusing on the amount of money or the types of things that would make you happy, focus on the most efficient way possible to achieve peace of mind. Identify your core values and keep them in your back pocket along the way.
And every once in awhile, enjoy a peace of pizza :)
Spaniard
About the author : cbrenneman
Three days after the birth of his second child, The Spaniard discusses Fathership (a Spaniard term): his gratitude, his hopes, his plans, and how little he and his wife are sleeping. What does this mean for you? The tale involving Sheetz will make you think about the power of example. The discussion of summer camp and iffy acquaintances will help you watch for good and bad influences. The story in the hospital will alert you to opportunities to make simple, difficult decisions for growth. Whatever your relationship to parenting—past, present, future, never—there are thoughts here to help you put your arms around what matters most to you. Also: The three inspirations for the new baby’s name!
Three days after the birth of his second child, The Spaniard discusses Fathership (a Spaniard term): his gratitude, his hopes, his plans, and how little he and his wife are sleeping. What does this mean for you? The tale involving Sheetz will make you think about the power of example. The discussion of summer camp and iffy acquaintances will help you watch for good and bad influences. The story in the hospital will alert you to opportunities to make simple, difficult decisions for growth. Whatever your relationship to parenting—past, present, future, never—there are thoughts here to help you put your arms around what matters most to you. Also: The three inspirations for the new baby’s name!
Latest videos
It’s host versus co-host. The Spaniard finds competition essential while Dread questions that. The Spaniard gives a wrestler’s and fighter’s appreciation of flesh-and-blood opponents: how they have shaped him, how they have often obsessed him, and how he sometimes has to search for their equivalents. The conversation highlights how competitors personify high standards and how the highest performance might require a winner and a loser. Also: Will baby Rocky let The Spaniard work out?
It’s host versus co-host. The Spaniard finds competition essential while Dread questions that. The Spaniard gives a wrestler’s and fighter’s appreciation of flesh-and-blood opponents: how they have shaped him, how they have often obsessed him, and how he sometimes has to search for their equivalents. The conversation highlights how competitors personify high standards and how the highest performance might require a winner and a loser. Also: Will baby Rocky let The Spaniard work out?
It’s host versus co-host. The Spaniard finds competition essential while Dread questions that. The Spaniard gives a wrestler’s and fighter’s appreciation of flesh-and-blood opponents: how they have shaped him, how they have often obsessed him, and how he sometimes has to search for their equivalents. The conversation highlights how competitors personify high standards and how the highest performance might require a winner and a loser. Also: Will baby Rocky let The Spaniard work out?
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