After 5 weeks of training the body, now is a perfect time to take a look back for a moment and remember how I started. I adjusted to the early wake up time, I adjusted to the food intake, I doubled my reps at the gym, I pushed through some very late nights of making sure everything was prepped and ready for tomorrow. Now after losing almost 15 pounds, gaining a six-pack and stupidly throwing a 100 pound dumbbell across the gym, it’s time to learn control. This is where people get overconfident and either get hurt or sidelined by other events. It’s important to know that not everyone is training for an event and even though they may not understand or agree with your course of action, you’re in no position to judge them or give them advice unless they specifically ask for it. You can only control yourself through this process and if you look like and act like a winner, you eventually will end up in a better place only because of your actions and not your words. Words have no meaning if you take too long to act upon them. People ask me why I shave my body or why I don’t drink or many other things and these are people whom I’ve never met nor have approached. I simply tell them I am competing in an event and trying to better myself. This response inspires them and gives me another reason on top of the many I’ve compiled over 5 weeks to persevere and achieve greatness every week going forward and know that through this whole process, If for no other reason, I will have finally achieved a positive attitude, a strong presence, a charismatic personality, and a body to be proud of. It’s not easy to break years of bad habits, but it’s not impossible. Achieve greatness and everything else will follow suit…never lose sight or hope.