Sorry not sorry

Published: Mon, 12/04/17

Hey, 

Good Monday Morning!

Are you ready to crush this week? 

Two days ago I sent and email asking "Is Competing Expensive?" 

That email gets a lot of opens and people want to know is it expensive and how much? 
It really isn't much of an Entry Fee it's people go and add all expenses up including food. 

Yesterday I sent an email about the words we use for fitness shows.
People call themselves contestants, competing in a contest. Kinda weird - if you think about it like I do. Just sounds so competitive and I questioned does this turn NEW people off from thinking about entering? 

Makes me reflect back to when I entered these types of events. Huge difference was when I "competed" in a show two major things were different - ONE were no social media sites in 1998 you didn't even have a camera on your cell phone and SECOND shows didn't have as many classes and options to enter. 

If you were a man you entered as a bodybuilder and if you were female you entered either female bodybuilding or fitness which had a two-minute routine on stage. 

Back in the day (not too long ago) people didn't expect to win their first show. Most people (myself included) knew turning PRO was almost impossible.

Today I see people enter a show - go on Facebook and try and justify not placing in Top 5 and not getting a Pro Card? I understand why this happens... People want to basically say they are sorry to their friends to get responses and comments so they feel better about themselves. 

"I don't know how I placed and I'm upset but I will come back stronger next time."      

Nobody has to act sorry. I will say this though - the sorry type of words keeping it positive and real note is still way better than people a couple years ago that used to say they got screwed and should have placed. Knock on wood I don't see that anymore but the new thing is the keeping it positive and apologizing for not turning Pro.  

I always try to remind people that "Before & After" Photos get the most hype, comments, likes, shares, and best responses. People understand and LOVE the before and afters and they can relate.

You need to relate to people.  

People who don't understand what the show is can't relate to someone saying they are upset to them not placing as high as they planned. Most friends and family on Facebook are thinking to themselves "The heck did you enter?" What was that? Why are you upset? That sounds horrible! Why would you ever want to struggle to get in shape for a show and feel that way after? 

When I had entered shows I actually placed worse each show because I did larger and larger shows - 2nd Place, 3rd Place, 5th Place in larger and larger shows. By the time I did my 3rd show I completely transformed my body and really looked good and that was years of training and dieting.

If my friends asked me how I did in the show and I spoke all sorry for myself my friends would have made fun of me. I worked in a gym and I had 5 photos up in a frame in my office and I would just point to it. The responses were the funniest because they had no idea the shape I had gotten myself into.    

When entering a fitness show we all go through struggles and many times people 
forget the feeling of accomplishment from starting and finishing. 

Many times people simply forget they may have a story behind their journey to the stage. 

I was telling someone about how I had to go to buy some movies to play in the cardio theater room. He asked me if I picked up Rocky and I said yes I bought the set of all of them. 

He asked me if Stallone had written all of the scripts besides the first one and I said I'm pretty sure 
he wrote them all besides Creed. 

He told me to look that up. 

He never even came back for me to tell him the story but I knew a while ago I heard this about how 
Stallone would only sell the script if he could star in his movie. 

The story is below in the quick version and the attached video is more descriptive from Tony Robbins. 

I always think every person who gets on stage for Fitness Atlantic is an inspiration. 

Over-coming all the odds and becoming fit enough to walk out on stage and show off the hard 
work it takes is from dieting and training is one of the most challenging thing for people. 

Here is the entry link again http://fitnessatlantic.com/entry-form/

Hope you enjoy the story below and please don't feel sorry after your next show. The story below really doesn't relate much to what I just wrote but it's an awesome story. 

Brian 

Image

His name is Sylvester Stallone.


One of the BIGGEST and Most famous American Movie superstars.

Back in the day, Stallone was a struggling actor in every definition.


At some point, he got so broke that he stole his wife’s jewelry and sold it.

Things got so bad that he even ended up homeless.


Yes, he slept at the New York bus station for 3 days. 

Unable to pay rent or afford food. His lowest point came when he tried

to sell his dog at the liquor store to any stranger. He didn’t have money

to feed the dog anymore. He sold it at $25 only.

He says he walked away crying.


Two weeks later, he saw a boxing match between Mohammed Ali and

Chuck Wepner and that match gave him the inspiration to write the script

for the famous movie, ROCKY. He wrote the script for 20 hours!


He tried to sell it and got an offer for $125,000 for the script. But he had just ONE REQUEST.

He wanted to STAR in the movie. He wanted to be the MAIN ACTOR. Rocky himself.

But the studio said NO. They wanted a REAL STAR.


They said he “Looked funny and talked funny”. He left with his script.

A few weeks later,the studio offered him $250,000 for the script. He refused.

They even offered $350,000. He still refused. They wanted his movie. But NOT him.

He said NO. He had to be IN THAT MOVIE.


After a while, the studio agreed, gave him $35,000 for the script and let him star in it!

The rest is history! The movie won Best Picture, Best Directing and Best Film Editing

at the prestigious Oscar Awards. He was even nominated for BEST ACTOR!

The Movie ROCKY was even inducted into the American National Film Registry

as one of the greatest movies ever!


And do You know the first thing he bought with the $35,000?

THE DOG HE SOLD. 

Yes, Stallone LOVED HIS DOG SO MUCH that he stood at the liquor store for

3 days waiting for the man he sold his dog to. And on the 3rd day, he saw the man

coming with the dog. Stallone explained why he sold the dog and begged for the dog back.

The man refused. Stallone offered him $100. The man refused. He offered him $500.

And the guy refused. Yes, he refused even $1000. 

​​​​​​​

And, Believe it or Not, Stallone had to pay $15,000 for the same, same dog he sold

at $25 only! And he finally got his dog back!


  From Homeless To Rocky - Rocky Story By Tony Robbins
Video