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Wednesday, April 13, 2011

My ephinany turkey hunting last year


Lately I've been seeing people give up all to easily when met with challenges in the face of accomplishing
goals. That is why they are goals because they are challenging.  So I was reminded of a particular eblast I sent out last year drawing a comparison of my turkey hunting trip to accomplishing a goal. It was really popular so I pulled it out of the archives to rerun it here on the blog. 

Even if you don't like hunting I think you can get something out of it.




This past weekend I went wild turkey hunting with my dad in South Dakota. I know a lot of people think that it should be easy to get a wild turkey since they are all over the place. Well, it isn't. Those things have super sharp sight senses and seem to know how to avoid danger plus you can only shoot 1 adult male turkey it is illegal to shoot a hen or more than one. So you really have to not only find the turkey but also the perfect shot.




Anyway, back to the story. The first day we went out it poured on us and we tried calling the turkeys in but they didn't gobble back but instead they would sneak up on us and see that we were waiting for them and then they would run and disappear like ghosts into the woods. We chased them all over that day and it was pouring rain. I even fell partway into a creek. By the end of the day I was soaked, tired, and turkeyless.



Day two I started out sitting in a turkey blind braving the howling wind which really sucked. My hands were numb and I was freezing by 6am(we got up at 4am to get to the blind). No luck so we set out on foot into the hills to find the turkeys. We did find the turkeys and after an hour of crawling, spying and positioning to get the perfect shot I ended up missing a shot and the turkeys once again got away.



Our hunting party regrouped and decided to cover another area of the ranch. I was starting to doubt if I would bag my turkey and thought I'm going to be out here until dark and have nothing to show for it. I was getting negative in my mind. So I set out with our guide down a ridge.



We passed over two hill and came to a ridge and I looked over the ridge to see a huge Tom turkey strutting around. I quickly ducked down and came up with a plan to sneak up on the turkey. So I creeped along the upper edge of the hill staying out of sight. I was able to get behind a tree and slowly peeked over the ridge.



And there it was...



A perfect shot and this time I did not miss. I nailed a trophy sized turkey. I was so pumped and it immediately erased the other stuff that happened prior to getting the turkey like getting wet, being super hungry, freezing my butt off.







As I was cleaning my turkey it came to me why I like hunting so much. It is not about killing things. It's about a goal and the hunt is the exciting journey to get there. It is much like many things we come up against in life. We have a goal in mind such as losing weight and the goal is like the turkeys tricky to get and many times so difficult that we feel like quitting.



However we only fail if we decide to quit! We might have setbacks and challenges but those things are what shape us and give us character. Believe me when I was chasing turkeys in the howling wind and rain a part of me wanted to say screw it and go warm up in the truck. I'm glad I didn't. I accomplished my goal and it reminded me that the best things in life come from working hard and persevering.




We are your guides in life's "turkey hunt" when it comes to fitness and weight loss. Don't give up! Good things will happen as long as you make the conscience decision not to quit.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

6 Steps To Go Where You Have Never Gone





No I'm not a Trekkie  but I want to talk about exploring new frontiers and the line from Star Trek

pops into my head. "Going where no man has gone"

Do you ever go somewhere that you have never gone before.

No I'm not talking about science fiction or Trekkie conventions.

I'm talking about your fitness program.

Is it refreshing and always evolving or stale like the beer after college frat party??



Are you finding your workouts are sporadic or


just plain boring. Do you go to the gym just to

go to the gym. What you are lacking is purpose.

Time to stop being a spectator and get

into the game of life.



Here is my step by step tips on how you can

get some purpose and focus back into your

work out and become a player versus a spectator.



1. Find a challenge that interests you or something

you have never done or attempted. A new frontier to try.


2. Make an announcement, post it on facebook

and let everyone know what you are

doing. Now your integrity is on the line either

see it through or spend countless hours explaining

why you didn’t, your choice.


3. Pay the entrance fee if there is one and register.

No backing out now.


4. Train and prepare with relentless focus,

enthusiasm and intensity.

5. Do the event or challenge and give 100% no

matter what the outcome.


6. Now give yourself a pat on the back for

setting a goal and seeing it through. Very few

people ever do this and will never know how

sweet the feeling is to see something through