Hey guys – here with another quick post. Just something that I experienced today that I thought I would share; it was definitely a reality check for me.

I don't think I ever stop to realize how lucky I am to even be in a position to physically be capable of going to the gym in the first place. Ok, maybe that’s a stretch. I’m aware of it, but I don’t think I appreciate it as much as I should. Let me explain.

There's a guy I see at the gym quite often. In fact, he's been there 3-4 times a week for probably as many years as I have. Pushing himself to work harder, to put up more weight - sometimes just to make it through a work out. But the similarities end there.

This man has what I can only assume to be severe mental and physical disabilities. I highly doubt he can talk well, if at all. Beyond that, he can hardly walk on his own. When I see him, he is there being helped out by his mom who usually has figured out some type of creative jimmy-rig to keep him on a machine. Once he's on it though, everything he does is on his own. The weight is minimal and the range of motion is maybe 5% - but he's giving it his all.

Even though I've seen this guy probably hundreds of times and recognized how incredible it is that he is there working out I guess I've never stopped to put it into perspective what I can learn from him. It made me realize just how asinine I am at times. I think sometime it's easy for me to over look the big picture because I'm too focused on the fine details - trying to see the forest through the trees. By all means, it's understandable to want to push yourself at all you do but I suppose it just woke me up to recognize that sometimes the little victories -whether it has to do with the gym, relationships, work or life in general - are worth celebrating.

I'm not sure if that fully grasps what that single moment did for me, but it was a nice way for me to stop and put things in perspective - something I need to make sure I do often. I'm really grateful for that. It's funny - the people that usually make the most impacts on others are usually the ones that never even try to in the first place. They're just trying to do the best they can - even if that means struggling to walk on a treadmill in the middle of a crowded gym.

Sometimes getting more focused on your diet or your cardio or whatever doesn’t come from reading about or learning the newest ideas and methods – sometimes, at least for me, it’s just realizing that the fact I am even physically capable of lifting weights or running or biking is a blessing that some people may never get to experience. Taking that into consideration really changes things in my eyes. It’s much harder to waste something that you know others would give everything for.

Just some food for thought for this evening – definitely something that has made me look forward even more to tomorrow’s workout.