Pecker’d Report: volume 3, March 23, 2010-03-23 BALANCE

I am very quickly finding out that Pecker is a very enlightened and thoughtful individual.  I realized this before I had asked him to write a weekly article(hence the article) but am finding out he knows the inner working of the MMA scene in Ontario, Canada and really just MMA in general.  It is clear that wehn Alex is cleaning up around the gym he has a lot on his mind...read Alex Gasson's Pecked report Volume:3 below to see what's up!

Balance

Looking to balance work and your personal life? Me too. In our day and age it seems like we’re all trying to get a little bit more....ahead..stuff..richer..cooler..smarter..stronger..faster..(insert verb or noun here of preference) in our personal and professional lives and all for what purpose? Are we working to live, or living to work? I recently have been plaguing myself with this question and really I think I found my answer. “I am living at work to work at my life.” I consider myself lucky to have a job to do so but I’m also one of the fools that has put education, money, family, friends, a steady future and relationships aside to do what I love to do, teach train compete and live all aspects that mixed martial arts has to offer.

I learned a very valuable lesson from, non other than, the “Coach” Shawn Tompkins at a very early point in my fighting career. “Don’t do this for the glory, or the money, or the fame....Do it for yourself” At first, I really didn’t understand what he was talking about until I worked with him closely and watched, listened, learned. After my first professional kickboxing bout in Grand Rapids Michigan, Tompkins came to me and said “no-one can take that time you just spent in the ring away from you, no-one.” He was right. Not one person in this world can take that time away from me or any fighter for that matter. You know, the time he has spent in the ring, or the time he prepares for a fight away from his family and loved ones (where are my manners? women too.) It’s theirs, they own it...it won’t rust...it won’t fall behind...it won’t get poorer or weaker or slower...It’s theirs forever and it makes them who they are. It gives them their drive. That’s why those true people around them, love them for them. The same goes for coaches and trainers.

So where does this mumble jumble leave us? Whatever it is that you’re doing? Don’t forget about yourself. Don’t let the bills and the glamour of having more and more and more get in the way of your family, friends and loved ones. Don’t let the things that make you you, become second or third or somewhere down the line. Make it a priority, your priority.

I’m not saying to go out and bulldoze over everything that gets in your way, that won’t play out home boy. But by doing this, respectfully, some will hate you for it, ok. But those who really care about you, will respect you even more. And those who don’t know you will see confidence.

Find your balance, don’t put yourself and what you care about on the back burner, no-one can take this time away from you, no-one!