What are you WORTH?

I'm on vacation right now. And I see lots of folks with fancy cars, expensive clothes, and trendy lifestyles. And I frequently see them swimming in the ocean, or any other number of physical endeavors.

And it came to me as I saw some overweight fat cat walking along the beach.  He had on nothing more a watch (worth more than both of my cars), a Tommy Bahama swimsuit, and a 3-day tan. I asked myself exactly what this guy was worth.

Not "worth" in the sense of how much stuff he had amassed in his life. Or how much his salary was. No. I estimated his measured worth by different standards.  My sense of worth comes from how well a person can handle stresses, failures, obstacles, and hardships.....mentally, emotionally, and of course physically speaking.  

With my focus on physical fitness, I asked myself, "If a wave just broadsided this beer-bellied man, how would he handle it?" His physique said it all. He was obviously WAY out of shape. I doubt he could swim. I doubt he could run.  I chuckled at his fancy sense of fashion and jewelry and answered, "If that happened, all that stuff wouldn't matter in the least." No it wouldn't. All that would be taken into account was how well he had conditioned his body to survive. How well programmed was his anaerobic power, his swimming skills, his endurance, his mental attitude?

Then I thought the same of myself. Without the tools of my trade or anything but my own body, how would I handle the same stresses?  I encourage you to ask the same....

What are you really worth??

"Life May Make You an Athlete"

Fitness and martial arts trainer George Demetriou is a great friend.  He runs a functional fitness gym called Spartan Performance -CrossFit Suffolk out on Long Island, NY. As a testament to the effectiveness of his program, this year he has five (yes FIVE) athletes participating in the CrossFit Games' Northeast region qualifiers. Read George's take on the necessity of being an athlete.

Life has a way of "turning" you into an "athlete."  You may not want it or be prepared for it, but life does not care.

When explaining that the CrossFit methodology aims to improve athletic performance as opposed to merely making one look good , the response is sometimes, "Oh, I'm not an athlete."

This response leads to one of my favorite diatribes.

"How do you know you're not an athlete?" I ask.

"I don't play a sport," is the typical response.

Then the interrogation begins:

• What if you have to run for your life?
  
• What if you have to fight for your life?
  
• What if you have to rescue someone else?
  
• What if you have to carry someone down stairs or drag them from a burning car?
  
• What if you have to pull someone from a pool, a lake or the ocean?
  
• What if your car and cell phone break down miles from anyone or anything?
  
• What if you happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time?

In the above situations "life" will have suddenly given you three options: 

• 1. Do nothing and hope for the best, 
  
• 2. try something that you're not physically, mentally or emotionally prepared for, and 
  
• 3. be an athlete/warrior and take effective action.

The typical level of "fitness" found in "regular" gyms will not facilitate survival or victory.  The workouts must be intense, constantly varied and made up of functional movements.

"Life" does not care if you had the training or the time to practice.  Life does not care about what's fair or unfair.  Life does not care for excuses.

Life may throw something at you that you haven't planned for.  You may not have all the answers.  You certainly cannot control all factors.  Actually we can't control many factors at all.  The one thing we ALWAYS have control over is our level of physical preparedness, our fitness, the ability to be functional for any contingency.

Don't wait until you're "elected" to be an athlete to start training like one.  Now is the time.

George is spot-on with his remarks. So...are you ready to become an athlete?

Survey Results: Stranded on a Deserted Island...

RESULTS: If you were stuck on a deserted island, what one item would you pick to have with you?

• Water Purifier                51%
  
• Multi-Tool                       31%
  
• Fishing Rod and Gear     2%
  
• Tent and Bag of Clothes 2%
  
• Loaded Revolver             1%
  

I'm happy to see all the picks related to hydration. I go everywhere with my CamelBak, especially when preparing for an adventure race.  Pictured at left is my Gerber model 600.

There is a new question posted at right. Please vote. (Cook County folks: only one vote please!)

Luxury versus Survival (Part 7)

I haven't posted to the Luxury versus Survival series in quite a while. This is so fitting.

Gever Tulley and his Tinkering School sounds pretty cool.  It reminds me of my own childhood...specifically the basement workshop of the home in which I grew up.  My father had the most complete set of tools, and he taught my brothers and me how to use most all of them.  

But as I grow into adulthood (yeah, I'll get there eventually), I realize my brothers and I are from a dying breed of handymen.  We were fortunate enough to learn how to fix, construct, take apart, diagnose, and maintain many household items.  We learned: auto and small engine repair, carpentry, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, motors, and the such.  Those are skills and experiences that cannot be taken away from us.

These are all physical abilities demanding coordination, dexterity, agility, manipulation, but first and foremost...knowledge.

I recognize that most initial thoughts of "survival" bring images of starting campfires and building shelter in the wilderness, but aren't urban survival skills even more necessary in this day and age?

Thoughts or comments?

Luxury versus Survival (Part 6)

Hurricanes and flooding seem to be all over the news this past month. Here in the Midwest, I witnessed firsthand the panic that overcomes victims. However, I must quantify my "disaster" in this case.  Down in Texas and along the Gulf of Mexico, there are folks who have lost EVERYTHING: loved ones, homes, businesses, food, sentimental possessions, and pets.  My experiences a few weekends ago were at a considerably smaller scale: a few road closures and detours due to water on the pavement, a couple of inches to a rare few feet of water in the basement, loss of electricity for the day, a few fallen trees...nothing remotely close to actual disaster!!  

I dealt with folks who could barely contend with these minor inconveniences of a weekend rain storm. There were residents who were panicking at rising flood waters, "There's water in my yard."   For others, the 5-mile detour to their homes was unthinkable.  There was a mad scramble to get water pumps, generators, and sandbags.  Yet there were others who maturely said, "This is nothing compared to those on the Gulf."  What a wide spectrum of responses to a slight inconvenience this weekend.

I myself lost furniture and carpeting...and probably more than that when all tallied-up.  But all those things now drying out are LUXURIES in this world.  I can surely make due without bedroom pieces or rug. Yes, I like to organize my clothes into dresser drawers and keep photos propped up on their tops. But this week (and maybe longer) I'll have to keep stacks of clothing in my living room, on the coffee table and in laundry baskets. Oh well.

But I also want to bring out other incidents of survival, with various levels of challenge and consequence. Each of these has a real chance of occurring within your lifetime, regardless of your rick of adventure:

• Physical attacks by muggers/ rapists
  
• Loss of electricity/utilities
  
• Snow storm
• Fire
  
• Hunger
• Flash flood
  
• Sickness/ Disease
  
• Earthquake

What traits do YOU possess that help not only surviving, but WINNING the above challenges? What traits do you wish you had? And what can you do now to address those deficiencies?

A coworker of mine said she believed her strongest suit was her faith and willingness to endure. I do not doubt her.  I agree that a conviction to live is the biggest factor...but that does not give license to neglect the other aspects!  Does a faith-filled elderly lady trapped in a flood waters have the physical strength to trek or swim to safety? Is the Eagle Scout without determination to live able to last? The answers to those questions do not exist....yet.  

We will grow old and frail, instead of young and powerful. We will experience moments of doubt and unfaithfulness, instead of convicted and sure. We will be overcome by emotions, instead of stoic and focused. We will have lapses in judgement, instead of wise and rational. We will become scatterbrained, instead of knowledgeable. We will be weak, tired, and sick, instead of strong, rested, and healthy. We must do all we can to limit the downturns and onset of these problems. This can be done by enriching all aspects of our lives pertaining to physical survival. 

Begin by making a list of certain tasks, behaviors, traits, and skills that are essential to surviving the above list of challenges. 

Photo credit: AP photographer Pat Sullivan (Houston, TX)

Luxury versus Survival (Part 5)

(Click on the photo to enlarge) 

Above is a photo of a warning at the ranger station at Grand Canyon National Park. Here is an article about Margaret's death.  

While most modern tales of survival revolve around natural disasters (floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, ice storms, earthquakes), that's a very narrow vision of adversity.  In fact, we probably bring on more adversity to ourselves and our human race with our risky behaviors than nature does. Recreational boating is a common weekend activity...yet we hear endless tales each summer about some search-and-rescue for those lost at sea.  The same stories surface about adventurers in the wild, such as mountain climbers, skiers, hikers, kayakers, and weekend backpackers. 

Ironically, the Grandview Trail that Margaret Bradley and her friend began down was the one Brain M, I, and friends took into the GC a few years ago.  I saw these same exact warning posters and thought to myself, "Are we the same fools who don't know what we're getting into?"  She left the rim with the same confidence we did....right? I'm sure she didn't take that first step down into the GC with any thoughts about not getting back out alive.  But we had compasses, topo maps, and an experienced hiker with us to hold our hands....but were we really any different? I'm not sure of the answer to that question even now. But, we are alive; she is not.

I'm a bit of an adventure-seeker myself, probably much like Margaret Bradley.  But what distinguishes foolishness from a challenge??  There is value in seeking an adventure and testing your limits, but at what cost?  Challenges must be tackled with planning and preparation, and after gathering information to make rational and safe decisions.  We went into the GC with ways to purify and filter water. We brought medical supplies, clothes for the uncertain weather, and backpacking stoves. We had physically prepared for the overnight trip by climbing stairs and hills here in Illinois. We carried extra food and supplies, and needed them after medical and weather issues!   We even discussed various options for helping one of our own who was dehydrated and vomiting, unsure if she was able to climb out on her own.

While I never had to gamble on our last ditch effort to get all of us out that trip, I neverthless emerged out of the big hole a changed person. After the GC experience, I know myself to be better prepared for life's obstacles.  The emotional turmoil, and the planning discussions about rescuing one of our own was a life lesson no one can take away from me. I am proud our group decided on several rescue options, all of which I still hold to be fundamentally solid...even with 20/20 vision of hindsight.  It was not only a survival mindset that allowed us to develop plans, but logical "if-then" thinking that weighed the probabilities, risks, and chances of success/failure.

Each week (or day) there is a tragedy of flooding, fire, storm, or earthquake. But even though we as a human race know of the possibility or probability of certain occurrences, why do we still not accept a survivalist's approach to preparation?  How does physical, emotional, or mental fitness factor into the answer?

Photo credit:  Bill Qualls www.billqualls.com 

Luxury versus Survival (Part 4)

Emotional and spiritual issues:

Emotional

The entitlement attitude paves the road for a reliance on a luxurious lifestyle. The more one gets (or provides for him/herself), the more one “needs” to get along. When one subscribes to a “because I want it” approach, rationale begins to leak away. A dependence on certain lavish items gives birth to an inability to adapt to anything less than extravagant.

Recall the childhood tale about the princess and the pea. She could feel the feel the single pea under one of the mattresses in her stack. The princess could not sleep with that one seemingly simple annoyance. She would NEVER “survive” a night spent on the couch or the floor. This princess’s adaptation to nothing but the most comfortable luxury severely limits her ability to endure the slightest hardship. While the tale of the pea under the mattress stack is unrealistic, the same moral is told time and time again in a modern way: needing that specific coffee shop’s specialty drink, requiring a certain type of bed pillow, being a picky eater. To less of a degree each of these must-haves increases the disparity between daily customs and true bare-bones needs.

Here's a very recent tale of a rookie endurance runner: This past Labor Day holiday weekend, I ran a half marathon. Despite being in the best physical shape of my life, I promised a brand new runner I would run with her. I abandoned hopes to run a personal record (PR) to be with someone I knew would appreciate my company during the most grueling physical task in her life to date. Before beginning her training program, she had never run even 5 miles! And in less than 5 months, she was well on her way to running the full mileage. She hurdled injury and setbacks to complete more than a few 10-milers along the way....but never topped that. Race day came on Monday. In mile 9, the pain in her legs was reaching the threshold of what was tolerable. A few tears were shed, but she confidently said she would never quit. She made a promise to herself five months ago that she would finish a half marathon. She spent endless hours training. And today was that opportunity to realize that goal!!! Her emotional courage and strength contributed more to her performance than her physical training....she could have endured ANY challenge with that spirit she brought to the start line. She "gutted" it out. What a fantastic experience FOR ME to witness such a rare testament of emotional powers at work.

During hard times, quitting is always an option. Giving up or dodging the issues can be path of least resistance. However, either of these choices is rarely the right answer. That sense of guilt residing within the quitter is proof. Those with emotional strength are the ones who listen to the voices that say, "I will get through this," "I will survive," and "I will win."

So, analyze these two cases: the Princess and the Pea and the rookie endurance runner. Who has given herself the practice to deal with hardship? Who has gifted herself with luxury to the point of acclimating herself to comfort? Who has experienced the confidence to overcome challenges after completing a difficult one? Who has contended with that temptation to quit and give up in the face of pain and discomfort?

We return to that hopper of randomly-chosen life challenges, and pick one. Who do you gamble on? The princess or the runner? I know where my money is....I ran next to her for an emotional 13 miles this weekend.

Luxury versus Survival (Part 3)

Now look at some mental issues:

Mental

Two bare-bones modern mental tasks are reading and writing. Even in these two arenas, the path of least resistance tends to be taken. Instead of educational books and articles, the most popular reading materials have become daily and weekly publications profiling the scandalous lives of celebrities. This is an unhealthy practice that entertains purely for pleasure. Reading for nourishment is seen as boring and technical. Not only does reading filth rob one of time to read something more productive, but it also pollutes the mind. Reading trash is not neutral...it is NEGATIVE!! An opportunity to learn something that could help down the road has been wasted!! Even most self-help books are about "feeling good," not BEING good...another example of how society says it's okay to be mediocre. Why? Because it's too damn hard to be good.

The historic art of letter writing has deteriorated into sloppy emails and instant messaging. Educational television shows have taken a backseat to mindless reality shows focusing on the undignified lives of others. There is a consensus that educational, worthwhile television shows are boring and call for thought. They require the watcher to actually involve themselves into the show instead of merely being entertained. Oh my!

One survival skill losing the battle to technology is navigation. Whether called orienteering, compass-reading, or LandNav, the skill is fading into the shadows of GPS units. The technology of GPS is a wonder. It gives real-time feedback, course-plotting, and exacting pinpointing of position. However, it is so relied upon, motorists feel "lost" without it. A motorist or hiker no longer has to determine North, South, East, or West....that is until the batteries die out. Then panic sets in. The luxury has been taken away. And without the skills of a navigator, one finds himself truly LOST.

The above photo is of two Sloppy Hogs during a day-long adventure race. The photographer captured the pinpoint focus of the racer....chin up and looking ahead as if finding another waypoint in the distance (the embodiment of a great navigator...confidently resolved to his current position and concentrating on the horizon). Adventure racing demands participants be in peak endurance shape, but also be competent at orienteering skills. A team of Olympic-caliber athletes will crumble if they cannot navigate themselves through the unmarked course or find the hidden checkpoints. Conversely, a moderately physically fit team with elite compass and map skills can make up ground with little effort. Adventure racing is a great survival challenge because it demands MENTAL fortitude as well as physical fitness.

This is a skill is rarely taught outside Boy Scouts or the military. Not many outside the "survivalist" movement can read a topographical map, match terrain features, strike an azimuth, determine position by resection, or plot a course. With the mass availability of GPS, these skills are dying. This is a perfect example of how maintaining the mental skills of LandNav are critical to survival....not only in the back-country of Nowhere USA, but navigating through the urbanized cities of today. Folks who KNOW the ins and outs of the antiquated compass and map system understand the math and geometry behind it. It's hard to argue against having these all-to-neglected abilities. Are the skills necessary to modern life? If there was a randomly-chosen life challenge or hardship, who is more attractive to have as a partner? The navigator, or the guy who can't even fold the map?

Reliance on GPS can be lumped together with an over-dependence on calculators, palm computers, and spellcheckers. The technology is fast and convenient, but allows most users to forget the basic skills hidden inside the circuitry. What would one do without them? Could one solve the problem WITHOUT the technology?

Luxury versus Survival (Part 2)

Examine the bookends:

LUXURY
Extravagance
Impulsiveness
Comfort
Pickiness
Indulgence
Pampering
Spoiling
Entitlement
Blue-Blood
Rigidity
Bourgeois
Permissiveness

SURVIVAL
Self-denial
Restraint
Discipline
Moderation
Frugality
Restriction
Deprivation
Endurance
Hunter-Gatherer
Tolerance
Resilience
Adaptation

This is not a charge against all things comfortable. It is about practicing the all too neglected ways of the survivalist…in body, mind, and spirit....physical, mental, emotional. This is a return to those simple little childhood lessons. First, physical:

Physical

Of course most people see surviving as sustaining life during an extreme hardship. There are tales of shipwreck, avalanche, and disaster “survivors.” But the same term can be used to describe a marathon or triathlon performance….”I barely survived the race. It was grueling.” Enduring volunteered physical hardship is the most common sort of survival for most Americans. Multi-day hikes and mountain climbing are two such events. Survival can also be seen as something much less dramatic, such as being able to live an active life as an elder or withstand sickness, illness, and injury.

Physical fitness is another avenue of survival. If the challenge to life so happens to be a physical one, who is ready? The one who has conditioned his/her body on a regular basis in the gym or on the track? Or the one who prefers to sleep in late? Physical survival hinges on an ability to perform and endure. Joking about drinking beer or smoking cigarettes rather than lifting weights or running is a testament to how popular culture is split on how important physical fitness is to life. Again, the path of least resistance seeps in. No pain, No survival!

Imagine that only three generations ago inside the United States, it was commonplace for coal-fired home furnaces and boilers, and air conditioning was but a pipe dream. People simply adapted to their environment. This is not the case today. It’s not even an option to buy an automobile without air conditioning! If someone’s home or apartment doesn’t have cooled air in the summer, they are immediately pitied and labeled as destitute. For most, the perfect indoor climate is only a thermostat adjustment away. During a day or week when the air conditioning or heating goes out, who is more able to withstand the variances? The one who as been accustomed to absolute comfort, or the one who has been doing without already?

Does anyone think World War II veterans ever imagined the day when people would buy bottled water? Or pay $5 for a cup of fancy coffee? These modern trends are turning Americans into snobs, turning their heads at any food or drink that is not up to the lofty standards set by contemporary culture. At the dinner table, absent are the meals of meat, starch, vegetables, and bread, replaced by what tastes best. Dinners now consist of hydrating or reheating packaged and preprocessed foods. The modern family dinner is the perfect example of how wants (tastes) have triumphed over needs (nutritional requirements). Does anyone think a WWII veteran would ever expect something “purer” than tap water? Of course not. Yet current culture constantly witnesses its members turn up their noses at water that comes out of a sink faucet rather than a sealed plastic bottle. This snobbishness is cultivating a weakness….inability to drink water that has the slightest taste or odor.

Lastly, our modern culture has been charged with being over-medicated... being prescribed drugs for any and all ailments and sicknesses. Gone are the days of chicken soup and a good night's rest. It seems that medicine has surfaced as the first and only remedy for even the slightest of physical (and now mental and emotional) issues. This over-medication has been identified as a cause of weakened immune systems...creating an even bigger problem than before.

These are just some of physical aspects of how fitness and nutrition have been altered in recent generations. It’s plain to see that modern luxuries are weakening the survivability of the human race. Hardship is more difficult to endure when the disparity among daily routine and the disaster is such a leap!

Luxury versus Survival (Part 1)

At one end of the spectrum, there are folks who shower themselves with all the luxuries of life. At the other end live those who practice an existence focused around survival. Most people, if asked, would identify themselves somewhere in the middle of these polar opposites. Unfortunately, many who see themselves as disciplined with a life of moderation tend to fade with the tide into that gluttonous world of empty impulsiveness.

Age old truths still run strong. Basic fundamentals learned in childhood must be reinforced. At young ages, children learn some simple lessons:

-Life is not fair. Good is not always rewarded; bad is not always punished.
-The difference between Wants and Needs is not a black-and-white distinction.
-There’s not always someone next to you holding your hand.
-The path of least resistance rarely takes you to your destination.

Parents of every generation want their children to live better lives than they themselves did. While on the surface that’s a sentiment of selflessness, that slippery slope might be a path to spoil. Children need to hear “No.” The best gifts to ensure “the better life” are not tangible items. They are instead a proper skill set, attitude, mindset, and education on how to appreciate life’s fortunes and how to overcome its obstacles and challenges. Children showered with modern luxuries are cheated out of some of these basic truths, and robbed of opportunities to overcome stress and hardship.

“Give a man a fish, he eats for a day. Teach him to fish, he eats for a lifetime.”

The man who is gifted a fish will go hungry tomorrow. On the flip side, being forced to learn how to contend with his hunger by learning to help himself allows him to survive! We can change the above excerpt to fit into today’s culture. Not many people fish for food anymore. Making dinner and desserts from scratch is dying alongside a previous generation. Now of course in modern culture it’s not reasonable to ignore some basic fundamental comforts such as running water or canned foods. Overindulgence in extravagance breeds long term impotence.

Reliance on luxuries breeds weakness and inadaptability. Likewise, practicing survival skills and living a life of reasonable self-denial increases one’s chances of enduring hardships.

So, are you luxuriously surviving? Or surviving luxury? Stick with this series.