Attack Life, Not Others

“If you must look back, do so forgivingly. If you must look forward, do so prayerfully. However, the wisest thing you can do is be present in the present — gratefully.” — Maya Angelou  

This episode was prompted by a recent testing event at Tim's karate school, during which parents were asked what they hoped their children would gain from their training, with many responding that they wanted their kids to gain more confidence. Steve and Tim emphasize the role of sports, martial arts training, and other activities that involve one's mind, body, and spirit together in building self-confidence. They share personal anecdotes about their own experiences with confidence, and how it's a major factor in determining whether one will fight, flee, or freeze in the face of adversity.

"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid." — Albert Einstein

Brian Miller returns to the show with Tim and Steve, continuing the conversation about "the process" that he introduced in his previous appearance. He shares a compelling story about his experience with obstacle course racing, emphasizing the importance of hard work, dedication, patience, and even a bit of stubbornness to achieve our goals. Brian advises listeners to concentrate on the process rather than the outcome, and to seek out a mentor and trust in their guidance. However, it's also crucial to maintain balance in life by devoting time to other areas of importance. While this can be challenging, finding equilibrium between commitments, passions, and family is critical for overall satisfaction. Moreover, having faith in something greater than oneself can aid in achieving balance and success. Faith can provide the strength to persevere when faced with adversity and help to remain focused and grounded. Additionally, faith can inspire gratitude and humility for the blessings in one's life.

“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.” — Tony Robbins

You'll often hear people telling you to "enjoy the journey" rather than just the destination. However, sometimes you just need to do what it takes to get past difficult moments in order to get to your destination. Tim recounts a story from a recent plane trip when a 15-year-old started to be loud and use foul language in the crowded cabin. This was a situation where the wisest thing to do, in order to get home, was just get through the uncomfortable experience — proof that the journey to our destination can be long and difficult. You may encounter people or situations that try to deter you from your goals. You may even come across people who criticize you for trying to reach those goals. But if you stay focused on the destination, you can push through, do what it takes, and be better for it.

"You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them." — Ray Bradbury

Ben Mudge is a social media influencer, life coach, personal trainer, and fitness model (who happens to look like the superhero Thor) — and he joins Tim and Steve. Ben lives in Ireland, but will be in the Lehigh Valley on Friday, April 28th. If you hear this episode before then, head over to Sports Factory of the Lehigh Valley in Allentown to meet him. In the meantime, you'll hear these topics and more: How we all crave to be part of a tribe His belief on being unique to make life fun Life is not guaranteed, appreciate every day Ben's greatest fear of taking energy from people Why he'd rather be an instrument than an ornament His thoughts on how time is going to pass regardless of what you do How the prioritization of words and sentences in a certain order makes all the difference Buy Tickets and See Details: A Celebration of Health and Wellness to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

"Nothing is impossible. The word itself says “I’m possible!”" — Audrey Hepburn

Abraham Maslow was a famous American clinical psychologist. He became best known for his theory on the Hierarchy of Needs. The model depicting this is known as Maslow’s pyramid. On this episode Tim and Steve discussed the following quote: “One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again.” — Abraham Maslow NOTE: At the time of recording, they only discussed the first sentence from Maslow, and were not aware of the second part. With the second part taken into account, you’ll see Tim and Steve’s thoughts are congruent with Maslow’s. Maslow believed that each level in his needs hierarchy must be met in order to focus on the next. Starting from the bottom of the pyramid: Physiological Needs: These are the basic needs for survival, such as food, water, shelter, and sleep. Safety Needs: Once the physiological needs are satisfied, people seek safety and security, including personal and financial security, health and wel

"There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate." — Linda Grayson  

Dr Robert "Bobby" Livingston, a 1988 Olympic Cyclist and Doctor of Chiropractic, realized early on that one of his strengths was the ability to embrace suffering. Bobby joins Tim and Steve as they discuss these topics and more: Fight or flight Self-discipline Olympic cycling Yin yang philosophy Staples “Easy Button" Mind-body connection Healthy lifestyle choices Holistic, integrative medicine Diabetes and other chronic diseases The value of suffering (no pain, no gain)

"He who conquers others is strong. He who conquers himself is mighty." — Lao Tzu

To live a quality life you must stay vigilant in protecting and preserving what you have. Self-defense is not just about physical tactics and techniques. It’s defending “The Pillars” — your faith, your mind, your body, your spirit, your relationships, and your finances. Faith is not a magical thing. Nurture it through prayer, gratitude, and reflection. Being mindful of your mental health means avoiding toxic people and bad situations. Eating right and exercising are essential in keeping your body strong and maintaining physical health. Set meaningful goals, fight to find purpose, take on responsibility, and find ways to contribute to the world to keep your spirit alive and thriving. Be aware of the people around you. Surround yourself with people who help you grow. Financially, we must take care of our families and the people who depend on us. We must be wise with money and make smart decisions. Self-defense is about self-preservation — so you and those around you can live a greater life. It’s b

“It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness.” — Eleanor Roosevelt

Are our lives random or predetermined? Many factors contribute to the journey. Nature and nurture both play a role. Many things we have no control over — but we can control how we respond to circumstances and the opportunities we are presented with. We can use our talents, resources, and blessings we have been given to create a life full of purpose and meaning — helping others less fortunate, and leaving a positive impact.

“If you want to awaken all of humanity, then awaken all of yourself.” — Lao Tzu

Thirty years ago, Brian Miller and Steve Mittman got their first black belts together — training under Tim Hoover at his karate school in Whitehall, PA. On this episode, you'll hear the process Brian discovered that can help you in all aspects of life. Brian, Tim, and Steve talk about achievement, bullying, confidence, how good things take time, patience, philosophies of Bruce Lee, Royce Gracie and the early days of the UFC, sacrifice, suffering, the “eye of the tiger,” and so much more.

"The man who asks a question is a fool for a minute, the man who does not ask is a fool for life.” — Confucius  

The phrase “the luck of the Irish” was originally an insult. It was used to describe Irish immigrants who had come to America to mine for gold. They had to overcome great obstacles, including a famine in Ireland at the time. Many others felt that the Irish were not deserving of their success and good fortune. Carol, Tim's wife, is on the show. She shares the Cinderella-like story of her mom. Just as Tim and Steve discussed earlier this week (on the KYW episode), hard work and determination are the real keys to success — not luck.