Attack Life, Not Others

"Luck? I don't know anything about luck. I've never banked on it and I'm afraid of people who do. Luck to me is something else: Hard work — and realizing what is opportunity and what isn't.” — Lucille Ball “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” — Seneca “Shallow men believe in luck. Strong men believe in cause and effect.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson “You make your own luck.” — Ernest Hemingway “The harder I work, the luckier I get.” — Samuel Goldwyn “Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.” — Dalai Lama

The phrase “work smart, not hard” has become commonplace in our modern world. This sentiment is especially important for those of us in the martial arts world, where physical prowess is of the utmost importance. As we age, our physical abilities may diminish, but that doesn’t mean we have to give up on our craft. #RespectAllAgesAndStages — As we age, it’s easy to become complacent and forget that we still have much to offer. We should respect each stage of life and the skills, knowledge, and experience that comes with it. In the workplace, the martial arts, or life in general, it is necessary to constantly adjust and stay relevant. On this episode, Aaron Cerrone joins Tim and Steve again. Aaron, a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, discusses “working smarter” as he gets older. He mentions how he was inspired by YouTuber Nick “Chewjitsu” Albin, who talked about what it means to be an aging black belt. Aaron’s advice is to take a “holistic approach” to everything. This means having honest conversations with our

“If you don't know where you're going, any road'll take you there.” — George Harrison

Life skills and character development. Are they things you work on? Tim and Steve tell you when it comes to martial arts training it's not about physical techniques. It's about mental and emotional strength. It's about your emotional intelligence — your EQ. They talk about: Respect for oneself and others Perseverance and resilience Honesty and integrity Self-awareness Self-control These traits build strong relationships. They also help you to overcome adversity and to make ethical decisions. By cultivating both life skills and character development, you can lead a more fulfilled life and make positive contributions to your community.

“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.” — Mark Twain

Breaking through figurative walls is necessary for personal growth and achieving goals. It helps to overcome mental and physical barriers that hold us back. We need to be pushed beyond our comfort zone to reach new heights. It also provides a sense of accomplishment, empowerment, and confidence to tackle future challenges. Being part of a constructive, positive group provides support, encouragement, accountability, and diverse perspectives — making it easier to knock down these walls and attain new levels you might not have thought possible. Any good coach, instructor, teacher, or sensei knows this — and works hard to promote it. Tim and Steve discuss that and more on this episode.

The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi is a classic text on strategy and martial arts, but it also contains valuable lessons about motivation. Motivation is a crucial aspect of achieving our goals and fulfilling our dreams. It is what drives us to take action and make progress, even when faced with obstacles and challenges. The Moody Blues song "22,000 Days" is a reminder of the limited time we have to pursue our passions and achieve our goals. With approximately 22,000 days in the average human lifespan, each one is a precious opportunity to live a fulfilling life. When it comes to motivation, remembering the finite nature of our time on this earth can be a powerful tool. Knowing we have a limited amount of time can motivate us to take action and pursue our goals with greater urgency. The song encourages us to "find the joy in life" and to "live before we die." Motivation is not just about achieving specific goals, but also about finding meaning and enjoyment in the journey. Let us use the limited time w

“Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.” — Antoine de Saint-Exupéry “When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” — Nora Ephron “Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” — Lao Tzu “Where there is love there is life.” — Mahatma Gandhi

With Valentine's Day coming up, and the experience Tim just had this past weekend (of which he tells the beautiful story), he and Steve decided to talk about L-O-V-E. Love is considered one of the most profound human experiences. It's very hard to define, and it can take many forms — including romantic love, familial love, platonic love, and self-love. There's nothing weak about love. In fact, love makes you stronger. Also, love should have no agenda. Love can bring happiness, joy, and fulfillment. It can also bring pain and heartache. It's a key factor in building strong relationships, creating meaningful connections, and promoting well-being. If you search for love, it may elude you. But be open to love when it’s present, or you might just miss it. Most importantly, always work on loving yourself. Because like anything else, you can’t give what you don’t have. What does LOVE mean to you? What kinds of love do you have in your life? Let us know in the comments OR send us a voicemail. On the right side of Att

“The stupid neither forgive nor forget; the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive but do not forget.” — Thomas Szasz

When you think of rituals, you probably jump to religion; however, rituals don’t have to be religious. They're often part of religious communities — but that's not what makes them rituals. A ritual is simply a sequence of activities involving gestures, words, or actions performed according to a set sequence. Just like anything, there can be good rituals and there can be bad ones. Additionally, too much of even a good ritual can become a bad thing. Meaningful rituals can enhance our lives and make us more accountable. The more accountable we are, the more we’ll continue performing them, further improving our lives. Rituals — similar to traditions, systems, and routines — help create stability in our lives. They provide confidence and frameworks. What if you don’t have good rituals? And do you need them in order to be a responsible person? It's a chicken and egg question: Do rituals lead to accountability and responsibility? Or does accountability lead to life-improving rituals and traditions? What are your tho

“Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.” — Albert Camus

Even good people can do bad things in moments when emotions are high. It’s all too easy to lose control. We must strive to have a certain level of stoicism. And that must be maintained. Funakoshi emphasized that karate training is about spiritual development and the perfection of character. Tim and Steve discuss this and more on this episode. "A truly great man is not disturbed even when suddenly confronted with an unexpected event or crisis, nor angered upon finding himself in situations not of his own making. This is because he has a great heart and his aim is high. An ordinary man will draw his sword when ridiculed, and will fight risking his life, but he may not be called a courageous man." — Master Gichin Funakoshi, “Father of Modern Karate” "It takes ten times as long to put yourself back together as it does to fall apart." — Suzanne Collins

“If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.” — JK Rowling

Jaciel Cordoba, Steve Mittman's colleague at WFMZ-TV, joins us to discuss some ways to reduce the impact that alarming news has on our mental health. Filling our minds with good things combats the negative Working on the “inside” helps us deal with the “outside” Rituals make our lives richer and create a framework

"In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: It goes on.” — Robert Frost

”I’m the one that has to die when it's time for me to die, so let me live my life the way I want to.” — Jimi Hendrix Tim and Steve talk about what they feel this quote from Hendrix means. At first they agree. Then they don't. Then they do. Like many other things, this can't just be black or white. Much of its meaning is determined by the context around it. What are your thoughts on this? We want to hear from you. Leave a comment. Or better yet — send us a voicemail by hitting the button on the right side of AttackLifeNotOthers.com

"If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything." — Mark Twain

It's a new year, we've got new tools under our belts to attack life and some exciting news: Stand-alone website: AttackLifeNotOthers.com Featuring a voicemail system. Leave a voicemail for Tim and Steve directly from the website. Comments, questions, topic suggestions — we want to hear from you. All podcast episodes will still be on HooverKarate.com/podcast You no longer have to wait a week for a new episode. We now have two episodes per week! “Kick-start” your week every Monday with inspiring quotes, thoughts, and words to live by. ALNO feature episodes continue dropping every Thursday. Out of thousands of podcasts, feedspot.com ranks the best in the world — by traffic, followers, authority, and freshness. We are proud to tell you on their list of the Top 25 Karate Podcasts worth listening to in 2023 (drum roll) — we’ve been ranked #1!