Attack Life, Not Others

To say 2020 was a difficult year is an understatement. In this episode, hear what Tim's family did to literally and figuratively bury the year. #FaithFamilyFriends And as Dr Jarrod Spencer said last week: the good of the past, and the bad of the past — they’re both in the past. The difference is — we can learn and become stronger from the bad — if we allow ourselves to. “Out of these ashes beauty will rise.” — Steven Curtis Chapman "I'd save every day like a treasure and then ...Again, I would spend them with you" — Jim Croce

Tim and Steve continue the conversation from last week with Dr Jarrod Spencer from Mind of the Athlete, LLC. Some of the things you’ll hear include: Reset every morning with prayer Another reminder to focus on today, because yesterday does — not — matter — anymore "What-ifs" occur when our minds drift too long, too intensely, or too fearfully into the future Look for those who have done what you want to do, gone where you want to go, act how you want to act, etc Take pages out of other people's playbooks; Actively search for mentors and be open to them when they appear Mentorship can come in the form of reading books, watching videos, etc; With this, we can be mentored by people from long ago, including sages and saints

Dr Jarrod Spencer from Mind of the Athlete, LLC is an expert on emotional health and how to handle anxiety. He’s back with Tim and Steve to share more helpful tips and to talk about his exciting new series with iFIT involving workouts to strengthen your mind. A few of the things you’ll hear include: Catastrophizing — what it is and how to avoid it Find a mentor and emulate them if you like how they move, act, speak, etc More on the "what-if" state we've been discussing and not falling for the “feints” “When the student is ready the teacher will appear”

In combat sports, feinting is used often to deceive an opponent. For example: pretending to hit the body but then going for the head instead. If you react to every feint in life (as in something that will hurt you minimally or not at all) you'll live in constant fear and anxiety. It's that "What-if" state we've been discussing. Learn to build yourself up to take some of those lesser blows — so that you're not lured into a knockout blow, and so that your defenses are stronger to handle a big blow, if it comes. Yesterday is history; tomorrow is a mystery; today is a gift, which is why we call it the present.” — Bill Keane

A couple weeks ago Tim mentioned he’s noticed that more and more he’s appreciating certain things his dog does. And Steve just got a new puppy. So this episode has “gone to the dogs!” We’re joking around, but in all seriousness, there are so many things we can learn from dogs — from their behavior, personality, and resilience — to their unconditional love, loyalty, and companionship until their very last breath. There's a reason we call them “man's best friend.”

Fear of all the "what-ifs" slows you down, inhibits you, and reduces the quality of your life. This fear leads to chronic anxiety. Tim and Steve talk about eliminating these "What-Ifs" — living in the silent space of your mind (the gaps between thoughts), ignoring the unnecessary “chatter," and developing your true inner voice. Strengthen your inner self — your feelings, intuition, values, beliefs, personality, thoughts, emotions, and purpose. “Silence isn’t empty, it’s full of answers.” — Unknown “Quiet the mind and the soul will speak.” — Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati

Tim has noticed that he’s become more ritualistic the older he gets. He’s realized to get the things he wants, to feel the way he wants to feel, and to have a happy life — the importance of consistency and rituals cannot be understated. Tim Hawk is also on this episode, reminding us to make rituals “our own.”

"If you love life, don't waste time — for time is what life is made up of.” — Bruce Lee Time is the most valuable commodity. To get ahead in life, we must not waste time. Choose wisely who and what you spend your time on. In the 70s, when the song “22,000 Days” by The Moody Blues was written, it represented the average life expectancy of a person — around 60 years. In recent years, that has increased to about 75 — which brings it to roughly 27,000 days. Regardless, the song’s not about numbers and statistics. It's about making the most of our time on Earth, knowing it won't last forever.

A couple weeks ago when Master Tim Hawk joined Tim Hoover and Steve Mittman he talked about the benefits he’s experienced from training in the martial arts for 60 years — including confidence, discipline, patience, and fitness. Continuing where he left off, he discusses what he’s gained mentally and spiritually.

Can you have too much discipline? What about confidence? Can it get out of control? Speaking of control — can one have too much self-control? Or how about being so aware of everything that you become paranoid. Life is all about having a perfect balance. It’s the ancient philosophy of yin and yang. “I hold this as a rule of life: too much of anything is bad.” — Terence

After training for 60 years, Master Tim Hawk has learned a thing or two that have carried over to everyday life. He shares his observations with us on these things and more: Confidence Discipline Patience Fitness

Soon-to-be Doctor Cyrus Sholevar joins Tim and Steve to discuss how the martial arts have impacted his life. He attributes self-discipline to being able to focus on reaching goals, achieving difficult tasks, and overcoming discomfort — while pushing himself to new heights.

Getting back to basics is the simplest way to find calm in this chaos. Forget biohacking or looking for the next healthy fad, let’s stick with straightforward, commonsense health basics. “There is absolutely nothing more important than meeting our basic human needs.” — Abraham Maslow “When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you'll be successful.” — Eric Thomas

Bernie shares his version of The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, which he views as: Ignorance Gullibility Stubbornness Foolishness He, Tim, and Steve also talk about fear — how some use it for control to make you do or say things you might not otherwise. Focus and awareness are good — and both are necessary — but too much focus (and not on the right things) can lessen your overall awareness. "Listen to the whispers, and you won't have to hear the screams." — Cherokee proverb "Two things are infinite — the universe and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." — Albert Einstein

“Life is everything and nothing all at once.” — Billy Corgan Tim and Steve talk about seeing nothing while seeing it all, along with: Attitude Awareness Focus

“Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.” — Zig Ziglar Len, Tim, and Steve talk about faith, family, friends, and fellowship. If you have something positive to share, it's important to do so, because you can never underestimate the effect you may have on others. After listening to our podcast episode, watch this video with Football Hall of Famer Jim Kelly:

As we talked about before, the flagship school of Hoover Karate Academy has been sold. Many memories live on, and so does HKA's Allentown location. Tim, Frank, and Steve have one last conversation inside the old dojo — about the reality of truth and other lessons learned. “Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.” — Arthur Conan Doyle

Exactly two years ago, long before the pandemic, we had Anthony Droz on the show. Now, with the pandemic upon us, so much of what we talked about is more important than ever: How and why you must maintain the warrior ethos, otherwise you lose it — as the case with anything important in life Who does Anthony believe was mentally, physically, and spiritually evolved in a way that we, today, can not even fathom Proof of how responsibility, challenge, and adversity leads to one becoming stronger mentally and physically — and creates confident, self-reliant individuals We’ve talked before about the importance of embracing being uncomfortable; Anthony further reminds us of how that’s the place where we learn to grow and thrive Listen to the entire show from 2019: Ep 056 - What Is Your Passion? What Is Your Purpose?

“Any change, even a change for the better is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts.” — Arnold Bennett ”If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude.” — Maya Angelou ”You must welcome change as the rule, but not as your ruler.” — Denis Waitley If you have a favorite memory from the iconic Hoover Karate Academy (American Karate Studio back in the ‘80s) dojo at Eagle Point in Whitehall, PA please tell us in the comments.

Chelsea from Fuel for Thought Nutrition explains which foods to eat — not just for our bodies to be healthy — but for our minds and emotional health also.