Attack Life, Not Others

Anxiety is something we all deal with to some degree. What most people don’t realize is how dangerous and detrimental it can be if it’s allowed to grow. It can get out of control, lead to other issues, and ruin lives. Dr Jarrod Spencer from Mind of the Athlete, LLC is back again to offer his expertise on how to reduce anxiety. Some of the things discussed include: Why for the first time in history an entire generation is over-scheduled and overwhelmed One of the commonalities of poor sleep and anxiety is cell phone addiction What the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems are We can't stop feeling anxious if we don't first get better sleep If you’re feeling anxious, what the best way to relax is In case you missed it, last week Jarrod gave us ways to keep our emotional energy high and positive — thereby avoiding depression. He’s also told us how high performers focus. In Ep 073 he went into more detail on how important good sleep is. Contact him if you’re interested in his keynote speech

Dr Jarrod Spencer from Mind of the Athlete, LLC has been on the show a couple times before. First he talked about how high performers focus, then he proved to us how important good sleep is. Contact him if you’re interested in his keynote speech for business leaders or his signature keynote speech for athletes. Last week Tim and Steve shared some personal stories about emotions getting out of control, and now Jarrod joins us again to provide his knowledge and firsthand clinical experience on: How to keep your emotional energy high and avoid emotional depletion Why we need to improve our emotional regulation management skills What a truly tough person does to manage their emotions What causes depression, self-pity, and negative thoughts

Tim shares a recent story about anger and rage. It could have ended very badly. Other things discussed include: Tim’s 15-minute rule with his wife The reason why indignation can be good, even though rage is bad The major difference between combat sports, such as MMA, and real-life fighting If you want to see what real focus looks like, try to observe yourself when you get angry

It’s our July 4th Special Episode — some thoughts and reflections on Independence Day 2019. “Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.” — John F Kennedy

Dr Jarrod Spencer from Mind of the Athlete, LLC is back on the show. This time the guys talk about sleep — one of the most important things of all if you want to be healthy, powerful, and productive. You’ll hear the following and more: What the #1 reason is that people are sleep-deprived What can be done about sleep deprivation What we know from yawning How to nap properly The last time Jarrod was on the show he spoke about the ability to “shift” and focus on goals and things that matter to you. If you missed it, check it out here.

Having the ability to focus on what needs to be done is something we talk about often on our show. Focusing is what got Brad out of jail and it's what allowed Eddie to reclaim his life after tragedy. Last week Dr Jarrod Spencer talked about it from his clinical experience dealing with athletes and high performers. He also talked about shifting in order to achieve focus. We dive deeper into shifting on this episode. Tim and Steve discuss how being able to shift leads to focus, how they are different skills, how to avoid regretting losing time, and more. Next week Dr Jarrod Spencer is back as we talk about the importance of sleep. You won’t want to miss it. You may be shocked to hear what not enough sleep is doing to your health!

Dr Jarrod Spencer is a sports psychologist, professional speaker, author, and consultant. President and founder of Mind of the Athlete, LLC — a sports psychology company — he is committed to improving the emotional health of athletes all over. He joins Tim and Steve for the first of a several-part series. Hear how reading Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman had a major influence on him. On many previous episodes of the podcast you’ll hear us refer to the importance of focus. Why must we have it? How do we get it? How do we maintain it? How do high performers achieve it on command? What do they do to “shift” into having focus and a clearer mind? All of that and more is discussed on this episode.

Sensei Steve Turoscy joins us to share the 10 Rules for Fighting he has devised over the years. Not only do these principles apply to the martial arts, but to everyday life, as the case is with all discussions on the show. Listen and hear how these universal concepts played a major role in helping Steve combat adversity a few years ago. The 10 Rules for Fighting: Always be in control. When anger arises, think of the consequences. Master the basics and you will be a good fighter. Technique before speed — not speed without technique. You can’t think and hit at the same time. If an attacker is within striking distance, then so are you. Even a poor chess player will sometimes make a remarkable move. Train like you fight and fight like you train. You cannot be a good fighter if you are always afraid of what might happen. Be diverse — set yourself up for success.

The Takeover is a book that will help you program your thoughts and actions to perform at your highest level. In this episode authors George “GK” Koufalis and Brad A Modrich join Tim Hoover and Steve Mittman to share a few of their top 20 essential ingredients that highly successful people utilize. Similar to Attack Life, Not Others — these gentlemen are on a mission to help others live a more productive and fulfilling life. Their book is very easy to read and certainly holds its own in the self-help and self-development category. We strongly recommend reading The Takeover and listening to this inspiring podcast episode. It is jam packed with “golden nuggets” that will lead you to “success files” — some of which include: Energy Rituals Fellowship Self-awareness High standards Posture, presence, and confidence You can't go back and start a new beginning, but you can always change the ending Be sure to listen straight through to the end for Brad and George’s incredible “wake-up calls!”

The last two weeks we told the story about tragedy and survival — Episode 066 and Episode 067. Truth be told Tim and Steve weren’t even sure to begin with if they wanted to discuss it — because of the painful, sensitive subject matter. This week, the plan was to pivot and move on to another topic. However, the universe had something else in mind. Feedback validating it was good to have the conversation with Eddie came in many forms. This included a message from a gentleman named Anthony — a message that brought tears to our eyes and exposed a story about Eddie Yurickones, Jr that even his family didn’t know about. There are way too many variables involved in bringing that message into existence that it’s coincidental. Notice how many times Eddie said the word “focus.” If you ever needed proof that by focusing on positive thoughts a person can bring positive experiences into their life, today’s episode is your proof. For this reason we talk about the Law of Attraction, manifesting more good in the world,

On last week’s show we set the stage for this powerful episode you’re about to hear. Eddie Yurickones joins Tim and Steve as they talk about the horrific tragedy in 1995 — the loss of Eddie’s teenage son. He was shot and killed by a 13-year-old neighbor. How did Eddie face this? How does he go on? How does he deal with the pain? What can we all learn from this inspirational man? Who is his hero that gives him strength? As you listen notice how often he says the word “focus” and how being focused is the key to his survival.

If you think shootings are becoming more frequent and worse — you're right. The term “active shooter” is now a part of our everyday language, and often media portrays these incidents as “the new normal.” Politics aside, how does one go on after a tragedy such as this? Faith, family, and friends are often what it comes down to. Next week on the show Tim and Steve have a good friend join them to tell his story. His life and our lives changed forever back in 1995 when he lost his son. That horrific time, in fact, had a lot to do with forging our message of Attack Life, Not Others.

If you’re going to listen to only one episode, this might be the one to “reset” the way you view your life. Our guest — Life Coach, Dr Bernie — explains how the only true reality is the present moment. Hear why he says every moment of every day is your chance to be “reborn.” He shares his “closet story” along with what he’s determined to be our purpose here on earth. Other key takeaways include: The importance of being a good soul and helping others If there’s something you don’t like about yourself — you can change — right now Why most of us don't know how to activate what we already have in our possession Once you learn to activate your innate knowledge you will understand your existence Time is an illusion; you can’t hold on to anything; all you have is the moment — and in that moment you can change The past is gone, it’s in the “quicksand of time” — it holds nothing over you, and has no relevance other than memories Everybody makes mistakes; the beauty of living in the moment is those mistak

  Previously we’ve talked about the connection between fear and courage along with the importance of getting comfortable in an uncomfortable situation. Today Tim and Steve talk about the recent competition Steve took part in — the results, thoughts, and what we all can take from it. Key takeaways from their discussion include: You cannot expand unless you root One also needs depth of root (depth of experience) in order to expand Never stop expanding — experiences, friendships, knowledge, relationships, love, etc When you have to engage and move forward you can't fall back — you must root first and then move forward

We talk about customs, rituals, and traditions. Every society, every culture, every religion, and every nation has them. Many of us have our individual rituals. The martial arts run deep with rituals. Most rituals — if performed regularly and properly — improve our lives, keeping us on track. However, too much of a good thing sometimes can be bad, especially if the ritual isn’t relevant any longer. Challenge and question rituals to see if they make sense The key to a good ritual is awareness of how it's affecting you and those around you Be aware of your absolutes and priorities — keeping in mind where these rituals rank

Clarence Cook is a well-known personal trainer in Allentown, PA. Anyone that knows him knows he is a stand-up guy — the perfect example of what our podcast is about. He attacks life, not others. He consistently trains and maintains things that are meaningful to him. Faith, family, and friends are of paramount importance in his life.   “C” has been taking care of himself in order to help others around him consistently for many decades. And just like Tim and Steve spoke about last week — not surprisingly, C is also thankful for what he has been given from family members no longer here. You’ll benefit by hearing what he has to say.   After 33 years of being the Fitness Director at the Jewish Community Center of the Lehigh Valley, Clarence currently offers private personal fitness training. For those interested in his services you may get in touch through his Facebook page.

"They may forget what you said — but they will never forget how you made them feel.” — Carl W Buehner In this touching episode, Tim and Steve talk about people in their lives that have had long-term influences on them. Those that have a person (or people) like that are fortunate. We should strive to refine ourselves regularly to honor them. Like some batteries, sometimes we need to be depleted in order to recharge or refine You can’t be ordinary and do the extraordinary In the martial arts we have “rank-ups” — when students work towards the next belt level. Sensei Hoover explains that can be interchanged with the term “refine up.” However, unlike ranking up that occurs every couple years, we should strive to refine up daily.

Our guest, Gary Shankweiler is a martial artist and an NRA Certified Instructor with over 50 years of experience with firearms. Keeping politics out of it — whether or not you are a proponent of more gun control laws, the fact is the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution reads: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." That being the case, if you’re purchasing a gun you MUST take it seriously. Our talk includes the following and more: What to do before you purchase a pistol for self-defense Some factors you should consider before choosing a firearm How to safely and responsibly handle and store firearms in your home For those living in and around the Lehigh Valley area, Gary offers an Introduction to Firearms course as part of HKA’s Streetwise Self-Defense Seminars.

It was on this date — March 21st — one year ago that we launched Attack Life, Not Others. By now you know there are several principles that much of what we talk about is based on. One of those fundamentals is the way of the peaceful warrior. There are many things outside our control. Often all we can control is not letting anyone steal our peace. On this episode we talk about that and more, including: What is the martial arts mindset? Why is it important for everyone to have? How can we get better at “fighting the fight?” As a warrior you become strong for yourself, for your family, and for others We should strive to be constantly aware — not to be paranoid, but to be aware With better awareness we have more time and space to effectively handle situations After listening to Tim’s story of purchasing the DVD at Best Buy, do you have a similar story where you kicked yourself because you wish you handled something with a better response?

Last week we talked about Steve jumping on (or shall we say ”dancing with”) the opportunity to help a good cause and grow outside his comfort zone. Getting outside your comfort zone is a fundamental principle we reference often because it’s crucial in becoming a stronger person. On today’s episode we are joined by Shelley Brown, President & CEO of the State Theatre in Easton, PA. Next month — Thursday, April 18th — Steve Mittman will be competing at the State Theatre in Dancing With The Lehigh Valley Stars. What does this have to do with the martial arts and becoming a better, stronger person you ask? There are, in fact, many things that are related. We talk about the connections between DWTLVS and our show, ALNO. Some of the topics included are: Why The FREDDY© Awards (which DWTLVS helps to support) are a perfect example of helping young students find their purpose and also find their passion How cha-cha dancing changed Bruce Lee’s life and helped him become the icon we know How Steve is choo