As much as people hate to admit, your world does revolve around you.
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There will come a time, hopefully sooner than later, that you will realize no one else's opinion of you matters at all.
As much as people hate to admit, your world does revolve around you.
That is not a selfish way of thinking, it is a realistic one.
No one spends more time with you than you. You are stuck with yourself for every single minute of your life. So there is simply no reason for you to not be who you want to be.
In a world which runs on people trying to impress others, be someone who is just trying to impress you.
Be Yourself! Have your own sense of humor, your own sense of style, and your own way of thinking.
There is nothing wrong with looking up to people who have achieved what you want to, and that you one day hope to emulate their success. That doesn't mean you cant throw your own spin on it.
I am going to say something that many feel, but no one really wants to talk about...
Bullying lasts past High School, people have cliques everywhere you go, and somewhere for some reason someone in your life WILL NOT LIKE YOU.
And to that I say...who cares?
The only people you should hope to impress other than yourself is the ones you love, because they are the only ones who want to see you truly succeed. They are also the ones who love you when you are simply being yourself.
And why do I always say Be Yourself? Well, because there will never for the rest of time be another YOU!
Think about that...you are the only you who will ever exist for the rest of time, and no one will ever be comparable.
Embrace that, love it, and never allow society to take that gift away from you.
Don't conform to society, MAKE SOCIETY CONFORM TO YOU.
You are the only one that will ever be able to leave YOUR mark on this world.
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Everyone knows by now my favorite film, and the impact it has had on my life.
The story of the underdog fighter from Philly has helped shape who I am, and most people have a certain movie which has helped shape their own lives.
The idea of being an underdog is one we all aspire for in some capacity. No one ever wants to think they started on the top, it’s just human nature. Many connect to underdog stories for this reason.
The truth is we are all underdogs, in some way we all overcome extreme obstacles to achieve something. Other people might just not be able to see it.
When you watch a movie, you see first hand the struggles a character goes through to accomplish a goal.
The truth is we are all living our own biopic, but not all of us will see our stories on screen.
For me personally I wake up and work towards creating a life that seems like it’s straight out of Hollywood. One day I want to see a film on screen that says “Inspired by a true story”, and then proceed to watch two hours plus about something extraordinary that I was able to make happen in my own life.
Every single one of our lives is a movie, and your story is important to you. Never let anyone tell you “Life is not a movie”, because your own life is your own personal film with joy, obstacles, sadness, and all other emotions that go into a great movie.
Don’t let anyone make your own story feel insignificant. Make your life story an autobiography, and not a biography. Don’t ever let anyone write your outcome for you.
Your life can be a movie, you just need to make it one that people want to watch. Everyone has a different theme, and everyone has a different outcome.
The one main difference between life and film, is that we aren’t given a Sequel. One chance and one opportunity only to draw in an audience.
No one knows how many years we are given, but you are given only one complete story within that time. Make it all worth it.
You are the lead in your movie, you write the script, and you direct it. Now go make it win Best Picture.
3, 2,1 Action...........Get Better.
]]>The world stopped on Sunday when we lost an Icon.
Kobe Bryant is one of the most influential athletes in sports history. He achieved the dream he had ever since he was a kid, which was to play for the Los Angeles Lakers and win a Championship. Something he did five times.
I did not grow up a Laker fan and was not into Basketball as much as I was into Baseball and Football. Even still, I would still say Kobe when I threw a piece of paper into a trash can, simply because it was universally known he was the best of our generation.
As I got older and got more interested in the sport, Kobe was on his way out of the game, but to this day the most exciting game I ever watched was Kobe's finale at the Staples Center. As he racked up points on his way to 60 I began to understand why he was so beloved.....
Because he gave it everything he had until the very end.
I became a fan of not just Kobe the Laker, but even more of a fan of Kobe the person.
This ideology he had in which he based his whole life off of was what truly intrigued me. This mentality is known across the world as The Mamba Mentality.
Be the first in the gym and the last one to leave. Be ready to strike at any moment when no one else is expecting it. Be the greatest at whatever you want to be in life. Be the best, and never settle for anything less.
The Mamba Mentality connects with so many people around the world, including myself. It connects because when we see someone live out their dream as Kobe did, it inspires you to do the same. Not many people make something of their dream, but Kobe proved it is possible
Kobe Bryant wanted to Get Better every day, every hour, and every second. The idea of not being the BEST is what motivated him to work harder than everyone else in the room.
Even when he retired, he found new avenues to direct his determination and motivation, which included him accepting an Oscar two years ago.
Kobe knew that family was most important, and nothing could ever compare. He fought to share his message around the world because he knew nothing matters more than inspiring others when it comes to the purpose of your life.
“The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great in whatever they want to do.”- Kobe Bryant
When he had a little success, he wanted more. As he said, “What am I going to get close to the top of Mt. Everest and lie down and sleep for a week?”
When asked if he had an issue with people who lacked a work ethic. He said he didn’t, but had a problem with people who lacked a work ethic and expected to be great.
The common thread with all of this is his work ethic. His work ethic was unparalleled. Even with all his talent, he wanted to work harder than the next guy to solidify his greatness.
Kobe Bryant is a role model to people of all ages and is someone who even though he is gone, will truly live forever.
He will live through each person who has ever been inspired by him. He will live through anyone who took the Mamba Mentality to heart and implemented it into their lives.
Kobe Bryant may not be with us anymore, but he will live through us and will live through generations to come. He spoke success into existence and reached a level few have ever reached........Immortality.
Rest in Peace Kobe Bryant, and thank you for leaving an impact on the world that only you could ever create.
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Never waste your time doing something you don't want to do.
We were always taught that there are moments of your life you have to experience, even if you do not want to.
I refuse to live my life like that.
You should NEVER waste your time on something you do not enjoy. You also should never listen to someone who tells you that you should. When all is said and done, your time is your most valuable commodity, and no one should ever make you feel like you should waste it.
I will never allow myself to do something that doesn't interest me. I will never surround myself with people who will drag me down, as opposed to allow me to Get Better!
If people aren't going to get you to the next step, then they are wasting your time.
As they say, you are the sum total of the people you spend the most time with.
No event or person is worth you losing what is most important to you.
Turning 23 recently truly made me realize that I am losing time each second that passes me by, and I will not let any more of it be lost without accomplishing something great.
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"Everything happens for a reason." A saying my Mom said to me growing up all the time, and one I would brush off when I was young. Now as I have seen the twists and turns that life can take and how it can bring you to a place you never thought you could be, I realize she was right.
When we are in High School and College and don't see the results we want right away, we think it's the end of the world.
If you don't get the job, you get rejected by the girl/ or guy, or even something as simply missing a stoplight. Anything and everything can stress you out in this life.
Having a speech problem growing up, a weight issue, and being rejected by dozens of jobs and girls, my parents would always say that there is a reason you didn't get this one opportunity. That reason being there is a plan to have something so much greater come your way.
My mom showed me a song the other day by Darius Rucker which has not left my head since I first listened to it since it so clearly depicts the idea that things are missed in life to receive something of much more importance in the future.
I can admit that even I overreact when things do not go my way. The important thing is to have a person, or people, who you can rely on to calm you down and help you see the bigger picture.
Hit the gym to get the stress out in the moment, and then go for a nice walk to clear your head with your favorite music. After an hour, you will realize you deserve so much more than whatever opportunity you weren't given. Get over it, because something so much more is coming your way.
Just so you know....
The reason you didn't get the job is because there is a better one for you.
The reason you got rejected by the girl/ or guy is because they did not deserve you, and you just don't realize it yet.
The reason you missed the stoplight is so you learn to appreciate the journey to where you are going.
Everything happens for a reason, and whatever hardships are presented to you, EMBRACE THEM. Run through every brick wall, to get to your ideal place. Enjoy the journey and not just the destination.
To Get Better you need to know what it is like to be in a place you don't want to be, to understand where it is you want to be.
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People everyday of your lives will try and deter you from what it is you want in life.
I don't care what it is you want. If you intend to do anything in life, you should always aim for the best possible outcome.
You have one chance at the life you were given. Why waste any time on something you don't want. I don't believe in Plan B's. If Plan A doesn't work, I will keep trying until I get the outcome of Plan A. If you don't succeed, it means you didn't want it bad enough.
As I sit here watching one of my favorite films Footloose, the song I'm Free came on.
"If there's anything worth my love it's worth a fight. We only get one chance, but nothing ties our hands. You're what I want, listen to me, nothing I want is out of my reach!"
Everyday could be your last, so why waste any of your time on something you don't want to do.
Nothing is out of your reach. Go Get Better!
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The clock turned midnight and 2018 was upon us, I just finished up an amazing year, and was about to embark on a journey I could have never predicted, and experience an Oddessy that would teach me lessons that I'll take with me for the rest of my life.
On December 31st, 2017 I launched Get Better Motivation, and I could not have ever predicted how well it would be received. I have had some truly inspiring conversations with so many people, and with 100% confidence know this was something I was meant to do with my life.
2018 began and I was full of optimism, but nothing could have prepared me for what lied ahead.
In a span of 8 months, my life changed forever.
I lost my Grandfather in January the night before my final semester of college was about to begin. My Grandfather was unlike any to ever walk this earth. He was truly one of a kind and brought an attitude and persona that only the most unique could have.
For a week straight I was going back and forth to the hospital to visit both my sick Grandparents. A week of sadness I could never put into words.
He was the first Grandparent I ever lost in my life. One thing about me is that I have a special bond with each of my Grandparents. Something I am glad I found to be important to me early on in life.
After my Grandfather passed, I went on the best I could with my life to support my family, and focus on all of my responsibilities.
I was a Senior Resident Assitant, Class President, had an Internship at a fantastic company, and was really trying to take Get Better off the ground (even with all the people who were making it out to be a joke at first).
My Grandmother continued fighting Stage 4 Breast Cancer, and our family was focused on bringing her home.
Fast forward to May, and I am now a College Graduate and had the honor to give the Commencement Speech at my graduation. I previously ended my internship, and I was waiting for where my journey was going to take me next.
One week after Graduation I got a new job at another wonderful company down in New York City. I began commuting 2 hours each way to get to work, which was not an issue considering New York City is my favorite place in the world.
Three weeks into the new job, I got a call to get to the hospital as soon as I could.
For four days we waited there with our Grandma, and on the third day, there was nine of us sleeping in one Hospital room to be by her side.
What we did not know was that was our last night with a woman who transcended what the words compassion and love really meant.
My Grandmother was the gift that none of us deserved, but we are wholeheartedly grateful to have been given. She was someone I felt lucky to be in her presence with every moment I had and had that taken from me on a night I don't like to remember.
She had the most lovely service I have ever seen, and hearing how she changed the world one person at a time was the comfort I needed.
Once again my family was what kept me going.
If you know me, you know every move I make, and everything I do is made with the intentions to make my family proud.
We were tested once more just over a month later.
Unexpectedly, we lost our Aunt and Uncle in one moment, and we all began to question what we did to deserve this.
Two amazing individuals molding our family together once more to face an outcome we didn't ever expect.
We all went on vacation to lay our Grandfather to rest two weeks after that tragic week.
It was here where I found peace for a fleeting moment, at what my Grandfather claimed to be his favorite place in the world. Thanks to family we never knew up in Maine, we spent a day full of love, memories, while also creating new memories together.
The next three months hit me hard. I began to reflect on what the past eight months brought my way, and I hit a place where I felt broken.
My sisters were there for me with Kayla taking me to the Wild Card game between the Yankees and the Athletics. Two days later Jacqueline took me to my first concert ever with my favorite artist, Bruno Mars. Both of these were two of the greatest nights of my life.
How I deserved either of my sisters is something I will never understand.
I can't talk about this year without mentioning the solace the Yankees brought me. Although the outcome was not what we wanted, and I was unable to give them the dedication I have in this past, they are still my true passion and I still bleed blue harder than ever before.
Day by day I got back to where I needed to be for my family, and for myself.
I share this with you, not for pity, but to serve the purpose of what a New Year entails.
Nothing could have prepared me for the year that was brought my way, but when I got knocked down, I made sure to get up each time.
You see "It ain't about how hard you hit, it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done."-Rocky Balboa
Losing loved ones, best friends moving away, graduating college, losing a job I loved to finding another great one...no one on this earth knows what tomorrow has in store for us.
In a year full of heart-ache, there was still good. Get Better has impacted more lives than I could have ever imagined, I met my hero Sylvester Stallone and got to be on the movie set of a movie that transformed my life, and much more.
Most importantly I proved to myself that I need to be who I was meant to be, which is a person who doesn't take no for answer and won't stop until his dreams are fulfilled.
My family and I were tested together and proved our bond to be even stronger than any force trying to come our way.
I look towards 2019 with that same blind optimism I had for 2018 because I know the hits will keep coming, but with the love of your family, and the passion to be great, no force can stop the force you create within yourself to go after your dreams.
2019 is the year I plan to take Get Better to new heights.
I don't want it to be a "Happy New Year", I want it to be a "Better New Year".
By making it "Happy" you are leaving yourself limited, but by wanting it to be "Better" than the last you are leaving it full of opportunity.
Of course, I wish you a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, but what I really want to wish you is a Better New Year.
2019 is your year. 2019 is my year. In 2019, we will Get Better.
]]>I’m 22 years old, and can’t help but look back at the last several years of my life and wonder if I have done it the right way.
]]>I’m 22 years old, and I can’t help but look back at the last several years of my life and wonder if I have been living it the right way.
Ever since I was 11-12 years old I have been working. If it was shoveling driveways, being an Umpire for Little Leauge, bussing tables, dishwashing, working at my college, being an RA, all the way to working in New York City. I began to live a healthy lifestyle and working hard at trying to achieve my wildest dreams.
Even still with all this progression, I have seen in my life, I still get many moments where I feel like I haven't accomplished enough.
I’m sitting here tonight thinking about High School and College. Over the years I am so grateful for the friends I have made, but I can’t help but think about that over the past couple of years there were many times that I felt that if I never reached out to anyone, no one would have reached out to me.
This isn’t meant to be a pity party, but l feel like a lot of us out there feel this way and I wanted to call attention to it.
Many kids in their late teens and early twenties feel the need to do certain things to feel like they belong there. So many people are afraid to take a stand and live the life the way it should be lived.
This is the time of your life that you should be focusing on accomplishing things that seem so far out of reach, that you will leave people speechless when you actually do them. You should be focusing on the things that will help further your career, not your social status.
In college, I was lucky to have many friends but still found myself alone many times. This led me to focus on the things that were important to me and my future.
One thing I found importance in though was surrounding yourself with good people.
When good people are around to encourage other good people, that's when you will see good outcomes in your life.
No matter what you plan on doing, you should always want to include the other good people in your life, and you should never exclude anyone that is always going to be there for you. I always make an attempt to get as many people involved in places I go or things I do, because I know how it feels to be excluded, and I would never want any good person to feel that way.
One thing to recognize also is that you never know which person you decide to have a part of your life will be the person who will change your life.
Too many people are afraid to talk about their insecurities because they are afraid of what people may think of them. That’s one thing I am not because I could care less what others think of me. This is because I know who I am and who I want to be.
To those who have felt like I did, and sometimes still do, you have to know you’re not the only one.
For the people who feel like they aren’t good enough, we’re in this together.
One day people will see your worth, and one day those who counted you out will reject doing so.
Always remember who you are and never worry about where you're at because it will Get Better.
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Last week I had the privilege to talk to the students of a middle school in Yonkers, NY. I didn't read a script or memorize words to say, I simply spoke from the heart.
As I was on the stage looking over the crowd I couldn't help but think what was going on in my life when I was there age. From Middle School, all the way to High School, I now look back and realize how much I got made fun of for looking a certain way. I realize how I was always counted out before even given the chance.
I told the students that I know what it's like to be rejected, I mean one girl growing up said yes to me after I asked her out....one.
Constantly getting rejected, not making sports teams, working really hard to get something and never getting it at all. The reason I loved college so much is that it was my wake up call, one that told me that "the world ain't all sunshine and rainbows" and the only thing you could do is work as hard as you can to create the life you want to live. I preached this to the kids, along with also never allowing anyone to tell them that they can't do what it is they know in their hearts they want to do.
This same lesson was taught me over the past week in Creed II. After seeing it three times already there's one lesson that won't leave my head. The simple question Rocky Balboa asks Adonis Creed before he is about to enter the ring is...
"Are you here to prove something to other people, or are you here to prove something to yourself?
Along with the central theme repeated multiple times throughout the film which is "What are you fighting for?"
These two questions we all should ask ourselves each and every morning we wake up.
Personally, I feel that If you don't know what you are fighting for, then you are fighting for nothing. Along with, If you don't have a reason for fighting, you might as well not fight at all.
What I have fought for since day one has been, and always will be, my family.
When I first started changing my life around I used the hate I received when I was younger, the rejections, and the insults hurled my way as my reason for fighting.
But one lesson I learned lately from a phone call with a friend from college a couple weeks ago, is that you can't let negativity guide you to a positive future, because that will never happen.
"Although it was okay to let the negativity fuel the fire, that's not what will keep the fire burning."-Jake Kosack
Knowing what you are fighting for is what will continue to let your fire burn. It will guide you to a life where you know what you stand for, and keep you standing never letting it knock you out.
To Get Better, you need to know what you are fighting for, and you need to know that no matter what reason you are fighting, you can't live a successful life until you know what that reason is.
Below I attached a scene that embodies this lesson. Once Rocky knew what he was fighting for, that is when we got what is now the most inspirational scene ever made. He needed his wife's support, and once she told him to go "Win", Apollo Creed never stood a chance.
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On Friday, I took a six and a half hour ride with my sister to Connecticut, but it should have just taken three hours. There was a lot of traffic and multiple accidents, and it totally altered our trip.
I told her to go off at the next exit and I navigated us through the backroads. It would have taken much longer on the highway, but we found another way.
No matter what, there is ALWAYS another way.
Lately, I have been down on myself. Just feel as if I haven't accomplished what I had hoped yet. This week though I got some well-needed wake-up calls from some friends.
A good friend decided to call me out on my shit, and it was something I needed. Even though all the things I have changed in my life, one problem I have is that I get down on myself way too hard and way to fast. I took it as a good thing because it helped me realize it is my responsibility as someone who hopes to inspire other people that you have to spread positivity, not negativity.
Spreading negativity doesn't change an outcome, and even if it is all solely based towards you, it won't change anything. It is okay to not be happy with an outcome, but like I always say, no external outcome can affect an internal result.
It doesn't matter where you want to get in life, you can get there. You just have to prepare for the roadblocks.
See I think the idea of having a backup plan is ridiculous. I don't have back up plans, because why would you need to have one if you already know what you want?
Whatever it is you want should be your only plan, and you give it everything you got.
By having a backup plan, you are distracting yourself from other goals. Just remember that no matter what, there will be roadblocks. The thing with roadblocks is that no matter where you are, there is always another way.
It may take longer then expected, it may not happen how you hoped, but if you want it, and put in the work to get it, then it WILL happen for you one day.
A roadblock is just another direction sign telling you to take a different way, but you will eventually find yourself at the destination you hoped to get to.
When you recognize what it is you really want, and you start to go after it no matter what tries to stop you, that's the moment you just Got Better.
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I now know why I was put on this earth...
My family has been through a lot the last few months, months I could have never expected in a hundred lifetimes.
Loss and struggle tried consuming our lives, but one thing you saw with this family is that we never faltered. We only Got Better.
We didn't let our bond break, we only let it grow stronger.
I was born the luckiest kid in the world with the family I got. They are my best friends, they are the reason I get up each morning and want to be a success, they define my life.
The last couple months I have been tested with the same question continuously. That question is "What I am here to do?"
I have had to truly confront for the first time what I believe my purpose on this earth is.
My whole life I have always learned about the history of my family because I always loved knowing how I came to be.
My grandparents have told me countless stories of their family history, but what each of them had to battle in their own lives is awe-inspiring enough. They battled in the streets of New York, hardship, struggle, and one even battled cancer.
They earned everything they got in their lives. No one handed them the lives they got, they worked hard for them. Each of them in my eyes is a hero.
My Mom and Dad are the two strongest people I have ever known. They are tested each day, and never back down. They are my real life "Rocky Balboa's".
My sisters and I couldn't have asked to be born into a better family. More importantly, we are blessed to have been given each other. They learned from my parents and grandparents how to battle, and they inspire me to fight each day.
I have always said that you were put on this planet for one sole reason, and that is to accomplish whatever it is you want to do. Now more than ever I now know that those words couldn't be truer.
So why was I put on this planet?
I was put on this planet to continue the unbelievable legacy that has been set before me. I was put on this planet to work for the New York Yankees, create a brand that inspires others, and to provide a life for my family where anything they want, they will get.
It is nothing short of an honor to carry on my families legacy, and I hope to take it to new heights because that is what they have earned.
I need to Get Better not just for myself, but for the LEGACY, I hope to leave behind.
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“It ain’t about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward”. Rocky is my favorite film of all-time. It is actually more than that, and if you know me at all, you know it really is the foundation for which I live my life. The thing I just realized though is that I never really told anyone why it means the world to me, but I think it’s an important part of me that everyone knows. Ever since I can remember I have been watching Rocky. I remember watching it when I was a little kid with my Dad, and every time "The Italian Stallion" would run up the stairs, we would have the sound blaring, and I would start replicating Stallone's every motion. My Dad and I both absolutely loved it, and that is where the love truly started. It wasn't just my dad and me, it was everyone in my family. My parents, sisters grandparents, aunts, and uncles all loved the films, and whenever it was on we would watch it. Any updates with the Rocky Balboa that would come out, my Grandma and I would call each other right away to inform the other about the new developments about our favorite fighter from Philidelphia. When I was younger I would watch Rocky III and Rocky IV endlessly. As I got older, I began to develop a deeper love though for I and II. As it stands today, my favorite is Rocky II, just due to its passion, determination, and true message to Get Better. I was Rocky for Halloween, I would replicate his training scenes when I watched the movies, it was simply embedded in my family’s history…we love Rocky. Once I got older, it began to transition into something more than a film. I was around 20 years old, I hit a low. A low-point in my life not many people knew I was going through. I progressively gained more weight and was going down a dark path. One good thing in my life was the fact that Stallone decided to revive Rocky Balboa for the seventh time with the 2015 film Creed. I was of course there opening night with my Dad, and for the first time in a while, I was truly happy again. To see my hero on the screen one more time filled a void in my life. Three months go by and Stallone actually gets nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal of the American icon he created for the second time in 39 years. He lost previously in 1976 for the first Rocky, but I knew in my heart that he would win this time. I was rooting my hardest because he deserved it, and I wanted nothing more than to see my hero get something that he deserved. At this point in my life though I began to hit a dark place again. I was in the worst shape of my life. Some people I loved told me I really needed to lose weight, something they never told me before. Thirdly, someone I really cared about said the idea of dating me was “disgusting", that one truly hurt. I was losing hope but knew the next night Stallone would be winning his award, I was optimistic. It’s February 28th, my friends and I are eagerly watching the Oscars waiting for the announcement that Stallone won for Best Supporting Actor, except we were waiting for an announcement that would never come. He lost. I lost. That was the moment I hit rock bottom. For the first time I truly believed that nothing was worth getting optimistic for, nothing was worth getting your hopes up for, but worst of all I felt nothing in life was worth it. That night I went back to my room and just sat there. I thought about Rocky, and how it was simply not fair that he didn't get what he deserved. Then I thought about it some more…. and said to myself "It’s not about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done." The words I have uttered for over 10 years finally became more than words. It was a message to me that I needed to make a change in my life. The next morning I woke up with the “Eye of the Tiger”, and the rest is history. If you have followed my journey you know I lost 70 pounds, created a business to inspire others, and even made my way to meet Stallone and be in the sequel (Creed 2) to a film that changed my life forever. You see I hit rock bottom, the very idea of being with me was “disgusting” according to someone, but what I did was change into a person some would consider an “inspiration” in their lives. I am lucky that those things happened to me because the message was there for me the whole time, something had to happen though for it to be awakened. My life’s goal now is to make sure no kid ever feels like I use to feel. It’s to make sure that every kid that feels “disgusting” knows that even though they may believe it to be true, they have the opportunity to Get Better. I have seen every Rocky film over 50 times now (there’s 7), and I will see Creed II at least 5 times when it's in theaters. I have the movie scenes downloaded to my phone to listen to when I’m walking around the city, working out, or even on a train. I have watched the Rocky II training scene about 1000 times. I watch a little bit of Rocky every day of my life.
I had the honor to meet my hero, which is something I will never forget, but that for me wasn’t the complete goal. What I really want is a picture of Mr. Stallone and I both wearing Get Better shirts. That is when I will feel truly accomplished! I will never be able to thank Sylvester Stallone for what he has done for me in my life; he truly is the one person outside my family who has changed it forever. I don’t consider many people "idols". My parents, sisters, and grandparents are those who I consider to be idols to me. They all have had to face more adversity than anyone I have ever known. They to me are all the real-life Rocky. Sylvester Stallone though comes right after them. He is an inspiration to so many, but for me, he is THE INSPIRATION. The inspiration to never give up, to never stop running, and most importantly to keep moving forward. Rocky came out in 1976, it was given a one-million-dollar budget and had to be filmed in 30 days. That low budget film that was predicted to be a weekend flop, went on to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Rocky, Stallone, and the film all had "A Million to One Shot" to make something of themselves. They took it, and the rest is history. Hopefully, the biggest accomplishment for Rocky though is the impact I can make on the world around me to never give up, never give in, and to always Get Better. |
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I don’t believe that you get rejected, I believe that you get motivated.
I’ve been rejected A LOT! In all walks of life, I have been rejected.
If it is for a job, a role, a team, or a girl, I have seen my fair share of rejection.
The thing Is, I don’t believe that you ever get rejected, I believe you get motivated. For me at least, when I don't get something I worked for, I realize it’s not a time to get upset...it’s a time to get pissed, and more importantly a time to get motivated.
When you hear the word NO, you have to work as hard as you can so one day you hear the word YES. You have to make everyone who doubted you realize that they made the biggest mistake of their life by passing you by.
Use that rejection to fuel your fire. Use it to make yourself the greatest you possibly can be.
I work hard so I don’t have to be rejected anymore, I work hard so that I can make those who have rejected me wish they could rewind time, and take back what they let walk away from them.
Don’t be afraid to do something, because you may be turned away. Even if you do get turned away, look at the person right in the eyes, and tell them that they will regret that they doubted your potential.
If there is something you want, GO FOR IT. I don't care what it is. Don't be afraid, go full force at it and run through the walls blocking you from it.
Go after your dream job, go after the body of your dreams, go for the life you want to live.
You never actually get rejected if you get motivated.
If you get rejected, guess what? The only thing you can do is GET BETTER!
]]>My favorite superhero of all time is Captain America. To me, he truly personifies the words “Get Better”.
I was watching Captain America: Civil War the other day, and one thing that always has stood out to me is that Steve Rodgers’s friendship with Tony Stark seems irreparably damaged at the end of it. In the final scene though, Steve gives Tony a cell phone with one number on it, and the name on it says, Steve Rodgers. In a letter, Steve tells Tony “So no matter what I promise, if you need us, If you need me, we’ll be there.”
Steve had to take his own path in the end but wanted Tony to know that he will always have his back.
This stands out to me because it’s an ideology I have followed my whole life.
Family over everything, because nothing else matters. NOTHING!
Family is the most important thing you have, and I know I truly won the lotto by getting the best one of all. I was blessed with the greatest family ever, and they instilled the idea that you always have to be there for the ones you love.
Ever since I was little, I never wanted anything just handed to me.
I am very lucky that my parents made me earn everything I ever wanted. Considering I have been working since I was about 11 years old, no matter if it was shoveling driveways, being a little league umpire, dishwashing, waiting tables, you name it, I would make sure I was the best at it. I still make sure I am the best at whatever I'm doing, and if I'm not I will make sure no one is working harder than I am.
My biggest fear in life is being average. I have said it before and I will continue to always say it.
When people tell me to lower my expectations, it makes angrier than you could ever imagine. It sets me off into a place, where I know I have to now prove them wrong.
I have always had to face the fact that people never gave me my fair shot for looking a certain way, and until this day people still count me out.
I don't care what it is, I want the best of the best. No matter what it is, I will find a way to earn whatever is I hope to get. There is no door I won't knock down, there is no bridge I won't cross.
I will never accept mediocrity, and I will never accept not earning the best. Every morning I wake up I plan on outworking everybody else around me.
When people wonder why my standards are so high, it's simply because I had to settle in the past, and I made a promise to myself to never have to settle again.
If it's easy, everybody could do it. If it isn't the best, everybody can have it, but when it's hard and it seems unattainable, that's when you know you have something worth working hard for.
If it's easy to get, I don't want it. Let someone else have it, because my eyes are set on higher goals.
Go Get Better, and ignore your doubters. One day soon enough they will see your worth, but by that point, you won't even see them in the same room as you.
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If you don’t think I know people laugh at me for starting this whole thing, you really are underestimating my intelligence.
That’s ok though, I have always been underestimated. I was the overweight kid, I didn’t dress cool, I got rejected by almost every girl I ever asked out, people never gave me a fair shot.
There are people who are even laughing at me as they read this. That is completely fine as well.
All that I worry about is helping those out there who feel like I used to feel. That feeling that you are a complete loser, and have no value to this world.
I use to portray this confidence that I liked who I was, but in reality, I hated who I was.
The people laughing are probably those who never actually had to work for anything in their lives, everything was most likely handed to them. The people laughing are probably those who don’t know what it’s like to exercise for seven hours a day for three months straight just to lose weight, doing so hoping that society wouldn’t count you out before even giving you a chance.
The reason I started this was to stop other kids from putting themselves in the same dark place I allowed myself to get in. A place where you allow yourself to feel completely useless.
You can not allow yourself to get to that place, because you don’t deserve to be there.
The past is only your future if you let it be. The world can’t count you out if you’re not listening to what it has to say.
Only you can determine the value you have. Only you can wake up each morning and tell yourself you want to get better than who you were yesterday.
To all the kids out there who feel like they aren’t worth it, listen to me when I say you are. It may not be your time right now, but while everyone is laughing, you are only getting stronger for the world ahead.
Your dreams will come true, your life will be as successful as you always imagined, and the reason I know it will be is, in the end, people only want to be put down those they are most intimidated of.
While you are living out your dreams, they will be living out their sad realities!
]]>Walk into any room, I don't care who is in it, and tell yourself that you are the best person in that room....because you are.
Where ever you go you need to go in with the mindset that you are the best one there. This may sound extremely arrogant, but it isn't in the slightest.
Too many people get intimidated by other people. They think those people are better looking, smarter, or more beloved. The truth is that all of that is simply crap.
If you walk in with the mentality that you are the best person in the room, then nothing will stop you from actually being the best.
When you stop letting others convince you that you aren't as great, that's when you realize that you are.
No one is better than YOU!
The only person that could ever be better than you is the person you are tomorrow.
If you walk into a room and see a girl or guy you like, but think they are out of your league, she isn't. Cause you are the prize in that room.
If you go to a place you want to work, walk in with your head held high and shoulders back, and go in there with the intent that you know you are going to be their newest employee.
In the end, never be arrogant....be confident. No one likes an arrogant person, and the only people who don't like confident people are those who aren't confident in themselves.
The greatest investment you can make in your life is you, and there's no risk to that investment.
Let the world know you are there and you are ready to change it.
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The other night I sat down with my sister, Kayla, and my Dad to watch a movie that I wanted to see for a while, The Greatest Showman.
I heard the music on the radio a couple times, but never really listened to what it was about. I’ll first start by saying if you haven’t seen the movie I highly recommend it, you will not regret it.
What I really want to talk about is the song in the film called “Rewrite the Stars”.
Look aside from the fantastic performances by Zac Efron and Zendaya, but open your mind to the message that they are trying to convey.
I truly listened to the song and its message, and there is only one word that describes how I felt…inspired.
The lyrics that got to me the most were these…
“It's up to you, and it’s up to me. No one can say what we get to be, and why don’t we rewrite the stars?”
I know this song was written based around the love between the two, which is beautiful in its own right, but I embraced it and started thinking about how you can apply it to your life overall.
You see, even in today's world so many people expect you to have your life planned out for you. Everyone expects you to follow the common path followed by many, and be like everyone else.
Basically, you have to follow the path of school, job, marriage, death, don’t take risks, don’t take a chance, and this is how the majority feel your life should be. You should just survive, not live.
It doesn’t matter how old you are. You can be 12, or you can be 88, but if you are still breathing, then you have time to rewrite your story and begin to live!
I don’t talk about what I’m afraid of that often, but I’m going to tell you my biggest fear right now…
My biggest fear is being average.-"Jake Kosack
Being like everyone else scares the living shit out of me, and it should scare you as well.
Don’t let other people write your story, rewrite your own story. Don’t follow the template set out for you throughout your younger years, because it's time you start to write your own legacy.
I’m sick and tired of seeing people not doing what THEY want to do with THEIR lives.
"Don’t let your life be a biography, make it an autobiography."-Jake Kosack
“Rewrite the stars” and write the life you want others to read about you.
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The one question I seem to get all the time is "If you keep trying to Get Better, then when will you have enough?"
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The words Get Better will be connected to me for what seems like the rest of my life, and I couldn't be happier about it.
For those who don't know why I started saying I needed to Get Better- it all started when I began changing my life around. All on my own, I just started saying that I needed to Get Better, but the first part of it seems to go unrecognized sometimes.
The full phrase that I say to myself is "Not good enough, Get Better."
I have never felt good enough, my whole life I felt like I wasn't worth anything. I felt like I could never get what I wanted, and maybe it was because of the way I looked, or maybe it was just because I was being myself. I didn't know why, but all I knew was that I could be more.
As I began running, working out five hours a day, and completely changing my diet, I knew I wouldn't settle for not being good enough anymore.
Let's get one thing straight though, I still don't feel good enough, and that's a good thing. It reminds me that I need to give each day everything I have, and to not accept myself for who I am, because I know I have more to offer the world.
What can you do when you're not good enough? Well the only choice you have is to Get Better.
The one question I seem to get all the time is "If you keep trying to Get Better, then when will you have enough?"
It's a great question, and to that I say this...
No matter where you are in your life, you can always try to Get Better. If you hit what you believe is the top at your job, then try and become the greatest to ever do it. You're in fantastic shape? Then push yourself even harder with your next workout to break a PR. If you feel like you're in a good place in your life, then go out and try to help other people reach their full potential!
My point is that you can always do more, and you can always push yourself to be the best that you can be.
If you don't try to Get Better, that means you are saying you never plan to grow from where you are right now, and no matter what you do in your life there is no point where you should ever plan to stop growing. Once you stop growing, that means you will never be the greatest.
Get Better, because if you aren't getting better you're getting worse!
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I graduated college, I actually did it.
Four years gone by just like that. Four years I will never forget. Four years of self-improvement, incredible moments, and friends that I wouldn't trade in for the world.
The question I have been getting the most the last couple days has been "Are you afraid to graduate?"
To be honest with you, no I'm not. I am not afraid of the world that's out there ahead of me. I don't say that to come off as arrogant, but I just have always had the mindset that no matter what situation is presented to me, I will not be out-worked. I am ready for the challenges, the late nights, and even the hardships headed my way.
Besides the fact that I am now a college graduate, what else changes?
Nothing...nothing changes at all.
Why be afraid? The world is ours. There is literally nothing that you can't do. No one in this world should intimidate you away from your dreams. Not one person on this planet is less capable than another. The thing that makes someone capable of achieving their dreams is the inner-drive within you that lets you know that you deserve the best there is.
I just have to keep moving forward. "Keep moving forward" is, and forever will be my mantra. My favorite words ever spoken are from Rocky Balboa himself when he proclaimed "It ain't about how hard you hit, it's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done."
I have been hit hard many more times then I could count, and I got back up each and every time. I love to get hit, because I love to prove it to myself that no punch is hard enough to keep me down.
My time in college is one I will always treasure, but it is now time for me to take what I've learned and use it to help better the world around me.
A lot may be headed my way, but no fight will be tougher than the fight I have against myself everyday.
To all those college students who are now alumni. Don't be afraid, just keep moving forward. I know you are nervous about leaving the comfort zone that college has been for you, but you shouldn't be. The reason you shouldn't be is because like I said in my commencement speech...
"Don't be afraid that this is a part of your past now, because even though you have to keep moving forward, you can't move forward without having a part of where you've been follow you on your journey there."-Jake Kosack
So yes, I am sad that my time in college is over. The present times I had there are now forever embedded in my mind as memories. But it's time for me to now become the best I can be, and the same goes for all of you.
Just keep moving forward, because I have not once met a single person who has been able to stop a person who just keeps moving forward.
]]>I met the person who changed my life, the person who I have looked up to since I was baby, and the person I have been trying to find a way to meet my entire time I've been on this earth and this is how I did it...
On Wednesday, I was in class looking up info on Creed 2 which comes out in November, like I do everyday. For those of you who don't know, the Rocky franchise means everything to me. It has always been my favorite movie. That's the thing though, to me it isn't just a movie.
I have felt my whole life like I am Rocky Balboa. I have always felt like an underdog just searching for a chance. I watch a little bit of the movies every single day, I listen to my Rocky playlist every single workout, I run the steps here at school every single day, and I even call myself "The Italian Stallion".
To me it isn't just a movie, it is a part of who I am.
When I saw the ad for extras in Creed 2, I applied right away and got a call 20 minutes later to come down to Philadelphia the next day. I didn't hesitate at the chance, and said yes.
You see my whole life I have tried to think of ways to meet Sylvester Stallone, and recently my desire to meet him has increased due to the transformation I have made in my life.
All I wanted to do was shake his hand, look him right in the eyes, and thank him for changing my life forever.
I made sure I told everyone where I was going that I was't coming back until I met Sylvester. I knew he was possibly in the city that day, and wasn't going to leave it until I accomplished the goal I wanted to achieve ever since I could remember.
So on Thursday morning I woke up with the full support of my family, and jumped on a train to the city. Once in the city I made my way down to Penn Station to catch my Amtrak, and than I was in Philadelphia.
First thing I did was run all the way from the train station to the Philadelphia Museum of Art to run the Rocky Steps. I didn't have much time, but knew I needed to make it my first stop on my journey. It is the place I watch everyday to motivate me to workout, and the one that changed my life, and was the place I needed to go to to inspire me to achieve my goal that much more.
As I ran to the top of the steps, I looked out and felt something I never felt before. With a smile on my face, knowing the last time I ran the steps I could not run them as hard as I just did, I knew something special was going to happen today.
I made my way from there to the set, and began to meet a lot of people from the area, and hear what made them come. I can't talk about details of the film of course until it comes out, but the first scene I was asked to do did not put me anywhere close to him. I didn't even know If he was going to be there that day at that point.
But then I was asked to help with a different scene, and all I can say is this...I was there in the room with him.
My idol was right in front of me portraying the role I have idolized for so long.
By the way, catch the film in November, you might catch a glimpse of me...
When the day was all over though, I saw once chance to go accomplish what I set out to do. I saw it, and I took it.
I went right up to him, even though he had people around, and stuck out my hand and said...
"Hello Mr. Stallone, I am Jake Kosack. I wanted to thank you for all you have done for me in my life and being my inspiration ever since I was little."
I couldn't believe it. I was shaking hands with the person who helped changed my life forever, who I never met...until now.
With the most genuine smile he thanked me for the kind words, and told me how much he appreciated it.
I couldn't believe it, the person I looked up to for 21 years was everything I could have ever hoped he could be.
Two "Italian Stallions" shaking hands, with one of them not even knowing how much he changed my life. Changing it even more by simply treating me with respect and appreciation.
From there I left achieving all I wanted to do, I thanked him. I set out for one goal, and I accomplished it. A goal to most that would seem impossible, I managed to accomplish in one day, because I knew I couldn't settle for anything less.
You need to be fearless. If there is ANYTHING you want in life, go get it. If you want it bad enough, nothing can stop you.
I stayed in a hospital lobby that morning until the next train to New York arrived, I left Philly at 5 in the morning, and got back home at 9. I lasted 29 hours with only sleeping for an hour and a half.
Most importantly I had what may be the greatest experience of my whole life.
In the first Rocky film Jergins asks Rocky "Do believe America is the land of opportunity?"
Rocky responds with "Yes". My response? I know that America is the land of opportunity, because I had the opportunity to meet my idol.
In the end, all I have to say is this...
I accomplished my goal, and you can also. You get one chance at this thing called life, so don't miss out on the moments that could change it.
I did what I set out to do, I shook his hand, looked at him right in the eyes, and thanked him for changing my life forever. And here is the point I want to convey...you can do the same thing.
And to you Mr. Stallone, I promise this. I will accomplish something great with my life, so you know you were one of the reasons why I did it.
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As I sit here with only 19 days until I graduate from college, the same thing has been stuck in my head the last few weeks...did I do it the right way?
College is only four years of your life, but those four years could be the most important. Those four years are your opportunity to decide who you truly want to be.
I go to Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, New York. I can say with a full heart that choosing this college to dedicate my life to these past four years was the best decision I have ever made.
The opportunities I have been given have been endless. I am a Senior Resident Assistant, Senior Class President, a member of the SGA Senate, a Dyson Scholar, I represented the Student Body in the search for the new President of the College, and much more.
The memories I have made here have been priceless, the friends I have made are ones I am eternally grateful for, and this place truly made me recognize who I want to be.
I made the ultimate transition at this college. The people here motivated me, they inspired me, and they never gave up on me. The blood, sweat, and tears I have dropped all over this campus in my efforts to transform my body are embedded here forever.
All I can say to those about to embark on their college careers is that you have to make the most of it.
Don't worry about what others think about you, don't just focus your attention on fitting in, or doing things to be cool.
Be yourself, and try and decide who you want to be. It's a chance for you to shape the rest of your life the way you want your life to turn out, and many don't view it like this.
I had a wake up call, and that call is something I will never forget.
I urge you to make the most of it, because believe me, it goes by faster then you could ever imagine.
There are so many things I'm going to miss. The endless meals that Jacqueline and I get at the high tops. Geoff and I doing everything together. My Res-Life staff who mean more to me than they will know (Being referred to as Supreme Leader-thanks Tom). The late night Senate meetings with some of the best people I have gotten to know on this campus. Those same meetings where I know Cal will say something that will be so funny I will most likely crack up. Passing off what I have learned to others (One of the best parts of this year was showing Eddie the ropes of it all). The beautiful sunny days on this beautiful campus, and so much more
I accomplished everything I hoped to achieve when I set off on my journey to college. While some things may have not gone my way, I learned from every single experience.
Everything I did was with the best intentions. What I intended to do was make the other people around me laugh, smile, and try to make their day just a little bit better.
Did I do it the right way? Well if I leave this place in three weeks, and people remember me as a person that only wanted to make them happy and be a helping hand, than yes...I did it the right way.
So I guess I'll end with a thank you...thank you Mount, you changed my life forever.
]]>It's time you stop giving a sh*t what people think.
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It's time you stop giving a sh*t what people think.
I don't know how to stress enough that no one else's opinion of you matters, except your own.
No matter where you go in life-people will always find a way to try and put you down. Even after my transformation people still try and put me down.
All this made me realize is that it doesn't matter what you look like, or what you act like, people will always find a reason to hate on you.
The one misconception with this idea is that you should ignore people when they try and put you down, but this idea couldn't be any more wrong.
Embrace it. Take everything bad someone says about you, and turn it into passion, anger, and determination.
Get pissed, take it to heart, use it as a way to become so great that the only thing someone can do is learn to shut their mouths about you.
Don't let it hang around your head though. Once you use all this hate for motivation, forget about it, because no one's opinion of you matters that much to keep YOU down.
I try and not to care about anything ever says about me, because once I use it to Get Better, I tend to either use it to fuel my drive even more, or forget about it completely.
Nothing should ever hold you down, because everything in life can be used to lift you up.
To end, I would just love to thank all the people who have tried putting me down in life, because you have unleashed a person who won't quit until he proves all of you wrong, and I hope you all begin to think the same way!
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One thing that drives me crazy is when I hear people call other people "cocky" or "conceited".
I myself even hear that I am viewed as "cocky" on a daily basis, and although I don't let it get to me, the thing that bothers me about it is that I think people really don't understand that there is a difference between being confident and being arrogant.
The way I see it is being arrogant is talking about yourself non-stop, parading yourself around like you are greater than everyone else around you, and boasting yourself up to think you are the greatest person to ever exist, when in all reality you have nothing that actually makes you stand out.
See when you're arrogant, you're not special, you're someone no one wants to surround themselves with. Arrogance reflects who you are, and when you are cocky it usually implies that you are ok with who you are at this moment. It usually entails that you never plan to change, and never plan to improve.
Now what you should really focus on being is confident.
When you are confident you don't let anything around you affect how you conduct yourself, or what you think of yourself.
You should always have the mentality that when you walk into a room, no matter who may be in it, that no one in that room is above you.
Don't misconstrue this with arrogance though, because although you know no one is above you, you also understand that you aren't as great as you can be yet, and you can always improve.
In the end you should love yourself, and you should be your biggest hype man.
Never let other people make you believe that there is anything wrong with knowing how great you are...what they think doesn't matter.
What does matter is that you are confident, and know to value yourself, love yourself, and believe in yourself.
So the next time someone calls you "cocky", just keep walking by them with your head held high, and just remind yourself how great you are.
Believe me when I say that the only person you need to remind is you, there is no need to remind other people around you.
]]>I'm going to be real here...
All the time, especially in college, I hear about people getting rejected based on the way they look, or a personality flaw.
Growing up I didn't have the self confidence to ask out a girl, because every time I did it seemed like I was rejected...hard!
But like I always say, I love rejection, because it makes me realize I need to change.
If you get rejected because of the way you look, then make that change, and make that person feel like by rejecting you they just made the biggest mistake of their life.
Sometimes people just don't see your potential (And that can be a positive for you). This can be in relationships, in careers, or quite frankly anything in life.
When people don't want to take the time to invest in you at your lowest, then you know not to give them your attention when you are at your best.
Don't get me wrong either, it's not always a physical quality people choose to reject you over, it could be a personality trait as well.
Whatever it is, you need to take that, and turn it into something positive. You can never let an external factor effect an internal result. You become who you want to become because you want it, not because someone else wants it.
When people choose not to invest in you, and then you come back and catch them by total surprise years down the road of how you great you turned out, there will be no better feeling for you.
You don't need to waste your time on people who didn't invest in your potential, because if they didn't' want you at your worst, they most defintley do not deserve you after you got better.
I don't care what your situation is, go GET BETTER for yourself, and go make other people feel like that not investing in you was the biggest mistake they have ever made in their lives.
]]>Yesterday the Yankees won the season opener in large part thanks to their newest member, Giancarlo Stanton.
Stanton in his first game with the Bronx Bombers hit two home runs, a double, and drove in four runs, and as I was watching it got me thinking...
The Yankees Got Better this offseason.
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They were one win away from the World Series last year, and could have easily made it that far once again with the unbelievable team they have assembled over the last couple years, but they didn't just sit there and hope something great would happen. They went out and swung a trade for the reigning NL MVP.
See what they realized is that their team was perfect in many ways, but they still could get better.
One win away isn't winning the World Series. One win away isn't making it to the World Series.
The Yankees are winners, they are the greatest winners that have ever existed, but they aren't settling for one win away. They want another ring.
You can never think you are good enough, because you aren't.
You can always be in better shape, you can always do better in school, you can always be a better person than you are at this current moment.
Find where in your life you can improve, and do it. The only way you can Get Better is by not accepting who you at this very moment.
I have never felt good enough, and I'm glad I have faced so much rejection in my life because it makes me accept that someone doesn't view me as good enough.
The only thing I can do from here is do what the Yankees did...
They got better.
]]>The first mistake people make is with this idea that something can be out of your "league".
Let me just say this now...we are all in the same league!
I hated growing up having to hear people tell others and to myself "That girl is out of your league" or "You should have realistic expectations".
Well listen up, people who tell you that you should have realistic expectations are just people who don't have confidence in themselves to achieve something as great as the thing you have your goals set on.
You want that job? You want a date with that certain individual? You want to have the greatest physique anyone has ever seen?
Well then GO DO IT.
You can achieve anything you want to in your life, because anything you want you can get.
So while other people are telling you to set realistic expectations this is what I have to say...
There is nothing as having to high of standards. You should have the highest possible standards for everything in your life. You should want the best, because that's what you deserve.
My whole life people have told me my standards are to high, and to that I say "If they could be higher than what they are right now, they would be."
We all deserve what we work for, we all deserve what we EARN for ourselves!
The one thing I ask you to realize is that nothing, and nobody is out of your league. We are all in the same league, and all you have to do is have the mindset that you want to retire in the Hall of Fame in this league called life.
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I'm sick and tired of this idea that people think that having talent is the only way to become successful. Talent is a wonderful thing to have, but there's one fight it will never win.
I don't care how talented you are, when it's competitor is hard work it will get knocked out every single time.
There are so many people with natural born talent, but while some do use it to help further their lives, others never use it to their advantage.
I can't sit here and tell you I'm unbelievably talented at anything, because I'm not. But I can promise you this...
The only thing I know is that it doesn't matter where I am, or what I'm doing, no one will be a harder worker than me.
The reason I can guarantee this is because it's in my control. I can't control if someone has more talent, but I can sure as hell can determine how hard I work.
I can not accept the fact that someone is working harder than me, because putting in all of my effort and dedication is what I pride myself on.
Hard work isn't a talent, it's a mindset. I think that's why I get along with people who work hard, because in the end we have the same goal, and that is success. We don't need people who aren't going to give it there all around us.
I like to relate this concept back to just as an example, we all have that desire within us to work our best, and I just want you to realize YOU CAN DO IT.
As Derek Jeter says "There may people who have more talent than you, but there's no excuse for anyone to work harder than you."
The only way to truly feel successful, is by giving it everything you got. Once you feel like you have nothing left to give, that's when you know you beat all the talent in the room.
Don't forget though each day is an opportunity to Get Better, and you should always be able to give a little bit more!
Now go give today everything you have, like Derek Jeter did in this play.
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If I sat here everyday and thought about the people who never thought I would amount to anything, I wouldn't accomplish anything with my day.
Growing up I had a lot of things happen to me that brought me here to this moment in time, and I can promise you not many people thought I would be where I am today.
It started off in Kindergarten. My teacher didn't think I was ready to move onto 1st grade, but my parents fought it to the end to make sure I wasn't held back.
I had speech and OT issues all throughout elementary school. While kids got to enjoy recess, I was stuck inside just trying to pronunciate words correctly, or write in a straight line.
I was never really the best student, but it got worse once I got to High School. I was failing classes my freshman year, and struggled to just pass a class.
My personal life was even worse. I progressively got heavier throughout my life, and hit a max of 230 pounds. Almost every girl I ever asked out rejected me, and anytime I used to tell anyone about my dreams of success they would laugh. I was simply just an unhappy person by the time I became a Sophomore in college.
A lot of you might be wondering how I'm willing to share this with you, and that answer is because I know I have failed, but I also know that I'm still breathing, I'm still standing, and I now have the attitude that I'm not taking any shit from nobody.
I have gotten better over the last two years, but I'm not even close to being the best I can be, and I never will be.
Each breath you are given is a chance to GET BETTER, and every thing that went wrong in your life is something to motivate you be the best you can be.
Take everything bad that has happened to you, and turn it into something amazing.Take everything bad that has happened to you and turn it into the body of your dreams, the job of your dreams, the life of your dreams.
"A dream is only a dream if you let it be, if you want it to become a reality bad enough then you will make it one." -Jake Kosack
As my idol Rocky Balboa said "I ain't going down no more."
This concept is one you need to apply to every minute of your life. If something goes wrong, get back up, and go fight today with the best punch you got.
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