I am very grateful for the vision of Khaled ELMasri who created the Nor-Cal Fitness Summit. I have been to three of these summits and they just keep getting better every single time. There is limited continuing education in our neck of the woods so to be able to attend a summit for 2 days with WORLD CLASS industry professionals is a big treat.
I am committed to learning more so that I can get 1% better every day in my career. I don’t want to be one of those fitness pros who thinks they know it all and just stop growing. Listening to so many different perspectives from people in the industry, we are able gather more information to add the toolbox whether it is for: Personal Development, Business Development, or learning more about the art of training. I got a bunch of new exercises and finally learned some nuances to a proper deadlift!
I also think it’s important to network and connect with other fitness professionals because we can all help each other to improve in different areas. Besides that, you never know whom you may meet that can be a game changer for your life.
At What Cost
I will say that the Nor Cal Fitness Summit for me this past spring held particular significance. I had resigned from my commercial gym training job on Apr 30 and the Summit was May 1. I had also just completed a time of spiritual fasting to let go of some of the old and bring in the new. In particular was the question of whether or not to continue on training for the Figure Stage.
At the summit I spoke with Chrissy Zmijewski who is an accomplished figure/bodybuilding champion in her own right. I had also read her book the R.A.D. Triad: Transform your Mind and Body (you should read it) and I really liked her fitness philosophy. One of the things she says in the book that I really held on to was this: There is no perfect. We can assess and see what we can do better but there is no perfect.
She asked me a question that really nailed that it was time to let the Figure Competition goal go. She asked me, “At What Cost? ” During my fast and over the past few months, I had decided that I was unwilling to continue on with developing disordered eating patterns, the beginnings of body dysmorphia, and still not getting anywhere towards my goal. It was time to let go of that goal and I am thankful for her words to me.
Nor Cal Fitness Summit Revival
The second installment of the 2015 Nor Cal Fitness Summit in October was something that can only b
e described as a spiritual awakening. They say that people form bonds not on shared beliefs but on shared experiences and I felt like that was exactly what happened this past October at the Nor Cal Fitness Summit. People got up and shared incredibly personal stories and trials with stories of overcoming and testimonies. I honestly believe that many lives were changed that weekend.
I remember thinking that this was just right in line with what I had been thinking and writing about over the past few months and while I still believed, sometimes you need confirmation that what you’re doing is on the right track. I have been writing about My Why for what I am doing and also the importance of mindset. The Fitness Industry continues to fail people because it’s all about egos and not really about addressing what people need.
All of the presentations were fantastic and they really opened my eyes to there being MORE that I can do and achieve in my career. In fact, one of the presentations turned my attitude around about utilizing certain mediums. I don’t need to do what everyone else is doing and I can do it my way so that I can achieve my goal of helping more people.
It’s okay to be outrageous and it’s okay to be different. The goal is to inspire people to get up and LIVE BETTER.
Added Bonus
This may sound silly but it needs to be said: It was also encouraging to see so many men who were FIRED UP about their calling, their purpose in life, and living it out. Men get a bad rap for being shallow, superficial, and doing dumb stuff but at the Nor Cal Fitness Summit, there was none of that nonsense. We got a chance to see men who understood purpose and the deeper meaning of what they are doing. They were transparent and honest. They also had on clothes and did NOT wear sunglasses indoors. I think that was encouraging for all the women (and men) there who may be discouraged that they won’t find any life partners who understand that they have a higher calling.
Be Outrageous: Mark Fisher of Mark Fisher Fitness
1% Better
I learned of the Nor Cal Fitness Summit through our TD Mastermind Institute and one of our mantras is to get 1% every day because that is 365% better in a year. I think the Nor Cal Fitness Summit helps all who attend to get MORE than 1% better and I am looking forward to hearing all of the awesome testimonies next year from the attendees.
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