The Traveler’s Gift

THE SCENE: Chef was finishing up a ruck with 158 pounds on his shoulders. He brought out an FNG too!

F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER: Done and shared the 5 core principles with our FNG.

WARM-O-RAMA:

• 1:00 High Knees
• 25 SSH IC
• 10 Mountain Climbers IC

THA-THANG:
5k run at NMLB (no man left behind) pace.

MARY:

• 30 Flutter Kicks IC
• 30 Slow Glute Raises IC (20 single-leg, 10 both legs)
• 10 Boat Canoe IC
• 10 Superman IC
• Captain Thor IC (1 BBSU and 4 American Hammers, 2:8, 3:12, … 10:40)
• 0:30 Low Plank

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA:
4: Chef, Hobo (QIC), O Positive, Standup (FNG)

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
I am reading a book entitled The Traveler’s Gift by Andy Andrews. Dawson said that it was possibly his favorite/most influential book that he’s read so I checked out a copy from the library and started reading it over the Christmas break. I’m about halfway through and it hasn’t disappointed. In this fictitious book the main character receives some wisdom from King Solomon:

Guard your associations carefully. Anytime you tolerate mediocrity in your choice of companions, you become more comfortable with mediocrity in your own life. If a lazy man isn’t an irritation to you, it is a sign that you have accepted slothfulness as a way of life.

This advice is absolutely true and the inverse is also true. If you surround yourself with excellence in your choice of companions you will strive for excellence in your own life.

Joining a ShieldLock (F3 accountability group of 3-4 men) has been a big difference maker in 2020 for me and the men in the group. We constantly encourage each other to set and meet goals in multiple areas in our lives. Recently, Speaker posed a handful of questions/reflections to consider as we move into 2021. I thought they were pretty good and decided to share a couple of the questions with one of my non-F3 friends (we’ll call him ‘Bob’). Bob, too, thought they were good questions and asked me where they came from. I told Bob they came from my accountability group in F3 and his response was:

Huh, interesting. I didn’t know F3 went that far.

Up until this point, he was under the impression that F3 was only about early morning bootcamps. That is my fault for not doing a good job of articulating how much F3 has changed my life for reasons outside of fitness. My assumption is that, like my friend Bob, many men think that F3 is only about fitness. This includes PAX who post regularly. They are missing out on a sizable portion of what F3 is all about. My encouragement is to lean into another brother and do something outside of bootcamp together. Eat dinner with his family. Read a book and discuss it. Share your fears and ambitions. You will not regret the investment.

MOLESKIN:
I need to be inviting more men to F3. Initially, I used the excuse that “I just don’t know or see that many guys” but it isn’t true. I know and see a lot of guys and F3 has a chance to change their lives in the same way that it did mine. It is selfish for me not to tell them about it. I’m going to challenge myself to bring some number (TBD) of FNGs in the beginning of 2021.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

• Starting in January there will be an organized opportunity invest in another man by way of the ‘Equinox challenge’. More details coming soon.
• The Bauer is a 24hr fitness event starting on January 15th @ 6PM. Check Slack for more details.