Saturday, January 27, 2024
Photo: File
Last week, I and another BNI member were invited to speak at Boys Town New England, an organization that provides services for children in the foster care system. Her five-family residential campus is located in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, where children live until they complete the program.
As you may know, I have a passion for mentoring and mentoring adolescent boys. I have coached the Squire High School football team for about 10 years and always try to participate in the Squire program, a father-son program, as an instructor.
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I believe it is better to point young boys in the right direction than to fix damaged men later in life.
I do this because even though my parents were there for me and provided all my basic needs like food, shelter, and love, I didn't have it easy growing up. That's because. They were 19 and 20 years old when I was born, divorced early in my life, and didn't have much money or resources in my early years.
Life is different for two-parent households with financial means. But my life was nothing compared to some of the stories I was told before telling my children.
After meeting all of them, we were able to talk to them, tell our stories, and give advice. I told them that in my early twenties I took a wrong path glorifying being a gangster and ended up in jail for it. My work ethic, discipline, and drive are what kept me from going back, and I'm sure they can do the same if they put their mind to it.
In this article, I'd like to share some of the other things I told them that I think apply to all of us. By applying a few simple principles to our own lives, we can sow the seeds of improvement.
First, I told them to embrace adversity and become victors instead of using adversity as an excuse to be a victim. I acknowledged that they were treated badly, but instead of using adversity as an excuse and remaining a victim, everyone has a chance to succeed if they use adversity as fuel and work hard. I also admitted that.
We have all encountered, and will continue to encounter, adversity and setbacks in our lives. However, our resilience and how quickly we resolve these issues can make the difference between success and failure. It's a way of thinking! !
I then told them that fitness is a gateway drug and that taking care of yourself is the first step to developing self-esteem, self-worth, confidence, and a healthy lifestyle. I told them that it takes discipline to get up every day and do what you have to do, not just do what you want to do for comfort. Working out and taking care of yourself is the first step to building these disciplined muscles, which will translate into every other area of your life.
Then I told them to look at the wall and the two glass objects in front of it. One was a window and the other was a mirror. Instead of looking out the window and blaming all the outside circumstances that are holding you back, look in the mirror and decide what you can change about yourself to improve your situation. Things in life usually don't happen to you, but because of you, your actions, and the position you put yourself in.
The product of 5 was the last thing I told them. The 5 people you surround yourself with can influence the outcome of your life. If you're dating five business owners, you might want to open your own business. If you hang out with five drug dealers, you'll almost always end up in jail or dead. If you hang out with five stoners who sit around all day eating pizza and playing video games, you're going to get fat and lazy. If five of your closest friends go to the gym every day, you're more likely to do the same.
Out of about 12 kids who were attending, I was able to reach maybe 3 of them.
They asked questions about how to improve their businesses and lives.
The reality is that we know we can't reach everyone.
That applies to my gym, my football team, and the world at large, but if I can change the life of someone or even just a few of the people I come into contact with, I consider that a victory.
We are committed to your success,
matt coach
