Hey guys this blog post is not super fitness related, but I wanted to share it as it might help some of you step back and see what matters the most in your life, as I often forget from time to time……
I had a chance to take my annual home visit back to Minnesota over the 4th of July Holiday. I only go home once a year, as I am acclimated to the Scottsdale/Phoenix weather and MN is far too cold any other time for me now! I got the chance to see my Grandmother and my Dad who I only see once a year, my best friend Connor and his wife who has a child on the way, and all my old “KV” friends.
So, for you guys who don’t know I have played in the same basketball tournament since I was 16 years old – the “Knopp Valley” Tournament. To make a long story short it’s a group of 35 guys who get together from all over the USA to play basketball on the 4th of July, these are guys I have been friends with for many years some of them I have known since I was 7 years old including Team Jeremy Scott Fitness member Dave Dreas.
It’s such a rare thing to be able to get together yearly with all your old friends, I don’t know anyone outside of our “Knopp Valley” circle who has or does anything similar to this – hanging out with 35 of your best buddies once a year at the same time and doing it year after year. It really is a special thing and the older and busier I get with my career I realize that. Its nice coming back and seeing guys I haven’t talked to in 364 days and picking right back up like I never left.
Being on vacation and being on a restricted nutrition plan – (since I am getting on stage this Saturday for a NPC competition) it made the trip a little more difficult which got me to thinking…..
Sometimes in life we get so wrapped up in the day to day things, trying to do more, advance in our careers we forget about what is really important. It’s the relationships with the people we care about, the people who are our true friends. I sometimes neglect that as fitness takes over my life and consumes me from working, training, competing, writing, eating and so on. It’s nice to be able to step back and get a little perspective on what really matters.
Below quick snap shot after getting back from vacation 4 days out from showtime!
I am fortunate enough to be able to have a group of people like this in my life after all these years, and it really made me think for a minute and evaluate what matters most to me. Fitness will always dominate my life, it’s my passion and I love it. However, for the rest of 2012 I am making a huge effort to talk, see, and do more with the people who matter the most to me. So, if that means putting some writing deadlines on hold so be it, if it means skipping a competition to take a trip with friends that I can go crazy on I am cool with that.
The older I get the more I am finding out it’s a balance, and like everyone else I want it all, from a successful career that helps and inspires others to enjoying every single day and have as much as possible with the people who matter the most to me.
Have a kick ass day today guys, train hard and go spend some time with the people you care about!
Jeremy Scott – Jeremy Scott Fitness – PROLAB Athlete