Travis Eneix

I love Jack for many reasons.  He’s my kind of crazy, and a hero and role-model for me.  One thing I have always loved about him is his bald faced honesty.

It’s a pain in the gluties. But you gotta do it. Dying is easy, living is tough. I hate working out. Hate it. But I like the results.

This from a piece in the Wall Street Journal in September of last year.

Take a look at that and consider the source.  This man basically invented the fitness industry in its modern form.  And there he is, telling it like it is.  There are many other fitness gurus whom I enjoy that are the opposite of Jack in this regard, sometimes to a fault, and I enjoy their enthusiasm.  But, when I am down in the dumps of no motivation land, a cheerleader sometimes will not do the trick.  At those times I need someone to hand me my gym shoes, give me a smile and say, “Yeah, I know, it sucks.  Let’s get to it.”

I am reminded of my other favorite inspirational tidbit.  Paul Anderson, arguably the strongest American ever, was a huge proponent of squats.  He believed there was no better way to develop strength, and that without them one could never reach their full potential in raw strength.   Part of his workout routine was doing nothing but squats on his families farm for a full day, every other day.  He would get up, go out to the yard and do heavy squats with farm equipment, go back in and eat, take a nap, and repeat for all day long.  I read an article about him where the interviewer said, “You must really love squats!”

Paul’s response was, “You know, I have probably done tens of thousands of squats of all types in my life, and I have hated every one.  I loathe squats.  But, I know there is no other way to get real strength.”

There is something very special about being dedicated enough to your goals to do what it takes, regardless of how you feel about it, always keeping your eye on the goal only.

So, the next time you are feeling less than enthusiastic about whatever practice you are undertaking why not fully accept that you don’t want to do it, and go ahead anyways.  The results are what you are looking for,

I went to see Gangaji in San Rafael on Sunday the 10th. Amazing.

I choose to trust Google maps directions rather than those on her website and promptly sped right through San Rafael. I turned around, got her site up on my blackberry and followed the directions there (now coming from the north). I missed the starting meditation, so I stood in the lobby of the San Rafael community center with 15 others waiting to get in. My seat was in the last row, and strategically behind one of the video camera lights, so she did not see me raise my hand repeatedly. Next time I will arrive an hour early and sit up front!

She spoke for about 25 minutes and then opened the floor for people to come up and sit with her.

A few days ago I was speaking with my wife about the thing in life I find most fascinating - the way in which people relate and how they connect to one another, and what gets formed in that space. Gangaji said that lately she has been thinking about inquiry in terms of not just what we are, but what we can be to (and for) each other. Kind of a cool synchronicity.

She was incredibly skillfull at catching people up in their straying from the inquiry, and kept very gently, but absolutely firmly, bringing them back to it. Several people got it right there on stage, and Gangaji would ask them to look out at the crowd with the light pouring from their faces saying, “Share that with them too. It’s infectious.”

All in all, a terribly beautiful way to spend a Sunday evening. Life got even better when I got home of course, I got to make dinner for my wife and myself and then we spent the hours until bedtime sitting on our couch and reading next to each other.

Life is perfect.