I Failed...But it's OK!

failure-is-not-the-end-of-your-world-its-the-start-

My latest adventure to Fort Collins started about 3 months ago.   After resigning from my 6 figure pharmaceutical job in Orlando, I took the leap of faith to move to Fort Collins, Colorado with the plan of building my own health, fitness, nutrition and golf coaching practice.  I came here with clarity, peace and a great sense of adventure all the while embracing the great unknown.    I had a complete sense of freedom.    

Then I was thrown a little curve-ball.  I was offered a position as the fitness manager at the premier health club in Fort Collins.   This was a similar position I had held about 20 years ago at the RDV Sportsplex in Orlando, but this position was magnified in the scope of responsibilities I would have. 

After much prayer and deliberation, I decided to take the position and forgo my dreams of starting my own business.  I started out strong, passionate and with great enthusiasm.   My goal was to lead like Jesus after reading the book Lead Like Jesus by Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges.   We were able to implement some positive changes in a very short period of time.  I discovered through this journey that I love to lead people and inspire them to be their best. 

My fitness team was incredible.  They worked hard and sacrificed so they could impact the members.  They were an inspiration to me.  What I also learned on this journey that being the fitness manager at a health club with 4 different locations and 24,000 members was not the right fit for me at this time in my career.  It is a very fast paced job, with many responsibilities outside of leadership and education. 

After 2 months, I made the decision to resign my position as the fitness manager.  I woke up one morning, went for a long bike ride and things became crystal clear to me.  For me, God speaks to me when I am moving and mainly when I am on my bike.   I felt God was sending me a clear message that He brought me out here to lead a community to grow spiritually and in the process get healthier in mind and body. 

I am a firm believer that our body is important to our faith.  I also believe growing spiritually is the key to making lasting lifestyle changes.   Our mind, body and spirit is not separate.  We cannot compartmentalize one area of our life and live the life that God promises us. 

What that journey looks like for you, I am not sure.  What I can say for me is I am being shown if I can focus on growing spiritually,  then my mental and physical health will get better in the process.  It’s more about bringing my fitness into my faith. 

Although my time at this health club was short, I developed so many friendships and learned a great deal about myself along the way.  It may be a stretch to call it a failure, because I have grown so much from the experience. 

One of my favorite quotes is from Teddy Roosevelt.  “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.  The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming;  but who does actually strive to do the deeds who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause;  who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory or defeat.”

I got in the arena, I got bloody, dusty and sweaty.    I learned so much from my time as the fitness manager and I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to be a part of that great organization.   A spiritual warrior uses everything for learning and growth. 

It’s time for me to get back to developing my own practice.  To get back to writing, blogging, podcasting and coaching.  It is what I love to do.  I have fallen in love with feeling alive.  My question to you is are you in love with feeling alive?

Troy Ismir, MS

Spiritual Warrior

Reclaim your inner warrior and experience more vitality, adventure and purpose in your life.

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