I put a gun to my head.
Back in 1996 I was selling men’s suits. I hated it. Few things are worse than retail.
After one particularly crappy day at work dealing with demanding customers and a moron boss, I came home, sat down at my desk, took out a blank sheet of paper and a black sharpie and wrote a message to myself in big block letters…
REMEMBER THE PAIN!
Then I taped it up above my computer so I would see it every single day.
I was in tremendous pain. Not physical, psychological.
I hated what I was doing, wasn’t making much money, worked every weekend and most holidays and had to put up with so much B.S.
It was smothering me.
I way dieing, painfully and slowly, and I knew it.
But sometimes when you’re in so much pain, all you want to do is escape it. Have a beer or three, see a movie, work out, be with friends, curl up in fetal position with the covers over your head and sleep. Anything to temporarily escape and not have to confront the reality of your life.
I know - I was there - and I’ll never forget it.
Some people go through their entire lives like that. In fact, a lot of people do. Unhappy with their situation and looking for ways to dull the pain, to anesthetize it, to escape it.
Because they don’t think there is any other option.
I knew there were options. I intuitively understood that I’m the creator of my own life and if I wanted to permanently escape the pain, not just temporarily mask it, I had to get my ass into action. I had to make sh&% happen.
So I put a gun to my head.
Not literally, but metaphorically.
I forced myself to confront the pain and DO SOMETHING to make it go away.
I’d go to my job because I had to, but then I’d come home and do the real work that would soon allow me to permanently escape the hell I was in.
By most standards, I wasn’t doing too bad. I had a job, I could sell, I made a living, had a roof over my head and my basic needs were met.
But my deepest need to achieve more, be more, do more, earn more and ultimately have the freedom and lifestyle I wanted haunted me every day.
So I made damn sure I wouldn’t forget the pain or temporarily try to escape it when I got home from work. That’s why I wrote that note to myself.
And that note was my gun.
It made me desperate. Desperation has a way of focusing the mind. And a focused mind is possibly the most powerful thing on earth.
With that gun to my head I worked, hard.
But things didn’t change right away, like I wanted them to. And there were dozens, maybe hundreds of times when I came this close to tearing down that note and giving up.
Today, the thing that gives me more pride than anything else is that I didn’t do that. I didn’t quit. I kept that gun pointed right at my head.
And because of that, I’ve created a life that most people envy.
If your fitness business isn’t where you want it to be, if you’re in pain right now, then put a metaphorical gun to your head. FOCUS. List out everything you know you need to do to change. Realize you are the creator of your life, that you do have complete control and all the power you need to have anything and be anything you really, truly want. Take responsibility. 100% responsibility.
It’s not the economy. It’s not circumstance. It’s you. It’s the decisions you make.
If you’re pissed at me for saying that, there’s not much I can do to help you. But if this makes sense to you, and you want to do more and be more, like…now, then the fastest and most certain path for you is here:
Eric Ruth
P.S. “It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped.” - Tony Robbins
Tags: NPE VIP
November 25th, 2008 at 10:01 am
Hi Eric.
I know your busy.
But I want you to know your emails, like this one, really strike a cord with me, and about where I was - a painful, lousy life back in 04′. After finding my passion to help people, I plopped onto your site, skeptical as ever, at first.
Not trying to sound like it’s a commercial endorsement, here.
Since becoming a gold member, reading your priceless emails, you’ve kept me up even when I wanted to fall down. Reminded me why I do what I do. And how to do it right to avoid days of 2004 again.
And I didn’t know writing was an artform - something you’re very good at. I know noone that can pull a member, keep them a member, and actually send a real, true feeling that resonates with the reader - with words expressed only digitally.
I’ve got some learning to do. But I hope this resonates - I am thankful for NPE, you - the coaching, the email wizardry and helping little guys like me out.
Everyone deserves to know they’re appreciated. You are.
Happy Thanksgiving bro,
Jerremy
November 25th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Thanks, Jeremy. Your note means a lot to me. I think we all want to be able to influence, support and help others in any way we can.
Happy Thanksgiving to you!
Eric