Who do you want to be?

As we wind down the summer and move into the colder months of the year, we watch as leaves fall and what was once green and lush appears to wither and die.  In contrast to the natural energy of the spring and summer seasons, fall can be challenging as we get less sunlight and the temperatures steadily drop.

However, fall is not a time of death as much as a time of restoration. Much like the hours spent sleeping in our 24-hour day; fall and winter are like sleep for the seasons. A time of restoration for the earth, and by extension for us, but don’t be lulled into a sense of excuse for inactivity.  Instead, see the fall as a time of preparation. You want to be ready for the next spring season, so the time to make a shift is now, when you can realign your schedule to support what you want to create.

So ask yourself, “Who do you want to be?” This may be easier to answer if you look at certain aspects of your life and ask questions like “what kind of father do you want to be”, or “what kind of employee do you want to be”, or “what kind of athlete do you want to be?” The answer might scare you if there is a big gap between your present state and the state you want to be in, but rather than fear the gap, fill it with commitment. See the answer to your question as the goal, and in the example of an athlete, see your training, as the commitment that fills the gap.

Look ahead 10, 20, or 30 years in the future and what your life will be like if you don’t make the changes you need to make now. Imagine lying on your deathbed feeling regret for giving up fitness for television.  Now come back to today and make the change. Instead of the person who doesn’t, be the person that does. Instead of the person who makes excuses, be the person who makes time.  Swap the PB&J (peanut butter and jelly) for a PB (personal best).


Fall is not a time to squander your fitness, only to scramble to regain it in the spring. Fall is a time to train; mentally, emotionally, physically, and carve out the shape you need to be in when opportunity calls on you 7 months from now.  Get up early, work hard, play hard, say please and thank you, appreciate those around you, take responsibility, but share the spotlight, and above all improve your health and fitness all year-round.  You have one life, one opportunity.  Seize it now and become the person you want to be.

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