#41 40 Ounce Mickey’s

You’re probably wondering where this is going.  Well, I used to drink 40-ounce Mickey's almost every day when I first moved to Columbus.  So, here’s the thing.  I talk about discipline all the time.  I talk about the push.  I talk about studying. 

The Shift

Up to that point, I had worked my ass off in the coal mine to save up enough money to move to Columbus.  When I got to the city, I started wildin’ out.  I’d never been on my own before.  I’m living with six guys, on a college campus, and going to school at Columbus State.  I’m over here thinking that I’m going to be a fitness professional, and I’m over here drinking Mikey 40’s and smoking Vegas Stars.  

I had so many 40’s at my house that I had a 40 Garden.  I had it all lined up outside, to the point where the landlord came out to check us.  He was like, “Yo, you have to throw these away.”  We were out of control.  It took some time to make the mindset shift to start to construct the lifestyle I wanted for myself.

What Happened First

I changed fast, but a few things happened first.  I was on the way to Columbus State, my esteemed community college that I teach at now, smoking cigarettes, and smelling like Mickey's 40s.  I was going to a class to learn how to be an exercise professional.  People probably thought, “Who’s this motherfucker?”  

At this point, all I cared about was kicking it, maybe going to a class here or there, drinking 40’s, smoking Vegas Stars, and going to a club that would let me in.  I can't even remember how we got the 40s, but somebody was buying them for us.  That was my lifestyle at the time.

What I Realized

Then I started to realize something.  Who the fuck is going to take me seriously?  You know what I'm saying?  I knew I wasn't going to be in school for four years.  I was in school for one year.  In one year or less, I knew that I was going to become a fitness professional.

I finally started to wake up to the realities of my life.  Once I started to intern for someone to learn personal training, I began to back off that lifestyle a bit.  Now, did I say it wasn't fun?  No.  It was a fucking blast.  But the thing was, I wanted to progress and be a professional by 21.  That's young.  I didn't realize what was about to happen.

About halfway through me learning the personal training game, I was suddenly forced out of the gym and started out on my own.  So, here I am, 20 and a half years old, going from complete degenerate, to painting the walls of my new gym with my now wife.  No more 40’s, no more Vegas Stars, and no more acting a fool. It was time to grow up.

What Happened

I met the girl I knew I was going to be with.  I saw the opportunity and the opening for my career to take off.  I took it.  I seized the fucking day. I seized the fucking opportunity and changed my lifestyle forever.  I simply recognized and understood that this was my time to make some changes in my life.  It wasn’t necessarily fun, but it was 100% necessary.

The 40’s had to go to the weekends.  I didn't say I wasn't still drinking them and having fun with my friends.  I just said on Thursday night, I wasn't at the bar.  Tuesday and Wednesday nights weren’t at the bar.  Motherfucker, I went to the bar on Thursday night because Kinko's was beside it and I was running off flyers.  I was running off flyers for my personal training business while all my friends were at the bar.  I was out at the same time.  

I had to shift my mindset completely, and I’m glad that I recognized it when I did.  I wouldn't fucking change it for the world.