Tag-Archive for » figure athlete «

Monday, January 05th, 2009

Are you a Sleeping Giant?

“Almost two-thirds of the world’s 946 billionaires made their fortunes from scratch, relying on grit and determination, and not good genes” -Forbes

Unless you exercise the power to choose, your actions and behaviors will only be determined by circumstance or by what others think, say or do.

It took decades of persevering life’s most trying challenges before I finally came to the realization that in order to change my world, there was only one thing to do – make a determined decision. I decided to dream rather than sulk. I decided to take action rather than waste away. Whatever I set my mind to, I did it. It was and still is that simple. Dream BIG and do whatever it takes to make it come alive.

The pivotal moment where my life did a complete 180 came in early 2005, when I convinced myself to step out of my skin “comfort zone” and take life by the horns.

I set a goal for myself and that was to enter the world of fitness competition. Not only would I give my all to mold my being into a worthy candidate, I wanted victory. I set out to conquer and I did. It all started with a few simple words I wrote as a note to myself – “Work hard. Never give up. I will win.”

Pain motivates most than pleasure.

Mind you, it took me decades of self destruction before I could even attempt to rationalize. Lacking faith or moral support, the thought in itself was mortally frightening. Confronting my fears and stepping out of my comfort seemed impossible, but I cast aside my doubts and found a stronger purpose. It would signify my “awakening.” From that point on and with disregard for people’s criticisms, I threw caution to the wind on my quest to carry out the plan.

One year later, I accomplished my goal and took the overall title as an added bonus. After conquering what was once insurmountable, I stood before my peers, a champion. That experience, alone, taught me countless life lessons, fundamental principles and core values.

Life becomes more meaningful when you set out to make progress. You will come to realize that you have more than exceeded your expectations. Looking back, my accomplishments are that much more astonishing-beyond measure. My decision to enter the fitness world brought a great deal of focus and purpose to my life – more than I could ever have imagined. To this day, I still carry that note with me on all my travels. It is a humble reminder of how far I have come.  

It takes a great deal of character and strength for one to follow through and to consciously create and choose their own path. 

SIX STEPS TO SUCCESS

DESIRE  an intense inclination to want things; the standard model of human motivation is that it takes a desire and a belief 
REINFORCE anything following an action which tends to increase the probability of that action occurring
EFFORT exertion of the strength or will; earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
ATTITUDE state of mind or a feeling; an evaluative response, usually contrasted with simple belief by its more direct connection with motivation and behavior
MOTIVATION the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction; to do whatever is necessary to bring about an imagined state of affairs

Where do you start? With a burning desire to “DO”. You may not have a course of action yet, but life has a way of guiding you so long as you decide to move forward. Once you begin to develop your new found talent, you will quickly learn that you have underestimated your skills.  Your only limitations are your beliefs. 

When you formulate a plan, remember the reason why you are recreating yourself. This reason will serve as fuel, keeping that burning desire to accomplish your goal. Make it powerful. Believe in your dream and see it through.

Plan out your life. Develop a balanced road map, or blueprint if you will, with a high likelihood for success. Once you create it in your mind, lay the bricks down and put it into action. Put it in writing. Start by envisioning the end then announce it to the world.

Reinforce your resolve with positive thinking. “Think it and be it.” Don’t sell yourself short. If your goal is to lose weight, step it up another notch. Dream to be fit. It’s in you.

Bring GOALS alive by putting them out for the world to see.

 

Every year I force myself to venture out a little bit further. In fact, writing is still one of my biggest obstacles. What comes natural for most is extremely unnatural to me. There are those, who have learned English as their first language and furthered their development through schooling and then there are those who know enough of it to be functional. Despite my shortcomings, this is one element that will not keep me from further reaching my goals.

In order to continually succeed one must keep evolving. In fact, the only way to learn– reach success or accomplish a goal– any goal for that matter, is through failure, practice and repetition.

GO FOR IT! think of the possibilities…

Here are the goals I will set out to accomplish for 2009

• Fine tune and finalize the release of M2 Fitness Pros Naked Commando™ [JAN] complete
• Complete M2 Fitness Pros Figure Athlete™ [MAR], M2 Fitness Pros Warrior Athlete™ M2 client with health/fitness as highest value using our lifestyle strategies to achieve most out of life[JUN]
• Complete M2 Fitness Pros Mind over Matter™ group discussions with a qualified therapist leading M2 group on life changing strategies to help with achievements of fitness and life goals [JAN 15] complete
• Grow M2 Pros Warrior Athlete™ community through transformation fitness program
• Launch our affiliate program to simultaneously grow success of fitness industry/business
• Grow online- global network to allow total self functioning/maintained fitness business generating $1mil within 12 months.
• Expansion of M2 Fitness Pros BRAND within 12-18 months online|offline environment
• Reach out to fitness communities through online social networks to motivate and encourage the pursuit of the fitness lifestyle
• Continue my professional and personal skill development
• Develop my writing skills; learn and fully grasp my language in order to communicate more efficiently with the world/to create keyword-optimized well crafted-educational-problem solving material/content for m2blog
• Build a strong organization/a dynamic team of committed and loyal individuals/leaders to represent and grow with our M2 Fitness Pros brand.
• Continue the development of successful fitness career allowing to build a strong foundation which will provide the necessities, education, health, etc., so everyone around me will have unlimited opportunities for a successful future
• Continue journey as Figure Athlete in pursuit of IFBB pro status- acquire by no later than July
• Begin pre-contest figure preparation second week of January | complete
• Continue to guide my youngsters to be extraordinary, people of character, productive citizens, and positive leaders
• Provide my daughters the op to travel to Japan for studies [April].
• Provide the financials for my son’s education and future
• Provide a better living environment for my parents during their best years
• Continue being a positive role model leading by example
• Provide guidance for those misguided individuals and empower through our programs
• Continue striving- conquer the impossible
• BE PATIENT

INVEST IN YOUR FUTURE. Work hard. Never give up. You will win.

What are your BIG goals? Announce it to the world. We want to hear them!! DREAM BIG.

Thursday, December 11th, 2008

“Ms. Excalibur 2008 Masters Figure Champ”

It was the grandest, most trying event in NPC history and we pulled through in flying colors! The “Excalibur 2008 Championships” marked the end of another season as figure athletes from all over the country competed one last time in ’08 to qualify for Nationals. 250 of the nation’s brightest up and coming figure athletes came out to compete.

Participating in this 16 hour ordeal was none other than two of our very own M2 Fitness Pros female warrior athletes, Denise Lavia and Tricia Arneson. After sitting through countless hours, it became pretty obvious that the Figure division was by far and away the most popular event amongst the athletes. The line of athletes must have stretched into the hundreds, which only solidified the Figure division’s dominance in these types of events. It wouldn’t surprise me to see these numbers balloon even further at the NPC level. 

Quick recap…

0400   Denise and Tricia begin the day with the final Jantana ritual…yes, it’s a must! Skin dye- that is. It can mean the difference between a win and first runner up. 

          Christine helps Tricia prep twenty four hours prior…

 0600   Off to the M2 studio where Tricia met up with the seasoned ‘Dior’ resident make-up artist, Erika Labrie…who is flawlessly amazing!

 

                                       

Erika adds her final touches…

 

 0730  In route to Culver City for registration and athletes meeting    

  

 1100   Pre-judging begins…a little pump-up & presentation” 

Denise & coach Bea Fox

 1500 One piece swimsuit presentation  

     Denise mugs for the cameras… 

 
Tricia struts… 

2400 Final stage presentation…VICTORY… HOME SWEET HOME!! 

After months of painstaking preparation, Denise brings a graceful presentation and a tighter package to the stage. Her determination and hard work made her a champion, nominating her height class and taking the title as the “Excalibur 2008 Masters Figure Champ”.  Way to Go D!!

Our rising star, Tricia, took the stage for the very first time.  Her aim was to make it through the four months of contest prep so she could step onto a competition stage… she earned her place in the spotlight! Tricia’s also proved that she has that “it” factor that captures the judges’ attention. She definitely is packing super star potential as she finished in the top ten within the most competitive height class in the figure division – the open “C” class.  Tricia not only brought a natural beauty to the stage, but she also captured the photo lens with her stunning smile. 

This sport signifies the makings of a champion inside and out – a true test of character. Becoming a figure athlete is one of the most difficult journeys one can ever embark on. It is a lonely road that only a fellow competitor or athlete can fully comprehend. Subjecting yourself to countless trial and error as you discover every strength and weakness–with every inch of your being, pushing new heights you never thought you could reach. It is the ultimate in personal growth and one powerful experience to boot. 

Denise and Tricia are now recovering & replenishing the body’s fuel before they set out to conquer their next plan of attack. Watch for the ladies to return to the stage in 2009… 19 weeks to be exact!

Stay tuned…

Think BIG and Dream BIG…

M2 4life!

Monday, December 01st, 2008

December 1 | TORONTO

4:00am: Wake up! Feed the body! Feed the mind! Creatures of habit, aren’t we? It’s a bit frosty this morning. Light snow flakes are falling outside my window and coming from Sunny Southern Cal, this is definitely not something I see often.  Debating whether or not to write this day off…not a chance!

Coffee brewing and off to the gym for a little pump.  I’m hooked! I knew when I embarked on this journey that sacrifices would have to be made. When you’re running a business, there is no such thing as down time.  Focusing on our goals is the one constant.

Granted its hard work, I love what I do. “Hard” can be such an objective word though. You get out what you put in. I choose to put in a tremendous amount of effort considering I expect the most not only out of my team but out of myself. Sure, I could choose to procrastinate, but why delay the inevitable? Slacking off would only lead to playing a whole lot of catch up I can’t afford and who needs that kind of stress added to their load anyway, wouldn’t you agree? Why be reactive? This is the very reason why I “do what I do” “the way I do it”. At the end of the day, we’re the only ones accountable for our success.

Tonight, I met up with a group of some of M2’s distinguished colleagues at REDS for an exquisite dinner hosted by Craig Ballantyne.  Craig is one of the industries premier online business coaches. Thanks again Craig for a superb evening full of bright ideas. Class act all the way!

Oh and by the way, yes, the chocolate was absolutely wicked!

Thursday, November 27th, 2008

November 27 | LA to TORONTO

It’s been a brutal eleven months of work. No let up. I took an early flight this morning from LAX to Canada where I finally had an opportunity to kick my feet up, relax, and catch up on a bit of reading. As I reclined in my seat enjoying a minute of “me time”, I caught a few of the simple pleasures along the way… a spectacular sky brightly illuminated with masses of orange and reds, breathtaking.  I also came across an article that grabbed my attention, “No Backbone”. 

I’ve had a trying year no doubt, bounced around the States “show to show, city to city”, uneventful to say the least, yet it is the very thing that has built my success and courage, walking the talk!

The first year I decided to take my training to the next level, I found it dreadfully intense. Wake up, eat, train, eat, work, eat, train, eat, sleep, work… never-ending, get the picture?  At one point it went from extreme to less rigorous and before you know it, I was deep in the trench– the day I made the decision to change my mind, I changed my life. While gradually changing my surroundings, I adapted new habits- the choices became seamless, failure was no longer an option. There’s a big difference between “wanting” and “having” to do something.  When you really want something, you’re hungry! You’ll do anything, “whatever it takes” to get it.

“Courage, it is the lifeblood of success, we are more willing to embrace change especially at these times of uncertainty.   It forces us to risk and seek out challenges that stretch outside our comfort zones.  If practiced regularly, courage is habit forming just like any other skill set learned through trial by fire.

4 STEPS TO BUILDING YOUR BACKBONE

1.     ASK “why are you playing it safe?”
2.     IDENTIFY “Cost of Comfort”

3.     BUILD “Community” surround yourself with likeminded people who encourage you and who also seek courageous challenges themselves.

4.    DO! Baby steps will lead to Giant leaps.

Americanway | Janene Mascarella