The Table

At the Mike Lee seminar in Pennsylvania, Mike began with a more philosophical approach. I have always said, from day one meeting him, this man is very brilliant. He may be a badass warrior on the outside (which he is) but there are several layers to this man that is absolutely brilliant, structured, and philosophical. I remember first meeting him and he layed out a structure using combatives, but if you really listened to what he was saying, he was drawing out a road map that pertained to our everyday lives.

I think recently he has noticed that as much as people learn physically from him, it's from the motivational concepts that he brings to the table (no pun intended coming up) that people walk away with the most. SO at Hudson Valley Haganah, Mike Lee Kanarek began his seminar with a concept that is going to be explained further in his new upcoming book, which will be found not in the martial arts section but in the motivation section!

He claims he knows why most people in life are lost and cannot find direction in their lives. Because they cannot take care of their table! This is how it works. Think of a table. It has four legs. If all four legs are strong and sturdy, it will hold up the table evenly and work together to keep it strong. If you were to jump on top of your table, would the legs crack and break? Or would they hold you up? So each leg represented a category to really pay attention to in your life that needs to be fulfilled.

The first leg is HEALTH. Obviously, this is a very strong aspect of Mike Lee's life, especially being a soldier and doing what he has done all his life. The layers to your health pertain to proper exercise, proper nutrition, proper rest, proper mindset, proper mental stimulation. Mike hates people that do not respect themselves and eat crap all the time, not exercise, let themselves go. People allow their bodies to get inflammation either through improper exercise or eating improperly, etc. If the people testing for FIGHT Black Belt were to not pay attention to this leg, there is no way in hell they could have passed their test.

Every time someone makes a choice to eat badly consistently, go out drinking all the time, sleep very minimally, not taking the time to take care of the bodies they have, you cut away at that leg. The leg gets shorter. Can you imagine a table with three legs and one small one? The table becomes wobbly, it effects the other legs, if you jumped on that table, it will surely collapse.

The second leg is SUPPORT/FAMILY. It amazes me how even at a Mike Lee Seminar, the theme of the year is brought up! I've been discussing this all year and it pops up everywhere! Even at a Haganah seminar! Family is not always blood. And that family or that source of support can even be ONE person! But it is a human need to have that love and connection, that support that fuels us. It's a sad thing to live in this world alone. How many times we see someone and you know they will always have their "person".

Mike spent the longest discussing this leg. Coincide-ance at it's best I guess. I know it's hard for people who have so many people around in their lives and yet feel alone in this world. But the power of support does help a person function and have more fulfillment in their lives. If you don't allow for that support, or don't create a family where you belong, it cuts away at that leg as well, hence weakening the foundation of your table.

The Haganah organization is a strong brotherhood, Mike has done a beautiful job creating that support system for many who take part of this organization. The loyalty all these badass warriors have for Mike Lee Kanarek is awe-inspiring as well. I am sure many would die for him, many would take a bullet for him, and many would fight in battle along side him if he asked.

The third leg is CAREER. He did NOT say job! A job is not one's career. Some of us have the blessing of being able to do what we love to do so much, find fulfillment in what we do that gives us great joy. Some people have jobs but their career is in something else. But when our career brings us money, money sad to say is needed to function in this world. Without it, we find ourselves stuck. As my 88 year old friend Mary says "It don't take money to make you laugh, it takes money to make you cry!"

Mike says money is your ammunition for the battlefield of life. What is your contribution to this world? What difference are you making to better your little corner? When you have a job, own it and do your best to fulfill it to the best you can. He used an example of a screw business. Someone in the screw business knows his screws inside and out. Material used in their making, which benefit where, costs, quality, etc. Everything in their craft! And of course, my student John Vanderhee who has been in the screw business for years was there. It was like Mike was talking to him! Hence the birth of his nickname, Screwman! LOL!

The fourth leg is HOBBY. We need to do something OUTSIDE of what we normally do that brings us joy, allows us to JUST BE, and to function at a different level, once again keeping our table strong. Even in self-esteem work, when I would teach organization I would teach we need to organize our lives into 4-6 different areas. And I made it MANDATORY to have one of them labeled as FUN or ENTERTAINMENT. We need to make this area of our life just as much as a priority as Financial or Home or Health.

Looks like Mike Lee is right on the ball with this. As thought provoking and insightful as could be, this philosophy on life would indeed help so many maybe find a little direction and not be so lost. With direction can one feel accomplished. And the more people become accomplished, the more motivated an individual becomes. How many times do we run into people who say "I just have no motivation." Well Progress is the key to motivation, so start progressing on the legs of your table! And the stronger your legs and the more your allow your legs to grow together, the higher you go and you'll be able to look above any hedge or wall that seems to be an obstacle. Focus on the solution, never the problem. If you come to me with a solution, there's no problem!

So I reflect on my own table. If I jumped on my table, would it stay strong or collapse? SO of course as I do anything, I reflect on a longer scale. I already had my table collapse and break. A couple years ago I don't even think I had any legs on my table lol. This past year has been so good to me. Health is great, never sick, training hard, my mind is clear and getting in better and better shape, eating right etc. Support, that's what this entire year was about. I belong to three wonderful organizations, my school is growing more than ever, my students are absolutely wonderful, my mentors and master are wonderful, and friends long term and new who are more loyal than I have ever had in my life. Career has spear headed in such a small time, and my work to this world of mine has grown stronger than ever. My school is growing, foundation is stronger, and yet room for growth has phenomenal potential as well! Hobby......well....maybe one leg needs some work. The only thing I can think of is I love my TV shows and movies. I do a lot of that alone now these days, but it is something I enjoy and I love getting lost in a story and binging when I can. Not much but it's a start.

SO I implore you, and ask you the same question Mike Lee asked me: If you would to jump on your table, would it collapse, or stay strong?
(BOWS)

Yours in service,
MASTER A TRENTO