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Lessons from Three Decades of Hustle
by G Diesel
I was born at 11:11pm on June 30, 1978. Christine pushed me out into
the world just in time for the 4th of July weekend. Fireworks and
barbecues aside, I always convinced myself that these times would some
day be noted. Not because of a birthright or trust fund, not because
I’m in any way more inherently special than Ma Dukes has always told me
I am. I simply felt that way because I was convinced that my time here
would be spent in the pursuit of the extraordinary, fighting the great
struggle. Reaching the survival milestone of three decades on this
planet gave me pause. It begged me to question why I’ve made the
choices I’ve made and why I’ve long done it my way, even when it often
all only made sense to me. Behold a few precious jewels that I’ve
gathered from thirty years on the grind. Do with them as you see fit…
Live Through Me
No
one can ever really die. That is, if you don’t allow them to perish.
Your daily ways and actions are capable of immortalizing the ones you
love--those who have departed this mortal coil. Though they are
physically gone, the wisdom and lessons that have been passed on
forever remain emblazoned on our hearts. We carry that spirit with us
and live our lives for them. From friends and family that left too
early to casual acquaintances and those viewed from afar. From total
strangers the world over that have navigated a similar path, to ancient
peoples that we have only read about in dusty books, we are one. As the
cycle continues, we too will one day pass and it will be the job of
those that we’ve touched to shoulder the legacy we’ve left behind. In
the meantime, those that have moved me live still with each breath I
take. The honor of their noble memory keeps me accountable.
Know the Hard Way
Life
ain’t easy. To exist and survive on this planet is a constant struggle,
from the birth canal til that final walk toward the light in the
distance. Do not avoid pain and obstacle and challenge. Embrace it. Do
not shy away from discomfort, move toward it. Every king should for at
least one day shovel shit, living in the muck and mire where the rest
of humanity does our daily deeds. I’m thankful everyday for the late
nights bouncing, the desk job, the personal training gigs, the long
commutes, the early morning manual labor. I remember the disrespect,
the lack of appreciation, the anger. I know the burning pain of want
and longing… I know hunger. I know stress and piling bills and heavy
responsibility. I realize that nothing is promised and that the real
shit is all but a bad break away. This knowledge keeps me in check. I
know the hard way and for that I am thankful. Life ain’t easy and it
was never meant to be.
Punch the Clock
All
I’ve ever wanted to be was a self-made man. To know that the man that I
am is that which I’ve built, that that which I have is there because I
earned it. I have no respect for dynasties and silver spoons. I can’t
relate to leisure and ease. Save that shit for the rich kids. What I do
know is hard work and long hours. To be an architect of a timeless
structure takes much time and effort, planning and execution and the
sort of uncommon dedication not so often encountered in common
quarters. There is always someone out there pushing harder, wanting it
more, putting in the work. There is always more I could do. I could
always do better. I’ve come a long way, but there is so much more to be
done. Days and nights, years and decades still yet to be piled up. Keep
that lunch pail packed; the work day has just begun.
Dream Big
A
dogged, arrogant belief in self and the childlike idealism that comes
with not knowing my limits. This is my greatest blessing, my priceless
attribute. An unrealistic expectation of uncommon success—this is all I
know. My dreams, since day one, have been my weapons. These vivid
visions of achievement seen through a prism whose colors aren’t bound
by a lack of light, they are my constant companions. I’ve always seen
my goals, off on a distant mountaintop. My eyes have long remained
fixed on that elusive golden chalice, even on those many dreary days
when I was the only one that could see it. Doubt and scorn, I know
their faces well—many skeptics and cynics have littered my path. It is
their negative sentiment that has long been my fuel and that will
remain as such well on into the future.
Defend the Underdog
It
is easy to root for the winning team, to hop on the bandwagon and to
front-run your way to glory, but that shit ain’t for me. I’m an
underdog and as I fight my way up that steep ladder tooth and nail,
scratching and clawing for every inch that is mine, I will never forget
my brothers that have been overlooked or left behind. True greatness
grows forth from overcoming adversity and breaking free of the shackles
society has imposed. That shit ain’t handed to you, it is fought for as
if your life hung in the balance. Give me the last pick, the roughneck,
the outcast, the huddled masses yearning to breathe free. Let me build
my squad with hungry motherfuckers too busy busting ass to pat
themselves on the back or to take shit for granted. The world will soon
be ours, even if we have to take this bitch by force.
Protect Your Rep
To
live by a code nowadays is passé. Few understand honor or adherence to
an abstract catalog of self-imposed laws... All the more reason why I
walk my walk. In this world, we have little more than our
reputation--what the outside world has come to expect of us based on
our past behavior. At the end of the day, our actions and how we treat
others and approach life may be the only things that truly matter. I
cherish my self-esteem and expect much of myself when faced with tough
decisions and when put in compromising situations. It would often be
far easier to not have this yoke of expectation and morality hanging
about my neck, but without it, I would never be the man I am.
Risk Is Necessary
There
are no arms below to catch me, no safety net to break my fall. This
high wire act that is my life is all I have, it is all I know. Step
after precarious step I struggle to keep my balance, too focused to
look forward, too busy thinking about the next step to look back. I
can’t afford the luxury to peer over my shoulder and assess how far
I’ve come, because it truly means nothing in the end if I don’t make it
to the other side. I’ve put myself out there, with my shit on the line,
cuz it is the only way. The safety of the assured sure is seductive,
but I have always known that such a life could never be mine.
The only solace I have is to know that my place will never be on the
sidelines with those too scared to step out onto the wire. My only
security is to know that I took the chances when others played it safe,
that I anteed up when the rest folded. I will risk it all cuz that is
all I know. My contingency plan has always been to die trying. I’m out
here on my grind, where I belong, where I am home, where I am meant to
be. If you need me, you know where to find me. I hope to se you there.
For more, check out G Diesel's training log on the FORVM, "G Diesel Pays the Cost to be Boss."
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