Finding David

Struggle is a part of life. It's unfortunate that it is so, but there will always be times in our lives that are painful, difficult, and challenging. How we deal with these struggles throughout the course of our lives has a large impact on the person that we are in any given moment. It is no surprise then that there has been a lot of time and money spent on self help books, therapy, etc to help us get through when we feel like the challenges are greater than ourselves. At some times in our life, we're all an underdog. The question is which kind of underdog do we become?

I recently read Malcom Gladwell's David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants. It was a good read, as all his books are, but it left me with a burning question that he never touched on. The basic premise of the book is that often times, being the underdog can have significant advantages, and being in a place of power can provide you

with weaknesses you might not otherwise have. The underlying story to the book of course ties back to the classic tale of David's defeat of Golaith, where he used his "disadvantages" to overcome someone far stronger than he.

Throughout the book, Gladwell talks about circumstances where great deeds that change the world comes from underdogs. Examples of individuals or even nations that survive a great hardship or disadvantage, turning around to make amazing impacts because of the very things that would otherwise hold them back. In a nutshell, sometimes people become champions exactly because they ARE the underdog.

This isn't  a new line of thought for me. Many of the most successful and happy people I know come from broken families. I think much of what I am most proud of within myself was forged when my parents' marriage was shattered and again as I struggled to come out. I know that without the hardships in our lives, we wouldn't be the people we are today. The problem is the other side of the coin.

The question that is left out of all his examples, and what I am pondering today, is when someone is faced with overwhelming odds or an incredible hardship, how do we make sure we're David, and not any of the hundreds of warriors  crushed under Goliath's foot? Gladwell highlights that more than a quarter of all US Presidents lost their fathers when they were young. Unfortunately, that percentage is similar to the number of men in prison who had the same circumstance.

The real question is not really whether or not underdogs sometimes have the advantage. If we really think about it, I'm not sure that many would disagree with this sentiment. The real question is how do we bring out the best results of our challenges? How do we ensure that we can do this for ourselves, and then as a society ensure that we can help do this for others? I don't have a magic answer to this, and I'm not even sure that there is one. What I am sure of is that this question is one worth asking. I am a firm believer that awareness creates action even if a solution isn't always present. Perhaps just the simple step of being cognizant that we have different paths to take when faced with adversity can help move us in a better direction. Perhaps this awareness can help us move others in the right directions when faced with the crossroads. Maybe next time David sees his way into a thought provoking book, it will delve into how we can learn from him, and make us all a little more empowered by being an underdog.

MFF Army Debut

This was put in our newsletter today, and I thought it was cool enough to keep forever and ever.

Ladies and gentlemen, the MFF Family has birthed another glistening, glorious unicorn into our midst. Lay down the Twister mat, strip down to the tasteful undergarment of your choice, and let's welcome General Manager Rick Raven into our writhing nest of Ninja love!  

 

What's the Rick Raven Story?

Mine is just the classic story of a Midwest boy who comes to NYC on vacation and never leaves. My first memory is of being rescued by a phoenix and a dragon when my peaceful unicorn glade home was decimated. (Hey, when you're adopted you get to make up your own origin story!)

I spent a lot of time in Kansas City imagining magical worlds I could run away to. I spent time opening several businesses and learning a great deal, mostly by making mistakes. I came to realize my mythical yearnings were telling me I was a big city boy, and when life opened up a window; I jumped right on out. Good thing I learned how to fly. It was coming to New York that led me to achieve the biggest accomplishment of my life: leading over two thousand volunteers in the coalition that won Marriage Equality in New York.

I'm still in love with this city, life in general, and the crazy journeys that we all find ourselves on.

What drew you to MFF's style of crazytown?

The first time I heard of MFF was at the end of an amazing Broadway Bares performance. Judith Light was listing the myriad of corporate sponsors, and the audience held their applause as requested until she said, "Mark Fisher Fitness." Hearing those words, the room exploded into cheers. I had no idea what made this place cool, but that moment never left me. A few months later when I needed to get some serious revenge body, I knew there was only one place to turn.

From the moment I walked through the door, I felt what made the people so crazy about this place. The diversity of people, the commitment we all have towards each other, and the unconditional love of the staff can be seen every moment. I believe with every magical fiber of my being that people should be themselves, and finding a place that helps us all become better while maintaining our unique rainbow swirl was incredibly powerful for me.

What has you most excited about your new gig with MFF?

The people! Unicorns and Ninjas alike are simply amazing. I haven't met a person yet that I don't want to hang out with. I'm stoked about working my own magic to make everyone's experience that much more epic and helping spread the MFF love beyond our current unicorn glade.

Anything else you'd like the Ninjas to know?

Feedback is my apple pie (aka crack. I love anything with apples and cinnamon). I love knowing as much as possible, so don't be shy. Tell me anything. Tell me about your huge crush on BPM, or how you want Amanda to become a DJ; I love it all!

Oh. And the Ninja over my shoulder said I had to add this: I'm Single. ;)

Scared? The Best!

Another email to the Ninja Army deserved a blog spot.

Hey Ninjas!

I am both excited and sad writing this email, as it will be my last N4N email. As most of you know, this Monday was the start of my epic journey as GM of MFF, but I wanted to write this one last letter as a N4N.

This last weekend I had the pleasure of hearing Caitlin Cahow speak. If you don't know who this amazing girl is, go ask Amanda. :) She's a 2x Olympic Gold Medalist who was chosen by President Obama to represent the US during the Opening Ceremonies this year, despite being an open lesbian. As you can imagine this was both an amazing and terrifying position to be in while in Russia these days. It was her speech that solidified what I wanted to talk about today.

We talk a lot about fear at MFF. As Ninjas who have all done Snatched, we "know" that fear is actually our friend. But let's face it: It's easy to "know" something but a lot harder to remember it when we're in the weeds.

I had my own example of this right now. You should see the shock of my friends when I explain I'm now General Manager of a fitness studio. Those of you who know me are aware that I have 0 fitness experience. Now I'm managing a dozen trainers, and 5 classrooms dedicated to people's health hotness. HOLY SHIT. I'd be lying to say it wasn't scary as HELL. Throw on that the fact that everyone here seems so... theatrical, and I always feel pretty "normal" comparatively. Yep. Up the fear meter. Of course it's also totally amazing! What I know is that if it wasn't for my fellow ninjas encouraging me, it would have been easy to chicken out, missing out on one of the best experiences of my life.

Caitlin totally validated this line of thinking when she said, "When you step outside your comfort zone, you open yourself to the most amazing opportunities." Those moments when we're the most afraid, it's important for us to step back and look at what adventure we can embark on by jumping in. If you don't see yourself facing fear... seek it out!

Thank you guys for constantly reminding me to make the big leaps and go for the big dreams. You're amazing. Be scared. Be inspired. Live amazing adventures.