Alan Titone
Apr 9, 2023
Life is all about risk. What risks are you willing to take to achieve your dreams and goals? Greatness requires a level of risk taking many won’t do. The difference between someone we refer to as “a badass” or “an idiot” is the outcome of the risks we take.
1 - Torn ligaments in my foot
2 - 2am Wake-Up
3 - Got lost on the drive
4 - Forgot my jacket and gloves
5 - Hiking partner didn’t bring food
6 - Hiking partner didn’t bring headlamp
7 - Didn’t have my face mask
8 - The wind was blowing directly in our face
9 - Almost passed out from altitude
10 - The last 1,000 feet of gain was covered in less than a mile
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To say that this hike was a shit show is the understatement of the year.
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Life is all about risk. What risks are you willing to take to achieve your dreams and goals? Greatness requires a level of risk taking many won’t do. The difference between someone we refer to as “a badass” or “an idiot” is the outcome of the risks we take.
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Life is going to show up in the most inconvenient ways at the most inconvenient times. Has anything difficult ever happened to you and you thought, “Oh good, this is the perfect time for this, I don’t have much going on at all.”
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I often ask my students, “Will you smile?” This is the same shit I practice in my life. In the hardest moments I will always choose to smile.
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Life gives us the out we are looking for. And our fellow humans enable us to be mediocre. It’s all around us and shows up in so many ways. Here are some things I have heard in my life.
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“You’ll never ride a motorcycle again.”
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“Deadlifting is bad for your back.”
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“It’s part of our genes.”
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“How are you going to do that?!” aka “You can’t do that!”
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“Oh that is extreme.” After being asked how I maintain single digit body fat %
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Recently someone complained that I am “too aggressive”. I took it as a compliment. If you are going to be part of my village, mediocre is unacceptable.
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There is a woman in my yoga class that is almost 40 weeks pregnant. It wasn’t until she was 39 weeks pregnant when I heard the first, “I’m a little uncomfortable.”
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I have people all around me that accomplish amazing things in spite of their excuses. If surrounding yourself with badass humans and not accepting mediocrity is “too aggressive” than so be it.
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Maybe you should try being too aggressive and see how your life changes.
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Quandary Peak - 14,272’ - 4/8/23 - 1 of 58
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No Limits, None.
