SG Entry#5- Going Beyond Your Comfort Level



Me earning first place at a tournament in 2010

    
I think it's important to push yourself. Life can go by pretty quickly, and not making the most of it can be a painful regret. Fortunately we live in a country where we have many opportunities to better ourselves. But how to go about bettering yourself? This blog is for a college class, and one way to better yourself is to go to college. There are various ways to improve yourself either mentally or physically. But what about something that improves both? 
    I started training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) in 2008. It's a martial art that involves grappling and applying various chokes or joint locks on your opponent. If properly done, your opponent will have to give up by either tapping out with their hand or yelling "Tap!"  
     In 2009 I decided to test myself in a BJJ tournament. Some of the guys I train with were going to compete in the American National Championships. I had no idea if I would do well. These tournaments are designed to test you physically and mentally. They are organized into Belt level, weight class, and age groups. So you will be facing someone very close to your level. It requires that you not only be in good shape physically, but have the proper skill. But equally important is to be mentally strong. Imagine facing a trained opponent who has the ability to render you unconscious or dislocate your joints. You must be calm and focused. Right below I have posted links to two of my matches from that tournament  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9n-6eSG-Znw     <---


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=np4tUCK69Ao    <---

        

Second place at the National Championships

                                                                           

It was stressfull, nerve racking, scary, exhausting.

I did ok, and ended up making it to the finals in my division, where I lost to the defending World champion.

     I was glad I did it. Going through something like that is a great opportunity to better yourself. After something like this, many other things seem easier to deal with. A customer yelling at you just doesn't have the same impact anymore. A flat tire doesn't seem to cause as much stress as it used to. And if I'm ever unfortunate enough to be in a life threatening situation, I feel confident I will be able 

Second place at a tournament in 2012



to handle it well.

    I went on to compete in many tournaments. Sometimes I performed to the best of my ability, sometimes I did not. What is important is to make the most of every opportunity and learn from it, whether it be a tournament or a promotion at work, or whatever endeavor you are involved in.

   So it's important to push yourself beyond your comfort level, the rewards and lessons are definitely worth it. You don't know what you can accomplish until you try.



Third place in two divisions at the largest BJJ tournament in the world in 2012



    



Assigned Entry #5- The Power of Media



Advertisement for car

      Media has power, but that power is balanced by the power of consumers. Media, whether it be advertising or even a newscast, is competing for your time, business, money, etc. They are trying to increase their business. That is their job and responsibility. They will make their product look as good as they possibly can, sometimes even past the point of credibility. 

Advertisement for food

  
     It is our responsibility as consumers to be informed and not swayed by unrealistic claims or images. This can be difficult because companies hire the best people to make their products look good. 

If a company crosses the line of truth, informed consumers will punish that company by taking their business elsewhere.     

            



Reporter for newscast

      Despite the simple logic that I have just explained, it can be difficult to not be swayed or influenced by images. We as humans, tend to be very visually impacted. Images are often times  carefully and painstakingly created to produce a reaction with consumers. For example it is not a coincidence that most people who work in front of a camera for a living are considered to be attractive. Even in a newscast where physical appearance has nothing to do with creditibility, the reporters are usually better than average looking.  
       



Advertisement improperly done, leaving a phantom hand on the model



    Since we have been talking about media recently in class, I have found myself taking a moment to analyze media when I see it. I notice the effort put into keeping my attention. The people, the editing, even the lighting. It all adds up to a powerful combination. But that powerful combination will be overcome by proper analysis and a healthy dose of skeptic. In the free market society we live in, it is worth it to be an informed consumer. We have a limited amount of money. Do your research before buying a product or service, and don't allow someone to take more of your time than absolutely necessary.




 

self generated entry #4/ Success is not easy



Steve Perry



       What does it take to be successful?

Some of the words and phrases that get thrown around might include; hard work, perseverance, focus, a plan, determination, talent.  

Talent? Talent could defined as: A special natural ability or aptitude.Is talent enough? What about a whole bunch of talent? Some people think that just being very talented is enough to succeed. 

Well sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't. Let's take the case of Steve Perry and the rock band Journey.

The band sold more than 70 million albums and created some of the most beloved songs in rock history. Steve's singing ability was so impressive that he was nicknamed "The Voice" by Jon Bon Jovi. 

With all that you might think, "How could they NOT be a huge success?" Certainly they had a lot going for them but their success very easily could have never happened. I have posted a link to a video that talks about before joining Journey, Steve Perry was ready to give up music. Also, the band members initially did not even want Steve to join the band.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1hvoL4bpog



Journey



Seriously?!? The Journey we know and love almost did not happen?! How many people think that the formation of a band like this would have been a no-brainer? We have the benefit of hindsight. But to those people at the time, they weren't sure what the best choices were.

       I think this is a tremendously valuable lesson for anyone. You can have a lot of things going for you but if you don't put it all together you might still fail. Also, seek opinions from experts. The decision ultimately is yours, but getting input from smart people is good advice in and of itself. And lastly, Don't Stop Believing. 


Video for Don't Stop Believing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5wVZwdHmRY

AE #4 Michael Moore

 

                                                                                                I was somewhat familiar with Michael Moore before I saw his movie

Capitalism:A Love Story,but after watching it, I had the thought in my head "Wow, he is an idiot". Wanting to be as fair as possible, I then looked up the definition of "idiot".

                          

 

   

                                                                   Idiot | Define Idiot at Dictionary.com

                                                                  noun 1. Informal. an utterly foolish or senseless person.