Tag Archives: Purpose In Life

How Being Fired Saved My Life

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Yes, as the title says being fired from my job saved my life and this post is going to explain to you exactly why I believe that. You see it has been almost 2 years since that day that I heard the new GM say to me, “We are going to let you go “ I was shocked, pissed, scared and probably every other emotion that we have when it happened. I mean how could this happen to me and what was my life going to be like now that the job and career I had worked hard for was now gone. Little did I know that I was on a new journey that I believe has saved my life and has given me a clear picture as to what my purpose in life is all about. My goal for telling you this story some two years later is if there is someone out there who might be struggling after losing there job don’t lose hope because just maybe you too will be saved and found your true calling.

Now I am not going to go into all the details as to how and why I was fired but I do want to start with maybe a little foreshadowing event that happened when I first graduated from college. I have to admit I was not a big reader in college but soon after I graduated people who had created big companies and appeared to be successful fascinated me. So, one day I was at Barnes and Noble and picked up a book about the guys who started Home Depot. In it I found out that one of the founders of Home Depot was fired from his job. He said it was the best thing that had happened to him; little did I know that would be the case for me too.

So here is why I feel that way:

Probably the single most reason I have come to believe that being fired has saved my life I feel is because I have not spent enough time developing my spirituality. You see, for years I worked on building my career, my health, my wealth and my family, but the one area of my life that was out of balance was my spirituality. Now I had been attending church but wasn’t really growing and maturing in my spirituality. What I came to realize is that I had been going at everything alone and was fighting what my true purpose here on earth is all about. Through reading Scripture and the “Purpose Driven Life” I have a renewed sense of trust in my faith and my savior, Jesus Christ. It is strange how the good Lord works but I now know that me being fired was his way of saying it is time to get closer to me and stop doing things on your own. Understanding and realizing this has brought a sense of calm and peace to my life. I now have a clear picture of what I am called to do and no matter have tough things get I know I am not alone.

Another reason I feel it has saved my life is because I am able to use this as a teaching moment. I know it sounds strange but being fired has given me the opportunity to show my kids that life is going to hit you and knock you down, but the important part is how you react to life’s struggles that matters. Hopefully by me showing them that dad did not quit and had faith throughout will help make them stronger.

My final breakthrough and realization that my life has been changed comes from being an entrepreneur. For starters being an entrepreneur has taken me out of my comfort zone. I no longer have the luxury of having a paycheck delivered to my bank account any more, but making a sale and knowing that a person has trusted in one of my products or services gives me such pride and more personal satisfaction than any paycheck has ever brought me. Also, by being my own boss (Oh, the real boss is my wife J) I have had opportunities to do the things I like and take the chances on projects and ideas I am interested in.

As I wrap up my story I am going to admit to you that finally coming to this understanding has not been easy and I hope you don’t have to go through tough times to find out your true purpose but if you do embrace the struggle and realize that the old cliché “Everything happens for a reason” is true. There is a plan for us and part of that plan is to learn from your struggles.

So, my goal moving forward is to use my blog and this platform to help and encourage others to live the life they always wanted. I will also begin to share more about my struggles and insights as I continue down this path of entrepreneurship. I hope you will join me on the journey.

To your success,

Dave McGarry

P.S. If you know someone who needs a little inspiration please share this with him or her. Also, I would love to get your feedback and learn your story by having you comment below.

The Decade That Was!

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A couple of weeks ago I wrote a post titled the Ten Great Happenings from Last Year and I briefly mentioned that this past year was unique because it wraps up the first decade in the new millennium. That realization got me to think about the ups and downs that have occurred in the past ten years. Upon that reflection no matter how bad things seemed at times (Y2K, 911, brother passing away, father passing away, stock market crash 1, housing bust, and stock market crash 2) I still have way more positive things that have occurred that outweigh the negative. Trust me, I have had my dark moments. My brother and father passing away was the hardest thing I have ever had to endure but my faith and my attitude has always helped me when times get tough. I am very blessed to have those strengths within me, and I know for some of you it is not always easy to believe or stay positive. However, if there is one thing that you need to start working on is having the right attitude! So, start off the next decade with the right attitude. Here are some questions to ask yourself in order to start planning your next ten years.

The first thing you need to do is start a “Life List.” Several years ago I came across an article that mentioned a guy by the name of John Goddard. John at the age of fifteen created a list of 127 goals he wanted to achieve in his life. What an inspiration to us all.

The second thing you must do is find your purpose in life. When I was young I never thought about that and had I at least put those thoughts into my head earlier in my life I would have had an easier time with the path I have carved out for myself.

The final thing that you need to do is to act. So many years all I did was read and think about how I wanted to be a successful business person. It wasn’t until the death of my father that I realized I needed to start doing the things I have dreamed about doing all these years.

So, as the next decade approaches make sure you start off strong by implementing these simple tips into your planning process. The past is the past and whether or not it was a bad ten years or a great ten years the next decade can be what you want it to be by using these three tips. I wish you a Happy New Year and a Happy New Decade!!

Do you really want to be a personal trainer?

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I get asked this question all the time. Dave, did you always know that you wanted to be a personal trainer? My answer is No. When I was going to school personal training as a career was not something that schools either had a curriculm for or it was not looked upon as a career profession. The perception was that all you needed to be a personal trainer was a great physique and a certification. Not so anymore. Today, personal training is looked upon as a viable profession and is earning the respect it deserves. Okay, I have that off my chest and what I really want to talk to you today about is whether or not personal training is for you?

     As I mentioned above I did not always know I wanted to be a trainer and one of the most common questions I get is “How did you know that you wanted to be a personal trainer?” Well, I tell them it took 33 years and the passing of my father from a massive heart attack to realize that my purpose in life was to help people with their health and wellness. Let me tell you I struggled early on with being a personal trainer. It was not easy making $18 that first paycheck but somehow I just kept pushing through and my constant push to improve myself has led me to where I am today. So, now I am going to ask you, ” Do you really want to be a personal trainer?”

 

If you can answer yes to the following questions then you might just have found the right career for you.

Can you take rejection from people whom you know need your help but choose to do it on their own?

Can you be positive and upbeat one session after another?

Can you work early mornings and late evenings to build up a clientele? 

Can you work off of 100% commission? 

Are you committed to constant learning?

Well, if you answered yes to all these questions above you are the right path to being able to say personal training is for me. Now, if you are still unsure about being a trainer and you have a passion for health and fitness don’t give up because passion and commitment can ultimately win out. You just need to know that the path can be challenging and I wanted you to know a little bit of what it takes to be a successful personal trainer. 

Coach Dave

How to train like a “Navy Seal”, so that you can be a successful personal trainer

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I just finished reading one of the best books I have ever read. The name of the book is “Lone Survivor” and it is about the true story of the Navy Seal that survived the battle of Red Hawk in the mountains of Afghanistan. I can tell you that while reading the book I experienced all kinds of emotions and left wanting to know more about the courageous and remarkable men who serve our country. With that being said, I wanted to write today to tell you how you can improve your training and life if you take just a small chapter from the attitude and trainig techniques the Navy Seals go through to become who they are. 

Let’s first start by looking at the Navy Seal’s philosophy:

“I will never quit…My Nation expects me to be physically harder and mentally stronger than my enemies. If knocked down, I will get back up, every time. I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect my teamates…I am never out of the fight.”

Okay, I know the Navy Seals are extremely tough and on the other end of the spectrum but one thing is for certain and that is their resolve to never quit. If you want to take one thing away from the Seal philosophy it should be you believing that you are never out of the fight. I see it all the time, new trainers come in to the industry and don’t give themselves enough time to make it stick. They give in too soon and don’t stay in the fight long enough to give them a shot at winning. I will be honest I almost quit the industry but I remember reading a quote one day that said “When you think you are at the end of a rope tie a knot and hang on.” Boy, am I glad that I hung on because after a few years of personal training and working with my clients I came to realize my true purpose in life, which has led me to where I am today. So, if you adapt the philosophy of the Navy Seals and never quit! you too can become a successful trainer

My Lucky Day

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I consider today to be my lucky day! Why you ask? Well, today is the 3 year anniversary of my father’s passing and today I am grateful to still be here carrying out my purpose in life. You see, for the longest time I was fighting what I was put here to do and it took my father dying of a heart attack to realize that I am here to help change the health and wellness of this country and if I really dream big, the world! So today as a tribute to my dad I am giving away a copy of my ebook, “The Anatomy of Sales” to anyway who wants it. All you have to do is send me an email and put in the subject “My Lucky Day”. 

If any one would like to share their story on how they found their purpose in life I would love to hear it!

Coach Dave