feb_hank_thoughts_coming_full

As a child, I remember always wanting to help others. My father with his tools in the garage, helping my brother climb up a ladder to go down a slide (I actually have old film footage showing me doing this when I was about eight or nine years old), my mother with groceries, etc.

I seemed to look for situations where I could "lend a hand", give advice, or offer encouragement to someone. Growing up it was a friend needing help with his car-rebuilding project or a ride to the airport. You name the situation and I would offer my help. I don't know why I did this, all I know is I received great satisfaction from it. I will say my empathetic abilities were very heightened. I envisioned ‘situations’ from others point of view. And I knew what I would want if I were in the same position so I would attempt to provide it for them.

If someone in my family were sick I would help them get over it. If I couldn't provide support, advice, or “solve their problem” I would almost take it personally. I truly would (feel) others pains. I remember looking at older people feebly walking down the street and saying, "poor guy, I feel sorry for him. I wish there were something I could do." It would truly hurt me seeing them this way! I was very sensitive and quite emotional as well. Heck, I cried in just about every dramatic "movie" moment. In movies or real life I immersed myself in most situations.

Some of you may believe I was soft for thinking like this. I promise you I was far from being a ‘delicate’ kind of guy. Although I was kind of quiet, I would not take any kind of abuse and would defend myself and family to the end. But where it came to helping others in need, I was always a sucker for providing it to anyone that would receive it. I was born to serve others; it was my nature to do this.

                                         Why am I telling you all this?

Because I strayed. From my middle 20’s all through my late 30’s I wasn’t “myself.” What do I mean? Instead of following my strength of helping others, I concentrated on myself. I foolishly thought that being rich and successful would create a utopia of happiness for me.

                     “To heck with anyone else, I wanted to make money.”

One deal after the next; real estate, get-rich-quick schemes, you name it and I did it. The end result!?! I was poorer than ever. By concentrating on myself and not my true core values I became morally, physically, and financially bankrupt. And to top if off I had a broken marriage as well. I had worked so hard, struggled for so long, yet had not achieved any of the happiness I dreamed of. This was about the lowest point of my life.

                                           What else could go wrong?

Fortunately nothing else did. What started me on my road “back” was fatefully meeting my current wife, Graciella. She had a sense of following one’s true self, and she taught me to follow mine. A short while later I decided to enter a “Physique Transformation” contest. And guess what? Sure, I thought of the money and the cool car I could win, but that really wasn’t IT for me. Some serious soul-searching led me to believe I had a future in this ‘business’ if I won.

As some of you know I did win the 1998 EAS Physique Transformation contest. And my life has never been the same since. I really didn’t know then exactly how it all would pan out, but that ‘vision’ I had has today turned into a direction that is as bright as ever and exactly in line with my life’s goals.

                              And what exactly was that ‘business’ I envisioned?

Helping others get in shape. My passion is teaching others exactly how to do that. The reality is I’m doing something I love AND honoring my life’s true direction. This is what propels me. You see, the simple act of becoming physically fit allows marvelous things to begin happening inside one’s body. As I help others improve their physical selves, the result is I AM MAKING A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN THIS WORLD! This was the answer and direction I’d been searching for. And it was there all along! Simple right? Yes it was (in hindsight). I thank the Lord EVERY SINGLE DAY for finally giving me the wisdom to listen.

It is my goal to help each and every one of you find that body, health and empowerment that you deserve. If you just work hard, be honest with yourself (and others), listen, and learn, I promise you eventually will. I want to be able to share with you everything I’ve learned in the past 11 years as it relates to building a better body and promoting a healthier ‘inside’. And I want to ‘pass along’ any future knowledge I passionately find for you.

                         Success for YOU is simple -- Here are your keys…

Persistence and thoroughness. Persistence because if you never quit, I PROMISE you will get where you want to go. And thoroughness because if you leave out any of the details you’ll never achieve the results you’re capable of. So when you combine doing all the right things with never quitting well, I think you know what the result may be. I’ll help you with the right things to do and you provide the persistence, deal?

And I’ll be there, day in and day out. Helping you, coaching you and guiding you. I ask only one thing of you…and that is to be completely open with your newfound knowledge. The greatest travesty in life is when we have the ability or the means to help others and we don’t. Give, and you shall receive the kind of riches money can’t even begin to touch.

I’m dedicating the rest of my life to you because for me it’s the right thing to do, and because I’ve come full circle.

Hank