Today I wrote about a man who had a huge impact on me - Mr. Story. He wasn't my family. But he was such a big part of my life that I feel like he was. Mr. Story was a psychology teacher, made you take your hats off in class, a strength coach when I met him, and coached high school football for many years. If it wouldn't have been for him, I wouldn't be training today. I may not have even started martial arts. He shaped everything - how I train, how I think, who I became as a martial artist and a coach. My Foundation Challenge is daily writing so I can give back. This Substack is part of that commitment. Today's action step: Share a pic of someone who's had a big influence on your life. Could be family. Could be a coach. A teacher. A mentor. A training partner. Someone who's still here or someone you lost. Doesn't matter if they're famous or if nobody knows them but you. Drop the pic + one sentence about what they taught you. If you want the full story about Mr. Story, here's today's Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/tkdjreed/p/how-i-train?r=1xf896&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true Let's see who's shaped this community. 💪

We all have things we don't feel like doing. We push them off. We negotiate. We wait to "feel ready" or "be in the mood." Here's the problem: emotions come and go. When you're frustrated, stressed, or stuck - it feels permanent. But emotions follow what you've been focusing on. Back in 1996, I hit a low point. I read Tony Robbins' Awaken the Giant Within and it changed who I am. One of the biggest shifts was understanding how to change your STATE - not wait for motivation. Two ways to shift your state: 1. Change what you focus on The questions you ask yourself create your energy. Lower-level questions: • "Do I HAVE to do this?" • "Do I even WANT to?" • "I'm upset and I don't care." Stronger questions: • "What am I thankful for?" • "Who do I love? Who loves me?" • "How can I improve? Get better? Help someone?" Change the question = change the state. 2. Move your body Motion creates emotion. Sitting all day = stuck energy. Get up. Walk. Stretch. Train. State-changers people use: • Music that flips the switch • Getting to class (people + energy) • Coffee ritual • Pre-workout • Breathwork • Cold shower • Getting dressed for training • Calling someone who lifts you up My lifting playlist + getting my shoes on = automatic state shift. By the time I hit the garage, my body already knows what to do. No negotiation. Drop yours below: What tools do YOU use to shift your state? List as many as you want.

It's Friday the 13th. Let's get real. Love isn't just the easy stuff. It's the uncomfortable, inconvenient, "I didn't sign up for this" stuff. What do you do for your family — human or fur baby — that proves your love? The scary stuff: - 2am emergency vet run with a screaming cat - Having the hard money conversation - Sitting through a 3-hour recital and clapping like you loved it - Giving up your weekend for someone else's activity - Driving 6 hours for a 2-hour visit The daily stuff: - Making breakfast when you'd rather sleep in - Morning massages for your significant other — no special occasion needed - Driving kids to practice, games, rehearsals — on repeat - Scooping the litter box... again - Walking the dog when it's freezing outside Big sacrifices. Small sacrifices. They all count. 👇 Drop yours below — scary or daily. Bonus points for fur babies. 🐾

We all plan our weeks thinking those daily tasks build toward something bigger. But here's what most people miss: your weekly routine should CHANGE based on where you are in your cycle. I've got students 4 weeks out from their 4th-6th degree black belt pre-evaluation. They test once a year - that's it. So right now? Their training, eating, and recovery look completely different than they did 3 months ago. Same goal. Different season. Different execution. You're in one of four places: STARTING - Just beginning a new push toward something. High energy, lots of planning, building momentum. STUCK - You've been grinding but progress feels invisible. The middle sucks. The novelty is gone. APPROACHING - You can see the finish line. The goal is real now. Time to adjust, intensify, or maintain. SUSTAINING - No specific deadline. No competition. Just showing up daily and maintaining the discipline. Building identity through consistency, not chasing a trophy. Here's what I need to know in the comments: 1. Which season are you in - Starting, Stuck, Approaching, or Sustaining? 2. If you have a specific goal/deadline, what is it? 3. Does your current weekly routine match where you actually are, or are you just running the same play on repeat? Drop your answers. Let's see where everyone's at.

Midweek check-in. Not perfection. Not PRs. Just proof you’re still in it. What went right this week so far? Maybe you: • Trained when you didn’t feel like it • Chose better fuel • Had a hard conversation • Woke up on the first alarm • Slowed your breathing instead of spiraling • Showed up here instead of drifting Small wins compound. Momentum is built quietly. 👇 Drop ONE win below. One sentence is enough. Log it. Own it. Move on. 💪