Whether you're a nurse, a police officer, working the register at a fast food restaurant, or whatever, your future can be bigger and brighter than you probably think. To reach your potential, however, you must know the formula to succeed-and to discover that formula, you need the right mindset. Bill Clark and Trent Patterson, both elite-level athletes and certified strength and conditioning coaches, share life experiences and lessons to help you capitlize on opportunities. Learn how to - turn failures and defeats into opportunities for victory; - increase your level of determination; - handle stress that goes along with everyday life; and - reject lifestyle changes that endanger success. They also explain the fundamental difference between a reaction and a response, share strategies on building an action plan, and reveal how to start over and find new purpose in life-no matter how old you are. Whether they are writing about the Olympic Training Center, the philosophy of the University of Alabama football program, weightlifting adventures in different countries, or battles on the one-yard line, the authors share lessons that will jumpstart success. BILL CLARK is a former Olympic Weightlifter and World Champion Powerlifter. Bill has set over 140 world records in both Powerlifting and strongman events; including a 400 plus pound one-handed deadlift (weighing under 200 pounds). Bill is a motivational speaker and often times rolls up frying pans, bends steel bars and wrenches, and tears full decks of playing cards during his presentations. Bill has been featured on TV and in numbers of newspapers and magazines and loves to spread the message that "Everyone can be great." Bill is a certified Strength Coach and co-teaches a personal security course with his friend and co-author Trent Patterson. Bill Clark also teaches economics and a college-level psychology course at a high school in the Binghamton, NY area. TRENT PATTERSON played football for the University Of Alabama and was a 3 year starter and a 4 year letterman. Trent, while playing for Alabama University, was also voted "lifter of the year" and was a contestant on the TV show The Biggest Loser. Trent is a certified strength and conditioning specialist certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association. He is a certified nutrition coach certified by Venice Nutrition. He is the creator of Training For Life Systems; a complete training system designed to change the mind, body & soul. He currently coaches high school football, trains athletes to improve performance, and adults to train for life. He and Bill also facilitate a personal safety awareness and prevention (PSAP) course. Lifting Spirits World Champion Advice for Everyday Living By Bill Clark, Trent Patterson Balboa Press Copyright © 2017 Bill Clark & Trent Patterson All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-5043-9174-0 Contents Preface and About the Cover, ix, Introduction, xiii, Disclaimer, xv, PART I: In the Beginning, Chapter 1 Failure Turned Inside Out, 5, Chapter 2 Choosing Your Mindset, 11, Chapter 3 Fractions, 17, Chapter 4 Bullseye, 21, Chapter 5 Seeing Through the Eyes of Faith, 27, Chapter 6 Following Your Dreams, 33, PART II: Paving Your Path to Victory, Chapter 7 Your Default Setting, 41, Chapter 8 Excuses, 47, Chapter 9 When Opportunity Knocks, 51, Chapter 10 The Timing of Your Commitments, 57, Chapter 11 Watch Your Language, 63, Chapter 12 Three Lessons from the University of Alabama, 67, Chapter 13 Three Lessons from the Biggest Loser, 71, PART III: Paying it Forward, Chapter 14 Heroes, 79, Chapter 15 By Invitation Only, 85, Chapter 16 Badly Wrapped Gifts, 91, Chapter 17 Waking Up, 97, Chapter 18 Its too Late not to Start, 101, Chapter 19 What You Dont Do Makes You Great!, 105, Chapter 20 The Value of Nutrition, 109, Chapter 21 Training for Life, 113, Chapter 22 Understanding the Process, 117, Chapter 23 Whats Next?, 121, About the Author, 123, CHAPTER 1 Failure Turned Inside Out Hidden in the pain and turmoil of failure lies great opportunity, but we have to search for it. Searching is a verb, and that means that it takes action, so you won't find it by complaining about what went wrong or by stewing over what could have been. I am not trying to be insensitive here because I also know the sorrow that comes with life. However, it is possible to overcome and learn from the difficult and even painful circumstances of what has been dealt to you. We aren't always able to control the things that happen to us, but we do get to choose our response to them. Failure is often embedded in those difficult situations and has the potential to be life changing, either negatively or positively. My biggest failure came when I was in the 7th grade, and it impacted me more than almost any other event in my life. My mom and dad had separated, and my father was living in an apartment on the south side of town. Despite their separation, both in