The Standard #001
Apr 18, 2024Hey Legacy Lifters,
Welcome to the first edition of The Standard: The Disciplined Road To Building Stronger Kingdom Men.
As men, whether we like it or not, we're called to a higher standard. We have the ability, and more importantly the responsibility, to lead our families and leave a legacy that matters.
We are called to protect, to provide, and to be leaders of our homes and our cities.
Sadly, as you look around at most men today, that call has been lost.
Men have become weak, soft, passive, and addicted to themselves and their own comforts.
Men have lost their fight.
The Lord said: And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none - Ezekiel 22:30
I believe that God is looking for more men that are ready to answer the call to a higher standard.
If he looks for a man in your family or your city - will he find one?
The standard is to stay ready: physically, mentally, and spiritually.
Neither one is enough on its own. Yet it's also impossible to truly have one without the other.
A man that is strong, healthy, and carries the power to change things is a man that puts into practice all Three Disciplines: Body, Mind, and Spirit.
That is why these newsletters will focus on developing all three:
Build Your Temple: You don't need to be the fittest man in the world, or even the fittest man in the room. But you do need to be physically disciplined and prepared for whatever may come your way. Build will focus on adding lean muscle, improving body composition, eating to fuel performance and mental clarity, and other habits that help you live lean, strong, and durable for years to come.
Renew Your Mind: You have to continually renew and discipline your mind. You can't let your feelings or thoughts continually guide your actions. Your feelings are great guides but terrible masters. You have to decide who you want to be ahead of time, and then develop the self-control needed to take the right actions consistently over time.
Transform Your Spirit: At Inside Out Strength, we believe true transformation happens in Jesus. All of the other self-help and physical transformation will come up empty and lacking apart from this spiritual growth. As men we're created to continually transform, grow, and do great things with God and for God.
If you're ready to stretch yourself to a higher standard, stick around to answer that call alongside other growth minded men looking to do the same.
All it takes is one decision to change the future for yourself and your family.
BUILD
Here's a simple checklist that would solve > 80% of the challenges you are facing with improving your body composition and overall health.
These things alone took me from ~215 lbs at 18% Body Fat to currently around ~190 lbs at sub 13% Body Fat (without losing any strength along the way):
- Strength Train 3x/Week
- Consume > 0.8g of Protein Per Pound of Bodyweight
- Sleep 7+ Hours Per Night
- Aim for 8-10K Steps Per Day (Move More > Exercise More)
There you go - it doesn't always have to be complicated. Do this for the next 6 months and you're 80% of the way there.
RENEW
I was listening to a podcast this past week and this quote stuck out to me:
"You FALL into negative scenarios, but you have to MOVE into positive scenarios."
Overthinking (described as the endless running of negative scenarios) can be a negative trigger that leads to procrastination, inaction, anxiety, and fear.
Anyone else fall into overthinking like me?
It's easy to fall into this thought pattern. It takes very little effort to get caught in a negative spiral of overthinking and inaction.
The longer you stay in this 'thought loop', the harder it is to get out of.
The only way to shift from focusing on negative scenarios to positive scenarios is by moving into action.
One action in the right direction, no matter how small, can interrupt this cycle of negative thinking.
You can't control the outcome and you will minimize the opportunities that are available to you if you try to minimize your chances of failure.
Success loves speed - and the only cure is action. The faster you act the faster you break this cycle.
If you want to dive deeper on this concept, this was inspired by The Mind Shift Podcast
TRANSFORM
I've found myself coming back to 2 Chronicles 20 frequently over the past few weeks. You can read the full chapter for yourself, but to give you a general summary, King Jehoshaphat and Judah are about to be attacked by some very strong armies.
This is one of those mismatches that they don't have a chance going up against.
Do you ever feel like you're getting attacked from all sides with no idea what to do?
Well here's how King Jehoshaphat handled it:
- He acknowledged he needed help. He enrolled all of Judah to join him in prayer and fasting. He admitted his need for God to intervene: For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you (v. 12)
- He was able to receive wisdom and instruction for what to do next: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’ (v. 15-17)
- He worshiped and shifted his heart from fear to joy, from being anxious to being thankful. He knew who was in control (v. 18)
- He took action and followed through. When God promises something, it's not always guaranteed. There is often an action that follows the promise. While God was going to do most of the heavy lifting, they still had to Take up their positions and stand firm. Sometimes you'll have to fight hard, sometimes you won't have to fight at all - but you always have to be in position and stay ready to receive what God has for you.
Be The Standard,
Dave