A Boy and His Boots

[realjaxsonjames]

Speaking from the tongue of an inexperienced educator who would rather be wrestling day in and day out. This should be an interesting read.

I graduated with a BS in Middle Level Education focusing on Social Studies and ELA. In my last semester of college I found wrestling, and my newfound passion lead to many risky situations that almost cost me in my pursuit of a college degree. During student teaching I missed countless days for opportunities to work with the biggest wrestling company in the world; opportunities that I felt I would never get again. 
I had to be there. 
I was sly and I got away with it for awhile due to lack of communication between my mentors. 
A week before I would finish up my internship, I was caught and tried - threatened to be kicked out of the education program at Newberry College. Of course I fought it, defended myself and my position and ended up serving an extra week of student teaching to make up for time missed. I was lucky, but I had also made up my mind that wrestling would be my career. 
This was much before I ever gave teaching a shot.

We (me and a few of the boys) hear new guys all the time say, “I want to be a successful and make some money, and a living.” 
We jokingly respond with “Good luck, because you’re in the wrong business to do that.”
Usually we laugh it off, but it’s a harsh reality in wrestling right now. So I took a job teaching right after I graduated. Not even a month after walking across the stage in Wiles Chapel. I was tossed into the fire at TL Hanna high school. Teaching kids who were only 4, some 3, years younger than me. 
I was chewed up and spit out. I hated it and quickly got away. 
Since then I’ve done okay wrestling. I’ve had a ton of opportunities present themselves, and my exposure to the wrestling world has grown exponentially. I worked a part time job, put myself over, and actually began making enough to live. Hell, I was on TV once. I wrestled a dark match at Smackdown. I knew I was headed in the right direction, but still very aware that it all takes time. 
While I waited, another opportunity presented itself to me. I was approached by a middle school in GA and offered a position as a paraprofessional. 
A year ago I would have said no in a heartbeat. 
But this was different. For those that do not know the term - a paraprofessional is basically a teacher assistant. Some of the awesome benefits of teaching, without all of the red tape, and more importantly- all of the responsibilities. I would begin working in the Special Ed department about a week after my interview.

The first day came and I had no idea what to expect. But I welcomed the job with open arms. And soon found out that I had to do the same with the kids. 
I grew up with a young man who had Down’s syndrome. We were actually buddies in high school, so I had expectations when entering the school just 3 weeks ago. Boy, was I wrong. I realized that I was in a classroom that ranged from severely disabled kids to lower-level learners. I’m sure the sight of me caught them off guard. A teacher with long hair and tattoos? No way. But they welcomed me whole-heartedly and we immediately became pals. 
I was astonished that I was working in a school again. I was baffled by how much I enjoyed this job. Never would I have seen myself working in a school, even more so in a Special Ed classroom. 
But I fell in love with it. With the amazing staff that surrounded me. 
I fell in love with those awesome children, the frustrations that came with it, all of the random yelps and phrases that would come from their mouths, the few times we had to wrestle when they would hit me, their obedience of simple commands, and more than anything - their companionship. At night I would miss hearing their voices. They were far too entertaining, and I loved it. 
We’d take them to local grocery stores, to bowl every Friday, and we even took a trip to Toccoa Falls (pictured above). 
It was the most tiring and enjoyable 3 weeks of a shoot job I’d ever had. 
After dealing with the ins and outs of work, I found out that I’d be getting my first check the last day of September. With a new car payment, an outrageous cell phone bill, and all of those awesome places I owe for college, a new paycheck is a big deal. 
The 30th came and I got my direct deposit. Now I did discuss pay when accepting the position. It works differently in a school system. 
You take your hourly pay, multiply it by the hours you work a day, then multiply that by how many days you work in the year. That number is then divided by 12 so you receive 12 equal checks throughout the year. 
But something was off. My check was equal to what I made at a part time job every month. It couldn’t have been correct, I thought. 
So I did some investigating and soon found that it was true. My first thought was, “How can I live off this?” 
I had to meet the principal and just like that, I resigned from the position. 
The last 2 hours I spent at the school weren't with the children. I met with my peers. They knew I was disappointed. I knew they were disappointed. 
I couldn’t bring myself to tell all of those awesome kids goodbye. 
I also couldn’t believe the fact that those people around me (parapros, not teachers) made what I had just seen on my monthly check. And for the ones who had insurance, it was even less. 37 hours a week. Working with fascinating children. But working with fascinating kids who had severe autism, some who couldn’t even go to the restroom alone, and others who needed assistance in every way possible. 
Those amazing people get paid that little to do that. All I could say was “It’s not about me, it’s about this situation! How can this place not look after you guys more? And why haven’t you all done anything about it?”
“Honey, I’ve thought about a lot. And I’ve almost did a lot. But it all comes back to one thing - I love these kids and I do not want to lose them.”
Money has always affected my life. We can ignore it, but the truth is that it makes the world go ‘round. It’ll control your life. 
I hated leaving that place. I felt out of it for days. It was the right place for me, and I experienced a love for kids I never thought I had. I hate that such amazing people do that for so little. But again, it’s all about those kids. And even though I had to step away, I’m thankful I was able to experience it. 
I’m not sure what needs to change. Maybe it’s just an appreciation for the people in those classrooms. But maybe it’s much more. Something radical needs to happen because there’s too much love, dedication, and hard work going on for those individuals to not earn much more help financially. 
This post isn’t just about passionate, hard working people not getting what they deserve. We see this all around us daily. 
But it’s also a thank you. To everyone who helped me learn something new about myself. And to those incredible kids that welcomed a guy who hated education into their lives and classroom.

Jake

[realjaxsonjames]

I originally had no intentions of weighing in on this topic, but since it's going viral I've changed my mind. Unfortunately we live in a society where everyone has a false sense of entitlement. People think they can just do whatever without facing the consequences that result from bad decision making. This "kicking" incident is a prime example of a line being crossed. I love wrestling. And we all know it has evolved into a business where fans have taken it upon themselves to make their way into the locker room with the boys. Not physically, but in every other sense possible. I see posts daily questioning WWE booking, Indy booking, fans critiquing PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED wrestlers for their in-ring work. Everywhere you look there are podcasts critiquing guys, shows, and promotions. These are put on by people who have no business offering advice to wrestlers or promoters. (NOT ALL PODCASTS) "Well I just don't get what they're doing with the booking - I just don't know what to think next...blah blah!" WELL GUESS WHAT? You're on the edge of your seat waiting to see the next show? Isn't that what we're supposed to do? Sell a ticket to the next event? In recent weeks, this fan has turned from big-time smarty pants, to super hero who thinks they have the ability to literally insert themselves into the shows. This "kick to the chest" incident is very symbolic of the business as a whole. We've seen fans jumping barriers in WWE, attempting to stab Dean Abrose, walking down the ramp with Rollins on Raw, and now we've had this happen very close to home. Someone was kicked in the chest for getting to close to the ring. Why? Well it all goes back to protecting wrestling. People should understand their place in the business. If some fan approaches me and I don't retaliate or protect myself AS A WRESTLER, then how does it make me look? Who wants to watch me wrestle if I'm intimidated by a fan? I heard Chase Stevens tell this to the Alabama athletic commission after a fan pushed him at a show. The AC employee then told Chase that he still can't touch a fan. Chase replied, "Then you provide security at shows that removes fans for touching talent, or this will keep happening. And I'm not going to back down." To prevent this from happening again, there needs to be a shift in attitudes and a line drawn. The more fans are allowed to be "in the business" the more they will insert themselves into bad situations. So if I don't buddy up with you at a show, don't hop on your podcast and bury me because I'm an ass. Understand that I have a reason. Because without this money that I make wrestling, I wouldn't get by. I couldn't pay my bills. So I will protect it until I die. Keep in mind that this is not a shot at fans. God knows how much we appreciate you all for supporting us and wrestling in general. This is just my take on current events that shouldn't happen again.

[realjaxsonjames]

First: Get in over your head, and then worry about whether or not you can swim. Second: Convince yourself that it's better to have tried and failed than never to have tried at all. Third: Don't fail. By playing it safe, your real talent will atrophy and your unique contribution will never be born.

[realjaxsonjames]

This summer is shaping up to be one I'll never forget. I finally received an email I've been waiting on for two years. Week in and week out I would find myself questioning why I was still waiting for that email. Even in the midst of doing a lot of extra spots, a dark match, and just hearing very positive feedback, I never understood why I was having to wait so long. It makes sense, though. Looking back, it just wasn't time yet. This business is all about the journey. All about the long weekends in a tight car with friends - learning, growing, living. You bond with your guys on the road. In rare cases there's one fella that you just can't stand traveling with, but for the most part it's an enjoyable process. When you have that bond with the guys around you, wrestling becomes easier and you focus more on crowd interaction. That's where it's at! When the fans are engaged! I've had some of my favorite matches in the past few weeks with guys I travel with. Our chemistry is there and it's magic in the ring. Because of these things, I'm much more comfortable in the ring. And now I feel more prepared than ever for this opportunity. A long time ago a friend told me that "it's all about the journey!" I'm learning that I've been having the time of my life doing what I love. Do I make all the money I want? No. But in time that will come. I'm staying the course, and sometimes I feel as though it's fate. I tore my MCL just last week, and somehow it healed enough for me to wrestle this weekend. Fate? It's supposed to happen. And I love it.

[realjaxsonjames]

When I first began wrestling, I had a group of guys who questioned my abilities as a wrestler. They never said this to my face - but behind my back to everyone in the locker rooms. I was given an opportunity for being different and taking a chance, and it pissed them off. Now I’ve cut my ties from that specific group of individuals. 
I haven’t done anything yet, butI hope that what I have accomplished thus far, really bothers them. Maybe they’ll see that their envious ways only drives one to work harder, stand out more often, and become something more than what was expected. 
On a different note - there’s another group of individuals who I couldn’t thank enough for all they’ve done for me. 
I’ve moved past the fact that this is a hobby. It’s my passion, and I’m a firm believer that things happen for a reason. I feel destined be exactly where I’m at right now - and although I work very hard - I do truly believe that it is all supposed to be happening. 
It’s been incredible so far. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

[realjaxsonjames]

Last night, before my show, I stood in a ring with Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson and became a better wrestler. Meanwhile, outside the ring, were some guys who have been working the same shows, for no pay, in the same towns, for 10 plus years. These are also guys who ask me how I've gotten opportunities in only a year and a half. It's really not that hard to put forth an effort to become better - some people would just rather chitchat with their buds than learn.

[realjaxsonjames]

It was the smoothest shot of cheap Canadian whiskey I've ever taken

It’s been awhile since I’ve been on here. So long that I can’t even remember what my last blog was about. It’s been several months, though. You’ll have to ignore my choppy sentencing since I’m laying in bed on my iPhone and I just have tons of things to get out at the moment. I’ve been traveling a good bit recently. I’ve had debuts at Resistance Pro, PWX, and Wrestle Birmingham. All of which I think I left a lasting impression. I can’t say enough about the crew up at Resistance. They’ve all been excited and waiting for a long time for this reality show to kick off. Jaques got the call about the show while I was standing in his kitchen, inside his home, which he opens up to all of the boys to stay in when we travel up there. He’s a great guy and everyone associated with that place deserves what’s coming their way. At PWX and Wrestle Birmingham I’m already beginning to grow into a spot on the main roster. Just a week ago someone said they heard I was “the future of PWX” I’m not sure if that’s where I’m headed, but it only means I’m over with the fans and that’s never a bad thing. Wrestle Birmingham is already giving me opportunities with the top guys there. Chase Stevens and I face off on September 6th. Last Saturday I drove to Milton, FL to wrestle on the Brad Armstrong Memorial show. The place was packed and that family truly deserves a great crowd. Every one of the Armstrong’s were awesome to all of the roster that traveled to pay respects and raise money for Jillian’s (Brad’s daughter) college fund. Overall, the show was fantastic and I can’t thank the Armstrong family (Bullet, Brian, Scott, Steve) and Travis Edgeworth enough for allowing me to come and support. If you’d like to donate to Jillian’s college fund, contact Bullet Bob Armstrong’s Fanpage via Facebook. The ride back from the show seemed to take forever. I got home fairly early then hopped on the Network to watch Battleground. The PPV was a good one. At 3 am Sunday morning I woke up to news I never wanted to hear. I had several texts from my dad asking me to call him. My older sister, Jessica, had been hit by a car just about 2 hours before and killed. She was 29 years old. I’m not sure why it happened, or how it exactly happened. But it was sudden and it was definitely out of nowhere. The shock factor of someone being here one minute and being gone the next is something I can’t describe. She and I weren’t near as close as we used to be. We grew up together and I watched her turn into a woman; then she watched me turn into a man. We didn’t always agree. That’s part of being siblings, I suppose, though. I did care about her and love her like I do all of my siblings. We shared a name with my dad’s dad, Jesse James - I love that.
She meant a lot to a lot of people - and to be honest she’d been through some of the craziest things I’ve ever heard of. She seemed invincible. Jess, as my dad would always call her, had a wild ride through her short life. I’m sure she’d been through more things and experienced more than most people that made it past 29. She was a fighter, a mother, a drinker, a sister, and one hell of a personality. We’d all get to laughing when she’d start rambling about random topics on Sunday’s at my dad’s place. She was beautiful. Upon her wishes, today after her memorial, me, my brother Daniel, sister Sarah, my dad, her mother, our uncle, and others took a shot of R&R in memory of her. She would have loved it. It was the smoothest shot of cheap Canadian whiskey I’ve ever taken. 
Keep my family in your thoughts and prayers. It’s been a tough few days. Jaxson

[realjaxsonjames]

Because I'm passionate and surrounded by guys who are as well. I do think there is one factor that you can't really control, though. And that's whether or not it's really your niche - if it's really what you're supposed to do. I played my years of football always thinking to go to the NFL but I always knew I was incredibly undersized. It felt good. I was successful and it lasted awhile. But I truly believe that there's something past working hard, understanding things, and having a look that has gotten me to the point I'm at so quickly. I believe it's really what I'm supposed to do. I guess you could call it fate.

[realjaxsonjames]

It's been a magical ride so far. I've been able to do things that I could have only imagined doing when I began wrestling (first promo pic above - I was skinny). Life is a blessing and so is the opportunity to chase your dreams. I've loved every second of it. I'm determined to reach that goal - you all know what it is. I believe it goes without saying. Always remember to push yourself, work hard, outwork everyone and dammit, put yourself over once in awhile, but stay humble. Keep on pushing, people. There's a whole world out there waiting to see someone new step up. I know I'm preparing for that day - are you?

[realjaxsonjames]

This past weekend couldn't have gone any better. Sunday I traveled over to TSW in Union, SC and took on Josh Powers in what ended in an all out brawl. The ref called it after he and I made our way out of the ring and brawled around the Union County fairgrounds. If that's the kind of wrestling he wants to partake in, then I'm completely fine with it - he just better bring his A game when I'm back in Union. Immediately after the TSW show, I headed over to Dorman High to see my good friend Dr. Tom Prichard. It was great catching up with him and letting him know how my career was going. He has played a pivotal role in my success as a wrestler and is the man I credit my in-ring training with. He taught me so much very quickly. I have to say, it's pretty awesome to have a good friend who's so knowledgable. At Dorman I faced Luke Gallows (DOC) in a pretty intense matchup. The fans loved him, so I didn't have much success with getting the crowd behind me. Either way, it was a hard fought battle. He eventually hit me with a sit-out powerbomb. My back still kills. Sunday, Brady Pierce and I teamed up again to take on House of Style. We had the momentum early, but after some cheap moves BJ and Bob Keller controlled a lot of the match. When I was able to fight them off and tag in Brady, he was fired up. Bob and I scrambled around outside while Brady easily handled BJ in the ring. His torture rack is vicious - ask BJ Hancock. I love Brady as my partner. We work well together. Both of us are getting the opportunity to work for WWE here in a few weeks. This will only allow for us to grow closer and become even more successful.

[realjaxsonjames]

A little motivation for myself. The past year I have been on an incredible journey learning about nutrition and how my body works. During my senior football season I weighed around 240, and from the pic on the left, you can see that it was NOT a good 240. But I had to be there. My job was to move 265-300 lb men every play. It was a battle, but at 240 I could hold my own. I knew that I had to play heavy to play - it was my job, I had to do it. And I definitely did it. I had a tremendous last season. The Sunday after my last game I went for a 2 mile jog. I was still in fairly good distance running shape, but I knew that losing fat and maintaining mass would not come with running 2 miles a day. 
The week after football I began P90X. I found a nutrition coach, Sean Zaleski, you guys should go read his stuff and began doing the program. And if you’re into BeachBody programs (P90X, T25, Insanity, etc.) you definitely should join a community and find a coach. Actually, look up Sean - he’s on Facebook. Anyways - I went through the entire program. I woke up every morning at 6 am and went to do the workouts in our school’s fitness center. Occasionally people would join - occasionally people would come back. 
I counted my calories, tracked my macros and in 90 days I had dropped down to a lean 200 lbs. I was probably sitting at 10% body fat - maybe less. I had found out what worked for me. My body needs high intensity workouts and smart dieting to cut fat. I lost a little muscle, but not much. Since then I have fluctuated from around 210-220ish. My body fat percentage is back up in the high teens I believe, but I’m stronger and more muscular than ever. This helps when I’m in the ring. But here lately I’ve been pretty disappointed in my physique. To some people I look “good, not too skinny, not fat” but in the mirror, I know how lean I can be and what I should be. 
I’m motivated as hell right now. I want to be back where I was. The conclusion?
 Learn what works best for you. Facebook and Instagram are filled with tons of “fitness gurus” who charge $125 a month to create workouts for you and feed you meal plans which they probably send to everyone who emails them. 
Remember that everyone is different. If you email and their response is a forwarded, prewritten email, then just go on and find your own way. It’s a journey like everything else. Also remember, how you present yourself reflects how you care about yourself - especially in the wrestling scene. I was listening to Colt Cabana’s podcast with CM Punk and Cabana mentioned that when he was in developmental, Dr. Tom, a phenomenal trainer, told him that he had everything but the abs. If he would get the abs, then he was perfect. In the business, appearance means a lot. Colt is still making a living doing what he loves, but that one thing held him back. Punk also talked about his physique as well. He makes a valid point when he mentions that, “this is my body” - regarding to his predetermined figure. I loved hearing that. He’s obviously an incredibly talented wrestler, and just proves that having abs isn’t everything. 
That is very important. So, what should you do? Work hard for what you want, but appreciate what you were given and love it either way. Jaxson

[realjaxsonjames]

Two weeks out - six weeks left. Decisions, decisions.

I haven't been able to wrestle in almost two weeks. I woke up last Wednesday and could hardly crawl out of my twin XL bed. I've had back problems since high school. My senior year I sat out two weeks during summer due to lower back injuries. It doesn't help much that I've broken my tailbone twice either. My fastidiousness is at an all time high when I feel injured. Obviously to be certain not to further damage myself. I head out tomorrow to get some x-rays done. This should give doc some insight on what's going on back there. I'm not extremely worried - I just want it fixed. This has kept me from making an impactful debut at my new teaching placement. I don't mind though. I'm not extremely happy with where I am anyways. 6 weeks and I'll be done with college; done with Newberry. There really isn't much here for me. Hell, there never has been. I quickly lost many friends to graduation and other schools. But I had responsibilities and I stayed. I did my part and I'm almost finished. 6 weeks. I'm still going to be in action this weekend. And trust me. I'm pissed off. There may be a new monster stepping into the ring to face House of Style. This injury and crappy week on top of the fact that I have to see Bob Keller, BJ, and Frehley's sly asses out there again might cause me to flip. Brady and I aren't out to seek revenge for their win at Fall Brawl - we're there to get revenge. I face Manny Fernandez Saturday in Union. This will be a new challenge, but facing a vet such as him can only guarantee more success for my singles career in general and at TSW. I look forward to a painful, busy weekend. I apologize for the long break in blogs. I've just been...um busy. Jaxson

[realjaxsonjames]

Unfortunately, it doesn’t really matter if you think I have what it takes. All that really matters are the big men up top - they have to notice me.

I love the support I receive daily. My friends and family couldn’t be more supportive.
 I’ll get random texts and messages periodically throughout the day about wrestling. I often find myself saying the same thing to every single person that takes time to ask me. "It’s awesome - I love it" So, for anyone who is reading this that may have received that response, that is a complete understatement. I think I overlook the fact that I’m literally doing something I love and it’s working for me. I loved football - it didn’t work for me past the collegiate level. I’m extremely tired every day from student teaching. I take Friday nights off because it keeps me sane. And I obviously have to rest at some point. The point I’m trying to make is - I’m in the most demanding semester of college I’ve had. It’s exhausting. I don’t have much money. I don’t have many friends. I don’t sleep a lot. But I love my weekends and I love to wrestle. I love to go out there and be the center of attention. I love the daily texts from friends and fans. (Do I have a fan base yet? Hmm) Anyways, don’t let my lack of texting back a paragraph be a credible answer to how much I truly enjoy my days. Just go read my blogs. I’m fascinated with life and wrestling. Have a wonderful day.

[realjaxsonjames]

Preworkout + crazy dreams + cardio + article = new blog Today has been odd. 
About a week ago I was told to cut a little bit of weight. 
I had an incredibly weird dream last night. You know, the one were you wake up and just want to do some random action that really isn’t you? Well I did it - it wasn’t me. 
I also read an interesting article on happiness today. What do I really wake up for everyday? I usually go through the motions of teaching some 7th graders (possibly the most well-behaved and smartest 7th graders I could ask for) 30 minutes away from my school. I complain about gas money. I get pissed that Newberry College sends me to Chapin to teach daily. I get pissed that oatmeal isn’t readily available in our cafeteria every morning before I leave. I get mad because the cafeteria doesn’t open until 7 and I have to be in my car and leaving by 7:08. 
I’m not sure why I get so pissed. 
I think I get tired of going through the same motions daily. I do enjoy having a few friends to keep me company every day. Whether its texting, snapchat, twitter, Facebook etc. 
They actually are pretty cool people, or I wouldn’t talk to them. So, after this interesting day that included: a lot of cardio, odd dreams, 2 preworkouts, lots of water, Sons of Anarchy later, and strangely enough an article on happiness - why the hell do I get frustrated daily? 
 I’m not dead - I’m far from it. I can at least walk out of my dorm everyday with a meal ahead of me, a family, a car, some nice tattoos and hair that isn’t gray yet. 
I’m realizing that this happiness article came at the perfect time. We are odd creatures. And God puts things right in our faces to show us how odd we are for complaining. We have a life. We choose to be happy. I should choose to be happier at times. I’m writing this blog to recognize my own flaws. Actually, to put them out there for the few of you who read this. 
It’s not fair to others to act like I’m incredibly happy when in my own head I don’t feel it - especially when I SHOULD be. I’m overlooking a lot of things that I should be grateful for. 
I’m living my dream. I wrestle for a company that is going to be something special. I’ve made a bunch of new friends who are all identical to me in a way. I’m surrounded by support. Yet I complain about school, money, stupid dreams and oatmeal. I will recognize this and change it. I hope everyone around me does as well. Life is a blessing. Each second is a blessing. 
I’m walking on a treadmill now because it feels great, not because I’m unhappy with myself and don't have abs anymore, right? 
 Right! http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/3956114 Give this a read. I don’t support some of the language, but it’s interesting. It made my day better, and it makes me think. Never stop thinking. 
A numb mind causes complacency and stagnant living. Time to hit my calves.

[realjaxsonjames]

Who's counting?

Who's counting? Every day after I train/have a match, I roll out of bed with some random pains. I usually have no clue what happened either. Yeah, my face is always sore, my hands and knees usually get pretty banged up, my back is obviously sore. But I rolled out of bed Sunday to two sprained wrists and my left ass cheek was killing me. 
My first thoughts go straight back to my match.
Hmmm…missle dropkick? That possibly explains the wrists. But unless Bob Keller threw a boot on the outside straight to my left butt cheek, I’m confused. 
 My next hypothesis - did I get injured at the bar afterwards? Haha only kidding. I always remember the night after shows - always. 
 Either way, this is perfect because when I hear randos go, “Hey, what you do is fake, right?” I can always point out quite a few injuries and compare them to how many they have from whatever they do: football, basketball, men’s volleyball, etc. And then proceed to ask if they’d like to be chopped on their bare baby chest to see how fake it is. 
These people usually shut up. 
I had a great weekend at WrestleForce; I hate that Brady Pierce and I came up short on the tag titles though. We definitely impressed some of roster anyways. We’re both two young, hungry, athletic guys who are turning some heads in the ring. 
 They got lucky.

[realjaxsonjames]

Kendo!

I took my first shot to the head with a kendo stick this past weekend in Statesboro. This stick originated in the 16th century as a safer model for sword practice. The "shinai", Japanese for bend or flex, is made up of dried bamboo and is now often used as a weapon in pro wrestling. I have memories of first seeing Steve Blackmon whacking people with it during WWE's Attitude Era, and can recall The Sandman making good use of it in ECW. This stick made a prominent impact on weapon use in wrestling during the late 90's and quickly became my favorite weapon in WWE video games where it began making appearances. Now it has again reemerged in the Punk/Heyman angle. I'm glad I broke my kendo stick virginity last weekend, but it definitely didn't feel too great on my head - or across my back.

[realjaxsonjames]

I'm not out there sweating for three hours every day just to find out what it feels like to sweat.

Michael Jordan

Growing up, football was a passion of mine. As a kid I played because it was fun, I was good, and my mom loved it. She never forced me to play, but I always know she would have been devastated if I hadn't continued the sport.

Lucky for my mom, I played until I had come to the realization that I could not play at the highest level - the NFL. Throughout middle and high school a very large part of my life was devoted to football. It came before my friends, my girlfriends, my family and of course it came before other sports. My goal was to be the very best football player I could possibly be with what I had.

I'm not a huge guy, but I'm not average either. I'm about 6'2 and my weight fluctuates from around 205 to 230 lbs depending on my carb intake. This is not the ideal size for an NFL Tight End - as much as I wanted it to be - it just wasn't.

So, as hard as I pushed myself, as bad as I wanted that dream of playing at the highest level to come true - I really knew it wasn't possible. All of my efforts and sacrifices weren't for nothing though. I really believe that my last year of college ball, I was the best football player my ability would let me be. I could not have done anymore to perform any better that entire season. I felt like I dominated.

With that being said, I have always been a firm believer in the basic principle of "you get out what you put in".

I had seen that success come with my efforts - but I still didn't achieve what I really wanted to achieve. As much as I believed, as hard as I worked, as much as I prayed, I realized that professional football was just not my path. For awhile I was heartbroken. I WAS too small. I WAS too slow and I WAS too weak to play at the next level. It was that simple. Although I still believe anything is possible, many times it is a numbers game - and I just didn't have the numbers. I had to swallow that pill.

But something spectacular happened when I first began thinking about my wrestling career. I showed up in Eastanollee, GA on May 22nd to train with Kevin Blue (a good friend of mine now). We bumped, we worked headlocks, we worked a combo, we rolled and we ran the ropes. I thought about how much I had done in one day. As I was leaving the arena, I looked over and Blue and I told him, "I'll be back next week, man...I'm dead serious about this stuff. When I begin, I give it everything I have, and I will become something more than what anyone expects."

That seriousness and belief in putting my mind to something was back. That which had failed me when pursuing football had returned and implanted itself in my heart once again. I knew that I would outwork most guys; I had a strong feeling that I had found my niche. I really believe I have now. Not because I'm just a natural, but in all honesty because I have given it everything possible. Yeah, I've had some things fall in my lap and met some great people. But I think if I half-assed my training, didn't study matches, didn't read a lot and didn't take it all serious then those things would have never come about.

Now I can truly say that I am a FIRM believer that anything you want to achieve, you can achieve. Never, ever let anyone tell you that you cannot do something.

I'm going to quote Dr. Tom yet again - and yeah, I have this one memorized.

"I truly believe that what's possible is done and what's impossible will be done"

I probably send this to a new person every single day. I love it. Hearing Dr. Tom talk about following your dreams, and reading his advice in his curriculum just make my beliefs in what I am doing even more realistic. The goals are actually achievable.

Keep your confidence. You're going to have days where you feel like crap. Maybe you had a bad match, missed a few spots, got injured, cut a horrible promo. But you have to continually stay confident and positive in your abilities. My head football coach in high school told us about this study once.

A group of 50 people who had little or no previous experience playing basketball were chosen for a study shooting free throws. The 50 were taken to a court, split into two groups of 25 and were asked to shoot 20 free throws. The percentage of made shots were recorded. One group was let go and told they would come back in a week and shoot again. The other 25 were told to go home but before they fell asleep every night to picture themselves shooting free throws - not just shooting them, but making them. They were told to imagine every single detail. From how they held the ball, to the feeling of it rolling off of their finger tips, to watching the ball go in the hoop and even imagining the "swoosh" sound it made.

What do you think happened when the groups were brought back to shoot their 2nd round of free throws?

The group who thought about success, made drastic improvements in their percentages of shots made, while the other group either stayed the same or lowered.

What does this tell you?

Picture yourself as a success. If you fill your mind with negative thoughts - negative things will happen. Being confident in your abilities and envisioning yourself achieving goals is probably 80% of the battle. Do you really believe you can achieve anything? You have to buy into the idea and continually work towards it and stay positive in your thought process to see it come true. I'm not on WWE yet, I'm not even huge in the indy scene yet, but I have come a hell of a long way in a few months. I know it's because of my attitude; my unwillingness to settle for anything less than the best. When I truly believe, I know that anything is possible - even the impossible.

So, are you willing to make sacrifices? Are you willing to spend your last bit of cash to work a show for no pay just to get ring experience? Are you willing to not eat all day because you're on the road and don't have the money? Are you willing to leave that woman behind who holds your back? Are you willing to hit the gym every day and get in shape? Are you willing have zero free time?

Think about this - think about what you REALLY want out of life and what it actually takes. Nothing is handed to anyone. Some paths are easier, but just because it's a hard one doesn't mean it will be impossible - it will just take more sacrifice. But if you truly believe in yourself and put your mind to anything, it can become a reality. I have never bought into this idea as much as I do now. I'm experiencing it - and it's amazing.

Jake