Return to Svacina Home Page
(From
International Fitness Professionals Association
Newsletter 8 March 2005.)
In spite of all the re-writes to American History that are taking place today, you need to
know that George Washington was a Great Man! Perhaps one of the Greatest of all time! He
understood discipline, hard work and self-sacrifice to ideals (far greater than any single
individual) could accomplish nearly impossible feats. He brought a group of very independent
and stubborn farmers together, built a “rag-tag,” ill-equipped, untrained, undisciplined,
sometimes starving “Army” and used the principles of discipline, hard work and self-sacrifice
to turn that “rag-tag” Army into a formidable fighting force that eventually defeated the most
well-trained, well-equipped, disciplined Army the world had ever seen.
“Discipline is the soul of an army. It makes small numbers formidable,procures success to the weak and esteem to all” - George Washington
George Washington was a great man, a great general, a great President and a great leader.
But perhaps his greatest legacy to the Nation he forged, was the realization to his countrymen,
of just what we could all accomplish if we used those same principles of discipline, hard work
and self-sacrifice.
Do you believe there is any correlation between the “revisionist history” that ridicules
George Washington and the many heroes that fought and died with him and the loss of
discipline, hard work and self-sacrifice that has become an epidemic among some of our
citizens? Do you have the principle-centered leadership to guide our citizens to a life of
discipline, hard work and self-sacrifice?
You need to know, as a Fitness Professional, that mental and emotional discipline and
toughness ALWAYS has it’s roots in Physical discipline and toughness. The better shape you
or your clients are in, the better they are at handling all of life’s challenges, regardless of
whether those challenges are professional, personal, financial or catastrophe.
George Washington was a great man, but he was… a man. He started out in life just like
you and me and every other man, woman and child that was ever born. You and I may never
achieve greatness by founding a Great Nation, but you can become great in your part of that
Great Nation!
Sincerely,
Jim Bell, PhDc
IFPA President