ROME

// and how it was not built in a day

read 3 min (726 words) / write Jan 4, 2016

First real workout of the year today and it was.. a lot. Ha! Got back in town and accidentally napped the afternoon away so when I woke up I treated myself to three hours of back squats; various AMRAPs (you ever heard of GI Jane?); and some sparring/bag work. I was tired. I don’t think I had enough to eat today and it affected my performance. My two week respite was a clear sign that if I ever stop working out, nothing’s going to come back to me that easily.

My CrossFit coach has a new fitness program this year and it’s codenamed ‘ROME’. I’m assuming it’s a play on the familiar adage but if not, it inspired this post so whoop dee doo, more clichés for you.

I feel like I’ve been living in retrospect this entire week. I can’t stop thinking about the life I’m about to set aside for the next three months and the very real possibility that everything could be totally different come April. What if I decide to move to the city? What if I find a new gym that challenges me more? It seems like my comfy little world right now is due for some inevitable shaking. These are scary thoughts despite knowing I set myself for all of this. But in many ways, I still don’t think I’m fully prepared or at least as prepared as I want to be.

I want to get this right. What I’m about to do is a great opportunity and I refuse to miss a beat. Classes will be from 9AM to 8PM and then students are encouraged to stay until 11PM listening to guest speakers, networking with important folks, and working on side projects. A member of my cohort mentioned that he is going to avoid burnout by leaving once class is officially over (8PM). I get it, this is a great form of retention buuut I also know I’m not going to be able to follow suit.

All I can think of is if there was ever a time to network with as many people as possible, this is it. Everyone else around me will be on top of their game, learning how to navigate the tech world and establishing those pivotal relationships, so you know what? I want my nose in everybody’s business, point blank and the period. I am sacrificing way too much to not take advantage of every opportunity possible. It makes sense right? It’s only three months and there are other ways I can retain myself.

So now on to how Rome was not built in a day: It’s been two years of preparation and yet the ball keeps rolling. There is no end in sight, and that’s precisely how I like it. Great things aren’t built in two years. Great things definitely aren’t built in three months. I realize Hack Reactor is not going to lay out the shiny golden career path of my dreams but here’s what it will do: it’ll help me lay that first brick. And it’s going to be my hard work that’s going to determine how successful I am. This is not a shortcut, there are no shortcuts.

For the longest time I thought Hack Reactor was perfect because it’s crammed down curriculum was perfect for an overachiever like me. But I think the best way to see this picture is to accept that this is not going to be the magical solution to my career confusion; it’s not going to skyrocket me to my dream career; and where ever it takes me it’s by no means an end-all be-all.

Hard bleeping work. That’s how this is going to happen. Forget shortcuts, forget easy. If I’m going to make a play for this, it better be worth it. Sheesh, I’m so pumped up now. Like, I just did that to myself by reflecting and clacking away about my feels and shit. I mean I’m trying to make an honest entry for the day but it’s nice to see that I’m taking this whole blogging thing more seriously. Someone out there’s got to be reading this right? At first, I thought it was a sad handwritten book… (lmao!)

Alright, peace out for now purty people. And also date me if you understood that reference at the end right thur ^ kthxbye!