Please bear with me on this, fellas. I simply can't believe how time has flew by so fast. I can't believe that it's been about three years since I read that article by Machine when I was still in high school. After having my dream of having my first televised fight shattered, what I've read from Machine gave me the fire to dream big in the gym. It made me realize how much there was to iron than just iron. From the time I shut down my computer after reading, understanding, letting those words that I read simmer, I knew I found my path. I knew I had a dream to cling on to, something to strive for, something that no injury or circumstance could peel me away from. When I realized this, I just went at it, and am still going at my dreams because I knew that there was more to this than just being bigger; it was and is a lifelong journey that would build a man. After reading that, I became intent on learning more about the iron, trying to suck up as much knowledge necessary and applying them to my game. I'd save up change from my lunch money to buy training magazines and equipment for the love of iron. After school, I'd head over to the gym and supplement shop to get my fix. It was tough doing this with school and trying to live a normal life, but it was worth living a dream for. Finally, I found something that I was passionate about, something to dedicate my life to. From then on, not only my body changed, but me as a person. Through the journey, I learned what it was like to be intent on mastering one thing, to master yourself, and to think outside the box, believing that you can push those limits that only your mind has set for itself. Most importantly, I learned to dream big and reach for them.
Through these events, I decided that not only did I want to simply bodybuild, but I wanted to live it. I wanted to breathe it, eat it, drink it, read it, be it. Because of this desire, I made the decision to study Sport Science in order to hone my craft and be the best I can be. No second thoughts about this, I wanted it, period. I studied intently on related subjects, even before taking entrance tests. But when I took the entrance test for the university I wanted to study in, I failed due to missing papers in the questionnaire. I was disappointed, thinking that yet another dream of mine has been crushed. But no, I did not accept that yet another dream has been crushed, so I looked intently for schools abroad. I knew there was something for me, I just knew it. There had to be because I was never surer that this is what I wanted to be. I knew I had to make huge sacrifices such as leaving my family and friends to study abroad, but it had to happen if I wanted to be fulfill what I knew was my path to take. As I searched and searched for a school, I trained and trained, and continued to learn and learn on my own, using precious time to do the thing I love until I found a school in New Zealand. Finally, I got accepted in a school, but had to wait for a year before entering the country since I was underage. In that one year, I continued studying on my own and training ahead of time for the course, teaching hundreds of children P.E., coaching boxing and fitness for free, selling supplements, studying body science, etc., in order to have an edge, anything to make myself better and more prepared for study abroad. I was never surer of anything in my life that this is what I wanted to be, and that I will make it, that is the reason why I dedicated my time to doing all those things. I awaited the day that I was dreaming of. I awaited the next step to reaching my dreams, which lay miles and miles away from home. It was just a matter of faithfully anticipating the day.
Now, the one year wait is over and I have been studying Sport Performance in New Zealand for over seven weeks and will later pursue a bachelor's degree when I'm done with this. So far, I've got the first semester pretty much solved, thanks to the advanced studies I've done on my own when I was hungry for knowledge. All the work back in my homeland was worth it, now that I'm here doing something I truly love. I am happy to say that I am living my dream now. I never thought that a skinny boy who read an article by Machine would even make it to the other side of the world to pursue the dream he conceived, to continually fan the fire that was lit in him years ago. What was a mere dream of pumping iron and studying abroad is now a reality. It's all so surreal. What was just a thought to me years ago, is now right in front of my eyes. Through my effort to be the best I can be, I wish to give a salute and rep Animal, since it was Animal that got me started on my journey to live my dream. To go hard is the least I can do. I also hope that I bring honor to God, my family, and friends. Without the support of loved-ones, who knows where I'd be. This dream may be mine, but it goes out to all these folks who made it possible. I will honor all of them by working hard and serving others as I also seek to better myself. This dream is not simply about building a better body, but better man who also build better people. In the end, the dream is not just about me. There is a bigger picture. A bigger mission.
I say that the dream has only begun. It is only coming true yet. The best is yet to come and nobody can stop me from getting the best.