My Thoughts on Grayson Murray

Hi, it's been a while (although I feel like anytime I fire up the blogspot I open by saying the exact same thing each time, but whatever). First and foremost, I hope you're well. I'm always thankful for those who stop by and take time out of their lives to read whatever golf-related BS I tend to jot down. Some of it can be compelling, but I find it mostly to be a way to pass time in between Slacks and answering angry client emails, but I digress. This entry goes beyond the fictional parody blog of what Hollywood actor would play PGA Tour players in a movie, or the bland, general recap of the 2018 U.S Open. This is about something we all need to pay much more attention to, because it often cannot be seen in the light of every day life.

May is mental-health awareness month. For those close to me, they'll let out a sarcastic laugh if you ask them how much I tend to talk about high school. Look I get it, I'm responsible for roughly half the total views of our 2007 high school hockey highlight video on YouTube, and I still wear clothes and listen to bands that come from the same prehistoric time period. However one of my greatest memories/accomplishments didn't involve me scoring a clutch goal at USM Ice Arena or even having a 1.000 fielding percentage during my senior baseball season. It was being elected to join a peer group called the Natural Helpers which was part of a larger group of high school students run by an organization called Day One. To be elected, you were chosen by classmates as someone they could turn to to lend an ear or talk about certain issues that someone was dealing with much deeper below the surface of what you see roaming the halls of the school. Some of the conversations I had with either my best friends or people I only interacted with in certain classes changed my life. Being part of this organization changed my life and I still think about what a badge of honor it was to be elected to that group. So much so that I still strive to be someone who regularly checks in with people even when they least expect it on any given day, no matter how much time has passed since I last reached out to them.

So why the f*ck am I telling you this? If you've been around this blog for a while, as stated earlier, I consider myself a rather sizable golf nerd. As I'm sure you've all experienced in current or past jobs, or even around the dinner table talking to family, if anyone were to ask you "what's your dream job", mine would be golf writer, period. So I guess that's why I do it, but again it's more to avoid angry customers during my day job. If you're not a golf junkie like me, the PGA Tour has had a very, very rough 2023-24 season. There's LIV Golf, the world #1 golfer getting arrested before his second round tee time at the PGA Championship in Kentucky and then there's Grayson Murray, who tragically took his own life this weekend, as confirmed today by his family.

Complete gut punch.

My best friend in the world was diagnosed as bipolar a number of years ago and struggled with his mental health in the proceeding years. Since, he's learned how to manage and turned what's he's learned into a massive positive (not to mention the best new father I know). As much as I've wanted to ask him what it's like to be in his shoes over time, admittedly I tended to shy away from getting too engrained into the specifics as it's one of the most delicate issues someone can go through. You want to give them space to "figure it out" as to not remind them of the struggles they're endearing with the thought that it could spark up a negative episode. You want to reach out to friends of friends and immediate family, asking how things are going and if there's anything I can do to help. You're tip-toeing around without so much going directly to the source. People who mean the world to you shouldn't be fielding questions from their own family that are prefaced like "hey, Brian was asking about you the other day, he's wondering how you're doing!" 

And to that end, as I'm realizing now, I say fuck that. I should've asked, and I should ask.

Grayson Murray was on tour since 2017 and for those who followed, was a complete hot head at times. Outspoken as he was critical on certain issues on tour, the guy could play golf but it was never easy. He'd played for three colleges in four semesters, finally landed at Arizona State and legendarily qualified for a Korn Ferry Tour event when he was 16. The dude was good at golf, but he was also open and vocal about his struggles with depression and alcoholism which seemingly is related to his brash comments and fiery atitude. The most heart-breaking thing about this story is that his caddie loved him. He worked his absolute ass off to get himself into incredible shape, turned his life around physically and it all came together this past January when he won the Sony Open on the magical island of Oahu, setting himself up on tour for years to come. The guy turned it around, and people noticed. Yet, the worst part about all of this, is that in the eyes of Grayson Murray, winning a tour event and millions of dollars playing professional golf and setting up his schedule for the next two years still wasn't enough. I get emotional thinking of how in the midst of the Charles Schwab tournament this weekend in Texas, he told his caddie and tour officials that he needed to withdraw due to "illness", and the next day he's gone. The beneath-the-surface level struggles that he had to be endearing...well let's just say I'm in tears just thinking about what he'd been going through. For things to be so bad that he'd decided screw it, I'm withdrawing and I'm done.

I don't know, when these types of things happen you start thinking about how you approach your own life and how you present yourself to those around you. Again, one of the great joys of my life is being the guy who proactively reaches out to people, ask them how they're doing, ask "dude, remember that time that THIS happened" and "holy shit, how was this 17 years ago?!". That's what keeps my mental health in a good place, is the nostalgia but also the hope and excitement of what the future holds. Grayson Murray was 30 years old, and it's remarkably obvious that is far too young to say goodbye to a son, friend, fiance etc. My only hope that comes out of this is we continue to check in on each other. Call your family constantly, text your friends regularly and never, ever be afraid to ask for help if you're going down a downward path mentally. 

Excitement of Judge's 62nd Home Run Absolutely No Match for Big Mac in 1998

Over the year's, I don't fancy myself a baseball blogger. Hell, I don't fancy myself as a blogger in general. Just a guy in his head about a lot of thoughts related to workout routine's, Tiger Woods and Tom Brady (but he's got enough issues going on right now, that's for a later time). But I'd be remiss not to comment on Aaron Judge's 62nd home run in the 2022 Major League Baseball season.

Come to think of it, this didn't hold half the excitement of when it happened back in 1998. But real quick, just look at this fucking guy below. Nah, nothing sketchy about that at all.

Look, there's been a lot written about different "eras" of the MLB. Even more baffling is the realization of the majority of baseball fans today likely not even knowing what happened in the summer of 1998 since they weren't even fucking born yet. Yet, had they been alive during the greatest and most exciting time in professional baseball, I'm sure they'd understand where I'm coming from. Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Babe Ruth, Roger Maris. Literally, the only four names you heard for three straight months during the given season. It was the greatest fucking thing in sports. When Ken Griffey Jr, arguably the most liked player in MLB history hit an absurdly quiet 56 home runs, you knew something different was happening here. Look at the stats from 1998. Sammy Sosa had 66 home runs and ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY EIGHT RBI'S. I'm literally laughing writing this. Obviously Big Mac finished as (and still is) the king with 70 dingers and 147 RBI's (childs play), but you cannot look at these numbers and keep a straight face at this day and age.

So let's recall the excitement here. This happened probably 11 hours ago when the Yankees were in Texas playing the Rangers. Granted, this was an away game and you knew if it were in the Bronx the place would fucking burn down. But look at the footage from 1998. Joe Buck is on the call, which already feels like a monumental and important moment (and it was). Hell, Fox even cut away from another game to broadcast this event. Fox obviously wasn't competing with the likes of Apple TV, Amazon, Hulu, whatever in 1998. It was cable TV, and it was all anyone could watch. The grainy footage even adds to the lore. But what was so insane about Big Mac hitting number 62 was the way he hit the frigin ball. The speed at which the ball left his bad had to be in the thousands, and it was simply so hilarious that the lowest line drive for a home run ever hit was number 62. It wasn't a towering, game deciding blast (nor was Judge's), but the Cardinals were already out of the race and there was nothing left but to bask in the roided up glow of the home run race of 1998.

As McGwire rounds the bases, literally skipping first base mind you, fireworks exploded. Teammates gathered at home plate (led by his son), there was a 10-minute game stoppage, and finally the hilarious exchange between McGwire and Sosa. Oh shit, I forgot to mention. The Cardinals were playing the fucking Cubs that game! There is simply zero debate on which home run was more exciting.

McGwire's home run simply felt bigger, more entertaining and now, more nostalgic to generations past. Today, we're inundated with social media and idiot Yankee fans shoving Aaron Judge down our throats that you aren't able to think about the chase, watch it, enjoy it and eventually remember it. In closing, thank God for no social media back in 1998. But imagine thinking this was all natural athletic ability where nobody questioned anything? I'd like to go back to that time.

"Folks it couldn't happen to a better man. And you'll always remember where you were at 8:18pm central time September 8th, 1998." Nice touch there Joe.

I Simply Cannot Get Enough of Phil Mickelson (Part 2)

 Well folks, I'm back.

And as it appears today during the final round of the 2021 PGA Championship, Phil Mickelson never left.

So where to begin with? I guess to recap, April 13th of last year was the timestamp from my last blog, and as you can probably imagine, there wasn't much motivation to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard so to speak) for the duration of the year that shall not be named. There were lockdowns and long walks to the middle of nowhere, closed golf courses and empty ski lifts all the same. There wasn't a whole lot of entertainment for the majority of the former half of the calendar year.

However, when you look at the general landscape of professional sport and how leagues persisted through that miserable mess, you were pleasantly surprised if you were a golf fan. The PGA Tour was the first professional sports league to resume competitive play before the remainder of all four major sports leagues. The thought of being out in the open air scattered throughout 6,500 yards of open grass and powdered bunkers was adequate enough to avoid any sort of sickness which has affected so many. Being the fanatic of the game of golf that I am, I found solace and gratefulness in being able to tee it up throughout the front range of Denver during this flat out awful time.

Fast forward to May of 2021, things are looking up. Thank God. An example of this sort of rebound that is occuring throughout human society today is the final round of the PGA Championship. We have the best in the world, playing a major golf tournament in May, with thousands of fans spread out (or based on the drone footage, not so much) throughout the sand dunes and marshlands that is Kiawah Island. The funny thing is, if you were to tell me in 2011 that the likes of Phil Mickelson (the same Phil Mickelson who has gone through a total body transformation, gained millions of social media followers over the last three years and oh yeah, fast approaching his milestone 51st birthday) was going to win the PGA Championship in 2021 and be the oldest to ever do it, I'd probably say you've been drinking too many High Noons. But then again, High Noon wasn't around back then so maybe I'm the crazy one.

Yes, Phil Mickelson has done it. He's captured the 103rd PGA Championship and had no intention of letting that lead go since early on Friday morning. It was seriously amazing watching him this weekend, especially with golf majors mortal lock Brooks Koepka chasing him until about the 12th hole during the final round, Louis Oosthuizen who will probably never win a tournament in his life, and even my good friend Rickie Fowler with a low-key top five finish. And while I'm sure the old boys club of golf media will give him the praise he deserves for the next four or five days, I want to revisit the last time I wrote about Phil. Need I remind you all, he read my last blog and sent me a signed Callaway glove. I call it 'a little something, you know, for the effort.' So let's dive into part two, as we explore what Phil's been up to since I last wrong I Simply Cannot Get Enough of Phil Mickelson...part one.

Phil Mickelson Hits the Slopes

So we last checked in with Phil in 2018 after he generously picked Tiger Woods' pocket for a cool $9m at 'The Match'. All going to charity of course, but still a great victory nonetheless. Taking place in the eventual shadows of Shadow Creek in Las Vegas, the lackluster albeit entertaining match between two of the greatest to ever do it was something different and unique. So how'd he celebrate? By bombing down what appears somewhere in Colorado is my guess toward the end of 2018. A holiday well spent.

Phireside with Phil Series

There was something truly special and quite frankly downright hilarious when both Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady joined social media. These are two guys that have historically had a rather private side to them, however these days they are the only two follows where I have notifications turned on and it's worth it every time. While TB12 has Twitter figured out pretty good, Phil has taken to Instagram to really showcase three important storylines: his calves, his Coffee for Wellness and his Phireside chats with Phil. These things are fucking electric, to put it candidly. Utilized as an adult story time, these Phireside chats (properly accessorised with multiple candles both real and fake) dive into the career of Phil over the years with any vital information us golf geeks will cherish. It was after these chats launched that we had broken a barrier with Phil and he's really letting his fans in for the ride.

Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady vs. Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning

Now, if you're a fan of Entourage like myself, you'll recall Tom Brady self proclaiming himself a '3' handicap in a cameo appearance on the hit HBO show. While the thought of this type of match may have been better than actually having said match, and also probably the rainiest golf outing I've ever seen on television, Tiger and Peyton defeated Phil and Tom handily which let's be honest surprised no one. And it's really too bad, especially where Phil carried camera crews with him and gave insightful information to attempt to help Tom's game throughout the 6ish hours this match carried out. I think the only thing I really remember from this match back on May 24 of last year were the Apple AirPods all four pros wore throughout the round. To quote the infamous David Spade...'were you calling from a walkie talkie'? 

Now for the professional golf portion...Phil has won TWICE on the PGA Champions Tour (Including his Debut)

Look, we all knew this was going to happen eventually even if we choose not to believe it. Phil is 50, which means he can join the Champions tour and totally obliterate the field in the most unfriendly ways. If I'm Tiger Woods, I'm 100% stoked to turn 50. Imagine what he's going to do on that tour? Silly. However, one thing that cannot be overstated is that Phil won his first tournament on the Champions tour with relative ease at the Chuck Schwab Series at the Ozarks. So how do you follow up your opening tour tournament win? You win the second, this time at Dominion Energy Charity Classic. Let's save some for the rest of the guys eh pal?

Finally, Just Look at the Guy...He's a Walking Fitness Influencer

One of the coolest things you can watch someone do is totally change their appearance for the better. You relish the fact that people either close to you or in your social media feed are making a diligent and assiduous (thank you thesaurus) effort to lose weight or get healthy. Phil has done just that over the last five years, so much so that he's embarrassing us all with his coolness factor as we scroll across our feeds. Now, fitness influencers aren't really my thing (except I'm getting dangerously close to following each one of the Peloton instructors and can tell you what they're up to at any given time) but if you're Phil Mickelson and you're swinging yourself around using the TRX bands or filming part three of 'Phil Kwan Do' then fine. Take my money and I'll get the popcorn.

Finally, The PGA Championship 2021

What can I say? There was a period of time three years ago where I'd be writing either a golf blog or some piece about how to better yourself in the workplace on a daily basis but over the last year I hadn't felt the need or motivation to do so. In a way, golf was one of the few things that carried me through this ridiculously insane period in our history whether it be watching or playing the game. I've always loved Phil, how could you not? Leave it to him, just a month shy of turning 51 to become the oldest major winner in golf history and stay cool the entire way. 

That's what Phil does whether you're a fan or not. Hey Phil, if you're reading this (again), my address has changed. I'd love a hat to go with that signed glove you sent me last time.

Finally, After All These Years, Tom and Tiger Let Us In

It's Monday, April 13th and while in any other normal year in human history would mark the Monday after The Masters, which would be filled with highlights, interviews and social media fluff, it turns out it's another day the worldwide population is stuck in paralysis.

Forgetting for a second about how the world is in complete and utter chaos, of the likes to which nobody could have ever imagined, something has become evident more than ever during this calendar year. While the areas of professional sports are currently every shade of gray ever created, we are becoming witness to two of the greatest athletes in generations actually becoming...human?

Tom Brady is the greatest football player who ever lived (said using Benny Rodgriguez's voice from The Sandlot). Tiger Woods is the most popular golfer who ever lived (steering away from saying the greatest for the Jack Nicklaus crowd) not only as an in-person golfer, but also to what he refers to himself as a 'YouTube Golfer'. His children can attest to this description, as can many who forget how great he was from 1997-2008ish? YouTube? This could make for an interesting segway, so let's start there. Social media allows for a special insight into someone's life, either in extreme and often uncomfortable detail, or in minute and miniscule glimpses. As we've noticed over the last 10 years, two formerly incredibly private lives in Brady and Woods are now becoming spotlighted via social media. Thinking in years past, when Brady was winning his first three Super Bowls, or Tiger was winning every tournament imaginable, it was often the job of the paparazzi or the newspaper tabloids to sneak a shot of these two world-reknown superstars when they weren't competing. I am certainly not interested in going into greater detail on how this virtually ruined Tiger's life for a number of years from 2009 and even before, but this was simply the only way we could tap into what Tiger was doing when he wasn't raising trophies.

The point of the blog is this: there have been multiple examples over the last two or three years where Tom Brady and Tiger Woods have stepped out from their historically private lives and have finally allowed the fan, the skeptic, the reporter and the next generation into what is somewhat going on inside their mind. The amount of times I've listened to podcasters, satellite radio hosts and even co-workers mention something like "never in a million years did I ever think Tom Brady would make a documentary for Facebook" or "if you told me Tiger would actually agree to a one on one pay-per-view match with Phil fucking Mickelson" back in 2004? 2005? It wouldn't happen, you'd be considered clinically nuts. Yet, here we are. All of these things happened, but that's just the start of how we have finally been awarded access into the lives of these two GOATs for the first time since, well, 1997?

Brady.

Social Media Draft:

Tom Brady wrote on Facebook in early January of 2017 that he will be choosing another form of social media to better connect with fans and develop somewhat of a presence online. I remember when he joined Facebook it was a total shock because he had always been laser focused on nothing but football for years. It seemed from the second he beat the Rams in the Super Bowl in 2002 until around roughly 2010-11 that nobody knew what he was doing away from Gillette Stadium. Shit, he was so private that the only time anyone saw him outside his house was when he was involved in a car accident circa 2010 sporting the Alabama football haircut. He was driving a black Audi (obviously) and was on his way to none other than the practice facility. There was no drama, nobody was hurt, but it was something that perked your ears up a little bit. It didn't exactly generate the level of interest that the whole Brandon Spikes abandoned car story did, but it's the Patriots and people are going to read. Fast-forward seven years and, while posting on Facebook to make his announcement, Brady alerted the masses he was 'joining Instagram' and he and his 7.5 million followers have taken off ever since. Something we all have noticed since joining the platform, contrary to what all local sports talk radio hosts have decided long ago, is Tom Brady has personality. In fact, he's fucking hilarious. While he posts his share of motivational content, the thing I notice most on his Instagram account are the comments he makes on other athlete's pages (mainly Julian Edelman). The guy is as active as any 22-year old influencer and while he may not be getting a sponsorship deal from #awayluggage his engagement certainly qualifies him for consideration.


Tom vs. Time:

Next, there was Tom vs. Time, aka the documentary series which sort of came out of nowhere in 2018 and was filmed during the Patriots Super Bowl run in 2018 (eventually losing to the Philadelphia Eagles in a shootout). You can imagine how this series played out in Tom's head as he emerged again as a Super Bowl champion, but shockingly enough they fell short. Some argue (not me) that it made the series better from a viewer standpoint because of this loss, but imagine if we won that game? It'd win every independent documentary award possible because you just can't script a guaranteed Super Bowl win. I guess my two cents on the series starts with Facebook Watch in general. It's too clunky and difficult to find exactly what you're looking for. I can't believe I'm saying this, but Justin Bieber's latest series he filmed for YouTube rolled easily from one episode to the next if you're binge watching of course. The Tom vs. Time production was just too difficult to easily find, as are all videos on Facebook Watch. If you're going to do a project like this, just partner with Facebook's cousin YouTube and make it a more seamless experience for everyone. Frankly, I'm surprised he didn't launch his own digital platform to release it on (TB12 productions coming soon!)

Howard Stern Interview:

My last example, is the Howard Stern interview which was live on Sirius XM last Monday April 6. This thing was TWO HOURS! Imagine Tom Brady doing a two hour interview at any point in his career? I thought it was totally unorthodox of him to do a podcast, which he conducted with Peter King back in 2017, let alone an interview with the notorious Stern. Now granted, this isn't Howard Stern of the 90's, and this isn't Brady of his 20's. This was a very much watered-down Stern who is still making millions at this day and age and he had mentioned he'd wanted Brady on the show many times over the previous decade. Whether there is truth to the Patriots not allowing Brady on the show as pointed out in the interview, we'll never know. However my honest opinion of the entire thing (yes I heard it all) was that Brady opened up and he offered some glimpses into how his final year in New England stood. I'm fully aware his time in NE is over, and I'll never forget the moments he gave us as fans, but it was just incredibly surreal and shocking to hear how he moved his family to freakin FLORIDA and shuffled right into Derek Jeter Properties Inc. Now that I think about it, really the only takeaway I have of the interview a week later is that Jeter has crazy high walls/gates in front of the house to limit the fine folks down there. Where Brady lived basically in seclusion with his family in Chestnut Hill, MA for so many years, it's comical to hear him mentioned how his neighbors can just walk up to his driveway while walking the dog like it's everyday American life. He better get used to it.

Woods.

I recently purchased a book by writer Michael Bamberger entitled "The Second Life of Tiger Woods" and it couldn't be a more perfect depiction of the era we are currently witnessing play out with the most popular golfer in generations. Nothing needs to be said on 2009, and the days, weeks and months thereafter. We know, we get it. Now you flash forward a couple years in dealing with back injuries, his routine blog posts announcing he is yet again not ready to return to competitive golf will forever be a staple in those years in the mid-2010's. On Twitter, I still remember commenting on a tweet of his which filmed him hitting an iron shot for the first time since spinal fusion surgery (over 500 likes how do you like that) and thinking he had turned a corner. Imagine seeing a tweet of him hitting one iron shot in October 2017? In shorts no less? We knew we were in for a long period of waiting, similar to the worldwide population with the shit we're going through right now. Yet, we waited, and we watched, and finally we saw him win at the Tour Championship in 2018. And for the grand finale (for now) with a fifth green jacket last April. However, much like Brady, Tiger has started coming to light in the eyes of the fan. He's routinely started giving more interviews (more on this soon), also posting on social media, becoming more animated during press conferences and really beginning to show the average golf fan what life is like for Eldrick Woods.

Tiger Woods vs Phil Mickelson Thanksgiving 2018:

I did not watch this, just throwing that out there first. I was skeptical from the start, mainly because I was going to be traveling for Thanksgiving in 2018 and wasn't sure if I'd even be in position to watch this match. The match in question here, was a pay-per-view event which was intended to provide sports fans with a totally unorthodox at the end of the calendar year event that was destined to be full of shit-talking, caddie insight and heavy sponsor presence surrounding the making of this Las Vegas spectacle. From what I gather, Shadow Creek is very photogenic and was a strong candidate to host something like this. The issue was, it was Thanksgiving weekend. Aka the heart of football season. The reviews mention there was entirely too much silence during the broadcast and there are still opinions out there to this date of people giving their two cents on how this match could have been better. With talks of a re-match in the works and the inclusion of none other than Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, there are scenarios abound on how this can be a homerun especially at a time where sports are totally 100% non-existent.

Tiger Woods Golf Digest Podcast (April 9)

As long as I can remember in recent memory, Tiger had appeared on only one podcast during his career (Geno Auriemma's podcast three years ago). This provided somewhat of an inside look in how Tiger was preparing to play competitive golf again and the status of his health. Well, flash forward to this year where absolutely nothing makes sense, the week before Tiger should be preparing for Augusta, he appeared on a podcast produced by Golf Digest and conducted by Henni Zuel. If anyone is wondering what Tiger is up to at this time, he mentioned he's trying to help daughter Sam and girlfriend Erica with this "Un-Godly puzzle, which is difficult because I'm partially color-blind." Never knew that. Tiger also mentioned he's helping Sam and son Charlie with home-schooling. Ten years ago I couldn't imagine Tiger giving any sort of update on his children (granted Charlie was born in 2009) but hypothetically if he had children during the mid-2000's there would be zero chance of allowing this type of look into his life.

Masters 2019 Recap with Jim Nantz

The Masters is a tradition unlike any other, and it just so happens this is a calendar year already unlike any other in some of the most disappointing and negative ways possible. Mainly, there was no Augusta this year. There was no champions dinner, no drive chip and putt competition, no par-3 contest and no four rounds of the greatest golf played all year. In hopes of providing some type of nostalgic and normal moment for sports fans globally, CBS, YouTube and ESPN have been re-airing old final rounds of the tournament and fittingly, on Easter Sunday, re-ran the 2019 Masters that brought literally generations together in one moment. While everything seems to be digital and online these days, CBS actually had Jim Nantz and Tiger collaborating during the broadcast together, as various interviews throughout the round was conducted. The most telling, and most emotional segment of even the entire calendar year, were the remaining five minutes once the broadcast showed Tiger winning his fifth Masters. Where there wasn't a dry eye when he won, there were an equal number of dry eyes hearing him talk about embracing his family on the last hole. For Tiger to be available over the course of a five hour broadcast, this truly marks a new era and a much, much more real Eldrick Woods. 

In closing, this was a pretty surreal blog to write. Where nothing makes sense these days, Tom Brady and Tiger Woods have been at the tops of their games consistently throughout their entire careers. So much has been said about the privacy they choose to withhold over the year, and when we're able to get a peek over the fence, or through the window of what their lives might be like, now both in their 40s it sounds like they are becoming more comfortable at not shutting themselves out from reality. While we only have YouTube these days to relive some of these cherishable moments in sports, maybe once this is all over it'll only be just the beginning to truly learn what types of people Tom and Tiger really are.

When Life Gives You a Schedule, Stick to the Routine

4:47am.

It's hard to believe I'm approaching eight years in the workforce upon graduating college in 2011. In today's society and culture, life was a hell of a lot different in 2011-2012 than it is today, and this includes the job market. From arriving to work every morning at 7:30am in a full suit ready to clean cars at one of the country's leading rental car agencies (figure that one out) and leaving not a second before 6:00pm Monday through Friday (and sometimes Saturday), I've found having a routine to follow each day both structurally and emotionally important. While many 22 year old new grads may not come to grips with this until years later (I sure didn't) I look back on the last eight years and am incredibly thankful that I figured this thing out and developed into a morning person. 

4:47am.

Fast forward to today, I'm sitting by the pool at a resort in Scottsdale, AZ on a business trip visiting one of the biggest clients I've ever worked with (both size and financial) with my boss and fellow colleague. It's 8:36am (start rolling your eyes now) and so far today I've run 8.2 miles and walked another 60 minutes as a cool down. Yes I'm one of those sickos who wakes up biblically early to workout and then workout again. However, there is simply more to my madness.

I don't travel for work very often, and I'm very appreciative whenever presented the opportunity and hope to continue doing so. Speaking with my boss yesterday afternoon, we dove into discussion about what we do outside of work and why we are both so fond of exercising and getting dialed in during the morning hours. It's admirable for people to be able to find motivation and energy to wake up between 6-7am to get their workout done for the day. That being said, over the last five years I never think of waking up to workout as "getting it over with so I don't need to worry about it after work" like the majority of people who wake up to exercise. But seriously, credit to you for doing it because it's not easy. I do however need to give myself credit on a daily basis because I realize I'm one of the rare breeds who wakes up at truly psychotic hours because it's all about routine.

4:47am

Rewind to earlier this week, I'm currently on the plane headed for Scottsdale from Denver for the work trip and it hits me I need to set my alarm, as I do each day. While it may take less than a second to flip the switch on my phone to schedule the soothing and humble Jack Johnson to remind him he needs to wake up at 4:47am in order to wake me up in the morning, this simple act triggers my thoughts and plan for the next day. The biggest point I want to hammer home in this post, is that I follow this routine every single day, whether it's a Monday on a regular week, a Saturday night or a Wednesday during a work trip. Of course, if I'm on vacation at a location I pay a substantial part of my paycheck for, perhaps I decide to sleep in and only remind Jack to wake me up at, say...5:15am?

Establishing a routine is critical, and I'm dead serious about this. Thinking back to when I was an actual college student, it took a few years for me to figure it out. However, during my senior year, I noticed I began to adapt somewhat of an early riser routine when I was in the gym at 8-9am on a Saturday (you can imagine this was an entire ghost town, aside from the hungover desk attendant to which I was one myself and had plenty of those types of mornings). Starting in say 2015 began the consistent wake-up calls ranging from (yikes) as early as 3:50am. I will say, I did not wake up this early to regularly workout. Chances are I had a 4+ hour bike ride planned that day, a ski trip, you get it. I visited Seattle to attend a wedding just last year of a lifelong friend, and even then in one of the coolest areas I'd visited in the US, I was still setting an alarm to find the nearest Planet Fitness simply to stay grounded and on routine (sorry Alli). Another wedding of a lifelong friend three years ago in New Jersey, another alarm set. Granted, this was the first and only time I ever started a workout and puked not because of the workout, but because of the night before. A little aggressive on that one.

The takeaway is this: whether it's a normal day of the week, a weekend, a vacation, wedding, business trip or whatever, the value and benefit of having and following an established routine has changed my life. Like many 22 year olds, it began when I was a tad on the heavier side (all muscle, just too much of it) and wanted to embark on my goal of really looking like Paul Walker. It's carried me over five years and has taught me to stay true to myself, enjoy each morning and simply attempt to slow life down and recognize what's around you. How nice is it to be running on an empty beach, park or street knowing you're ahead of everyone else. How nice is it to get that first tee time? That first chairlift? This is why I do it, and this is why I thank Jack Johnson for waking up with me each and every morning, much to his chagrin I'm sure. Aloha.

4:54am: I realize I hit snooze and now I'm pissed.

Brian is a native of southern Maine and is approaching eight years of professional marketing experience. Current and previous work experience ranges from managing digital advertising campaigns for residential real estate properties, e-commerce merchants and B2B service providers. His current title is Senior Account Manager and is based in Denver, Colorado. In his spare time he will almost always be on either a golf course, beach (either physically or spiritually) along the coast or attempting a black diamond on a mountain in Colorado. His blogging interests include professional golf, tech advances and business news.