Page 30 - NGA NATURALmag 2020 WINTER Issue

Winter 2020
Just Keep Knockin’
BY KEvIN SMITH SMITH (FLEX SMITH) PRESIDENT OF THE BODYSMITH INC NGA PERSONAL TRAINER WWW THEBODYSMITHPLAN COM THEBODYSMITHPLAN@GMAIL COM Ientered college in the fall of
o 2001 I I I left home to pursue higher education and to to be able to to provide for my family Like
most people I I started off with a a a a clean slate I was given the freedom to develop myself create my my own schedule and make my my own decisions Life was pretty good How- ever by the end of
my freshman year I lost it all I could paint a a a a a perfect picture for you you but that wouldn’t be be be reality The truth is if you you you haven’t been been knocked down you’ve been been on on the the wrong path the the entire time So whatever you you are going through get ready to be transformed Do you remember the movie movie Rocky? In this movie movie Mr Balboa consistently took a a a a a a a a a beat-down and always continued to to to get back up after the beating Is this because because he he he wanted to to become a a a a a a a a a a a a world champion? Was it it because because because he he he believed in in his his vision? Or could it it it have been because because he he he he made a a a a a a a a a commitment to to stay on on on the the path to to becoming the the greatest version of
himself?
You may be asking yourself these same
questions questions right right now By checking in in in and asking the the the right right questions questions may help you you to overcome the the the challenges challenges in your your own personal journey and there will will be challenges challenges Despite this the the real test of
your your character and how badly you you you want it it will will will come from the the amount of
times you you are willing to get back up when when faced with a a a a a a challenge This is is the the time when when you don’t stop Just Keep Knockin At the end of
of
my my freshman year I was placed on on academic probation and and lost all of
of
my my my scholarships and and student aid I I blamed everyone else for my my lack of
of
of
success instead of
of
of
taking responsibility Instead of
of
of
attending to my studies I I I hung out out late at at at night I I was more interested in in in in in learning learning about about women than learning learning about about myself Eventually the choices I I made landed me right where I I was destined to be Because of
of
these poor choices I spent 11 years at a a a a a a a a a a a a 4-year college From the the the fall of
of
of
of
2001 to the the the spring of
of
of
2007 I I was classified as as as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a freshman I I lost all all of
of
of
my scholarships and and had to obtain residency and and was was recognized as as as an an an independent student As a a a a a a a a a a a a a result of
this which seemed bad at at first I I was was able to receive state grants and and more financial aid In the spring of
of
2012 I I finally graduated and and earned my Bachelors of
of
Science degree in fin in Human Devel- opment and Family Studies 30 NGA NATURALmag