My wellness journey starts when I was born as I have been faced with challenges my entire life. We all are. At birth, I had a lack of oxygen, and it took some time to resuscitate me. Because of this, I suffered some minimal brain damage and some extensive eye damage. I went through several medical procedures, as a baby, to help fix my eyes but back in the early 1950’s, there wasn’t much that could be done. On top of that, my legs were deformed, so I had to wear leg braces for the first few years of my life.
This made things a little more difficult growing up and I barely made it into kindergarten, being diagnosed as a “special education” student. I remember the doctor, whose care I was under, saying that I would just get by in the world, given my disabilities. What the doctor did not take into consideration was the will and determination that I developed to overcome everything I was told I was going to be unable to do. And it was a challenge, a challenge all the way through my grade school years until I was a Junior in high school.
My nicknames in grade school were “fat-boy” and “four-eyes”, being overweight (150 pounds at the age of 12) and legally blind. I was bullied, teased, and picked on through the 6th grade. Things got a bit better in Jr. High as my vision began to improve as I chose not to wear glasses, forcing myself to strengthen my eyesight. But academically and athletically, I was still challenged, still struggling in the classroom, being overweight and not strong or fast, just kind of getting by.
Even with that, I still went out for football in high school where I played center, snapping the football. I was mostly on the scout team my first two years but in my junior year, something happened. We were at practice running drills and a play was run. The offensive tackle was to block me, as it was his job, and yes, he did what he was supposed to do!!! He hit me so hard, I did a back flip landing on back, getting my “clock cleaned”. Yes, I began to cry but I also felt a burst of rage being taken out like that. Then, something clicked.
My coach was someone who knew how to get the most out of his players and I was no exception. After that play, we moved to the football field to work on the kick-off. I got up, visibly shaken, wiped away the tears and jogged to the football field. That’s when my Coach took me aside and asked me if I was okay and asked me if I would I like to take my aggression out on the football field. I said yes, and he grabbed me by my face mask (they could do it back then), told me to line up on the kick-off team and regardless of who was in my way, when the ball was kicked downfield, get to the ball carrier. I ran downfield, possessed with a burning desire to do what he asked of me like I had never experienced before. And you know what, I made the tackle and then the next one and the next, regardless of who was in my way. I grew up that day. It was the most defining moment in my life, at the time, and immediately changed the way I chose to look at life – let it control me or me take control of it.
I gained confidence in myself and took that lesson from high school, into college and into my adult life. I got into shape, lost weight, got stronger and faster. I improved in all areas of my life, and I no longer thought about my disabilities. I just worked harder with the mindset that I had to believe in myself first and do something to make the change. I went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in college, played college football and was also on the Powerlifting team that won a national collegiate championship my sophomore year. After college, from 1975 to 1986, I was in the restaurant and night club business and having days free I continued to work out and took on many challenges from running to weight training.
It wasn’t until 1986 that I began my mortgage banking career, as a Loan Officer, and through hard work, I became good at it. I did the right things, going to real estate offices every day, joining the affiliate division of my local board of realtors, meeting realtors for coffee or lunch, sharing activities and ideas with one another. I was so immersed in this that I lost my way, being physically fit, and in 1989 ballooned to a weight of 203 pounds! The reason? I never wanted to compromise my availability to my realtors and their clients (my borrowers), so I stopped just working out. When I realized that I was out of control, being overweight and out of shape, I found a way to get back in shape.
If I had to take a loan application, I would put it on my calendar and drive to a borrower’s home to take the loan application. That is how it was done back then (and sometimes still is today). Normally that would be about a 2-hour process. So, what did I do? I found a workout partner and made an appointment for a loan application for myself! From 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM during the week, and on Saturday mornings, I was in the gym doing cardio and weightlifting. Given I had someone who I made an appointment with, I met my obligation, met him at the gym and trimmed down to about 155 pounds in less than 6 months.
As an older adult, I continued to train, maintaining my weight, and, once again, competed in the sport of powerlifting, at the 148-pound weight class. I won multiple national championships and even set an American record, squatting 424 pounds when I was 50 years old. I competed until I was 56 years old until I realized I could no longer compete at a high level. It was then that I took up Jiu
Jitsu at the Gracie Barra Academy at the age of 57 and with my son Mason who was 10. As a note, if you ever want to have a very strong bond with your child, participate in a sport or activity with them. It is amazing! I have been training Jiu Jitsu now for over 13 years, training four days a week and up to 2 hours a day. My appointments, for me, are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM and Saturday from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Initially, I was training so much, I jokingly telling people, when I was in my 60’s, that “I want to receive my Black Belt before I die!” I received my Black Belt after 8 ½ years of being on the mats, in December of 2018, and I am now a 1st Degree Black Belt as of December 2021.
I absolutely love training Jiu Jitsu and the life balance it has created for me. It calms me down, makes me have a greater respect for people, makes me humble yet gives me confidence. When you train Jiu Jitsu, it becomes a part of who you are; It’s a way of life. It is probably the same for many people in fitness or wellness activities like bike-riding, running, surfing, pilates, yoga, spin and fitness classes, walking daily, etc.
For me, Jiu Jitsu is the ups, the downs, the struggle, the patience, the belief, the commitment, the discipline. It’s the personal victories, the growth, the progress, the injuries, and the setbacks. It’s the friendships I develop. It brings people from all walks of life together, no matter what they look like, what their religion is or what language they speak. There is a universal connection. It’s the fight in me to never give up, always do my best, never stop learning, do one thing 10,000 times not 10,000 things one time, and always have fun doing it. Most importantly, it is passing on my experience and knowledge to others every time I am on the mats testing my heart, my will and seeing what I need to correct, learn, and add to my arsenal. Sounds like what it takes to be a successful Loan Officer, doesn’t it?
In Jiu Jitsu it is not about winning or losing. If you are competing in a tournament, yes, that is different. But, when you are not competing, training Jiu Jitsu is about winning or learning. It’s about family… brothers and sisters. It’s each one of us becoming the best versions of ourselves. It’s taking everything we learn on the mat and carrying it with us, into everything we do, every day in our lives. I have learned that “rank” is subjective. You become a Blue Belt, Purple Belt, Brown Belt and eventually a Black Belt based on YOUR ability, not someone else’s. It’s about being the best “YOU”. It is the same in life.
There are 4 traits that I identify with, to get to this point in my life’s wellness journey. They are Culture, Courage, Achievement and Perseverance. It’s the people who you surround yourself with and here is the breakdown…
Culture... Culture is the integrity, the tradition, the brotherhood, the discipline and the legacy that has been formed and passed down to generations of people in an organization. You know you are working with and learning from people who are building relationships with you, guiding you through a long journey. Culture is also the character and personality of an organization. It's what makes it so unique and is the sum of its values, traditions, beliefs, interactions, behaviors, and attitudes. In a positive workplace culture attracts talent, drives engagement, impacts happiness, satisfaction, and affects performance. That is what we all should find in a cultural environment.
Next is COURAGE… Courage is the first of a human’s virtues because it makes all the others possible. Courage is a choice and one of the most important foundations of humanity. Courage is even more important than confidence because it takes courage to develop confidence. Confidence is developed, over time, by doing things outside and beyond our current skill level and comfort zone. So, it takes courage to gain confidence.
You develop confidence by COMMITMENT. If you are not committed to something there is no motive to power courage. Something must incite courage, prompt it, get it to awaken, a white-hot burning desire for something. Commitment incites courage. You do what is uncomfortable, you put your ego at risk, you stretch, and step into the unknown. By doing that you develop CAPABILITY. And capability is that new ability you did not have before. This makes you valuable and respected, which gives you confidence and the desire for something.
Courage is a choice, so we cannot wait for courage. It’s not like the lion cub that becomes a lion and its instincts and genetic code allow it to react to its surroundings. We only utilize our potential by the choices we make, and it is courage that drives them. It is the source code to realizing our potential and the greatness that we have inside. Courage is the mental strength, desire and passion to learn and fight the physical battles before us. We do not walk away or give up when we face the challenges that life demands of us. We commit to our fitness and wellness by going full out to improve and get better. We must also go all in, and have the responsibility to push ourselves and others to higher levels of achievement and greatness, beyond our expectations, our comfort zone, and bringing out our best. And that all takes courage. So, develop courage by performing courageous acts and go courageously in the direction of your dreams and realize your greatness to live the life you have imagined.
ACHIEVEMENT… For me in as it relates to Jiu Jitsu, it starts with walking in that door and stepping on the mat, as a white belt, and putting the time, effort and training that goes into earning a stripe or a belt promotion and, culminating over years of training, receiving a Black Belt. Achievement is accomplished by superior ability, special effort and great courage. It is the final accomplishment of something noteworthy, despite obstacles and discouragement.
We all know that feeling, taking on a sport or wellness activity, and beginning the long journey that lies ahead to attain a goal. It is a feat that exemplifies the performance of something difficult, demanding technical skill, endurance, and strength. For me, the achievement has been training Jiu Jitsu four days a week, sometimes up to two hours a day and then another 2 days a week in the gym doing cardio and weightlifting. It has been the effort, sweat, aches, pains, and injuries. It is not easy, but to get to any level of what ACHIEVEMENT is, is not without hours, days, weeks, and years of practice, learning and execution.
Then there is PERSERVERANCE. Perseverance is not giving up. It is the persistence, the tenacity, the grit, and the effort required to do something and keep doing it till the end, even if it's hard. You must have perseverance to be successful in life. It is working hard regardless of the obstacles that exist. It is getting something done and not giving up. People who persevere are consistent in doing something despite how hard it is or how long it takes to reach a goal.
Think of success. To be successful, people think of hard work, determination, and continuous struggle. You must have perseverance to succeed. It is the constant dedication, effort, time, and mindset in doing something, irrespective of the difficulties and delays in achieving the goal or success. To persevere, you must have a clear vision and purpose to meet and achieve that goal. It is maintaining optimism and living in the present, acknowledging your growth and accomplishments, as little as they may seem. It is trying new experiences and along the way, taking care of your MIND, BODY, EMOTIONS and SPIRIT. It is the experience of you living your goal every day.
As I finish sharing my story, take it from someone who is now 5’4’, 130 pounds and is going to be 71 years young; fitness and wellness have nothing to do with age! My message here is Don’t give up! Don’t give up! Don’t ever, ever give up!!! I have an imaginary sign hanging over my head that says, “Under Construction”. It reminds me to keep learning, adapt and change. That is how I live my life, every day. It’s challenges, not promises and it’s being successful by doing the things that other people are unwilling to do.
Hunger is the source code for greatness; an appetite for more, a striving, a pursuit, an obsession to great achievement and wanting more from life. So, embrace the CULTURE you surround yourself with. Have the COURAGE to train for fitness and wellness as consistently as you can. ACHIEVE what it is that you want to accomplish and through all the of the challenges in life, PERSERVERE, making great things happen.
Fitness / Wellness Accomplishments:
Played College Football 1971-1973
Won Collegiate National Powerlifting Championship in 1972
1975 Lifeguard in Germany on the Baltic Sea
Ran 20K in 1 Hour, 28 Minutes in 1977
Ran a Marathon in 3 Hours, 28 Minutes in 1977
Ran a 10K in 36 Minutes, 36 Seconds in 1978
Ran 10 Mile Race in 1 Hour in 1978
Ran a Mile in 4 Minutes, 55 Seconds in 1978
1975 -1986 and 1989 - 2000 Worked Out almost Daily (Minimum of 4 Days a Week)
Ran 5K in 19 minutes, 43 Seconds in 1994
USPF Master’s Powerlifting Champion 2001, 2002
USPF Master’s Powerlifting American Record Holder at 50 years old, Squatting 424 pounds (148 Pound Weight Class) 2002
Received Jiu Jitsu Black Belt in December 2018
Received 1st Degree on Black Belt in December 2021
And the Journey Continues…
Steve Somerman
Branch Manager, 505
Thank you for sharing your story Steve. You are an inspiration!