Who's physical prowess inspires you?

Their posters covered your bedroom walls, and you would snap up any magazine that had an article. The time spent replaying the YouTube clips, and a quick check of your phone background is further evidence that these people inspire you. The first guy to catch my imagination was Lou Ferrigno as the Incredible Hulk; I couldn't imagine that a real man was that size.

Jordan's dunks, Pele's footwork, Tiger's golf, Ali's blurring speed, Tony's skateboarding, Venus and Serena's tennis, Babe's home runs, or Jerry's gridiron speed. These are many of the first faces that come to mind as we reflect on those that have spent the required thousands of hours to become experts in their craft and hone their bodies to achieve astounding results.

Much closer to home people that are doing amazing physical feats each day, much closer to home. Ask, the marathon running co-worker how training is progressing toward her next race, the wounded warrior about his next Crossfit Fran PR, or the neighbor about her yoga pose proficiency. Check with the guy at church, about his next Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu belt test, or the beast with python arms buying baby diapers in the checkout line ahead of you.

Sports Illustrated covers and Wheaties boxes are great places to start looking for inspiration, but don't limit your sources. The face time with these local examples will give your physical preparations a shot of inspiration, and besides, they probably won't charge for an autograph. Ask questions, deliver encouragement, and always bring a Sharpie.

Going Further: What are the world famous names that have had an impact on your physical training? Who are the locals that have inspired your training? Have you ever interacted with them and expressed your admiration? How did that come about? Who can you learn from locally?

Writing soundtrack: crickets, not the band. You know, the chirpy critters that come out at night.

What sparked your passion?

Jump in the way-back machine and tell your passion origin story. Everything has a beginning, middle and end. It is worthwhile to review to see how we have arrived at today. Influences, coincidences, divine appointments or twists of fate brought you to the point of finding this cause where you seek to achieve change to you and the world.

I wanted to bring something unique to the world following a reawakening over the past 18 months. My response is taking the form of curiosity, inquiry and writing. With the constant barrage of talking heads giving all the answers, I thought it was time to ask different questions. These inquiries are intended to prompt discovery and self-awareness for those that choose to engage. Most will not spend the time to answer nor dwell with the question. My journey had taken years before I was willing to look for deeper questions and prepared to respond with something other than memes. I haven't arrived, but this was my spark.

Your turn.

Going Further: Who inspired your passion? What frustrated you about the status quo? What gave you the courage to step forward? Who has come alongside to support you? What does success look like as you invest in your passion? What question was missed?

YouTube Video: What sparked your passion?

How do you lead?

You lead, but are you doing it well? The question quickly expands to whether you are intentional or abdicating the responsibility that is in your hands. Leadership is needed in all areas of society; the pick-up game on the middle-school playground, the fight for rights, the race for the White House, the midnight shift manager at McDonald's, the parent raising kids or the leader of an elite team of Marines. Many are groomed for stepping into the role and others find the responsibility thrust upon them at a critical moment. Leaders receive and ever shrinking honeymoon period to deliver direction and become the required leader.

Leadership is not about a personality or charisma, but rising to the occasion and caring for those in your charge to accomplish the mission set before you. Bookstore shelves sag under the weight of volumes filled with lists of how-tos and endless week-long seminars to help close knowledge gaps are offered through pop-up ads. Successful leaders recognize they are not all knowing in all areas and perfect in all disciplines. They will surround themselves with the strengths of others, knowing they have gaps and can't do everything on their own. My history includes abdication in personal, social and work leadership settings. Recollection of these missed opportunities has fueled greater intensity to ensure I am self-aware and growing to ensure the mission is achieved in the various settings.

The pantheon of past and current leaders you desire to emulate had a starting point and grew into the hero's you respect today. Before those trailblazers, of the past, closed their eyes in death, they would concede they could not have projected their lives, every twist, and turn. These leaders took the risk and chose to make deliberate decisions and take deliberate actions, without the assurance of the desired outcome. Most often, this course of action was pursued with an incomplete picture, leading an imperfect team to make the most of the opportunity and accomplish the task. Their experiences created a legacy that delivered their story to you and reminds you perfection is not the standard. Setting aside personal preferences and comforts to graciously use your talents and skills to fulfill your commission, through inspiring those you lead to do the same, will be your proof you lead well.

Going Further: What leaders inspires you, why? Who do you depend on for leadership mentoring? Who is counting on you to lead? What will result from you succeeding and failing as a leader? Where have you abdicated leadership responsibilities? How can you address this leadership gap? What other leadership points come to mind?

How do you inspire others?

Humans are social creatures and we have an opportunity every day to build others up or tear them down. I struggle with sadness due to all of the killing that has been happening and my heart breaks for the friends and families directly affected. The acidic political fighting that fills the airwaves does not reflect a country of hope, but one of fear and further division. The Cold War and AIDS were the specters looming over my shoulder growing up. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were the shadow for my kids and it looks like terror attacks will be what unsettles the next generation. Is this really the best we can do in the new millennium? 

The Summer Olympics in Rio will no doubt bring great athletic feats for us to marvel. Grace and power revealing what talent, hard work and perseverance can deliver. This will be exciting to see, but it is still presented through a glowing screen. You, you have an opportunity to engage the world around you and deliver some inspiration. Sing, write, give hugs, buy someone a cup of coffee, visit the prison, wash the widows car, paint, sincerely ask "how are you" and wait for the answer, take the kid on the corner out for some ice cream, make yet another cat video for YouTube, teach a class, start a prayer group, learn a new language to speak to the immigrant neighbor, visit a mosque, dance!

It doesn't require a trip around the world to find someone in need; I am confident, that within 200 yards of you, there is someone that could benefit from interacting with you, today, even right now. Give the gift of attention, it is a precious commodity, and rarity in our current day. It will take courage and vulnerability, and you have that deep inside, give it a chance to erupt through kindness. The world is looking for a glimmer of goodness and a reason to smile; you can be just the person to deliver.

Going Further: Who inspires you? Who can you inspire?

How often do you dream?

Interpretation is not on the agenda for today; this is answering a more basic question. Is dreaming at night a common occurrence for you? Our dreams are a good indication of our physical state and quality of sleep. A long-standing indication of manliness has been the ability to thrive on as little sleep as possible. This mindset has been pervasive in the movies, military and culture at large. Sleep has been stigmatized as weakness or laziness.

Data continues to build refuting this perspective. Between scientific studies and the growing bio-hacking community, a realization that the body is repairing and the mind is very active during this downtime. I worked on an average of 6 hours of sleep for years and my dreams were non-existent. I participated in a couple sleep studies and made sleep a priority. I have sought to get 8 hours per night and vivid dreams have returned on a near nightly basis. Dreams haven't delivered the plans to the next iPhone or cure for cancer, but they have provided a barometer for how I am caring for my body and providing what it needs to thrive. 

Artist and author Elle Luna (check her out on Instagram @elleluna) realigned her life after realizing she had gone a few weeks without dreaming. Dreams had been a primary source of inspiration for her work and without proper sleep, the spigot for her fountain of creation was shut. You and I must be expressing our creativity through our lives, the things we touch and the dreams we pursue. Dream well, awake and achieve.   

How do you rate the importance of dreaming? What dreams do you remember? What period of your life did you have an active dream life? How can you enhance your nighttime dreaming?

When did you last marvel at your body?

Regardless of the presence or absence of six-pack abs, perfect skin or pearly white teeth right now, how do you appreciate this physical body? 

The world demands that we are physically never enough and there is always room for growth. But, for the next two minutes, let's suspend any need to change our diet or exercise program and appreciate the body we have. This is not the time for judgment, comparison or self-loathing, but appreciation. This physical frame has carried you through childhood, the tumultuous teen years, the drunken college years to where you are today.

If my body was a car, I would have been on the side of the road a long time ago. Consider how carefully you have fed the machine the specific diet it requires. Consider the exercise and maintenance you have consistently provided to keep the organs and muscles running efficiently. Consider the mental and spiritual care you have provided to nourish the inner self. Consider the chemical concoctions the body has overcome while living a life of anxiety and stress in the modern world. The bodies insistence to stay alive through a lifetime of trauma and abuse is breathtaking. 

We have witnessed the spectrum of people that thrive because of, and in some cases in spite of, their physical bodies. We cheer the one to break the marathon finish line tape for their training and physical prowess. Then we wait and applaud those that finish last to cheer on their tenacity, despite their limitations. Flex your hand and admire the musculature that moves the fingers. Count your heartbeats for a minute and recognize you don't have to will each beat. Consider the complexity of balance and coordination to walk from room to room. Internalize that a marvelous work is staring back in the mirror and this remarkable being is like no other. This marvel is enough to be celebrated. 

Going Further: What trauma has your body healed from? When were you surprised by your bodies performance? What is a nuance of your body? When did your body perform optimally? What would appreciation for you body look like? What other question comes to mind?