How to Be a Modern Day Warrior
What is a Modern Day Warrior?
By definition, a warrior is a person of war, a hardened individual who specializes in warfare and has the skills and tactics to engage in combat, wherever that may be. Warriors exist to protect a nation, borders, and the lives of others.
Growing up, I was exposed to the world of the Shogun Samurais, King Arthur’s Knights of the Round Table, and the Marine Raiders of World War 2. As a kid, this was the idea I developed of warriors: Men and women who showed bravery, loyalty, conviction and action to put down the enemy and defend their lands. But as I went on to adulthood and as the world’s realities dawned on me, my idea of a warrior has changed.
We are now living in a world with many seen and unseen enemies where blades, guns, and artillery will not always work as defense, and it takes a different kind of warrior attitude to engage in everyday challenges. Allow me to share my story.
My Journey to Becoming a Modern-Day Warrior
I was born and raised in Long Beach, California. I had my fair share of street brawls and unnecessary violence growing up. I was the one who threw the first punch, fought back, and was aggressive, protecting myself and those around me. I was in and out of Juvenile Hall because I surrounded myself with the wrong company for the wrong reasons.
At 17, I barely passed high school before enlisting in the Marine Corps, where I served 13 years as an infantryman and as a Marine Raider with several combat deployments overseas. It was my job to find and destroy enemy insurgents and rebels from different countries and my team and I were great at doing that. During those years, I thought this was the epitome of being a warrior.
After many tours, I decided it was time to get back to the real world and pursue different adventures and goals in my life. In 2018, I left active duty, went back to school, and started Deep End Fitness and the Underwater Torpedo League with my good friend and Raider brethren, Prime Hall. While transitioning into the real world, my definition of being a warrior shifted, and I felt lost and angry that I no longer had a clear mission and way to continue my warrior identity.
Becoming a Warrior in the Real World
As I continued to drive forward in school and my business, I was blessed with many opportunities to help others in school through leading group projects, being a trainer at the pool and gym, and coaching/mentoring individuals to get ready for the military.
I was passionate to share my journey and realizations from my experiences with others that really ignited a fire within me. The more I trained and helped others be prepared, overcome their fears, surpass their perceived boundaries, and fight their own battles, the more clearly I saw what was becoming my new mission: igniting the warrior inside of them.
I quickly realized that just because people were engaging in combat doesn’t mean they don’t have a warrior inside of them. Doctors, parents, engineers, community leaders, and students all have the opportunity and need to rise up and engage in battle in their own lives every day.
How You Can Become an Everyday Warrior
Our hope is that you can step into becoming an everyday warrior. The world now has seen and unseen enemies, battles on a battlefield and battles within. My intention is to help awaken the warrior-spirit in everyone, in and out of the pool, to tackle the battles in their everyday lives. The daily battles are ever changing, but as modern-day warriors we must hone our skills, spiritually, physically and mentally, to see us through trying times.
You don’t have to let your past define you. You can train to become a warrior today.