It’s hard to believe Min is about to describe himself as an introvert, but here we are. You know him as the howler monkey who screams “WESTSIDE BEST SIDE!” during announcements and hugs with more enthusiasm than anyone I know. When he’s not at a workout, you notice. When he’s at a workout, you can’t help but grin and he makes you want to push with everything you have. He captures the unique weird spirit of NP-LAX with everything he does and we couldn’t be happier that he’s in our tribe.
The Best This City Has to Offer
My high school football coach used to give us the cheesiest pre-game pep-talk/bounce you would ever find even in the depth of the entire internet. One of my favorites was how he would remind us how we were the best team that our city had to offer—as we all were rolling our eyes silently and holding back chuckles, he would rationalize himself by saying that since we didn’t have a college team in the city, by default we were the best. Ok, coach, we got it. UCLA was right next door and national champion at the time USC was a quick freeway drive away, but we got it. We all knew what he was trying to do, and every game, he was able to infuse a sense of confidence in us, get us loose, and let us have fun on the field.
It took me a while to realize how important football was to me. It was the best experience of my high school years. Before I came to the US, I had never seen the weirdly shaped pigskin in my life. I never knew what football was. I was a 16-year-old kid, fresh off the boat, barely speaking English, and just wanted to play basketball in high school. One faithful day, while I was working out in the weight room, a minor scuffle with some football kids got me invited to the above-mentioned coach’s office, and through a translator, somehow, I got roped into playing football.
I was skeptical and had no idea why I was being invited to the team. I only agreed because they promised to put me on the basketball team if I played football, not realizing this was one of the best decisions I made my entire life. Believe it or not, I am a prototypical introvert. I don’t go out seeking to make friends. I’m not good at it. But I made so many friends playing football. I learned how to speak English while playing football. It was the outlet that I didn’t even know I needed while struggling through my life as a high school teenager, an ocean away from my home country.
Why am I babbling about my high school football career this morning? Because to me, November Project has been the second coming of that very football experience that kept me sane during the critical time in my life. The time when I had to overcome so many daunting obstacles to get to where I wanted to be in life. For a while, I had forgotten what it was like to be a part of an experience quite like this. On the football field, I was clearly not the most talented athlete nor did I understand intricacies of the complex game. But I sure was the loudest and the most enthusiastic kid out there, having the time of my life. November Project brought that back for me. I am still by no means one of the most gifted athletes you will see, but you bet I will give you a cliché 110% every time you see me, just because you, the tribe, give me the outlet, accept me as who I am, and put up with me being the loud, obnoxious kid running around having fun.
One of the most valuable advice I got over the years is the fact that life is built on failures, not successes. I’m sure somebody more successful and smarter probably put it more eloquently many times before, but how you manage your failures and crushing defeats defines your success and gets you to where you want to be. But let me be the first to admit, this is easier said than done. I mean, who likes talking or even thinking about their failures? Embarrassing defeats? I certainly don’t. I wish life were full of success stories and rainbows.
When you feel like there are so many negatives around you, when you feel like you keep discovering new rock bottoms over and over again, that you didn’t even know you could drop so far down, you start to realize that there is only one thing you can do to dig yourself out—start embracing your failures and setbacks. When you are a helpless introvert like myself, it is a lot harder on yourself. Putting too much on oneself is not very healthy at any time, but there is also a shell only one can break for oneself.
Just about a year ago was the time when I needed to seriously re-set myself—once again, break through the shell I made for myself. Although I was doing great for my professional career, I was neglecting to take care of myself in many ways and it took a long time to admit it. Then, one faithful day, I just showed up to Santa Monica beach, after months of deliberation. Immediately, I started believing in dinosaurs again. I felt like the 16-year-old kid again, only this time, I knew what I was getting into—the outlet I knew I needed. So many of you have inspired me in many ways since then—through countless fun adventures, you showed me how we come together as wonderful human beings, especially when we need each other the most.
As we get embark on another Beachtober, I only hope that somewhere out there, there is another kid like me, who will stumble upon our wonderful tribe, because this tribe, in every sense of the word, is the best this city has to offer.
Thanks Min. We sure love the heck outta ya!!!!!
Wisconsin Notes on the 1st day of #Beachtober:
- We played Ships Across the Ocean
- Adam Kaufman is the Beachtober Champion for the full month. It was decided in the first 3 minutes of the workout.
- No one knows how to crab-walk.
- As a team we can conquer a lot more burpees, sprints, low boat-high boats, tuck jumps, and dives into the ocean than we can alone.
- 5:27 crew is badass AF.
NEWS
BUFFS
- October 14th is the deadline to order the newest edition of #NPBuffs.
- No idea what the design is, but it’ll be awesome!
- Fill this out!
ECSCA
- November 18 in San Fran
- #NFECSCA aka North Face Endurance Challenge Series California. This is always an awesome time. This is part of the race series that Summit is always a part of. Consider this to be like a mini-NP Summit. Marathon relay is the most popular choice and you can race it with 3 other friends. Check it out, get a crew together, and sign up!
- Reach out to me (Maggie) if you are having trouble finding a ride or some place to stay. We want you there!
