become a superhero

Programs offered at Lions United

what is a superhero?

A superhero is someone with incredible strength, secret powers, or the ability to do inhuman things. But the reality is, we can all be superheroes in our own way, and Coach Andy can show you how. Since Coach Andy was very young, his favorite superhero was always the Hulk. Everyone likes superheroes because they speak to something deep inside of us. They become our idols. We all want to become superheroes, and Coach Andy declares that we all can. Most of us probably think that all a superhero does is fly around, fight crime, and save the world. But a superhero is much more than that. you Don’t need magic powers or the ability to fly to be considered a superhero.

Phot of Spiderman, a superhero we all know, working out at Lions United Fitness Center

TURN YOUR DILEMMAS INTO A MOTIVE STORY

Every Superhero has had something bad happen to them before they took on the role of being a superhero. When we look at Batman, his parents were taken away from him by a mugger in Gotham. He learned to use this dramatic loss as a way to motivate him to terminate the evil that took his parents away from him and to make Gotham a better place. Along with your fitness coaching, Coach Andy teaches how to, instead of letting the bad things drag us down, to use them as a catalyst to push ourselves to become stronger, smarter, and better. Heroes become heroes through adversity.

BECOMING A SUPERHERO IS A MENTALITY

We can’t fly, we don’t have x-ray vision, and none of us can throw fireballs. Nevertheless, Coach Andy claims that being a real-life superhero isn’t just about physical strength, but about mental strength. Mental strength is a major part of Coach Andy’s methods. The mentality of a superhero is:

  • Superheroes want to do good for others. They want to be of service.
  • Superheroes take initiative. Nobody told Peter Parker, the student behind Spider-Man’s secret identity, to start catching criminals. He made the decision to do it on his own.
  • Superheroes have confidence in their abilities and their own competence.
  • Superheroes believe that they can accomplish anything that they set out to do.

IDENTIFY YOUR STRENGTHS

Your superpowers are your strengths, or your true talents—what you’re naturally good at, enjoy doing, and have developed through practice. Examples of strengths include creativity; being analytical; being logical; getting along well with others; excelling at strategic thinking; and so on. Whatever you decide to do–whether it’s starting your own business, helping another person with a problem that their having, or finding a way to travel the world–, apply your strengths in order to achieve it. Developing your strengths can sometimes be complicated and this is where Coach Andy comes in. Your strengths are your gifts. Coach teaches how to not fit in like the rest, but to stand out and use your gifts.

BEWARE OF YOUR KRYPTONITE

Kryptonite, of course, is the only thing that can weaken Superman. We all have our own personal kryptonite; that is, we all have weaknesses. And it doesn’t matter how hard you try; you’ll never be able to turn your weaknesses into strengths. However, what you can do is identify your weaknesses and remain vigilant so that they don’t cause your downfall. As an example, your kryptonite might be your temper. You may be quick to anger and act impulsively when you become irritated. If other people—such as a competitor–discover that this is your weakness, they can try to provoke you into saying or doing something that will give them an advantage. However, if you’re aware that your temper is one of your major weaknesses, and you develop a strategy for calming yourself down when you start getting upset, you’ll lessen the probability that your kryptonite will become your undoing.

LISTEN FOR THE CALL

Every hero is called on a heroic journey. That is, the hero begins in a mundane situation. Then, something happens, or they receive information, that acts as a call to step out from their comfort zone and set out to accomplish a mission, go on a journey, or go out on an adventure. Is there something that you feel you should be doing? Is there something that you’ve been wondering about? That could be your call. Sometimes the call is very loud—almost like being hit over the head–, but other times it’s very soft, like a whisper.

ANSWER THE CALL

The hero often refuses the call, at first. This may be from a sense of duty to something else, from fear, from a feeling of inadequacy, or because of many other reasons. However, a hero must sooner or later answer the call. We’re all potential superheroes, until we hear and answer the call. Then, we complete our transformation and become full-fledged superheroes.

HAVE A PLAN

Superheroes are action oriented. However, before they act, they take the time to analyze the situation, and they create a plan that will allow them to achieve their objective. Then, they execute their plan.

OVERCOME YOUR FEAR

All superheroes embody the virtue of courage. It’s not that they don’t feel afraid, but they push through the fear and do what needs to be done despite their feelings. That is, they acknowledge that they feel fear, and then they rise above it. If you want to be a superhero, you have to overcome your fear. You can always call on your inner Hulk.

EVERY SUPERHERO HAS A NEMESIS

All superheroes have a slew of villains who are constantly out to get them. Batman alone has the Riddler, the Joker, Catwoman, the Penguin, Poison Ivy, the Mad Hatter, and on, and on. In real life, we each have our own villains: the colleague at work who’s constantly spreading false rumors about us; the business partner who cheats us; the “friend” who’s always trying to convince us that we don’t have what it takes to succeed; and so on. Superheroes confront and defeat the villains that get in their way. They don’t back down, and they don’t let the villains get the best of them.

OBSTACLES AND CHALLENGES

When I was a kid, I used to watch “Batman”, starring Adam West. Inevitably, Batman and his trusty sidekick, Robin, would get caught by the villain and his or her henchmen, and the dynamic duo would be placed in a deathtrap. However, through their resourcefulness they would always manage to escape. Each time you find yourself in a dilemma or facing an obstacle, remember that a superhero always keeps their cool and searches for a way out.

COLLECT YOUR WEAPONS

All superheroes possess an arsenal of weapons. For example, Wonder Woman has the Lasso of Truth, a pair of indestructible bracelets, a tiara which serves as a projectile, and an invisible airplane. Your weapons, or your resources, can include all of the following: knowledge, skills, personal development tools, positive habits, positive character traits, potential allies, and so on. The more weapons you have at your disposal, the more likely it is that you’ll succeed in your mission.

STAY THE COURSE

Once a superhero has chosen their path, they stay the course. They always complete their mission, in spite of failure, misgivings, discomfort, and setbacks. A superhero perseveres and fights to the end.

SIGN UP FOR PERSONAL COACHING