Happy Monday everyone!

This weeks blog comes from Alex Mendoza, former professional soccer player and now youth soccer coach and mentor. I had the pleasure of first meeting Alex through our mutual friend and mentor, Dr. Carlos Fontana. Enjoy!

Hi everyone, I hope you are doing well!

Change of pace for this week. I was asked to share some of my experiences with Summit Up! My background is in football (soccer) as well. I have played at some of the highest levels of the game. I am a huge football fan and I love to see all the talented footballers we have here in America. I love training and helping players reach their full potential. I am having a tough time choosing just one topic I feel passionately about to share with you. To keep things in perspective the majority of my experiences have been on the football field from the professional ranks as a player, all the way down to the youth ranks as a coach. With that said there are two areas that I’ve learned in life and football that need some serious attention.  Attitude and ego need to be reevaluated and checked.
 
What’s with the passive attitude on life? Countless times I am asking myself why is everyone so complacent? Why are all these young soccer players performing at average levels when there is so much to play for? I imagine they are at least showing up because they enjoy it, I hate to imagine their attitude and work ethic towards things that are not enjoyable, like sitting in a classrooms for 8 hours a day. I was blessed to be in an environment doing what I love but also being demanded to give my absolute best each and everyday. Not because that was written in my contract but because if I didn’t, there were hundreds if not thousands of qualified candidates that could take my place. What a great place to be where every single person that surrounds you gives 100% effort. Everyone had a go getter attitude and sometimes even a mean and nasty attitude because everyone is hungry for more. Where is the hunger?! For the majority it does not exist. The young people are not to blame they learned it from us, the older generation. My short experience in a “real” work environment was shocking to me. I spent most of my days putting fires out that were caused by terrible decision making, carelessness, and just pure laziness. Some people were very sharp dedicated and professional of course, but the majority got by with the bare minimum. The youth is watching and learning. Why do I believe this passive attitude has taken over? To keep it short, we have it too easy and we do not count our blessings enough. Be grateful you won the lottery and are blessed to be in this country, one of the countries with the best quality of life in the world. Have you forgotten just south of our border the minimum wage is a little over $6.00 A DAY!? See if that puts your feet back on the ground. If you have children and provide a beautiful home and life for them, hats off to you. Let them know that big house and big yard and every meal provided is not normal and they need to recognize that blessing. Let them know the thousands of dollars spent on their soccer each year is not normal. Let them know that practicing on grass and turf fields with professional coaches is not normal! I was 20 years old before I ever had to play on a dirt field, my friends in Mexico looked at me in disbelief when I said, “ Are we really going to play on that?”
We are setting the standard for future generations, count your blessings everyday. Focus on what you do have instead of what you do not. Set goals for yourself to get out of that comfort zone. Think about all the people who would be doing more with half the qualities you have and the same opportunity. I hate seeing young soccer players who can’t communicate with others, who are so nervous and uptight because they only operate behind a video game controller and a screen. Their mentality is good, bad or indifferent but they still have a meal waiting for them at the end of the day.
 
Most soccer fans remember the US not qualifying for World Cup in Russia. Does anyone know the last time US Soccer qualified for the Olympics? 2008 and even then didn’t make it beyond the group stage. US soccer has played one Olympic game since the turn of the century. This passive mentality trickles down to this as well. The Olympics are basically the sub-23 World Cup. It provides great experience for young players who may not have a chance or any consistency on the senior national team. In 2012 Mexico won the gold medal. I was privileged to have teammates and competition that was part of that wining team. I also played with some American players that were on the team that did not qualify for the games. Was there a big difference in individual quality between the two countries? I would say no. The Americans lost, everyone went back to their clubs and life went on. The Mexicans took their opportunity and were hungry to make a difference, that for some of them that was their way out. Their big ticket to their greatest dreams. They didn’t have a passive mindset, they didn’t have a safety net like most of us Americans. It was great success or that well worn path of the Mexican professional footballer. Which is a spectacular accomplishment, but they had an attitude for more and it changed their lives forever. More to come from me in addition to the above in the coming weeks....stay tuned!

I am a Health Coach and a Personal Trainer. I work with busy moms who struggle with losing stubborn weight. I help them lose the extra pounds and feel good about how they look in their body!
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That’s where health coaches like me come in, to provide the right SYSTEM, SUPPORT and ACCOUNTABILITY so you can - finally - make a total body transformation.
 
Contact me to set up a FREE Lose Weight for Good Consultation call and learn about the programs that I offer, or for questions regarding personal training. Find me on Facebook at Small Steps with Steph or Instagram at smallstepswithstephanie. Email me at smallstepswithstephanie@gmail.com
 
I look forward to helping you Lose Weight for Good!!!

​​​​If you want to be featured in our helping others section, email summitup2020@gmail.com. It does not matter where in the world you are, Summit Up! will highlight you, your business or someone you know of in our weekly blog.

What a great read for our youth and even for us older people. A big thank you to Alex for guesting this week.

I believe upbringing is key to the success of the youth. It was installed into me to never be satisfied with my current success. This kept me hungry and enabled me to set high standards for myself in my goals for sporting success. Although I fell just short of a long term contract, the hunger stayed with me and I needed to be successful in all that I did. Still to this day, I feel the need to improve, work hard, look for ways to improve personally and for the business I am in. It is important that these messages are shared so that we can influence others and have an incredibly positive impact on those around us. It is a competitive world and there is always somebody better than you that could replace you at any time. If that doesn't keep you on your toes then I don't know what will. 

​Thanks for reading, I hope this gets you thinking. Until next week, Summit Up! you've got this.

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Happy Monday Everyone!

It was a great weekend celebrating the 4th of July with family and friends. The weather was beautiful and it was a great way to start the second half of 2020. This month also marks 14 years since I first touched down in the land of opportunity, arriving first in Amarillo, Texas. First up a little history:

Independence Day is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the Declaration of Independence of the United States, on July 4, 1776. The Continental Congress declared that the thirteen American colonies were no longer subject to the monarch of Britain, King George III, and were now united, free, and independent states. The Congress had voted to declare independence two days earlier, on July 2, but it was not declared until July 4.

This weeks blog is going to discuss confidence and this can be defined as: A feeling of self-assurance arising from one's appreciation of one's own abilities or qualities. I was fortunate enough to have had a decent upbringing and some great experiences in football growing up. I would often kick the ball around with the old man as a little boy. At age 7 I played for my school, Appledore. The Coach was Mr. Stephenson and he would often talk to us before the game. He would always tell us to believe in ourselves and would often reiterate those same words every game. Between my coach and my father, I was inspired to take to the sport that would eventually provide a living for me. I loved scoring goals, it was my drug. I would write all my goals in a planner and look forward to the next game. Finding my passion at such a young age and seeing early success gave me purpose and fueled my need for more! At age 16, I was getting ready to move to Yeovil and was asked by a family friend and football man Jock Carstairs to speak to a local youth team about my experiences and what it took to get to this stage. It was both humbling and empowering. I didn't mind public speaking and would often read passages at church. I also enjoyed a bit of karaoke and so was not afraid of embarrassing myself. I told myself that these people would likely not see me again even if I did mess up. I firmly believe that all of these experiences set me up for success. It was an immersion course on life, through football. I was told that cleanliness is godliness and so often took a pride in the way I dressed and looked, especially at events where I would be talking. Football accolades and experiences kept coming and so did the education, thick and fast.

The lessons in my experiences has allowed me to pass along these pointers to any young person with a dream. YOU must believe in yourself and become your own biggest fan. This is a dog eat dog world and only those that are hungry will push on. Manners and courtesy are two things that are lacking in society. These things do not come at a cost and are FREE to use anytime. Here are a few things to consider along your way to the top:

1. Look the part. Set your own standards and stand out from the crowd by the way that you dress. Going to a job interview? You never get a second chance to make a first impression

2. Be on time. Remember, on time is 10 minutes early.

3. Be prepared. Whatever the event or occasion, try to visualize beforehand and prepare mentally. Self talk could come in useful and can be reassuring. Simple words like "I've got this" or "I feel good"

4. Firm hand shake. When networking or meeting someone new, show confidence in your non verbal communication.

5. Eye contact. More non verbal - show genuine interest and look people in the eyes when shaking hands and engaging in conversation.

6. Speak up and be informed. Try not to mutter or mumble. Use your voice and show that you are confident. A couple of words and short answers will not cut it. Do your research and know things about the people you are meeting so you can participate in conversations and show your legitimacy.

7. Yes please and no thank you. Need I say more?

8. Lend a hand. Hold doors open for people, it may seem silly but people take note of these things. I am shocked that a couple of people couldn't believe that I held a door open for them - this tells me that these polite and courteous deeds are dying out. 

9. Remember names. Again, this shows that you are present and interested in the people you are around. Calling someone by their name is a great way to gain respect and get a more personal connection.

​​​If you want to be featured in our helping others section, email summitup2020@gmail.com. It does not matter where in the world you are, Summit Up! will highlight you, your business or someone you know of in our weekly blog.

You don't get a second chance at life, there are inevitably stumbles and road blocks along the way but if you can uphold these traditional kind deeds and feel good about your presence in your community, you will only move forward. It is your job to back yourself 100%. With courtesy and kindness dwindling in society, you have an opportunity to be unique and just because people don't comment, doesn't mean that what you are doing goes unnoticed. We have a duty to reeducate those around us and lead by example. Recent times are calling for it so go and make the difference.

​Thanks for reading, I hope this gets you thinking. Until next week, Summit Up! you've got this.

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Happy Monday one and all!
 
I’m not sure about you but I feel as though this somewhat post pandemic situation has me rejuvenated and in a mindset that says ITS GO TIME! If you are in a conflicting mindset and stuck in a funk then I hope this read is for you.
 
Procrastination is the enemy and can be defined as follows – the action of delaying or postponing something. Procrastination might find you spending long nights studying in the library for that test, forgetting items for your work day or recreational activities, winding up late to work and events and may also cause you great stress. On top of that, all of these outcomes may have greater consequences such as poor grades in school, unrest in the workplace, warranted grief from your boss and an overall mental feeling of low self esteem or self worth. DON’T DO IT TO YOURSELF! The quicker you realize that nobody is going to feel sorry for you, the quicker you quit playing the victim. In most cases, it is YOU who holds the key to your success both now and in the future. Sure, life happens and there are somethings that we cannot control but excuses will just not fly. By the way, don’t think that I am home and dry. I don’t just write this to nudge others but to reaffirm to myself that I too can do better!

The opposite of procrastination is anticipation or being pro active. In other words and in this case, to do something beforehand. I am fortunate in the sense that I hate being late and have a tendency to arrive in a timely manner. As a kid, my father would ensure that I arrived at sporting activities early, this continued into school and throughout my collegiate years. Graeme Dell, our head coach for Team GBR would tell us “on time is 10 minutes early.” I agreed and adopted this saying and use it for my older youth and college players. It’s simple, if you are on time, you do not miss information, you do not create a tense environment and you are not looking over your shoulder. The knock on effect of this equates to better performance, team chemistry and a feel good factor for yourself and others, typically resulting in success.
 
Another habit that was installed into me from a young age was the packing of my school or sports bag THE NIGHT BEFORE it was needed. This was a great combatant for PPP = PPP. “Piss Poor Planning Promotes Piss Poor Performance.” I’m not sure if this was a direct quote from my dad or if he got it from someone else but is spot on. Another catchy saying for this is “Fail to prepare, prepare to fail.” (A quick google check states that The 7 P’s is in fact a British Army adage). In addition to the packing of bags, I would often polish my boots before games. When I got to Plymouth as a trainee professional, we would be assigned a first team player. We would have to clean their boots after training and games, polish and shine them as part of our responsibility. I was assigned David Norris (Pictured on Ford Lake, Michigan in the 'FINAL THOUGHTS' section below). ‘Chuck’ took care of me at Christmas with a little bonus and many of the pro’s did likewise for the other youth lads. This was the standard and this was the structure we needed as young lads. It was a tough environment, brutal at times but memories to look back on nonetheless. It was a great feeling to see the boots sparkling after a good shine and it definitely was a small accomplishment each day that gave that feel good factor and feeling of pride. Side note - that was back in the early 2000’s. 10-12 years later I was able to invite and fly Chuck over to Michigan to help run one of my youth camps.

The way I see it, we all have 6 months left of 2020. I have seen many meme's of 2020 being a wash out or something along the lines of "If I was a time traveler, then please don't let me land in 2020..." Life is what YOU make it. Face the truth, you are not going to get any handouts, luck for some is simply being in the right place at the right time. YOU have the power to make things happen if you first believe that you can. This post pandemic time and factory reset is an opportunity for us all to push harder for our goals. For some, this message will create an air of excitement and for those slightly further along, business as usual with certain expectations and standards to uphold. We are all at different stages but the key to this is starting somewhere, and starting TODAY! Put yourself in uncomfortable situations, meet new people through netwroking, attend seminars and learn your trade!

​​If you want to be featured in our helping others section, email summitup2020@gmail.com. It does not matter where in the world you are, Summit Up! will highlight you, your business or someone you know of in our weekly blog.

This weekend I attended a graduation party for one of our club soccer players. The lad will be moving on to play college soccer. It is such an exciting time. Although the 2020 graduates were not afforded the opportunity to finish out their senior years under normal circumstances, they shouldn't dwell. The future is bright after such a great achievement. I know this particular player is moving into an environment that will not allow mediocre and so am excited to see just how far he will go. After celebrations are over, the world will be waiting for him, ready to make him stumble, just like at any moment, anyone of us could. Preparedness is key. What are you doing today to ensure that you are prepared for tomorrow and the week ahead?

​In closing, I encourage you all to cram one years of work and/or accomplishments into the remaining 6 months of 2020. Grab the bull by the horns and make it happen!​

Thanks for reading, I hope this gets you thinking. Until next week, Summit Up! you've got this.

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Happy Monday Everyone,

Time flies and so all the more reason to make the most of it. You may also be familiar with the phrase 'time is money.' Touching on last week, a couple of my new goals were to have a nice house and car. After purchasing my first used car at age 25 and putting thousands of miles on it, I was taken out on a snowy highway by a reckless driver. My car was totaled and I was on the look out for a replacement. I ended up purchasing a new Chevrolet Equinox. I drive around 40,000 miles per year, needed something safe in the form of an SUV and something reliable. The car lasted me 4 years and 150,000 miles before the engine failed. Looking back at it, I had fallen victim to society and bought into the prestige of wanting new shiny things. Ok, it wasn't a BMW or Mercedes but I still should have been wiser. I did learn my lesson and my next purchase was a VW Passat with around 30,000 miles on the clock and half the cost. 

All too often, we are bombarded with commercials, buy this, buy that, NEW, NEW, NEW. We are being programed to do everything but delay gratification. New technology IN YOUR FACE, new iPhones, the latest designer clothing. I too used to love my clothing brands up until about 5 years ago. I wanted to look good and wanted to fit in and be popular in society. Thankfully, I cant remember when I last had a good shop and it helps that I coach for a living and am almost always in athletic gear. Let's talk about credit cards while we are at it. These are DANGEROUS! It is not wise to finance things or borrow money to pay for things. Interest is a killer! I listened to a financial education podcast the other day and it said interest was like going to bed and being robbed while you are sleeping. So true. Another point, where was all this information when I was at school? It's as if society or the powers that be want you to fail. I mean, why would we want so many financially responsible people getting rich off the stock market and being smart with their income? THIS is why I am writing this blog today. I always think to my U16 boys team. Some of the lads have jobs now, I hope they too read this and learn from the many mistakes I have made and take heed when making their decisions. I feel as though I have been cheated out of 10-15 years financially. Fortunately, I have chosen to surround myself with older and wiser people that have pointed my in the right direction. It's better late than never! 

Being smart with your money takes time and like me you must continue to educate yourselves with the future in mind. I am an impulsive person and as mentioned before, those negative impulses put financial burden on my shoulders in some capacity. I do however believe in positive impulses leading to purchases. Sometimes you get a strike while the iron is hot situation or a leap of faith. There shouldn't be a fear of moving forward in life and there are many good things cost money. Education is key, self investment and long term investment are all important when considering ones future. There is nothing wrong with working so hard to reach a goal or a milestone and having a form of delayed gratification at different stages of life but there must also be an end goal or a long-term delayed gratification and that might come in the form of retirement or in the legacy you wish to leave behind for others. Wouldn't it be nice to retire earlier than most people and have time on your side to do things in which you are passionate about?

​Happy Belated Fathers Day to all the Dads reading this. I love this image I found because if you are anything like me, then you too might see or have seen your dad as a super hero. A big shout out to my dad back home in Devon, England.

If you want to be featured in our helping others section, email summitup2020@gmail.com. It does not matter where in the world you are, Summit Up! will highlight you, your business or someone you know of in our weekly blog.

In closing this weeks blog, I encourage you to research and educate yourselves and those around you. I for one will make an effort to touch upon these things to the youth and young adults I get to be around. I am not ashamed to use myself as an example based on my negative experiences. I will also continue to seek ways in which I can improve in this area myself.

I'm fortunate as a former athlete in the sense that I don't care for drugs or smoking. I have a drink with friends occasionally in a social setting but not one to stock my fridge and drink regularly - I just couldn't get things done if I did. I do love coffee and often found myself getting a tall sized latte at the nearest Starbucks or Biggby. That was until I was pointed in the right direction and started educating myself. I used to convince myself that I deserved a coffee for working so hard or with a long day ahead. I then switched to making a pot of coffee at home. I'm not totally against going out for one as I have fond memories of being back home in Exeter, Devon and walking into town with the old man and my brothers and enjoying a nice Costa Coffee (similar to Starbucks but much, much better). It is still a fun social thing to do but all adds up over time. Let's say a tall latte costs $3.15. Over a week that is $22.05, in a month it is $88.20 and in a year $1,146.60! THIS is why I love the quote at the top of this blog. All these expenses add up. Instead of spending, there is the option of having a home made coffee and investing the amount you would spend on shares in Starbucks with a possible return over time.

​Thanks for reading, I hope this get you thinking. Until next week, Summit Up! you've got this.

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Happy Monday to you all!

It's great to see things getting back on track. People are enjoying the sunshine and kids and families are getting back to the sports fields. Personally, I led my first soccer practice in a long while this past week. It was fantastic! I was grateful to be able to coach and could tell the kids were grateful to have a little more sporting structure and be around one another in an environment they are passionate about. This week I have a summer camp to run and plenty more fun to be had for all involved. It sure was worth the wait. Speaking of which, today’s blog will focus on DELAYED GRATIFICATION:

Delayed gratification, describes the process that the subject undergoes when the subject resists the temptation of an immediate reward in preference for a later reward.

The opposite of this is INSTANT GRATIFICATION. If you read last weeks blog and Alec’s story, you would have noticed how hard he worked in order to arrive at the point of a success that felt incredible. Years of hard work and persistence allowed him the end product of being a collegiate soccer player, captain and conference champion.

It really is true, good things come to those who wait. I remember being on campus at the University at Buffalo in my sophomore year, after a successful freshman year at West Texas A and M University. My scholarship would not only afford me the opportunity to come out of my undergrad degree debt free but also gifted me smaller rewards along the way such as housing, books and food. Now I never had a car back home in England, nor did I have my first car until 2010 at the age of 25. Regardless, it was my first major purchase of a laptop at UB in my sophomore year that reduced me to tears. I don’t know why, it just happened. It was silly really but I guess it was a proud purchase and a big deal for me. A silly small reward to reassure myself that I was doing ok, not brilliant, for my dream of being a professional and representing my country was dwindling. The years of hard work however had brought me to this point and my emotions recognized that in a proud and positive way. Although this was pretty neat, it was just a small step towards bigger things. I remained humble, trained hard and got my work done in school. A couple years later I had graduated ​with a degree in Sociology and landed a coaching job in Michigan thanks to one of my former coaches and good friend Stu Riddle. I had reached out to Stu in a bit of a panic. My student visa was up and I needed a one year extension on my visa for work experience. Luckily things worked out and I found myself moving to Michigan and coaching youth. 

At the age of 25, my vision and dreams had changed a lot. No longer was I pursuing a contract. Instead, I was soaking up experiences in different places and learning my new, slightly adjusted trade as a coach. Although still hungry to succeed, my newfound goal was to give back to kids through developing them in and out of soccer, have a family, a nice car and a nice house....to be continued...

In closing, it is important to keep focused on what you really want in life. Next week will continue along the same lines and bring to a close this section on delayed gratification. Last week I shortened my running distance and complete one 4 mile run in 30:00 and two 2 mile runs. My two mile is down to 13:18. Still a long way from the days of 11-12 minute two miles but progressing these past 8-10 weeks from a steady 10 minute mile over distance and building myself up over time. The tiny rewards feel good along the way to success. The picture below was from my front flower bed. The roses had been down and out all winter and most of the spring. I saw delayed gratification in this sense too and the final product of this rose flower is truly beautiful! Keep on your steady path and until next week Summit Up! You've got this.

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It is important for us all to understand that there are early and late developers in all walks of life. Whether a kid gets placed on a B team or someone in the workplace is afforded that opportunity to climb the ladder, it is YOU who has the chance to act and not play the victim. Player's can work at their game to better themselves in order to get to the next level. Conversely, professionals in the workplace have the opportunity to dwell, work hard or even risk it all by leaving their job of many years in order to attempt climbing at another organization. Try to surround yourself with someone who understands potential and someone who is willing to take a chance on you. Everyone loves an underdog story! As a coach and business person I enjoy taking chances on people. I strive to give them the tools, motivation and drive to excel and make a difference - it can be POWERFUL!

In closing, be patient and trust the process. Until next week, SUMMIT UP! you've got this.

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Happy Monday to all you readers!

I sense you are starting to like Monday's as much as me!!!? If you have been following this blog since day one, I hope that the positivity push is catching up with you and impacting your thinking, weekly/daily habits and/or mindset.

This week I would like to touch upon the company you choose to hold. I say CHOOSE because it really is your choice as to who you hang out with and who you associate with and who you seek inspiration and guidance from. Additionally, it is also good to know that you too could impact the lives of others. I would like to reference a book - 'LIVE LEARN LEAD to Make a Difference' written by Don Soderquist. "When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world. I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation. When I found I couldn't change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn't change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family. Now as an older man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have the changed the world."

I found this incredibly powerful. This alone is going to make me more accountable. I also feel as though we as individuals can impact people within our own network. If you are looking to grow and improve, I believe that you should hang out with a third of the people older than you, a third your own age and a third younger than you. If you hang out with older people, you will gravitate to their level in some cases. Older people can come in the form of mentors, teachers, coaches, or perhaps family. With the pathway I found myself on, I would often watch the pro's. My inspiration came from my father and the players I would watch on TV. When I got to the professional level I was fortunate to get a closer look into how seasoned professionals acted and behaved. At Plymouth, us youth team lads would show up every day and gather in the away team dressing room. The pro's would be down the corridor in the home dressing room. Both rooms possessed an extremely competitive environment. As youth teamers, we were all fighting for the pro contract and the chance to be in the room down the hall. We respected one another but on the training ground would search for blood. We would fight for our spot on the team. If we outperformed our team mates we would get called into the reserve team and even get called up to train with the first team. It is no different here in the states. You have JV and Varsity rosters at high school and collegiate levels. IN the work place you have employees, lower and upper management in some cases. Some people are content at certain levels and others want to climb the ladder. It is a dog eat dog world, survival of the fittest and even more important to ensure you are choosing the right people to be around.

By hanging out with older people, you get to learn from their wisdom and experiences. By hanging out with people your own age you get to be yourself, have fun, make mistakes but hopefully still get to learn. When you hang out with younger people, you get to do what the older people have done for you. You get to impact young lives for the better, all the while you too are learning how to go about this process and becoming a better person yourself. We should all practice edification. Imagine if we build up and promote each other within our communities. Big things would happen. INCREDIBLE! When you see older and more experienced people at work you get the notion of seeing is believing. However, I prefer seeing is eventually doing. We are creatures of habit and if you surround yourselves with good successful people, you too are on the right track.

SUMMIT UP! WELCOMES KAYLA MOTTL! 

"Seeking an opportunity to expand my leadership skills, self-confidence and making the world a better place."

"I really enjoy working with and helping people because I like to bring joy to others faces and it makes me happy when others know that I can be a person they can feel comfortable talking to.
Some things about me is that I am someone who puts other people’s needs above my own, hard-working in everything that I do, very easy to work with, compassionate , a team player, selfless, and a role model."

Kayla is our first ever Summit up! Mountaineer and we are incredibly lucky to have someone with Kayla's drive and determination on our team. Our goal is to help improve each other, work together to build Summit Up! and impact others around us. 

​"Hi, my name is Kayla Mottl. I am 16 years old and have been named the first Mountaineer of Summit Up!. I am very excited to go on this adventure of learning leadership and sales skills. I decided to apply to join this program because I saw that it would help me to be a more positive person and to learn how to pass on those skills to other people. I am a softball player so always having a positive mindset is a very important part of the sport, which sometimes I struggle with. On my softball team we live by a motto that says “all out all the time”. This means that you give one hundred percent in everything you do no matter what. Living by this motto has helped me to push through the toughest things in life. I will continue to live by this motto for the rest of my life and really stand by it in my commitment of Summit Up!."

Kayla comes to us having held many leadership positions on her sporting teams. She also has spent many hours donating her time and efforts to community service projects with various charity organizations.

​If you want to be featured in our helping others section, email summitup2020@gmail.com. It does not matter where in the world you are, Summit Up! will highlight you, your business or someone you know of in our weekly blog.
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Hoping everyone has a great week. I challenge you to connect with someone older than you, same age and also someone younger. Allow yourself to grow and pass along your experience and knowledge to others. You may not be able to change the world right away but you can ceratinly make an impact in your household and community. If we all take the time to do this, the world will eventually become a better place. Positivity is POWERFUL!!!! Until next week, Summit Up! You've got this.

Facebook: Summit Up

Instagram: summit_up2020

Twitter: @summitup3
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Website: www.summituplive.com

Happy Monday Everyone!

What a day it is, despite that one song by The Boomtown Rats 'I Don't Like Monday's'. It is a great song but it seems like many people have this gloomy outlook and fear of the first working day of the week. Society pushed out the notion, people commented, made their own posts and bang, many more have this uneasy feel to begin their week. How upsetting is that!? It's no way to live. I felt it necessary to write about motivation this week and again tell stories both new and old in an attempt to have you as readers relate or even to help shift your mindset this week.

This week was like the past few on lockdown, it started out with zoom calls with my youth soccer players. Each week I encourage the kids to get out and stay active both with and without the ball. I love chatting with the kids especially because I cannot coach them at this point in time. It helps them connect with one another and also allows me to see who is putting in the work. There was a trend amongst the players however. Many had gone outside during decent weather but very few had braved the elements on colder, darker, gloomier days. I cast my memory back to the days when I would be outside in the pissing wet rain and howling winds, juggling the ball and running. I was fortunate really and didn't ever hesitate as it was bred into me from a young age. I was pushed to work hard, encouraged to overcome failure and rejection and on days I did waver, no wasn't a good enough answer for my father. I became resilient and hungry to succeed.

This week I posted a message in the U15 GroupMe App. I told the lads when I was in my mid teens, I would walk a couple miles with the ball to the park. Even on sunny days and during a hard running session, I would sometimes question myself. "Why am I doing this?" My mind was trying to cheat me and hold me back. Deep down I knew why. I had to play catch up and I knew what I was made of. There were other local lads getting recognition and ahead of me and it wasn't in my nature to quit the chase. It was these hours from a young age and a support system that wouldn't allow me to half ass it that set me on my way. I remember another event around about that time. My family and I would often go to a cottage in near Lands End in Cornwall for a week or two in the summer. This particular summer, I had invited my best friend. Vacation was incredible and in one of the most beautiful places in the world. I encourage you to research Sennen Cove, St. Ives and Porthcurno (see images above of the open air theatre and Porthcurno Beach). There was a lot of time to play and explore but summer was also off season and training was a part of the schedule. I would often run the beautiful roads and also get the ball out at the local park. This particular day, my mate and I were kicking the ball the ball around and towards the end I wanted to get some fitness in. For some reason, my mate thought it would be funny to run across me and get in the way. He was laughing and joking. I instantly snapped and got quite nasty, throwing him to the ground mid sprint. I took my training seriously and nothing was going to get in my way. Boys will be boys and later that day we were enjoying ice cream on the beach without a care in the world.

​In closing, I encourage you all not to be 'bored in the house, and in the house bored' DO NOT allow this virus to creep into your mentality. YOU are better than average. Society has a tendancy to trick you into into becoming just another person cruising through life and wasting your Monday's away. You have the capacity to override any mediocrity thrown your way. Lean on others, lean on me here at Summit Up! Post, tag, comment and ask questions. Better still, I dare you to find that internal motivation. Until next week, Summit Up! You've got this.​

Facebook: Summit Up

Instagram: summit_up2020

Twitter: @summitup3
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Website: www.summituplive.com

Kimberly Courtney - Scout and Cellar

​Kimberly Courtney from Portage, MI is a busy wife and mom to two young girls. She is also an avid wine lover. While researching many of her traditional favorite wines, she was shocked to learned that lurking in traditional mass-produced wine were hundreds of synthetic pesticides, dozens of chemical additives and sweeteners as well as high levels of sulfites. Looking for a better solution she partnered with Scout & Cellar Clean-Crafted™ wine in 2018 to become an Independent Wine Distributor.

Scout & Cellar partners with the small growers and family-owned farms and wineries to produce Clean-Crafted organic wines that are free from added sugar and chemical additives, grown naturally without pesticides and vinified by hand in small batches.

For a wine to be considered Clean-Crafted, it goes through two rounds of independent lab testing to guarantee that it's free of yucky stuff and has fewer than 100ppm of total sulfites. Farming and production practices are also evaluated to confirm that they are, in fact, Clean-Crafted.
Kimberly loves sharing her passion for Clean-Crafted wine with fellow wine lovers.

For more information, contact her at cleanwinebykc@gmail.com or visit her website at https://scoutandcellar.com/?u=cleanwinebykc.

​If you want to be featured in our helping others section, email summitup2020@gmail.com. It does not matter where in the world you are, Summit Up! will highlight you, your business or someone you know of in our weekly blog.

I hope this weeks blog gives you a better insight into the path I chose for myself. It wasnt always the easiest or most popular choice but set me up with a strong foundation. Choosing to be alone built a strength of mind, allowed me to dedicate, allowed me to critique myself and above all, NEVER afforded me the opportunity to become comfortable. This week, I encorage you to step outside of your comfort zone and become your biggest critic. Until next week, Summit Up! you've got this.

​Facebook: Summit Up

Instagram: summit_up2020

Twitter: @summitup3
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Website: www.summituplive.com

Q3 Technologies LLC

Power and Technology Solutions for Industry
 
Q3 Technologies is an industry leader providing electrical, low voltage, data network and communications infrastructure as well as fiber optic outside plant design, engineering and construction. Q3 Technologies also offers maintenance, testing, validation and consulting services for these products. Target markets are industrial, commercial and healthcare. Whether it’s inside your facility or connecting your campus, Q3 Technologies is a trusted and valued partner to many of the leading businesses in Southwest Michigan and other states as well.
Founded on and committed to strong core beliefs in safety, quality, and a positive culture, we believe you will find a partnership with Q3 Technologies rewarding f or your business while providing excellent value to your bottom line.

www.q3-tech.com
 
(269) 388-6330

I encourage you all to look forward to a positive week ahead. Stay engaged and commit to yourselves. Very few will fight your battles for you, nobody else can put the work in on your behalf. Make your own luck and have fun doing it. Until next week, Summit Up! You've got this.

Facebook: Summit Up

Instagram: summit_up2020

Twitter: @summitup3
​
Website: www.summituplive.com