Dr. John A. King shares how a late-in-life medical diagnosis with shortened life expectancy pushed him from gym rat to NPC bodybuilding competitor. He describes using the gym to manage health and stress, and invites viewers to share their own "one-shot" stories over the next 14 months.
Life's a bit of a strange duck. I don't think any of us planned to have the journey we've ended up having. It's not like we got up and signed on for certain obstacles, things to overcome, or things to come to terms with. I know I didn't. I had a childhood that I wouldn't wish on anybody. And, um, As a result, I ended up having to deal with some complications later on in life. I was 45 when it really all came together for me, and I started to realize what caused, or what the cause was that lay behind some major life complications that I was facing. I ended up with a condition that one of the ramifications of one aspect of it was that it had a life expectancy of approximately, or an average of, 37 years for men. I was 45 at the time, so it was a bit of a rude shock in some ways, but also a, that's awesome, moment. I realized I was living ahead of the curve on this thing. I turned 50 in September this year, 2013, so I'm still alive. It's kind of awesome. But at that point, I realized that I had to live life differently. I had to get up each day and I had to learn to manage what I had to manage and overcome what I had to overcome. There was there was no two ways about it. I developed what I've called a one-shot mentality: that every day I've got one shot of it, every relationship I've got one shot at it, every opportunity I've got one shot of it. I don't know how long I've got. You know, all of us live. With the sense of eternity hanging there. But for me, it's a reality. A good day is waking up breathing. A bad day, I don't know. Well, it really isn't a bad day if it's dying. But I love the gym. The gym, I came to learn later on, was my body's natural attempt to address some of these issues. The gym relieves stress. The gym gave me peace of mind. The gym was building muscle, helping aid testosterone development, helping deal with some pituitary issues. My body was saying, this is what it needs to happen. I got to a place in 2010 when I thought, you know what? I need another goal. I've been a gym rat for 20-odd years. I need to try bodybuilding. And I did it. I wasn't happy with the results. And this year I came to the same conclusion. I need to go one more time. I'm not happy with what happened last time. I didn't give it my best. I didn't treat it like a one-shot experience. So that's why I've embarked on the journey I have this year. You see, for me it's not a slogan. It's not a banter. It's not a bumper sticker. It's a philosophy. I am determined By the very nature of what I face daily, to squeeze out of life everything I can. And I'd love to share this journey with you. It's an interactive journey that will have the focus on bodybuilding and my attempt to win an NCP title. But the message is larger than that. We've got one shot at life. You've got one shot with that special friend. You got one shot with having a kid, going for a career, climbing a mountain, taking a journey. One shot. Life is too short and too long all at once for us not to live it in the moment and live it having one-shot experiences. I'd love to hear your story. I'd love to hear about your one shot. And I'd love us to celebrate those things together and maybe encourage some other people along the way to Overcome what, what they may be pushing up against, that they see as adversity instead of an opportunity. I look forward to taking this journey with you over the next 14 months.
