Being Blocked Means a New Opportunity Awaits You…
Circumstances can derail even our best-laid plans. As the saying goes, no plan survives first contact with the enemy—and in this case, the "enemy" might simply be unexpected disruptions beyond our control.
We set our course, and then life happens. We get blocked, forced to shift our approach, and sometimes, we wonder if we’re losing ground.
I hit two major blocks over the last few months—some of you might recall the challenges I faced.
While vacationing at our cabin in the Great White North, I started walking regularly, hitting seven miles a day. It was great for both fitness and mental clarity, and the weight started coming off. Eventually, I dropped to 155 lbs.
But something was happening that I hadn’t noticed…
My muscles were wasting away.
It turned out my weight loss wasn’t just from fat—it was from muscle loss due to something called sarcopenia. And while I celebrated the lower numbers on the scale, I failed to see what was really going on.
Reality hit when I tried to carry an 18-litre water bottle up the stairs—and barely managed it. A week later, Chris Thompson looked at me and asked, "What happened to your muscles?"
They were gone.
I felt weak and drained. My wife noticed too and asked if I could still protect us in an emergency. I said yes, but for the first time, I felt a flicker of self-doubt.
Then, things took another turn.
Seemingly overnight, I became unable to eat or drink anything containing gluten. It’s called Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity, and even a small amount—bread, soy sauce, beer—put me in agony.
Just like that, my diet was turned upside down. No more pizza, cannelloni, fish and chips, Burger King Whoppers, Korean stir-fry, sub sandwiches, or shortbread cookies.
I was getting skinnier, weaker, and cut off from foods I’d enjoyed for years. It felt like life had blocked me from being fit, strong, and enjoying what I loved. And for a while, that was a bitter, disempowering thought.
But here’s the thing…
I made a choice.
Instead of surrendering to despair, I saw this as an opportunity.
Life had gotten my attention, and I wasn’t going to settle for simply regaining my health—I was going to get into the best shape of my life.
Chris introduced me to creatine - a supplement - and I started training harder. When the creatine kicked in, my testosterone and human growth hormone surged, and my strength doubled, tripled, and kept climbing.
And because gluten was off the table, my diet became laser-focused: high-quality protein, healthy fats, organic greens.
I started this journey in November. Now, with my 72nd birthday just weeks away, I’m in the best shape of my life—easily doing 1,000 squats every week, pain-free.
And here’s the really cool part…
Without sarcopenia and gluten sensitivity forcing my hand, none of this would have happened.
I would have kept coasting—settling for far less than what I was capable of.
Those roadblocks turned out to be gifts.
By discovering what I couldn’t do, I was propelled to discover what I could do.
And it’s no different for you.
If you’re stopped short in any area of your life—whether by circumstances, illness, neglect, or plain bad luck—ask yourself this:
How will I turn this problem into my greatest victory?
Listen for the answer. Then act on it.
Turn trouble into triumph.
- Mike Mandel
(Chris here: Did you know that Mike's entire "Mandel Trilogy" hypnosis bundle is included in the Brain Software Syndicate. The price to join is ridiculously low.)