This deserves its own thread.. How can anyone not like this kid (maybe his opponents think otherwise).
Mitchell Mesenbrink interview
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A young Philosopher who also is a great wrestler. He looks deeply into Life.
I can see him later in Life getting into Metaphysics. I suspect he will have many deep emotional experiences as he dives deep into what is Life.
Go for it MM!
I can see him later in Life getting into Metaphysics. I suspect he will have many deep emotional experiences as he dives deep into what is Life.
Go for it MM!
I think he should be more careful. With “celebrities”, it never seems to help to talk too much at length about what you really think. There is a long list of celebrities who are willing talk at length. The public seems to turn on them, every single one.
It's so fascinating that rock bottom is winning a second NCAA championship and a Hodge. But I can relate - I had a little crisis after passing all the college tests, getting the interviews, getting the dream job and then ... I felt goal-less. A wise man told me to relax, this is what you've worked for and you don't need big goals for now, just enjoy. Glad Mitchell took a step back to reflect and think about what's really important.
I prefer the goofy and happy Mitchell over the thoughtful Aristotle Mesenbrink.
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. If he's not majoring in philosophy he should be . He's definitely a deep thinker and in sports that can be a blessing and also at times a curse . This happens to some high level athletes they train so hard to achieve something that once they do it's not as big as they thought. My opinion setting goals are a curse set milestones along the way that will make you the best version of yourself. List the milestones with a bigger picture in mind. Once you set a goal and achieve it that's when that feeling of I thought this was gonna feel different sets in and after that goal is achieved you feel like I did it. You achieve the milestone and it's onto the next. I could listen to Mitchell talk for hours but I would definitely smoke a joint and it's been years
. If he's not majoring in philosophy he should be . He's definitely a deep thinker and in sports that can be a blessing and also at times a curse . This happens to some high level athletes they train so hard to achieve something that once they do it's not as big as they thought. My opinion setting goals are a curse set milestones along the way that will make you the best version of yourself. List the milestones with a bigger picture in mind. Once you set a goal and achieve it that's when that feeling of I thought this was gonna feel different sets in and after that goal is achieved you feel like I did it. You achieve the milestone and it's onto the next. I could listen to Mitchell talk for hours but I would definitely smoke a joint and it's been yearsAre mushrooms legal in PA
He's a psychology major. So definitely a deep thinker. He's going to be a phenomenal coach if he chooses that route.
The word association regarding the coaches was pretty cool to hear.
Wanna know who is a Philosophy Major? You already know: Ono.
The problem with philosophy is that there are just way too many putative philosophy students who are just too dumb for it, and end up in a navel-gazing world of abstractions that they "think" is philosophy, with an inability to apply it consistently and coherently to decisionmaking, or to actually communicate to others in a meaningful way. (And yet, oddly, they often go to law school. I wasn't a philosophy major, but I put myself in this category.)
But the ones who are actually smart enough for it can actually turn it into an incredibly practical mechanism for making, and communicating, coherent decisions on remarkably concrete questions.
But the ones who are actually smart enough for it can actually turn it into an incredibly practical mechanism for making, and communicating, coherent decisions on remarkably concrete questions.
Weird tho’, how philosophy and math converge on hi levels of both. One would be construed as very “liberal artsy,” while the other is very technical, but they weave together at ‘deep’ levels
Probably the smartest philosopher I know is a quantitative applied economics guy. He was redevelopment minister for Kosovo, and told them they had to peg their currency to a globally tradeable one, and they chose the Deutschemark. Within a few days though, they were getting reports that the Kosovars were ready to riot, and when they dug into things, they realized that all of the DM had come in 100DM notes, and no one could make change. That's the kind if problem that a real philosopher can spot and solve.
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I can definitely identify with the curse aspect of working to achieve difficult goals. In 1988 I finished 8th in the world championship in triathlon in Perth, Australia. For a whole year prior to that race I was completely committed mentally, physically, emotionally, and financially. There was nothing else but triathlon during that time. I can see now that my life was completely out of balance. Coming back on the airplane from the championship I felt empty inside. What am I going to do with my life now because I had no job prospects, no significant relationships, or other goals then the world championship. It took me a while to find balance in my life.Are mushrooms legal in PA
I can’t hear a word about philosophy without thinking about this classic!
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Been through this several different times in my life, mostly with athletics, then education, but most recently with financial goals/benchmarks. I accomplished this thing I was consumed with for an extended period, finishing didn't really change anything (and the "feeling" was meh and fleeting), now what? Some of us are just wired that way: we have to constantly be striving for something, otherwise we're lost. I find it helpful to constantly be setting small goals - even it pails in comparison to the recent big goal - so that next thing is always lined up.
I would also say that from a Christian perspective God allows these feelings in us to keep us from becoming too attached to the world and not heavenly things. "Things of this world are passing the away . . ."
The only thing I find interesting is how close Mesenbrink and Herring are. It's a bit strange that a rising senior and incoming freshman are best friends and have been for quite a while as Mesenbrink mentioned Herring multiple times last season as his friend but when you hear either speak about the cerebral parts of wrestling, it makes sense.
And yes I know that Herring skipped his HS senior season to work with NLWC.
And yes I know that Herring skipped his HS senior season to work with NLWC.
Congratulations...that is an amazing achievement...
...and I can totally relate!
Year after year, I have won the World's Greatest Dad competition (as I have numerous t-shirts, mugs, and baseball caps to prove it). I've worked extremely hard for these valuable trophies but it makes me wonder if there is something more out there that I'm missing out on.
So many suffer from identity issues once they stop high level competition. They believe I am a triathlete or I am a wrestler and everyone around them knows them as such . Instead of thinking it's something I do but it's not my identity. Hopefully all is well with you now .
Sometimes Christianity and Buddhism have more in common than most would think.
Sam is dating his sister, imagine getting Mitch's approval was essential and along that tryout, they became best friends!
Recently, I was reading some of the writings of the psychiatrist Dr. Carl Jung. One of his most famous quotes left me speechless when I read it. He said, "People will do anything, no matter how absurd, to avoid facing their own soul."
Jung made me realize that the triathlons and ultra-endurance events I participated in and all of my 'accomplishments' actually served to stop me from looking inside of myself. They allowed me to go to extreme lengths so I would be able to avoid any type of inner self-reflection or introspection. I didn't have to think about the numerous traumas and conflicts from my past and how they have affected my present.
When I was totally devoting my life to training and racing I didn't have to examine the parts of my personality that I was ashamed to admit existed within me. I was too preoccupied escaping with triathlons and so many other things. I knew next to nothing about life, myself, and the world around me.
Looking inward can be painful, terrifying, and humbling. All the running I did was actually running away from the pain within myself. It distracted me and simply allowed me to escape the quiet time of my own thoughts.
In other words, it is very difficult to be honest with yourself.
MM is not the first person and will not be the last to reach a huge goal and think “that’s it, now what”.
A Spock quote “having is not pleasing a thing after all as wanting. It is not logical but often is true”.
Congratulations on being an All-American at the World Championships !
Honestly, this sounds narcissistic to me (and probably involves therapy, which I generally have a negative perception of). I tend to lean towards stoicism. Thinking about my "traumas" or "who I truly am" has never done me any good. It doesn't change that these things happened and just shifts my mental focus entirely on me (and things in my past that I can do nothing about now). At that point how do I ever be a father, husband, and take care of my job responsibilities? My experience is that if you want to feel better about yourself or fulfilled in some way, either follow Arnold's advice and "Be Useful" (BTW, great premise, terrible book) or do something for someone else. In the past this has been various volunteer opportunities - my favorite was mentoring teens and young adults on the autism spectrum who were getting their first job. Now it is almost entirely about my kids, but if I am feeling "meh" in a specific moment, I'll get off my butt and knock on a neighbor's door and ask if I can do their yardwork. As a side bonus, this has gotten my kids 3 regular lawn mowing gigs. I understand looking inward and trying to truly be honest with yourself, but my responsibilities don't care about what I have gone through and looking backwards and dwelling has never led things in the right direction for me. To each their own.
Did not having a dad around (and knowing that my sperm donor was in prison, didn't finish junior high, worked for the cartel and robbed the family of the mother of his children, etc.) or growing up dirt poor in the ghetto lead me to work incredibly hard and excel in various sports, get a PhD, become successful in my career? Hell yeah, and I've written blogs about how being unlike him and pushing myself so my kids do not have to experience the things I did have been a driving force in my life. I have siblings (several, all extremely competent in a variety of ways) who have spent so much time thinking about it (and in therapy) and it has resulted in becoming perpetual victims with trainwreck lives, who bring down everybody around them. At times the obsession with the current goal probably didn't have me in the best mindset, but ultimately I believe that chip on my shoulder has almost been entirely positive.
I did triathlons for a handful of years in my mid-20's. Not anywhere remotely at your level, but I had a box full of medals from local (mostly Olympic distance) races. I wasn't swimming/biking/running from anything, I was doing it because football and powerlifting had left me with some injuries which made it contraindicated to do power-related sports at that point and I needed an athletic/competitive outlet. Do I constantly need a competitive outlet (today it's BJJ) because I had a rough upbringing and I have this undying need to prove myself? Maybe, and I think that's been almost entirely a good thing.
Yes, I see the irony in starting off this post saying that looking inward seemed narcissistic, and then writing several paragraphs all about me
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I totally agree, sometimes the therapy involves too much of you. Now if you're talking cognitive therapy or things like solution oriented,brief therapy, where they might teach you to challenge your automatic thought assumptions or to approach things in somewhat of a different way, well I will see utility in that. I lean to simplistic wisdom from a grandpa type who's peeling an apple with a pocket knife.Honestly, this sounds narcissistic to me (and probably involves therapy, which I generally have a negative perception of). I tend to lean towards stoicism. Thinking about my "traumas" or "who I truly am" has never done me any good. It doesn't change that these things happened and just shifts my mental focus entirely on me (and things in my past that I can do nothing about now). At that point how do I ever be a father, husband, and take care of my job responsibilities? My experience is that if you want to feel better about yourself or fulfilled in some way, either follow Arnold's advice and "Be Useful" (BTW, great premise, terrible book) or do something for someone else. In the past this has been various volunteer opportunities - my favorite was mentoring teens and young adults on the autism spectrum who were getting their first job. Now it is almost entirely about my kids, but if I am feeling "meh" in a specific moment, I'll get off my butt and knock on a neighbor's door and ask if I can do their yardwork. As a side bonus, this has gotten my kids 3 regular lawn mowing gigs. I understand looking inward and trying to truly be honest with yourself, but my responsibilities don't care about what I have gone through and looking backwards and dwelling has never led things in the right direction for me. To each their own.
Honestly, did not having a dad around (and knowing that my sperm donor was in prison, didn't finish junior high, worked for the cartel and robbed the family of the mother of his children, etc.) or growing up dirt poor in the ghetto lead me to work incredibly hard and excel in various sports, get a PhD, become successful in my career? Hell yeah, and I've written blogs about how being unlike him and pushing myself so my kids do not have to experience the things I did have been a driving force in my life. I have siblings (several) who have spent so much time thinking about it (and in therapy) and it has resulted in becoming perpetual victims with trainwreck lives, who bring down everybody around them. At times the obsession with the current goal probably didn't have me in the best mindset, but ultimately I believe that chip on my shoulder has almost been entirely positive.
I did triathlons for a handful of years in my mid-20's. Not anywhere remotely at your level, but I had a box full of medals from local (mostly Olympic distance) races. I wasn't swimming/biking/running from anything, I was doing it because football and powerlifting had left me with some injuries which made it contraindicated to do power-related sports at that point and I needed an athletic/competitive outlet. Do I constantly need a competitive outlet (today it's BJJ) because I had a rough upbringing and I have this undying need to prove myself? Maybe, and I think that's been almost entirely a good thing.
Yes, I see the irony in starting off this post saying that looking inward seemed narcissistic, and then writing several paragraphs all about me
Also I used to volunteer to do first aid at the Iron Man triathlon, I worked at Kona from 1998 to 2001 and I believe I did two at Lake Placid in 2000 and 2001. Just first aid work but fun.
I haven't worked to finish line and I had an assess people to see if they needed any medical care. One guy sent to the medical tend to get IV and a younger first aid worker asked me why I sent the fellow there when it seemed he looked OK?
I told her he can't recall peeing since the swim, so we're talking about 10+ hours since he urinated or recalls urinating so he's not 100% fine. she laughed,
You need to know which questions to ask.
There's an old De La lyric, from their Stakes is High album, that I always think of when I see someone who's a cool thinker like Mitchell:
She glanced deep in my eyes and said "Oh sh*t, you're ill!I like the way your mind moves around at will
Great post! Aardvark bring their own Deeeeeeppp Thoughts!
I like the old, where ever you go there you are kind of thinking. I don't think you need to understand every motive to do the right thing.
Good logic chain. I was a workaholic and achieved titles, compensation, and recognition well beyond my strangest imagination (I had a 2.1 GPA in High School and almost flunked out of PSU). When I retired, I had to “meet myself”. Retirement was troubling so I started consulting and went back to 60+ hour work weeks. Over 5-7 years I dialed down the work and came to a mild understanding of my strange upbringing. 20+ years into retirement I still prefer to wield the hammer, but, I’ve cultivated enough self reflection and relaxation to get by.
New @johnstownsteel handle on HR. Guaranteed to work on Slumlord Bob.
