ONE Spartan Personal Training

Stepping out under a clear, dark sky to a sharp crescent moon, dawn just breaking and Orion standing tall directly overhead—with my guiding star right on his bow.

As i drove to work emerging through the low mist of the New Forest, two massive fallow deer stags stood quiet in the half light, holding their gaze before moving on.

​In ancient mythology and primal lore, these signs aren't an invitation to rush or force outcomes. The stag doesn't panic or act on impulse; it stands firm, holds its own space, and steps across the threshold with absolute self-mastery. Orion watches the horizon, but real growth is about knowing when to stop chasing and trust the process.

​Looking back on how far I've come, the meaning in the mist is clear: trust in the fates, refuse to flinch, and step forward with unshakeable composure, clarity and  unconditiinal trust.

​

HOMER DIDN’T WRITE FAIRY TALES. HE WROTE A MIRROR.
​We’re taught to read the Iliad and the Odyssey as epic poetry about gods and monsters. They aren't. They are raw case studies on human nature, moral injury, and the internal wars we fight every day. Homer wasn't trying to entertain; he was driving home hard lessons about who we are when everything is stripped away.
​The Iliad: The Meat Grinder of Ego and Greed
It starts with fragile vanity and pride. Agamemnon’s ego, Achilles’ rage. Ten years of butcher’s work in the dirt shows how quickly unexamined ego burns down everything around us. The ultimate lesson isn't victory—it's two enemy fathers weeping together over their dead sons.
​The Architect of the Massacre
Odysseus engineered the Trojan Horse, unlocking a night of total slaughter and destruction. Every drop of that blood was on his hands. His mind built the trap, and he had to live with what his intellect created.
​Survivor’s Guilt and the Internal War
The Odyssey is about surviving what you did to win. Odysseus carries the crushing weight of moral injury and the shame of being the leader whose decisions got his men killed. He stays hidden on Calypso's island because he feels fundamentally unworthy of returning home.
​The Evolution of a Leader
Early on, his pride gets his men slaughtered. But as the story strips him bare, he stops leading them into the fire and starts placing his own body in front of it. He transforms from an ego-driven commander into a shield for his people.
​The Real Monsters
The Lotus-Eaters and Calypso are the temptation to numb out, settle for less, and hide away from guilt. The real monsters aren't under the sea; they’re the ones we carry in our own heads.
​These ancient stories were written to show us how to stop destroying ourselves. We just have to be willing to learn from them.

I’m ok" doesn’t always mean ok.
​Most times, it’s just a standard reply. But sometimes, it’s short for "I’m brOKen." ​Listen to how it’s said. Listen to the intention behind it. Look at the body language and watch for those subtle changes—the sudden quietness, the small shifts in how someone carries themselves.

​You won't always get a loud cry for help. Some people are too proud. Some are too low. Some are so lost down in the pit that they don't know where to turn, convinced the world would be better off without them.

​THAT IS NOT TRUE

​I say this because I’ve been in that darkness myself. I’ve had those exact thoughts, I know and care about survivors and I’ve stood alongside and supported people left to pick up the pieces after losing someone. The weight doesn't disappear when you go; it just falls straight onto the people left behind. ​You're a proper part of the cogs in so many lives, in ways you probably don't even realize.

There is always someone to talk to, whether it's a mate, a stranger, or a helpline.
​That’s why symbols like Project Semicolon exist. In writing, an author uses a semicolon when they could have ended a sentence, but chose not to. You are the author, and the sentence is your life. Choosing to keep going—choosing a semicolon instead of a full stop—is a powerful reminder that your story isn't over yet.

​Reach out. Check in on your mates—especially the ones who seem the strongest or the quietest. Just listen. No judgment. A simple message could literally save a life. A smile or a simple "it's good to see you" can make somebody feel seen and worthwhile.
​You are enough. You matter. The world is a better place with you in it.

​Support & Resources:
​Samaritans: Call 116 123 (Free, 24/7)
​Shout Crisis Line: Text SHOUT to 85258
​NHS Mental Health: Call 111 (Option 2)
​Project Semicolon: projectsemicolon.org
​Live2Live: Support mental health awareness apparel at live2live.org/collections/shop-all

Winter is coming. If you're losing your inspiration and drive to carry on training, stay tuned and lock in those goals.

​Netflix is dropping serious inspiration, building on the massive success of their superhuman competition series, Physical 100. If you've not seen it, check it out.

They're releasing two brand-new editions this September:
​Physical 100: Italy – September 11
​Physical 100: Mexico – September 16

​As Socrates famously put it:
​"No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable."

​Stop waiting for ideal conditions. Get out there, put in the work, unlock your true potential, be inspired by these athletes, and push through.

# inspiration

Yesterday marked 5 years to the day since the UK finished its withdrawal from Afghanistan on August 28—with the US following on August 31.

​I was there in April 2002 at the start of combat operations.

​Five years ago, watching it handed back to the Taliban made me question everything we did.

​The 20-year war cost:

• Over 3,500 NATO Coalition deaths (including 2,456 US and 457 UK)

• Up to 69,000 friendly Afghan forces killed

​Still to this day, it leaves me asking why.

​It leaves a mark on you. Thinking of the families affected, and the friends and colleagues we lost along the way. Never forgotten.

evacuation

“Once more unto the breach, dear friends…”

​That used to be my default setting: charging every closed door, kicking it in, and trying to force a resolution. Fighting to prove a point. Fighting to prove my worth. Fighting to prove I was worthy. Fighting for love. Fighting to be seen. Fighting to be chosen—by a room that simply wasn't ready.

​Anyone who's operated in high-stress environments knows that storming an uncleared breach without a plan just leads to unnecessary casualties and collateral damage. I’ve learned to stop forcing perimeters.

​Real growth—especially as men—means understanding triggers, mastering our own reaction, and building actual, combat-tested coping mechanisms. I’ve been combining Urge Surfing (a technique developed by Dr. Alan Marlatt to handle intense impulse spikes) with The Five Breaths of the Samurai. When the wave hits, you don't charge, and you don't fire back. You take five deliberate breaths to pause, ground your stance, observe the field, calibrate your response, and command your stillness—letting the wave crest and fall naturally.

​Silence isn't weakness, and it isn't petty. Sometimes silence is simply the maturity to hold your ground without forcing a point. It’s having the discipline to step back, giving the other person the time, space, and safety to step forward on their own terms. ​You give them that space freely, with grace—unbothered by the weight, fully grounded, standing ready to receive them, and open to an invite to the table to talk.

​Because true value is acknowledged, not surrendered under siege.

Tonight’s full Sturgeon Blood Moon marks the end of the eclipse corridor—stripping away the noise, exposing the truth, and leaving zero-static ground.

​This isn't about closing doors out of loss; it’s about stepping into the next chapter with crystal-clear sight. Knowing what I stand for, what I want, who I choose to have in my life, and having the patience and trust in the bond to let it unfold naturally.

​Listening to Rúnamál by Danheim while watching the moon rise. The chanted sequence of runes isn't random—it’s an ancient galdr designed to move you from internal chaos to absolute stillness:
​Thurisaz & Uruz ➔ Clears toxic noise and grounds physical strength.
​Raido & Sowilo ➔ Directs the path and strikes with pure clarity.
​Naudiz, Tiwaz & Isa ➔ Forges patience, locks in warrior discipline, and freezes intent into solid reality.

​The eclipse illuminates the truth. The sound locks it in. Trusting the tides, trusting the fates, and not flinching.

Throughout history, three words have altered everything.
​"God wills it" was a war cry to conquer. "Come get them" was an immortal defiance at the gate. Three words can be an ultimatum, a demand, or a battle line.

​Words carry no sound on a screen. You cannot control the tone, pitch, or internal state of the person reading them. Depending on the receiver’s heart, the exact same three words can feel like a terrifying cage—or a fortress of absolute safety.

​In some cases, the right three words, delivered at the right time, can bridge deep connections, remind someone of who they are in this world, and even save a life.

​Intent is everything. When stripped of noise and control, those three words become an anchor instead of a weapon. A simple, unyielding sanctuary.

We’ve completely lost the plot with modern photography. We treat images like digital currency—curated, filtered, and optimized purely for vanity.

​That misses the entire point.

​When photography was first invented, people feared it stole a piece of your soul. They weren't being ignorant; they were picking up on a fundamental truth. A photograph traps a fraction of a living second. It acts as a time machine that bypasses logic and drops your nervous system straight back into the exact frequency of a moment—dragging every emotion, feeling, and memory right back into the present.

​It transfers energy from the image directly to the person holding it.

​For a long time, I hated photos of myself. Most people do. We look at a frame and instantly start picking apart flaws, judging the image through a lens of self-criticism and insecurity.

​That is an ego trap.

​A photo of you isn't meant for you to audit. It’s meant for the person looking at it. When someone who loves or adores you asks for a picture, or posts one of you that they treasure, they aren't scanning for your perceived imperfections. They are connecting to your energy, the memory attached to that second, and what you mean to them.

​Once you realize it’s not about what you see in the frame, but what they see, the shift is total.

​Stop worrying about how you look. Accept the photo, drop the self-judgment, and let the people who care about you keep the energy you leave behind.