Today we welcome back TG.com’s original standout, George Kalantzis. George is a longtime friend and colleague. We first met over ten years ago when he started as an intern at Cressey Sports Performance, later becoming a full-time coach who led CSP’s Strength Camps. Since then, he’s become a best-selling author, releasing Nowhere to Go late last year. It’s great to have George back on the site to share some important life lessons. Enjoy!
I know the title may upset some readers, but it’s 2022, and we don’t need more empty mantras or ideas that the Universe will save us from our struggles. Here’s what helped me survive—poetry and prose.
How could your life be different if you stopped chasing this endless search? A part of you brought you here to read these words. Everything changes at the touch of a fingertip—likes, comments, and clicks. It can feel like the goal is the destination, but the real lessons come from the journey and the tough moments we endure.
Life transitions are inevitable. Hard times come when we least expect them. The pandemic laid bare these truths. Yet many people still avoid taking responsibility for their lives, blaming others and spinning stories to justify their choices, forgetting that many problems reflect the choices we’ve made. I’m not here to judge your way of living. I know what it’s like to search for more to get through the struggle. This is about paying attention to your choices, because every choice has consequences. If you want to overcome adversity and live authentically, these ideas can help you unlock your true potential.
The universe doesn’t care about your problems. We all want to belong and survive, so we lean on others to make life easier. The problem is when we depend on others for our own survival. Relationships, validation, and constant scrolling can replace listening to our own feelings. That’s why many of us struggle to know ourselves. The longer we let others write our story, the longer we stay stuck. We’re on a treadmill, moving but not really going anywhere.
Adi Da Samraj, an American spiritual teacher, urged: Notice what is affecting you. Through the Grace of Truth Itself, you must handle your business. The more you notice those moments when you want to run, the more you can make choices that fit your true potential. If you struggle, you have two choices: keep making excuses and blaming others, or stop running and choose yourself for the first time. This is the power of the mind—not a magical force that will save you from despair.
Life is a magnificent dance. Being a Marine doesn’t automatically make it easier to stay disciplined, clear, and purposeful. I’ve faced serious personal hurdles, including years of struggle that nearly pushed me to the edge. It was incredibly hard, but it led to growth—and I even wrote a book about it. Music is the medicine of mind and soul, and I believe life invites us to become more than we can imagine. The dance isn’t always smooth.
Every song we dance to has twists and turns, big and small, and they all add up. When times are tough, the mind tries to solve problems, and we push our bodies to the limit. Yet we often end up feeling more lost, unseen, stressed. Life can feel like it’s happening to us as we drift from our true self. But life is brief, and honesty with ourselves makes a difference. When challenges arise, be open to all the dances of life. Create space to check in with how you’re really feeling. Give yourself permission to slow down. Even if acceptance feels odd at first, sitting with the discomfort a bit longer each day will bring wisdom from the challenges you face.
Journal prompts to start:
– The reason I struggle with slowing down is…
– What I’m afraid might happen if I slow down is…
– Moving fast is protecting me by…
– What I would like to happen right now is…
– What I think I need to happen is…
– The reason I have a hard time trusting this will happen is…
– What I could do right now to move toward that outcome is…
Create mentors. Notice I didn’t say “find a mentor,” I said “create.” Along the way, someone may tell us we have to be more than we need, and we forget to love, laugh, breathe, dance, cry, and simply live. But life’s storms remind us nothing is certain. I create mentors by recognizing that my journey has many directions, and living authentically helps mentors appear when I least expect them. Tony is one of them. Note from TG: I’ve got you.
You’ll create mentors by learning to enjoy simple moments—a good workout, a scoop of ice cream, a chat with an old friend, or a spontaneous date night. These are where mentors show up. You don’t need to keep chasing more. You already have many mentors around you; you just need to be present in the dance of life.
Accept your last breath. A few years ago my dad told us he was slowly dying of cancer. Watching him endure this reminded me that our last breath can come at any moment. I’ve seen many deaths, but witnessing his surrender was a powerful reminder of the power of the last breath. If we view our experiences that way, our last breath can become a fuel that carries us through both our darkest and brightest days. It isn’t easy to think about, but breathing as if it were your last moment can bring life’s gift into focus.
We can choose to see everything we endure as a path to a broader version of ourselves, or we can cling to fears that stop us from breathing freely. Either way, we are part of a transformation as we seek truth and relief from suffering. People like my dad understand this power. They don’t fear death; they live as if something new is being born. This dance with death gives them courage to keep living with an open heart. Fear is useless here; trusting yourself is essential. Our last breath doesn’t mean we stop trying. It means we let go of ideas that prevent us from breathing fully. When we accept the idea of our last breath, we can rest in the sense that we are moving toward something greater.
The way to live authentically. I’m not here to claim I’m better than you, nor did I write this to chase online trolls. I want to show that you don’t have to be a victim of life. You are in control of your choices and your freedom. As you move through life, create space to breathe deeply, connect to your heart, and move your body. These practices offer solace when life feels heavy.
About the author. George Kalantzis is the author of Nowhere to Go, a podcast host, a decorated combat veteran, and a personal coach at the Art of Tough Transitions. With nearly 20 years of experience through tough transitions, George helps people live authentically by giving them the courage to find their voice and unlock their potential. He speaks in ways that make people feel seen through prose, poetry, coaching, and real-life lessons from the school of heart knocks. Visit George’s site here.
