http://mmabum.blogspot.com/2008/09/training-in-time-starved-world.html

post on balancing training and careers. any input would be appreciated

I graduated from Claremont McKenna with a BA in Economics-Accounting in May 2007 almost a year ago.   Leaving College was not very hard as I had 3 months of partying/traveling to look forward to before work and in all honesty I was ready to leave. Once I moved back to the bay things started to get a lot more difficult. The resulting year however was one of the toughest emotionally, mentally, and physically I have ever been through.  I'm leaving out a lot of detail but here it goes.

Life as an Auditor...

I had taken my offer with KPMG, to become an Audit Associate in San Francisco, CA.  I had interned with them as a Junior and I liked the people I had met there.  The money was decent for living in the bay area and I figured I'd get this down on my resume and eventually return to business school.  A busy season and multiple year-ends later I wanted out (in less than 10 months).  I moved in with a close friend from work that previous summer and began my life in corporate america.

I dove in head first and I was acheiving a lot very quickly.  I got on a year-end immediately and in a trial by fire I was exposed to almost all the facets of an audit within the first month.  As I moved on to various projects in different industries I learned more.  My reviews were good and overall I was performing well.  Perhaps this is all one can ask for in the workplace but I was not happy.

I worked long hours, I commuted anywhere in the bay from the San Jose to Napa, and my schedule was highly irregular.  I got out of shape, I drank more, I started to smoke more often, I was not able to train with any sort of consistency (I found a great gym but could barely make it to practice even when using my free time to do 3 a days).  Perhaps I should have seen this coming, but I thought I would be the exception and I would be able to balance life as a competitive martial artist with that of an auditor.

In this period of time on a tangent.  I almost got mugged one time and my car got stolen.  All while coming home or being on the job.  Oh I almost ran over a bum who was sleeping on my parking space in Berkeley.  That would have been good.

Coming Home...

When I went home last December I discovered many things.  At home a lot of things had happened since I've been away that I cant really write about here, but at the end of the day I realized how fortunate I was.  My parents had supported me through boarding school, private college, and were now even helping me build my life a world away. Was I acheiving any of the goals I had set out for myself and more importantly was it worth being away from the people I loved.  After being in America for so long it became easy to forget what I was giving up to be here.

I took a trip to our beach house in the northern part of Luzon in a province called La Union.  I was there for a few days of surfing with my highschool buddies John and Mariel, Mariel's boyfriend at the time Tomas, my dad, and my cousin Ananda.  For those few days I surfed, I eat great food, I drank, and I had a great time.  Hanging out with my friends we began to find out how different our lives were.  John was still trying to pursue his dream of working in hospitality and was taking some time off , Mariel was traveling the world and taking jobs in hotels while finishing her degree (at the time she was in Bangkok and now if I remember she is in Fortaleza Brazil), and I was well a corporate slave in San Francisco.  It was refreshing to be around people who didnt have anything really planned out and were living for the moment, with goals in mind but with the flexibility to take advantage of other opportunities.

I'm not sure exactly when it happened but as I sat on my longboard looking at the shore waiting for a long ride I realized I had to change things.  The truth was that though there was some satisfaction in the things I was doing in San Francisco: being able to buy what I wanted, to pay the rent with the money I made, and performing well, none of it really brought me any happiness.  I was happier on that board in the water, I was happy because the first time I was doing what I wanted, and it didnt cost a ton of money.

The rest of my vacation was spent boxing at ringside, partying around the city, but I only really remember that one beach trip.

Back to the Bay...

It didnt happen all at once but I began to change things in my life.  I decided that in order to be truly happy I had to be a little selfish for awhile.  I had to concentrate on myself and developing myself.  I decided that no matter what I would take steps to leave accounting and to find some sort of situation where I could get back into shape and fight again.  I started studying intensively for my CPA and looking for other jobs.  If I got my CPA before I found a new job then I'd leave the country.  If I got a job that would allow me to train then I'd stay in that job for at least 18 months and develop myself as a martial artist in the bay area and take it from there. 

As many in the profession know, this perhaps was not the best time to have an early-life crisis.  It was busy season and trying to recruit, study, and work doesnt leave much time for anything else.  I was focused though and kept going.  I would often sleep for four hours a day, interview in the morning, work till 10pm at night and then study for my CPA till 1 or 2 in the morning.  For some reason I felt more alive.  I took a few weeks of PTO but I spent most of if focusing on my goals, sacrificing a trip to vegas in the process, and training when I wasnt studying/recrutiing.

Then it happened.  I got an offer.  The job process isnt the most interesting thing but after three rounds of interviews, a background check/drug test, and shuffling around my work schedule it happened.  I was done studying for the FARE exam (a part of the CPA), but I dropped it to focus on my new job.  I started work as a PCA at Bernstein Global Wealth and slowly but surely things have started to change.

Now and Going Forward

After celebrating my new position (I find any reason it seems to party), traveling back to school for graduation, to new york for new hire training, I began to construct the schedule for my new life and focus on a new career.  I went to about six different gyms in the Bay Area, all phenomenal camps.  I could not stay at Fight and Fitness anymore because it did not fit my commute now that I was working 8-5 and could not make the morning classes (they started at 7).  After bouncing around I found a good combination that works.

I train thaiboxing with Gym445 out in the Sunset on TuThFridays (three a days except for friday (sparring/conditioning and Saturdays just one class).  My new coach Edgerton "Edge" Brown is a former WKA champion at 145lbs and actually works downtown, we often ride the Muni Rail together into work.  Under him and another coach/owner Bebe Etzler I am developing my standup constantly.  Great sparring partners in the gym have also made it a great experience.  I will be making my amateur Muay Thai debut sometime in the next few months so I'll keep you posted.

My coach, Darren, just opened up a gym called Fogtown Combat Club.  Which we actually had to change to Fairto Tamashi Combat Club (fighting spirit combat club) because theres a gang in daly city called fogtown (ridiculous I know).  I've been going there MWSat training at 7-9 class with some of his other old students without the gi.  check my previous post for the official opening on the 16th.

At work I've been blessed to be put on a team that understands my schedule and my background.  Being a PCA has a lot of different challenges from that of an auditor.  Without getting in the technical details, its a lot more intensive during the day, a lot more speaking with clients, and very time sensitive.  It is often stressful during the day but once your out the door, you are truly out the door till the next day.  The culture at Bernstein while fairly conservative is one that supports learning and striving for goals.  The firm however has very little patience for error and if you do not perform encourages you to go elsewhere.  It has its ups and downs but I am happy and learning a ton about the capital markets, money management, and client service at a very high level.

Goals

So was it wall worth it?  Sometimes I still question that and I think the answer to that really lies in what I make of my new situation.  If I am able to compete regularly and achieve my goals as a martial artist then it is.  If I am able to perform well at work and learn as much as I can then it was.  And as long as I get to see my friends and family for some part of the weekend I am pretty content. 

My progress toward these goals will be posted on this blog as much as I can.  It will help me keep track.

Thank You

Threre have been multiple people who have helped me along this crazy year.  My brother Ramon.  My friends Jeremy, Marcus, Steve, and others.  Even a great friend who sadly I do not talk to anymore.  I cant say enough to everyone for supporting me and helping me balance being practical and pursuing my real goals in life.  Life isnt all work and fighting so I hope to see everyone who matters to me more often especially when I dont have to make weight.

 

Going forward I hope this blog is less serious and more fun and informative.  It seems that it will be.

if theres anything I learned this semester.  Its probably to try to find some focus in my life.  Set goals and complete goals. I just lost all motivation.  Too bad I only realized this during finals week. 
Hopefully I get through everything and next semester will be a lot more productive...oh well at least this sem was fun.....