THE STORY OF CHANGING MY LIFESTYLE

By Paulius Kazemekaitis

FIRST BASKETBALL TRAINING

When I was seven years old my father brought me to my first basketball training. From that day I knew what I want to do in my life.

Basketball became my second religion “I’ve got a theory that if you give 100

percent all of the time, somehow thing will work out in the end.” – Larry Bird

DISSAPOINTMENT AND LOST AN IMPORTANT MATCH

Finals of the Amateur Basketball League It was a close game untill I injured my ankle

in third quarter. In the hospital I heard the news from my coach that our team lost a game and took second place.

Blaming myself “I’ve failed over and over and over again in

my life and that is why I succeed” – Michael Jordan

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

4 region championships 2 times selected as the Most Valuable Player

of the championship 2nd and 3rd place in three point contest Captain of my team

UNITED KINGDOM

I was studying in boarding school in Bromsgrove, United Kingdom for three years

From the first day in school I was known as the basketball player

Free time = basketbal Five trainings a week and a match on

weekends Training with man professional basketball

team in Worcestershire (England)

UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY

Going to United States of America was my dream!

Best basketball team Dreams come true? My hope was to train even harder and to get

into the basketball team,

However…

PERSONAL CONFLICT

Knee injury Long distance relationship Spending too much time on skype... Things that gave me pleasure, do not exist to

me anymore I had to do something!

HOW MY VIEW CHANGED

It seems that basketball never exist to me. I stopped tracking basketball scores, stopped watching it, and there is no desire anymore to take a ball and shoot the hoops.

I realized that there are many more exciting activities in life and I don’t have to become attached to one thing.

MIXED MARTIAL ARTS

Never train combative sports “Performance Edge” It requires sacrifice and dedication Not only prepares you physically but also

mentally. For example, jiu-jitsu is like a poker or chess game as you must predict your opponent.

MMA saved my life!

“IF YOU ALWAYS PUT LIMITS ONEVERYTHING YOU DO, PHYSICAL OR ANYTHING ELSE, IT WILL SPREAD INTO YOUR WORK AND INTO YOUR LIFE. THERE ARE NO LIMITS. THERE ARE ONLY PLATEAUS, AND YOU MUST NOT STAY THERE, YOU MUST GO BEYOND THEM.” – Bruce Lee

CREDITS

1. “The Road To Change” by Ray Kim (http://bacc.cc/2012/09/12/the-road-to-change)

2. At slide #5 and #7 personal photos taken by myself and my friend.

3. “Change Ahead” – (http://www.cpsu.org.au/agency/news/28662.html)

4. “Bruce Lee Wallpaper” http://www.hdwallpapers-desktop.com/wallpaper/archives/3822/bruce-lee-wallpaper