Getbig Bodybuilding, Figure and Fitness Forums
Getbig Main Boards => Gossip & Opinions => Topic started by: Tony Doherty on April 08, 2014, 05:44:06 AM
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This photograph is from March 1994, interviewing the great Flex Wheeler at the IFBB Southern States show. The reason this is significant to me is that it was this night that I announced that Doherty’s Gym was going to open in Brunswick 2 weeks later on April 8th. Which means that it is 20 years ago today that it all really started for me.
I knew that this was my last shot at it, as I had nothing and owed about $200,000 which was loaded against my parents home. They had backed me from day one and I had let them and everyone close to me down. I had pissed it away and partied like a rockstar, thinking I was shit hot. Thinking I was bulletproof, a success in my own mind. Truth is, I was delusional, dazed and way, way ahead of myself.
I opened the doors on April 8th without a single member, no staff, no money in my pocket, nothing in the bank. I had no idea how I would get through the first week, let alone the first year. I just waited for someone to come in and train and after a few hours, a young couple came in and joined up. That first day I had about 10 people come in but no one else joined. This went on for a while and I just kept at it. Kept showing up, day after day, week after week.
The first year I sold everything to keep the doors open, house, cars, furniture, you name it, I lost it. The phone or power got cut every month, at least. I had no where to live and no car, all I had was a vertical grill and a rice cooker. I slept on the couch at the gym for that first 12 months, I would get up in the morning and walk up to the main road to get a paper and a coffee. This way it looked like I had actually come from somewhere. Then I would walk to the gym to open up at 6AM. I would work through to 9 or 10PM, most days on my own until everyone had left, once again I would lock up and pretend to head home until everyone had gone, then sneak back and let myself back in.
I developed a saying that I still use to this day. “Don’t worry about what you can’t do, worry about what you can do.” So with that in mind, when I couldn’t afford to buy new equipment, I would buy a can of paint. When no one came in, I would move everything in the gym. I would dust, clean, re-arrange everything. After a while, people would come in and say, “Hey you are always doing something.” That inspired me more, I thought if people come in and I’m sitting around or complaining, they will pick up on that crap energy. If they come in and I’m busy, they will know I care.
Slowly I started to straighten myself out, killed the ego, got back into heavy training, lost the ponytail and kicked myself until I got up and about. I realise now, how far I had fallen and how close I came to falling through the cracks. I knew that from then on, I would give life everything I had. By that I mean, I made a deal with myself that I would never have regret, or die wondering. No more excuses, no blaming others, no turning back.
I’m writing this for anyone doubting themselves. Anyone thinking about giving up, or thinking they don’t deserve success. For the ones out there that have made stupid mistakes and bad choices. For everyone that has been told they are no good, everyone that has been written off and laughed at. You must never quit, never give in, never let the doubters wear you down. You gotta be tough, you have to stop worrying about what others think. You have to find it within yourself. You have to hold your head up high and stay humble, no matter what, you have to grind. You have to get up every day and attack it like it is your last day, your last chance. When you put you head down at night, you have to know you did everything today, that you could to move forward. Sometimes it will seem fruitless, useless and slow. That is when you dig in harder, you must trust the process, trust yourself and most of all believe in yourself, I mean deep down inside where no one else dwells, that’s where you have to believe in yourself.
Grind hard - Don’t quit!
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Good story Tony... by the way was flex moonlighting at the circus while in oz?
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Congrats Tony,perseverance pays off. :)
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A fine tale Tony, here's to another 20 years.
P.S. You should've kept the ponytail ;D
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great story to start the day
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Thanks for that Tony,you`ve no idea how much i needed to read that story and i hope you have continued success.
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Great stuff as always Tony!
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Tony sounds like a bottom of the submissive variety
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you seem to be talking from experience Army of One.
Thats a powerful story Tony... Doherty power! 8)
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A very brave man indeed, many would have succumbed and given up and went into denial. But you smade it through despite the odds being very much against you. Thanks for sharing.
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Flex rocking the popular pyjama look. ;D
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This photograph is from March 1994, interviewing the great Flex Wheeler at the IFBB Southern States show. The reason this is significant to me is that it was this night that I announced that Doherty’s Gym was going to open in Brunswick 2 weeks later on April 8th. Which means that it is 20 years ago today that it all really started for me.
I knew that this was my last shot at it, as I had nothing and owed about $200,000 which was loaded against my parents home. They had backed me from day one and I had let them and everyone close to me down. I had pissed it away and partied like a rockstar, thinking I was shit hot. Thinking I was bulletproof, a success in my own mind. Truth is, I was delusional, dazed and way, way ahead of myself.
I opened the doors on April 8th without a single member, no staff, no money in my pocket, nothing in the bank. I had no idea how I would get through the first week, let alone the first year. I just waited for someone to come in and train and after a few hours, a young couple came in and joined up. That first day I had about 10 people come in but no one else joined. This went on for a while and I just kept at it. Kept showing up, day after day, week after week.
The first year I sold everything to keep the doors open, house, cars, furniture, you name it, I lost it. The phone or power got cut every month, at least. I had no where to live and no car, all I had was a vertical grill and a rice cooker. I slept on the couch at the gym for that first 12 months, I would get up in the morning and walk up to the main road to get a paper and a coffee. This way it looked like I had actually come from somewhere. Then I would walk to the gym to open up at 6AM. I would work through to 9 or 10PM, most days on my own until everyone had left, once again I would lock up and pretend to head home until everyone had gone, then sneak back and let myself back in.
I developed a saying that I still use to this day. “Don’t worry about what you can’t do, worry about what you can do.” So with that in mind, when I couldn’t afford to buy new equipment, I would buy a can of paint. When no one came in, I would move everything in the gym. I would dust, clean, re-arrange everything. After a while, people would come in and say, “Hey you are always doing something.” That inspired me more, I thought if people come in and I’m sitting around or complaining, they will pick up on that crap energy. If they come in and I’m busy, they will know I care.
Slowly I started to straighten myself out, killed the ego, got back into heavy training, lost the ponytail and kicked myself until I got up and about. I realise now, how far I had fallen and how close I came to falling through the cracks. I knew that from then on, I would give life everything I had. By that I mean, I made a deal with myself that I would never have regret, or die wondering. No more excuses, no blaming others, no turning back.
I’m writing this for anyone doubting themselves. Anyone thinking about giving up, or thinking they don’t deserve success. For the ones out there that have made stupid mistakes and bad choices. For everyone that has been told they are no good, everyone that has been written off and laughed at. You must never quit, never give in, never let the doubters wear you down. You gotta be tough, you have to stop worrying about what others think. You have to find it within yourself. You have to hold your head up high and stay humble, no matter what, you have to grind. You have to get up every day and attack it like it is your last day, your last chance. When you put you head down at night, you have to know you did everything today, that you could to move forward. Sometimes it will seem fruitless, useless and slow. That is when you dig in harder, you must trust the process, trust yourself and most of all believe in yourself, I mean deep down inside where no one else dwells, that’s where you have to believe in yourself.
Grind hard - Don’t quit!
good read, Tony. Thanks.
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you seem to be talking from experience Army of One.
Thats a powerful story Tony... Doherty power! 8)
I defer to your homosexual leathers bar moustache on the final word on the subject.
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I like Tony .. cool guy
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Awesome stuff.....it's always great to see someone follow their passion and have it pay off for them, ESPECIALLY someone as dedicated to bodybuilding/weight training as yourself.
Here's to 20 more years 8)
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parents money pays off ;D
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The facilities now are gorgeous...good job man.
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parents money pays off ;D
Haha yes, a true rags to riches story with only hundreds of thousands of dollars of parents money for startup
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Hard work always, and I mean always, pays dividends.
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This photograph is from March 1994, interviewing the great Flex Wheeler at the IFBB Southern States show. The reason this is significant to me is that it was this night that I announced that Doherty’s Gym was going to open in Brunswick 2 weeks later on April 8th. Which means that it is 20 years ago today that it all really started for me.
I knew that this was my last shot at it, as I had nothing and owed about $200,000 which was loaded against my parents home. They had backed me from day one and I had let them and everyone close to me down. I had pissed it away and partied like a rockstar, thinking I was shit hot. Thinking I was bulletproof, a success in my own mind. Truth is, I was delusional, dazed and way, way ahead of myself.
I opened the doors on April 8th without a single member, no staff, no money in my pocket, nothing in the bank. I had no idea how I would get through the first week, let alone the first year. I just waited for someone to come in and train and after a few hours, a young couple came in and joined up. That first day I had about 10 people come in but no one else joined. This went on for a while and I just kept at it. Kept showing up, day after day, week after week.
The first year I sold everything to keep the doors open, house, cars, furniture, you name it, I lost it. The phone or power got cut every month, at least. I had no where to live and no car, all I had was a vertical grill and a rice cooker. I slept on the couch at the gym for that first 12 months, I would get up in the morning and walk up to the main road to get a paper and a coffee. This way it looked like I had actually come from somewhere. Then I would walk to the gym to open up at 6AM. I would work through to 9 or 10PM, most days on my own until everyone had left, once again I would lock up and pretend to head home until everyone had gone, then sneak back and let myself back in.
I developed a saying that I still use to this day. “Don’t worry about what you can’t do, worry about what you can do.” So with that in mind, when I couldn’t afford to buy new equipment, I would buy a can of paint. When no one came in, I would move everything in the gym. I would dust, clean, re-arrange everything. After a while, people would come in and say, “Hey you are always doing something.” That inspired me more, I thought if people come in and I’m sitting around or complaining, they will pick up on that crap energy. If they come in and I’m busy, they will know I care.
Slowly I started to straighten myself out, killed the ego, got back into heavy training, lost the ponytail and kicked myself until I got up and about. I realise now, how far I had fallen and how close I came to falling through the cracks. I knew that from then on, I would give life everything I had. By that I mean, I made a deal with myself that I would never have regret, or die wondering. No more excuses, no blaming others, no turning back.
I’m writing this for anyone doubting themselves. Anyone thinking about giving up, or thinking they don’t deserve success. For the ones out there that have made stupid mistakes and bad choices. For everyone that has been told they are no good, everyone that has been written off and laughed at. You must never quit, never give in, never let the doubters wear you down. You gotta be tough, you have to stop worrying about what others think. You have to find it within yourself. You have to hold your head up high and stay humble, no matter what, you have to grind. You have to get up every day and attack it like it is your last day, your last chance. When you put you head down at night, you have to know you did everything today, that you could to move forward. Sometimes it will seem fruitless, useless and slow. That is when you dig in harder, you must trust the process, trust yourself and most of all believe in yourself, I mean deep down inside where no one else dwells, that’s where you have to believe in yourself.
Grind hard - Don’t quit!
Awesome 8)
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Very positive & great story!
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Damn, I almost feel guilty for not starting a hardcore gym... :-[
RIP ponytail of peace
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Hard work always, and I mean always, pays dividends.
Tell that to the guys who built the bridge over the river Kwai
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Very positive & great story!
Are you still sleeping on a bench press? ;D
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Are you still sleeping on a bench press? ;D
I lie on bench to train everyday ;D
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Haha yes, a true rags to riches story with only hundreds of thousands of dollars of parents money for startup
I probably didn't explain that properly. My parents did not have money. I borrowed from the bank and used their home for bank guarantee. If I had fucked up worse, they would not have lost money, they would have lost their family home. Big difference between that and being handed money.
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I probably didn't explain that properly. My parents did not have money. I borrowed from the bank and used their home for bank guarantee. If I had fucked up worse, they would not have lost money, they would have lost their family home. Big difference between that and being handed money.
You sound like a loving, thoughtful son
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You sound like a loving, thoughtful son
i know right ;D ;D ;D
gambling his parents house on a gym
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I agree with you all on that. I was a prick, lost and out of control. I think I covered that in the story. Took me a while to work that out but I am the first to admit to the mistakes I made and the path I took. I guess I wrote this to give some light to others that had started bad and were doubting their ability to turn it around.
I doesn't matter how you fall, it matters how you get up.
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doherty is a good guy
he just needs to stop wearing pin stripe suits because he's not a man of power, which is what it represents
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TD
you are a champ
and deserve all the success youve achieved
great inspiration to many and a guy who really cares about and supports BB in australia
congrats on 20 years and here's to 20 more!
i hope you eventually can run the IFBB in australia, Paul + carol graham only have cared about themselves
all the best TD
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Good read. Congrats man
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I lie on bench to train everyday ;D
And lie on Getbig every day that you're a lifetime natty.
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21 years ten months and 24 days since I opened mine.
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Tony-
Much respect.
You seem like a decent dude who EARNED his success.
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A true millionaire getbigger
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Any pics from the initial setup in 1994?
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Great story.
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Any pics from the initial setup in 1994?
Here is one of Sonny and one of Vic Richards.
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And lie on Getbig every day that you're a lifetime natty.
yes this guy gets away with too much lies
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Flex looks massive, Is it before or after his car crash? If he had no crash and competed in 1994 Olympia it would had been interesting.
btw. Was he guestposing ? Do you have some pictures Tony if he did? thx. Always looking for rare pictures of Flex, best aesthetic bodybuilder ever.
and If I remember correctly you were working on some work with Flex, how is it going?
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Flex looks massive, Is it before or after his car crash? If he had no crash and competed in 1994 Olympia it would had been interesting.
btw. Was he guestposing ? Do you have some pictures Tony if he did? thx. Always looking for rare pictures of Flex, best aesthetic bodybuilder ever.
and If I remember correctly you were working on some work with Flex, how is it going?
Hi Frank, he was guest posing, however I cant find any pictures. The Flex project is coming along nicely. We have a DVD coming where we have interviewed just about everyone. Including all of his peers, his old karate coaches and media people. I got him to open up about everything, including the car accident, the ninjas and his demons.
It will be out later this year.
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I have had the pleasure of doing some business with Tony and I can honestly state that there isn't a harder working person I have ever met.
What amazes me is that every time I have gone to see Tony in Brunswick is that he takes the time to sit down have a coffee and speak some gossip about life in general, whilst he is still working the phone taking the time to say hello to everyone that walks through the door to train.
I can only wish that I had the drive and passion that Tony has on a day to day basis. The man runs multiple gyms, FitX, Contests and everything else between….Personally I am waiting on him to take over MMA for Melbourne as well!!!!….
Congrats on 20 years. Success for you has been well deserved Tony.
Travis
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Coach is busy rearranging all 4 pieces of equipment, and painting them with both arms above his head holding a pidgeons feather after reading this
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parents money pays off ;D
haha elephant in the room.
Still, great story of persistence.
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Damn, I almost feel guilty for not starting a hardcore gym... :-[
RIP ponytail of peace
Doesn't get anymore hardcore than this. :o
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/bikie-shootings-drugs-in-sport-and-often-caught-up-in-it-is-gym-owner-and-cleanskin-tony-doherty/story-fnat79vb-1226607996413
GYM owner Tony Doherty is a man who doesn't discriminate. Much like courts, his gyms are among the few places where elite sportspeople rub shoulders with underworld figures, policemen - even judges.
Sometimes they are scenes of drama.
Bandidos sergeant-at-arms Toby Mitchell was talking to Doherty outside his Brunswick gym when he was shot several times in late 2011.
The Herald Sun has learned of links between Doherty's Gym and Shane Charter, the convicted drug trafficker linked to the scandal engulfing the AFL's Bombers.
It was at Doherty's Brunswick gym two decades ago that Charter is alleged have met a supplements supplier who would prove useful to Charter's drug-dealing ambitions.
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Doesn't get anymore hardcore than this. :o
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/bikie-shootings-drugs-in-sport-and-often-caught-up-in-it-is-gym-owner-and-cleanskin-tony-doherty/story-fnat79vb-1226607996413
GYM owner Tony Doherty is a man who doesn't discriminate. Much like courts, his gyms are among the few places where elite sportspeople rub shoulders with underworld figures, policemen - even judges.
Sometimes they are scenes of drama.
Bandidos sergeant-at-arms Toby Mitchell was talking to Doherty outside his Brunswick gym when he was shot several times in late 2011.
The Herald Sun has learned of links between Doherty's Gym and Shane Charter, the convicted drug trafficker linked to the scandal engulfing the AFL's Bombers.
It was at Doherty's Brunswick gym two decades ago that Charter is alleged have met a supplements supplier who would prove useful to Charter's drug-dealing ambitions.
Damn, I didn't knew this. That's actually one of my reasons not to start a hardcore gym business; the world of BB and fight sports is full of criminals. :-\
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great story bro, i can relate
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Hey Tony, before I start to grind hard tell for those who are not familiar with you (like me) how it's going? You have chain of gyms, running bb shows, making millions, doing what you find interesting, have a loving family and so on? Your story have no ending.
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Hey Tony, before I start to grind hard tell for those who are not familiar with you (like me) how it's going? You have chain of gyms, running bb shows, making millions, doing what you find interesting, have a loving family and so on? Your story have no ending.
Popcorn ready
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I probably didn't explain that properly. My parents did not have money. I borrowed from the bank and used their home for bank guarantee. If I had fucked up worse, they would not have lost money, they would have lost their family home. Big difference between that and being handed money.
Not really a big difference You borrowed against your parents house. They could have lost the house and any equity in it. You're lucky you have such loving parents that they would risk their very material survival for you. Yes, they did hand you money by letting you do that.
Glad you made it in the gym business. You deserve all the money you make off it. I hope you send your parents a check every month.
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Really great, heart-felt story tony.
Thank you for sharing it. It has actually inspired me a little bit.
Cheers mate.
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Hey Tony, before I start to grind hard tell for those who are not familiar with you (like me) how it's going? You have chain of gyms, running bb shows, making millions, doing what you find interesting, have a loving family and so on? Your story have no ending.
What are you after there? If you are not familiar then why make the list. "You have chain of gyms, running bb shows, making millions, doing what you find interesting, have a loving family and so on"
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Not really a big difference You borrowed against your parents house. They could have lost the house and any equity in it. You're lucky you have such loving parents that they would risk their very material survival for you. Yes, they did hand you money by letting you do that.
Glad you made it in the gym business. You deserve all the money you make off it. I hope you send your parents a check every month.
Yes they are very well looked after, Dad still works with me, he does all the books. They are very well traveled and rewarded. I am lucky indeed and have never denied that.
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What are you after there? If you are not familiar then why make the list. "You have chain of gyms, running bb shows, making millions, doing what you find interesting, have a loving family and so on"
Your post sounded like a success story from an old man told to some boys. As a long time lurker i remember that you are from The ass of the world and have big gym. I think there should be something more to tell everyone 'never give up, never surrender'. I don't want to see your tax bill, just curious about real achievements.
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Your post sounded like a success story from an old man told to some boys. As a long time lurker i remember that you are from The ass of the world and have big gym. I think there should be something more to tell everyone 'never give up, never surrender'. I don't want to see your tax bill, just curious about real achievements.
You are a dickhead.
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Great story Tony, got me really inspired to finally jump into the unknown and give my business idea a go!
I just called the real estate agents, and they will be valuing my parents house this afternoon before my folks get back from work - hopefully they don't get back early!!!
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Great story Tony, got me really inspired to finally jump into the unknown and give my business idea a go!
I just called the real estate agents, and they will be valuing my parents house this afternoon before my folks get back from work - hopefully they don't get back early!!!
hahahaha!Are you suggesting Tony has the morals of Lee Priest after 10 pints and an eight ball,BigCyp?
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hahahaha!Are you suggesting Tony has the morals of Lee Priest after 10 pints and an eight ball,BigCyp?
What i'm saying Army of One, is that Moral Devoidity sounds like the type of guy who would visit his father on his death bed when he only has minutes to live, to ask if he could have a 24 hour loan of his life savings to start a Hells Angles Tattoo Parlour
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What i'm saying Army of One, is that Moral Devoidity sounds like the type of guy who would visit his father on his death bed when he only has minutes to live, to ask if he could have a 24 hour loan of his life savings to start a Hells Angles Tattoo Parlour
Yes, for his parents wedding anniversary he bought them a luxury tent, even though neither have any interest in camping
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This photograph is from March 1994, interviewing the great Flex Wheeler at the IFBB Southern States show. The reason this is significant to me is that it was this night that I announced that Doherty’s Gym was going to open in Brunswick 2 weeks later on April 8th. Which means that it is 20 years ago today that it all really started for me.
I knew that this was my last shot at it, as I had nothing and owed about $200,000 which was loaded against my parents home. They had backed me from day one and I had let them and everyone close to me down. I had pissed it away and partied like a rockstar, thinking I was shit hot. Thinking I was bulletproof, a success in my own mind. Truth is, I was delusional, dazed and way, way ahead of myself.
I opened the doors on April 8th without a single member, no staff, no money in my pocket, nothing in the bank. I had no idea how I would get through the first week, let alone the first year. I just waited for someone to come in and train and after a few hours, a young couple came in and joined up. That first day I had about 10 people come in but no one else joined. This went on for a while and I just kept at it. Kept showing up, day after day, week after week.
The first year I sold everything to keep the doors open, house, cars, furniture, you name it, I lost it. The phone or power got cut every month, at least. I had no where to live and no car, all I had was a vertical grill and a rice cooker. I slept on the couch at the gym for that first 12 months, I would get up in the morning and walk up to the main road to get a paper and a coffee. This way it looked like I had actually come from somewhere. Then I would walk to the gym to open up at 6AM. I would work through to 9 or 10PM, most days on my own until everyone had left, once again I would lock up and pretend to head home until everyone had gone, then sneak back and let myself back in.
I developed a saying that I still use to this day. “Don’t worry about what you can’t do, worry about what you can do.” So with that in mind, when I couldn’t afford to buy new equipment, I would buy a can of paint. When no one came in, I would move everything in the gym. I would dust, clean, re-arrange everything. After a while, people would come in and say, “Hey you are always doing something.” That inspired me more, I thought if people come in and I’m sitting around or complaining, they will pick up on that crap energy. If they come in and I’m busy, they will know I care.
Slowly I started to straighten myself out, killed the ego, got back into heavy training, lost the ponytail and kicked myself until I got up and about. I realise now, how far I had fallen and how close I came to falling through the cracks. I knew that from then on, I would give life everything I had. By that I mean, I made a deal with myself that I would never have regret, or die wondering. No more excuses, no blaming others, no turning back.
I’m writing this for anyone doubting themselves. Anyone thinking about giving up, or thinking they don’t deserve success. For the ones out there that have made stupid mistakes and bad choices. For everyone that has been told they are no good, everyone that has been written off and laughed at. You must never quit, never give in, never let the doubters wear you down. You gotta be tough, you have to stop worrying about what others think. You have to find it within yourself. You have to hold your head up high and stay humble, no matter what, you have to grind. You have to get up every day and attack it like it is your last day, your last chance. When you put you head down at night, you have to know you did everything today, that you could to move forward. Sometimes it will seem fruitless, useless and slow. That is when you dig in harder, you must trust the process, trust yourself and most of all believe in yourself, I mean deep down inside where no one else dwells, that’s where you have to believe in yourself.
Grind hard - Don’t quit!
you are one of not so many successful stories in fitness industry.
You've had a right drive, positive attitude and persistence from the very beginning and with attitude alike that you can only be a winner in life.
Congratulations.
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Great story...There's also a lot of timing that goes into owning a gym...Whole different ballgame today then it was 2 decades ago...
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Gyms are tricky business ... so people like Tony, Hazbin, The Coach should be paid attention when they talk about running a gym. Seriously...
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Quite a timely post, for me Tony. I have been in a position of self doubt, recently.