SCS #2 - The World's Most Dangerous Man is Sober Too

This weekend I met Ken Shamrock, one of the biggest stars in MMA (mixed martial arts) history. He was named the World's Most Dangerous Man and has been inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. Although I was nervous to encroach his personal space, he gave me a couple minutes for an interview that I'm going to share with you"

 

You can bring Ken Shamrock to speak at your school/event.

Although I only got to talk with Ken for a bit. He talked about his family and how he likes to spend time with them. He also ranted about how young people are ready for change because we've seen the lives of celebrities, athletes and our families destroyed by drugs and alcohol. And it's true, in just the past decade we've seen stars like Whitney Houston, Heath Ledger, Amy Winehouse, Anna Nicole Smith, Michael Jackson, Cory Monteith, Philip Hoffman and Brittany Murphy die from drug or alcohol incidents.

I really enjoyed listening to Ken and took the following from our interview:

Be Bold

When I asked Ken if he drank alcohol, he just said "no." He offered no explanation, no excuses and let the silence sink in. I think that a lot of us try to apologize for being different. We tend to think that people will judge us for making a decision that's outside the norm. So we ramble on about how we don't drink, but it's only because of this or that and that we won't judge them for drinking. Own your decision, be 100% you and never apologize for being different.

It's All About the People

Before I started Party.0, we surveyed our campus and found out that people just went to house parties and bars to hang with friends and meet new people. Alcohol was just the excuse to get together with others. Fun has never been about what you're drinking but entirely about who you're hanging with. Think about it, you could put two chairs in an empty parking lot with your best friend and you would make it fun! It's all about the people you're with.

Family

We've all seen how addiction can destroy a family. It can lead to abuse, separation, divorce and trauma. It was evident how much Ken loves his family and wouldn't sacrifice them for anything. I sensed how selfless he was when he talked about how he loves his kids and "grand-babies." You can tell the guy would do anything for them.

Peer Pressure is Real

Pressure to get drunk or high is everywhere in college. Even if you're not at a party! It's human design that we want to be in groups, which is why we look for acceptance from others. So if every student talks about getting wasted on the weekends, it's an indirect but powerful pressure that we should do the same. Especially if we want to have fun, make friends and be a part of the group, and what college student doesn't want that? Make sure you have a group that knows you want to stay sober and cares enough to hold you accountable.

*If you have any questions about Ken, write them in the comments below and I'll try to answer them. If you'd like to share your story on Sober College Secrets, click here and we'll chat :)