BooneThink

My intention is to tell
of a new exercise physiology.
The sports medicine folks and everyone else,
specialists and trainers alike,
All disappear,
And we, the EPCs,
Become visible.

The power of wisdom is power! But, first, what is wisdom? Maybe it is simple as “stop digging when you find yourself in a hole.” New thinking is always a historical event. If one does not believe that the birth of new ideas is possible, why suffer from speaking out? But, if one could affirm a new idea, perhaps, then sports medicine could be suspended in a timeless existence never to influence exercise physiologists again. If only, there was just one person with a new idea, something different from the countless statements of fussy thinking.

I’m compelled to state that you should not hold your breath looking for that one person with insight and determination to think afresh. Instead, the empire continues unabated with its usual cruel and oppressive functions. The cult of sports medicine personalities is a politically driven life line of decades of failed rhetoric. The imposing reality of exercise science as if there were exercise scientists and/or actually real jobs in the public sector where exercise science graduates are hired isn’t laughable. It is sad, hurtful to students and their parents, and it should be a crime. Remarkably, at least the present time, it isn’t. Personally, I believe it will be at some point in the future. The common culture of education isn’t just to educate, but to set the stage for graduates to work, to make a living, and to be in position to pay back tuition loans and still financially survive.

Even from this brief sketch it is evident that the power of an education is not linked to misinformation and/or a certification that isn’t part of the complete identity that communicates professionalism. Thus, when you decide to go to college, do not play around with the academic major. Pick a major that has the greatest potential for being successful. Do not allow yourself to be ambushed by those who keep telling you the same old stories. Honestly, they will tell you that exercise science is exercise physiology. It isn’t. They will tell you that there are a lot of clinical exercise physiology jobs and you should join a clinical exercise physiology association. This is absolutely untrue, and it borders on hypocrisy, if not some kind of morbid fantasy.

My point here is that the common everyday social ritual of the sports medicine puppet is just that “common.” Each one approaches every student with the same line. For example, if you like strength training, get a strength and conditioning certification and work as a strength and conditioning trainer. Hello, have you looked as to how many such jobs actually exist? To the college graduate who will emerge just long enough to call his or her parents to tell them “there are no jobs and I would like to come home” — “help, please help me, please help me.”

Yet, on the other hand, “being successful” is all about thinking straight and standing up for one’s rights. It has something to do with critical thinking, that is, the ability to think clearly and objectively. But, more than anything, it is all about understanding the symptoms of failed rhetoric. Once stupid thinking is understood for what it is, one can be beyond the vomiting and nausea of being a loser for so many years. In conclusion, it is always good to recall as William Bolitho said, “The adventurer is within us….”

Being successful means thinking, and I mean seriously taking the time to think and uncover the facts, then face the reality of what you find, and finally “stay the course” of something better.

1. Change takes time — years and decades.
2. Change takes people out of their comfort zone.
3. Chnage begins with an idea or vision of something better.
4. Change starts with a few people more so than a lot of people.
5. Change requires talking and writing about the vision.
6. Change starts with action.
7. Change takes place with commitment.
8. Change is associated with mistakes.
9. Change requires creative thinking.
10. Change is an emotional roller coster.
11. Change is carried out by ordinary people.
12. Change requires persistence.
13. Change is too much for some people.
14. Change is about creating a new culture.
15. Change requires a core of people who share the same vision.
16. Change involves people.
17. Change is driven by an acknowledged reality.
18. Change is dependent upon a trusting environment.
19. Change is associated with resistance.
20. Change is difficult.

There are many sounds of silence, but occasionally you hear a sound of life. Usually, it is a tap-tap, much like “I’ve been thinking about joining ASEP.” For all those who have moments of “sound” that says, “Join ASEP and support the organizational leaders in the professional development of exercise physiology.” There is truth that “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” In short, there is strength in numbers. Join ASEP. Join the American Society of Exercise Physiologists on behal of all exercise physiologists worldwide.

Your power to choose your future is your right. Every minute of the day every exercise physiologist should be in the state of mind to choose his or her future. Is it the exercise specialist’s path or is it the professional organization of exercise physiologists, the American Society of Exercise Physiologist? The more I think about it, the more I’m convinced that failing to choose the right path is a function of not knowing you are in charge.

For those of us who work towards change in exercise physiology, it should be comforting to know that it is possible to be in charge. One can only imagine how difficult it must be for those on the outside of ASEP (i.e., those who can’t imagine something other than what they have been doing for decades). Hopefully, it is just a matter of time before it becomes clear to them that they need their own professional organization. That moment will be by choice a very special one. Then, their future in exercise physiology will be defined and guided by them.

The outcome of this thinking will help to define the professional experiences the exercise physiologists will come to understand, and how their work will be interpreted in terms of surviving financially as professionals in the healthcare market. With each of these considerations, it will increasingly become your choice to create and/or sustain the work towards the professionalism of exercise physiology.

Each of us has been granted the power to choose. We possess the power to choose what to believe or not to believe. If you choose to believe that you have no control over the future of exercise physiology, your outcomes will continue to manifest exactly as they have, based on that belief. On the other hand, if you believe you have the power to choose what your future will be, then you are part of a profession that you helped to create. Enjoy it. Understand that you have the power to change. Choose wisely.

Behind the scenes of every academic program, there are faculty members who are responsible for teaching courses in the physical education major, others who teach courses in the athletic training major, and still others who teach courses in the exercise science major. As an example, consider the following department titles:
1.Sports Sciences
2.Human Performance
3.Health and Exercise Science
4.Physical Education and Exercise Science
5.Health and Human Performance
6.Kinesiology
7.Exercise and Sports Sciences
8.Human Movement
9.Movement Arts and Health
10.Kinesiology and Physical Education
11.Health Sciences, Health and Fitness Management
12.Sports Studies and Physical Education
13.Health, Wellness, and Physical Education
14.Health and Human Services
15.Exercise, Health, and Human Performance
16.Exercise and Athletic Training
17.Kinesiology and Exercise Science
18.Sports Sciences and Fitness
19.Physical Education, Wellness, and Sports Studies
20.Applied Physiology

In one analysis, out of nearly 900 department web sites, I found close to a 100 different department titles. Frankly, that is a problem. It demonstrates more than anything the lack of leadership, purpose, and sense of direction.

I’ve been a college teacher for nearly 40 years, If you were to ask me the question, “What has changed?” – I would say Nothing! The original mess, since physical education was challenged in the 60s for being a meaningless degree for athletes, has gotten worse. The issue of diverse department titles and quality of education has seldom been addressed.

Most of these departments are stuck in a phase of growth that no longer serves the students. Keeping things as they have been serves the department and the academic institution rather well. 150 to 300 student-majors represent a significant income and security, but it does relatively little to benefit the students in the long run.

In fact, just this week I was reminded of why ASEP exists. While getting some grocery items at Super One, the guy at the cash registered said: “You’re a teacher, right? I said ‘Yes.’ What do you teach? I’m an exercise physiologist. Oh, one of the other clerks just graduated as an exercise physiologist. I said, “That’s interesting. Where did he graduate? “From University of Wisconsin, in Superior”, he said. Then, I said, almost without thinking, “He isn’t an exercise physiologist.” He looked at me rather strange like, then, I said “He needs either an academic degree in exercise physiology or he must pass the EPC exam to earn the professional title, Exercise physiologist.” He just kept staring at me as I left the counter.

Transformative change is never easy. It takes time, resources, and the perseverance. Unfortunately, the entire exercise physiology community must be involved in solving their problems and, frankly, most academic EPs just don’t get it.
•They aren’t comfortable moving in the direction of the unknown on the promise that ASEP is the right course of action.
•And, it is clear that people like to remain connected to those they know, those who have taught them, those with who they are familiar, even at times of their own detriment. In other words, change is not a trivial process.

I am, after all, a product of years of failing to change. I performed academic functions entirely without knowing that I didn’t think differently because it was comfortable doing what others had done for years.

It wasn’t until I became a department chair that I realized neither more nor less academic titles, concentrations nor emphasis areas will help students from the inadequacies of the traditional ways of solving problems. There are simply too many false assumptions. For all intents and purposes, there is a lack of leadership today with respect “what is exercise physiology.”

Not surprisingly, exercise physiology is still defined as “acute and chronic adaptations to exercise training.” This thinking simply will not help us solve the challenges we now face. Instead, it requires radical rethinking of the most basic and foundational ways we view ourselves.

But, you may be thinking, “How can you say that?” First, there are essentially no other comparative academic departments with such in-house confusion about its purpose. For example, although most academic institutions graduate primarily physical educations majors, more often than not, they refer to the students as exercise science majors. My young friends, you are not living in ordinary times. The minds of many, if not most, academic exercise physiologists are closed to the fact that students majoring in academic programs that is essentially 90% a physical education major.

Calling it an exercise science major or even a concentration will not (cannot) make it an exercise physiology degree. That’s why students should not be encouraged to think of themselves as exercise physiologists when they graduate from an exercise science major or a kinesiology major. There are many other examples as well.

Second, what I’ve said is true despite the bursts of published papers by exercise physiologists in non-exercise physiology departments. Research by itself is not enough to bring about a change in awareness of the need for one’s own professional organization.

Academic exercise physiologists have lost sight of the distinction in professional titles that exist among other professions. They have also failed to appreciate that “exercise is medicine” and that exercise physiology at its core is a healthcare profession no different from PT, OT, or nursing.

There is no reason why exercise physiology should feed physical therapy programs, unless of course you already understand that exercise science is not a career-driven academic major.
Research is important and, in fact, it is an obvious requirement for being a profession. There are other requirements, too. One that is critical to any profession is the support of its professional organization. Others include a code of ethics, accreditation, and standards of practice.

The glue that holds every profession together is the sense of common identity that is tied to a common purpose. None of this exists within departments that embrace a failed sports medicine rhetoric; one that is infectious but misleading.

Graduating exercise scientists with an undergraduate degree is make-believe! Understandably, I don’t say this lightly. I’m not interested in offending anyone. My brain tells me that unless we change the way we think and talk about exercise physiology, many of us will continue to stumble and fall about.

This is not acceptable, given the expense of going to college today. No student should graduate to a fitness gym-job without medical benefits and a salary to pay the bills. Regardless of what some may think, I don’t believe being a “personal trainer” is the job most
parents hope for when their son or daughter graduates from college.

Also, in my opinion, exercise science, either as a degree or a concentration, is not an academic program that is pulling us into the future. It represents no-change from past thinking or, worst yet, change in the wrong direction. At least physical educators have a concrete connection to job opportunities. Exercise science is on a collision course with failure.

Note the following statements taken directly from several popular department web pages:
•The Exercise Science major prepares for work in clinical exercise physiology in hospital/clinical settings, as well as graduate school allied health programs such as occupational or physical therapy, exercise science or biomedical sciences.
•Exercise Scientists study the relationships among exercise participation, physical activity and human health and focus on the development and delivery of preventive and rehabilitative physical activity programs that promote health and prevent disease.
•An undergraduate degree in exercise science can prepare you for a broad range of careers such as clinical testing, fitness, performance enhancement, physical therapy, and cardiac rehabilitation.

As long as this kind of thinking goes unchallenged, students of exercise physiology degree programs end up experiencing similar problems in locating jobs because neither the faculty (in general) nor the public knows the difference between exercise science and exercise physiology.
Learning to think differently is imperative. It must be learned and it can be learned – and this, of course, is part of what this presentation is about. We can already see how other healthcare professions have changed (and have do so for decades) and how they continue to create new ways of thinking and leading.

We need an entirely new vision of exercise physiology, and that is exactly why ASEP was founded. However, the process of transforming how we think is not an easy process. In short, it means getting rid of the old to make room for the new!

The newly emerging language of:
•professionalism – not another weekend certification
•code of ethics – not greed or opinions
•standards of practice – not just more research without focus or even meaning
•accreditation with a purpose, not an agenda item for competitive reasons, and
•board certification is very different.

Nine out of 10 academic exercise physiologists aren’t prepared to rebel against the established way of thinking. They operate within the boundaries of programs defined by very little to no change since PE became ES in the 70s and 80s.

Wouldn’t it be impressive for an exercise physiologist to say to a department chair the following? “The exercise science major needs to be updated to an exercise physiology major. This can be done in accordance with the ASEP Accreditation Guidelines. I know it will take work and dedication, but it is the right thing to do. Is it going to take time, of course it will.”

Although we may share fundamentally different views on what I’ve said and what I’m about to say, the objective is rather simple: That is, why not do what is best for our students? Exercise physiology today is not as it was 20 or 40 years ago. It is not just about research or calling oneself a “physiologist” or even a “scientist.”

There is little doubt that the academic exercise physiologist’s job should be an unshakable commitment to the student’s education, not to writing another grant or attending a meeting (even this one), even though both are important.

These things are all part of the job of a being a college teacher, just as service is. The name of the game is giving power to our students so that they may take the best of what we can give them to realize their true potential and happiness. This, it seems to me, is intuitively and morally the only course of action.

Therefore, it is only right that exercise physiologists, particularly, the Board Certified Exercise Physiologists should come together and agree that the institutional thinking of the past is obsolete and that new ways of thinking about the profession should be taught, crafted, and implemented. I know I’ve said it to myself 100s of times, “Tommy, be strong, stay the course, after all, my students should have the same rights to a future in healthcare as the students of PT, OT, nursing, and dietetics.”

Understandably, it isn’t easy to “stay the course” but it is possible. I’ve taken risks and done things that some of my friends are not willing to do. The bottom line is that the old paradigm is dead and it should be buried and put away!

It is time to clean away the old thinking, and replace it with a new way to think about who we are and what we do. I imagine the new way might look something like this and, if you will, a recipe for coming together:
1.Fill the cooking pot with fresh 21st century ideas, especially the ones that speak to healthcare, sports training, and professionalism.
2.Fill the pot with more discussion among colleagues, more papers on the exercise physiologist’s code of ethics and standards of practice.
3.Stir in equal parts of focus on students and the role of a college degree in their future and financial well-being.
4.Bring to a boil and blend a liberal portion of research by exercise physiologists at all levels of education.
5.Fold and slip in precisely the right amounts of credibility, accountability, and legal responsibilities to clients and patients.
6.Simmer until smooth, thick, and strong, stirred with a common purpose driven by a shared vision and leadership.
7.Season with a dash of business courses and a pinch of courage to commit to building one’s own financial athletic and healthcare enterprise.
8.Let cool, then garnish with a topping of specialized certifications that further supports the EPC’s professional status and recognition.
9.Serve by teaching “professionalism” and self-worth as a course of study as one would teach exercise physiology.

To make this recipe work, to embrace a vision of the future that is compelling and inclusive for all, we must have the courage to do and say what we believe is right, rather than what is convenient or popular. Also, we must find ways to build partnerships based on shared aspirations.

Notice the emphasis on the word “we” – which is another way of saying “Self-Leadership.” Students (and especially those of you here today) need to take stock of this point because “leaders of the future” come from YOU. You must be willing to engage in self-change, and to bring into being what never existed before and couldn’t have been predicted based on the past.

As I was thinking of this meeting, I thought about asking students in particular, “What are you going to do to make the most of your life?” I thought, “Please God, let me find that person who will transcend the normal everyday way of thinking, who is going to break through, inspire us, challenge us 24/7/365, and call forth from all academic EPs the spirit of imagination. Bill Moyers said it best: “You know the spirit of which I speak. Memorable ideas sprang from it: “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”…”created equal”… “government of, by, and for the people”…”the only thing we have to fear is fear itself”…”I have a dream.”

Never have we been more in need of transformational changes to create and anticipate the future; changes that are profound both in behaviors and new competencies. Of course this will require massive amounts of collaboration with all the stakeholders involved so that there is broad-based acceptance and support of the ASEP vision and mission.

The logic is clear: Whatever your politics or academic background, my friends, we cannot go on under false pretenses that non-exercise physiology majors or concentrations have merit (especially when young people need our guidance when it comes to “what is exercise physiology”). It simply is immoral to ask students to go on paying hard earned tuition money for the wrong reasons.

And, frankly, we cannot win the battle as quickly as we should when our leaders don’t have the will or courage to ask everyone to sacrifice. Exercise science and whatever else it may be called needs fixing, because it is badly broken. Think it over: Those who graduate without a degree in exercise physiology aren’t sharing in the profits. Their incomes cannot keep up with costs and, therefore, because it’s harder and harder to figure out how to make ends meet, they go on to other fields of study. I believe this is the reason ASEP exists.

Please appreciate that challenging yourself to get out of your comfort zone is not easy. In fact, most can’t or will not do it. There are many kinds of risks in life: emotional, intellectual, and physical. The important ones are those that help you grow and express your values, especially in the service of others.

So, in summary, challenge the old assumptions, question the status quo, and develop new solutions, knowing there is no straight line to some future point. There is only learning along the way, adapting, and trusting your instincts.

When you do these things, you will be different, and your example will provide hope for others. After all, what you do defines who you are, what you stand for, and what you are willing to do to get what you want.

In exercise physiology, as in other academic majors, the idea that all college teachers are working on behalf of students, that is good intentions, is often lost in other concerns. Perhaps, it isn’t so obvious that traditional values, even those recently acquired, set the direction of each day, much less the obvious definition of who we are and what we believe is important.

Okay, so with that understanding, what is the problem of not honoring a professional organization? The problem is that good intentions per se aren’t enough. College teachers need to be on the right track with contemporary thinking, especially that of the ASEP organization, leadership, and the professionalism of exercise physiology.

Most leaders love to make strategy, but it is vision and values that spawn strategic action. The absence of a vision will doom any strategy — especially a strategy for change. A true vision shapes assessment and promotion, and behavior towards professionalism, partnerships, and investors in the future. Having a vision is a more powerful tool for leading an organization than any market analysis or spreadsheet.

But defining the right vision, the right expression of what ASEP wants to accomplish, and articulating the values that govern how the organization operates are not easy or painless. As with all organizational development, evolving from one idea to the next is hard work.

The first step in visioning is to assess your organization, your industry, and your sector of the economy. What do you do uncommonly well, and how do you fit into the changing landscape of exercise physiologists as healthcare professionals? For me, it is obvious. For others, it is much slower in coming around to the understanding that exercise is medicine.

Hence, ASEP matters…

As I look around this room, I am happy to share with you the secret of life (as written by Sculptor Hency Moore): “The secret is to devote your life to one ambition. Concentrate everything you know, everything you can summon, to accomplish this one desire.” I believe this quote expresses a truth that isn’t fully understood. The bottom is this: I know the cost is going to high. Obviously, there will be resistance, opposition, and difficulties, but those with passion are willing to pay the price.
* Vision always demands a cost.
* Someone has to pay the price.
* Are you willing to do it?

The ASEP vision is real and future-focused. It is all about seeing things as they should be, not as they are! I believe it was Vince Lombardi who said, “The joy is in creating, not maintaining.”

To create and give credibility to exercise physiology as a healthcare profession is something altogether different than staying as a discipline of researchers. “Exercise is medicine” and we are exercise physiologists!

ASEP is the way; we must learn to live it. Others have gone before us. Working together we will fulfill our vision. But, there is no way to succeed without exposing yourself to risk, just as other healthcare professionals have done and continue to do.

What is your vision of the future? To think about it for a moment, what do students want from their undergraduate degree? Perhaps, stated somewhat differently: Will they be successful with a sports science degree? Do they see themselves as a fitness instructor and, if so, is it likely they will be able to raise a family, buy a house, and send their children to college on the “fitness instructor” salary? Do they see themselves as a “healthcare professional” – having earned the title, Exercise Physiologist?

I wonder what students are thinking when they major in non-exercise physiology degrees, yet they are very much interested in exercise physiology. I wonder why they aren’t more interested in sitting for the EPC. Is it because the academic EPs have not yet given their support to the EPC exam? If so, what is the problem? Is it indifference? Is it politics?

There is a need in asking these questions, and others like: Why didn’t my professor talk about ASEP? Why is it that most jobs don’t require the EPC exam?

Of course, what is not so well appreciated in regards to power plays and political struggles between organizations is this: When power is hoarded it atrophies and blocks achievement. For this reason, it is important to have a clear vision for one’s professional life.

One practical effect of a vision is a sense of stiffening one’s resolve and setting a direction, which brings us back to several additional questions: What is the value of a vision? How does a vision shape what we will be doing in 10 or 20 years? As exercise physiologists, do we have it in us to stay the course? If so, are we willing to continue building the ASEP professional infrastructure?

From the ASEP perspective, much like the NSCA perspective for strength and conditioning….we must believe that our future lies in our vision, which is (in short): To be recognized as a unified, leading professional organization of exercise physiologists in the study, promotion, and application of exercise as medicine to fitness, health promotion, and rehabilitation. Often we are not comfortable with change or thinking differently, such as (for example) that exercise science is not exercise physiology (as is true of the other “related” degree programs).

To believe otherwise cannot help students who are interested in a career in exercise physiology. And, to feel uncomfortable towards me or others who may agree with me is unrealistic and unfair. After all, people do have the right to disagree even when it runs counter to the majority way of thinking.

The political philosopher, John Schaar, of the University of California said: “The future is not a result of choices among alternative paths offered by the present but a place that is created. Created first in the mind and will, created next in activity. The future is not some place we are going to but one we are creating. The paths to it are not found but made, and the activity of making them changes both the maker and the destination.” Translated, this is exactly why ASEP created the exercise physiology infrastructure of professionalism.

It is why the ASEP leaders developed the first-ever “code of ethics” for exercise physiologists, as well as the:

* Accreditation guidelines
* Board certification
* Standards of professional practice, and much more.

All of which is “professional activity” essential to our success. ASEP is already successful (even though it is small). It has done everything it set out to do, even just recently with an entirely new website.

If you believe exercise physiology is in your future…Why not talk about ASEP with your friends? Why not encourage others to join the organization? Why not tell everyone why accreditation and board certification are important to our professional development? The trade-off is simply this:If we are willing to share and support our professional organization, we will avoid sacrificing our identity in the obvious mediocrity that abounds.

It is up to all of us to create the future of exercise physiology. The ASEP “path” is easy to see. The power in a vision isn’t posturing, that is, attempting to keep others guessing. It is what makes the impossible possible! But, there must be vested interests. Perhaps, all of us can learn to take greater responsibility for own thinking and beliefs (especially when your beliefs go against the shared beliefs of a different organizational culture).

Prior to 1997, we didn’t have a professional definition of exercise physiology. Now we do: “Exercise Physiology is the identification of physiological mechanisms underlying physical activity, the comprehensive delivery of treatment services concerned with the analysis, improvement, and maintenance of health and fitness, rehabilitation of heart disease and other chronic diseases and/or disabilities, and the professional guidance and counsel of athletes and others interested in athletics, sports training, and human adaptability to acute and chronic exercise.” I believe this definition generates hope, provides endurance, and motivates the discouraged (particularly, graduates without financial stability, medical benefits, or respect).

The essence of the definition is to see the future; a better future where there are credible and financially stable, unified exercise physiologists who have their own professional organization that promotes the practice of exercise physiology as credible public healthcare professionals.

There will always be challenges. None of the members of the three Boards would argue that it has been easy. Why not ask yourself the following questions: What is it that you want out of life?” Is it a job or a career? Is it the opportunity to indulge in self-serving activities? Or, is it to serve – your colleagues, your profession, and the public sector?

Novelist Robert Louis Stevenson said, “To be what we are, and to become what we are capable of becoming, is the only end of life.” Nearly all people would like to become who they are capable of being, yet many people don’t. One reason is that they don’t take responsibility for their own growth. Why not share the vision with your colleagues and students?

In the long run, it is your persistence and courage that ensures the future of exercise physiology as a healthcare profession vs. a research discipline at the doctorate level. I’ve heard that “uniqueness fosters pride.” For certain, ASEP is unique. It is not just another organization.

* It is “your” professional organization.
* It conveys to others a sense of identity.
* It facilitates a commitment to something larger than anyone of us.
* It enhances professional stability.
* It shapes our behavior.

When you understand, accept, and commit to the ASEP vision and definition of exercise physiology, “your organization’s ability” to reach its potential will soar. Individually and collectively, we will better picture the future, hear it, sense it, recognize it, and live it. The heart of professionalism requires the understanding that, “No one has eaten an elephant in one bite.”

It takes time to grow, but let us remember that the value of something is determined by how rare it is – pearls, diamonds, gold, oil and, similarly, why not board certified exercise physiologists! Time is on our side and, equally important, there is no value in mass-producing exercise physiologists. Hence, no matter how small ASEP is today, if you believe in it, you will create what no one else has done.

You will be known for your contribution. No matter what else you will do in life, your contribution can and will make a difference in the lives of others (students, faculty, colleagues, clients), both in and outside of exercise physiology. Remember, it is always better to make a decision that will prove to be wrong, but which you can learn from, than not to make any decision at all and never learn anything. Thus, the bottom line: If you are not making mistakes, you can’t succeed. Do not be afraid to fail. Do not be afraid to make a difference in the face of indifference. Stay focused regardless; it doesn’t matter how young or old you are.

The vision of something better will (if you let it) stir you to act, to find those who will help, and how to deal with opposition, especially statements such as:

* You can’t do that.
* You don’t have enough education.
* You’re too young.
* You don’t have the right skills.
* You don’t have the right connections.

Aside from believing that “every opposition strengthens us rather than stopping us…” — my response to the critics is this: Disassociate from colleagues with negative thinking. This is an important priority. They cannot help you. They can hurt you. Do not be afraid to ignore the critics and keep on doing the best you can for exercise physiology. Associate with colleagues who have the same philosophy and discipline that you do, people who exhibit the kind of concerns for students and exercise physiology that you believe are important.

Do not worry about the future. There will always be challenges and pressures. When you find your challenges are getting too intense and/or too frequent, you will find yourself smiling and saying,

* This won’t last.

And, when you learn to draw on strength from your ASEP colleagues, you will have the strength of many. Keep the ASEP vision before your mind’s eye, in your heart, and remember, destiny demands diligence. It is just a matter of time before we are recognized, in addition to our research expertise, as healthcare professionals.

Exercise belongs to us or, at least, it should, or we should change our title. Until we are absolutely sure of what we are, we must police our own ranks to ensure accountability, credibility, and ethical behavior in all interactions with others. The latter point is particularly important, given that there is an inescapable ethical dimension in any profession.

The ASEP Code of Ethics is one of the most visible (but, perhaps, least understood) parts of the commitment to professionalism. So, let us agree to support the ASEP mission:

* That we represent exercise physiology.
* That we are responsible for promoting the professionalism of exercise physiology.
* That we are committed to professional development, advancement as healthcare professionals, and credibility of exercise physiologists.

Let us learn to trust in our ability to do the right thing for the right reasons. In summary, I want to finish with the following quote written about two centuries after the death of Jesus: “If we bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you.”

Have you ever felt the need to get some “fresh air?” I suspect most people have. What about feeling the moments of “time lost?” Again, who hasn’t felt they lived a wasted day or two? I’m feeling both during these past weeks. After attending a class a week ago, it occurred to me that I didn’t want to go back to it. I will finish the MBA a little later than I originally thought. That is okay. Today, I’m relaxing in San Diego while visiting family. It isn’t being here at creates the feeling of lost time. Rather, it is the constant never ending feeling of what haven’t I done that I should be doing on behalf of ASEP. There is also the feeling that goes along with what have I done that needs correcting. Frankly, both confuse me and wear me out at times.

Fresh air is good and feeling that everything is coming together helps with living the moment. Writing is good too, especially since it allows me to put my thoughts online. It doesn’t have anything to do with someone reading them. It is more of a journal approach to what I’m feeling right now. And, as I look out the window of my daughter’s house, I wonder what other ASEP members are doing. Are they thinking about ASEP and the professionalism of exercise physiology 24/7, and the answer I usually feel is mixed with both good and sad feelings. I wish that I could be more optimistic and otherwise a better thinker. If only I could write or think with such strategic influence that others would stop in their tracks or demonstrate such intuition that a friend might say occasionally…wow!

But that is not the case. Even now after sending the publisher a nearly 700 page manuscript on the professionalism of exercise physiology, I wonder what it was all about. How many libraries will purchase it? How many exercise physiologists will care to read it? I need some fresh air…maybe from writing, maybe from my friends, which reminds me…where are they? How many have gone on to the so-called bigger and better things? How many have given in to the need to move on? And, how many who just throw their hands up unwilling to take on a different way of thinking? All and more are relevant questions that define in a way the time lost in their presence in the past. Oh well, no one said that change is easy. It is rare to find that a dream of something better simply falls into your hands.

However ironic or otherwise viewed, just because an idea like ASEP is right doesn’t mean that everyone is going to sign up and support the main purpose of the organization. Perhaps, it is necessary to re-read that sentence Tommy, yes, me! So, get some fresh air, that is, do something different. ASEP isn’t going away. The world isn’t going to end anytime soon. Get over the time lost feeling. The infrastructure is in place. Standardization and all such thinking consistent with other established professions are in place. Probably the most important lesson for all of us is the importance of being friends and simply exchanging kind words and sharing information.

To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.

The professional certification in exercise physiology, the EPC, is an academic process in which an exercise physiologist proves that he or she has the academic knowledge and hands-on laboratory experience to perform as a healthcare professional. The professional proof comes in the form of the EPC, which is earned by passing an exam that is written with a hands-on component. The EPC is supervised by both The Center for Exercise Physiologyonline and the American Society of Exercise Physiologists. Both organizations monitor and uphold prescribed standards for the profession of exercise physiology.

The EPC assures employers, customers, students, and the public that the certificate holder is competent and professional. And, from the ASEP perspective, it is very important to emphasize that the EPC is a requirement to practice exercise physiology in the United States. Other examples of this thinking include doctors, teachers, Certified Public Accountants (CPAs), and pilots, although their practice guidelines are linked to licensure.

What’s in it for You? Well, it is very simple. The EPC professional certification demonstrates to employers and clients that you are committed to your profession and that you are well-trained. It gives them confidence in your abilities and hands-on skills.