ISYMFS - CT Fletcher and Me

Context: This article was originally written for Vocal's Black in Business challenge to highlight influential black entrepreneurs. But I didn't submit it on time because YOLO.

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I'm a white British male, not that I think about race that much. I guess I've never needed to. I dated an Indian girl for a while and she told me about being racially abused in school and my stomach tightened at how angry I'd have been if it was me. I could probably say something cool about "not personally seeing colour" though I don't know if that's even cool anymore. I think seeing colour is perhaps something I'm meant to do now. I don't know to be honest.

The point I'm getting at is I've never had any personal agenda or point to prove by indulging in other cultures, making friends of other races, or any other sort of diversity goals, it simply didn't cross my mind. If it happened, it happened. It's not because I'm cool, uncool or anything, I was just lucky enough to never have to think about race.

Yet, as race has become a hyper-prominent issue in the last few years, I have begun to see it, perhaps for the first time. It is only since this time I realised something: Almost every mentor I look up to is black.

Does this matter? Probably not. Do I know why? No. But it is indeed the case. When I went through my divorce, I turned to self-help. I watched and listened to a lot of Eric Thomas, aka The Hip Hop Preacher, a motivational speaker pushing the virtues of tenacity and hard work.

At the same time, when I moved into a studio flat post-marriage and my life got flipped all upside down, I leaned heavily on the output of Les Brown, another motivational guru, though this time a gentler soul preaching about greatness within us all.

Then, I went through a period of listening to everything Hollywood actor Will Smith had to say about success, fame, self-belief and possibility, a man I believe is still underrated in his wisdom, despite his level of fame.

More recently I have become obsessed with ultra-athlete David Goggins, the 36th black man to ever become a Navy Seal. Google "Who is the baddest Navy Deal ever?" and only one answer comes up: Goggins. His autobiography is an amazing account of human triumph over adversity. Goggins taught me how to face fear, how we all have untapped potential within us that can be released with pure effort.

I love and respect these men. Self-help saved me from myself. To cut a long story short, I had a challenging upbringing and this trauma continued to leak into my life and mindset until I was in my mid-thirties when I started listening to Thomas, Brown, Smith and Goggins.

But there is one man I haven't yet mentioned, one man to add to this list who is a true inspiration and that man is CT Fletcher.

Fletcher is a retired world record-holding powerlifter. A giant of a man, from Compton, LA, who is covered in tattoos and brimming with bravado, screaming at the camera, screaming in the gym and just about the scariest man you'll set your eyes on.

Until he sits down and talks, that is. There's a reason why his fans call him "Pops". He's wise. He's been through it. A Netflix documentary was made about him but I knew him a few years before through the awesome power of YouTube.

Fletcher gave up powerlifting due to various heart problems. In his words "I've been rushed to the emergency room more times than I can count" but he still lifts and mentors his son through his own powerlifting career.

Fletcher has suffered two heart attacks and in 2018 he got a heart transplant. In a gesture of authenticity, he put his whole journey on YouTube. This giant of a man, reduced to delicate whispers and shaking hands, showed the world what it was to be vulnerable, what it was to fight back and start again from the bottom.

During his recovery, he posted a video showing himself attempting to jog across a parking lot and subsequently falling on his face. It's grim viewing but that's the man he is, open, honest, brave as f*ck.

Fletcher likes swearing, it's one of his things. He's now got a clothing and supplement company and on his desk, he has a sign saying: "I'm CEO, Bitch".

One of his favourite phrases - a phrase that has carried me through some hard times and continues to do so - is "It's still your motherf*cking set!" though he boils it down to the acronym ISYMFS when it's written.

What does ISYMFS mean?

Well, he explains it here, but essentially it means you're still here so get the f*ck on with it. A "set" in this case is a set of reps in a gym. Want to quit? Tough, ISYMFS. Want to give up trying in life? You're still here so ISYMFS.

Fletcher believes in this ethos so much it's tattooed all over his body, the back of his hand, the back of his neck, it's on his t-shirts, his beanies, his coffee mugs. I too own two t-shirts with ISYMFS emblazoned across them.

When times are tough - and boy times somethings get tough - I think to myself, I'm still here, it's still my set; be grateful, be motivated, take the opportunities and do the work.

ISYMFS is a mindset, a comfort, an example.

Fletcher doesn't just say it, he lives it. He leads by example. He puts his money where his mouth is. He talks about the power of passion, the power of obsession, the power of commitment and the power of faith and belief. Arguably, he delivers the same message as anyone else I've listed, but in a powerfully unique way. Here is a giant, tattooed black man from Compton giving hope, strength to me, a skinny, white guy from leafy North London. That's not just a testament to the power of the internet, that's a testament to the power of CT Fletcher, his words, his actions and his enduring wisdom. Thank you, Pops.

"Some go big, I went enormous. Some set goals, I set milestones! Some climb hills, I climbed mountains! Some want growth, I command growth. Some said it was over, I said f*ck you!” – C.T. Fletcher