“Watch your thoughts; they become words; watch your words; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character.  Watch your character:  it becomes your destiny”.  Frank Outlaw

     This quote with a group of young men playing basketball is custom framed and sits front and center in my office.  It is a reminder to me that the foundation of my amazing and successful life is my character.  When my dream started as early as first grade, my thoughts were laying the foundation towards my destiny. I always had great thoughts to help others. You can say I was born with this gift. I believed everybody had rights and that we should respect each other at a very early age. The only fight I got into my entire life was in fifth grade when young Robbi  Smith ( 6 th grader ) would not leave a girl alone and kept bothering her.  The young MJH said,  “Leave her alone”!  Robbi asked what are you going to do about it”?  I did not hesitate, I got off my bike, squared up to Robbi.  He threw the first punch and I threw the last. I was not proud of the fact that I had to resort to violence to make my point. You see I consider myself the most nonviolent individual second only to the great Dr. Martin Luther King Junior.  This first fight left a great impact in my life. I realized at that point I did not want to go down the road in life than many kids in my neighborhood had resorted to violence and bad choices. Even though my reason to find was right, the choice of violence was wrong. My dad made sure I knew this fact, and punished  me for fighting. I wanted to be different, I wanted to show people we can stand for something without resorting to violence. I wanted to use love as my tool to change the world. It was at this point that I decided I would fight my battles with my words. I am proud to say after many years of competitive sports, I have never had to get in any more physical fights. I choose to uphold a strong positive role model example to anybody who crosses my path.

                I have made a habit in my life to always be respectful, kind, caring and compassionate for others’ needs first.  This is what makes me the person I am today.   My character is second to none. I credit my success and destiny to my character. It is evident that the minute you meet me, that my entire existence is based on my character. This allows me to always be me, always make the right decisions, always be humble, always be great, always learn from my mistakes, always surround myself by amazing people, always be strong, always dream the biggest of dreams,  and always be Dr. Martin Jay Hernandez M.D., MPH, Motivational Specialist.

2)  Blood Pressure:  goal is 120/80.  High blood pressure has no signs and is very dangerous to your health. 

3)  Total Cholesterol:  200 and below is your goal. 

4) LDL Cholesterol:  I prefer 100 and below unless you have heart disease or diabetes, then your goal is 70. 

5)  HDL Cholesterol: I prefer 50 and up.  The higher the better.  You can raise through diet and exercise. 

6)  Triglyceride:  less than 150.  Can be lowered with diet and exercise. 

The key to all these numbers, do not be afraid to know where you stand.  Visit a health-care professional!  I recommend at least once per year!  Remember, no insurance is no excuse, value your health and Absolute Health is closer than you think!

Dr. Martin Jay Hernandez, MD MPH, Motivational Specialist, future author of “Ten Steps to Absolute Health!”

     Elementary flag football: 0-21 win loss record.  Junior high school cut from both football and basketball teams in seventh grade. Eighth grade, ninth grade and 10th grades losing records in both basketball and football. 11th and 12th grade we started winning, but I mainly spent my time on the bench. I’m amazed with all this losing and not playing that I only once considered quitting my 12th grade year. There are two reasons I never quit during these times: number one, I played because I loved to and nobody forced me to play. I had nobody to take me to practice or pick me up after practices. I always rode my bike home or walked every day after practice late every evening. The longest distance I walked was approximately 20 miles total to and from school my senior year in high school. Secondly quitting was never an option ever in my life.

           An important event happened to me in eight grade:  my parents separated and our financial situation changed drastically. My father left and we went from a three-bedroom home in a nice Southern California suburb to a two-bedroom apartment in lower socioeconomic community.  This was my wake-up call!  I used this to completely focus on my sports and academics as my ticket to success.

           I continued my losing ways in the classroom once I entered university.  Many do not know of my academic struggles because I was a 3.6 GPA student in high school, but I failed my SATs which kept me from getting into my top choice of the University of California Los Angeles. It had nothing to do with my intelligence, I just did not test well and was never properly guided on how to take these exams. Getting rejected from UCLA, the only college I initially applied to, my senior was the only time I ever considered quitting. I decided I was not going to university and I would join the Army as my dad did after high school. I have great respect for him and all veterans and would be honored to serve our country. My dad knew I was destined for different calling.  When you are destined to greatness, failure and quitting are never considered options.  Failure and losing are opportunities to see how you will handle yourself. True leaders rise to the top during these times. My dad knew there was nothing for me at home and  told me these exact words, “Son there is nothing here for you to get ahead in life, pack your bags and go follow your dream and do not ever look back!” 

     Even though Oscar and I have never met we have some similarities.  Many people say I look like Oscar.  I believe it is my smile.  Oscar and I smile often.  We are both tall Hispanic men.  He is known as the Golden Boy.  I think of myself as a man with a golden heart.  Everything I touch turns to gold.  I help any living creature that needs help.  I speak the truth all the time, even if it gets me in trouble.  My ultimate goal in life is to improve the health and lives of millions throughout the world.  I am an ultimate humanitarian as my retired surgeon friend, Dr Thomas, called me after one of our morning conversations in my front lawn.

     I am 6 feet 2 inches, 198 pounds.  I have a smile that many say can light up a room.  I have great health and continue to exercise regularly.  I recently completed my 7^th marathon Jan 2010 ( 6 have been ½ marathons and will complete my 8th marathon Jan. 16, 2011 ).  My wife and I are happy together and both have amazing careers in which we both support each other.  We are together because we love each other.  I tell everybody I do not work, I play for a living.  My only bad habit is good food and I am constantly working to limit my intake.  If you followed me at work one day, you would understand why I feel this way.   The way I look at it, nobody forced me to do what I do.  I wanted to be a family physician since my first year in college.  I wanted to help in a very special way in times when people really needed help.   This is what I do today.  During this journey I have made it a point to share my story to motivate and inspire others to follow their dream.  I cannot tell you exactly how many people I have impacted with my numerous talks to elementary, junior high school, high school and pre medical students.   I can share with you some amazing stories of friends I have impacted their lives simply by providing them a role model.  Yes, I am a role model.  One that will not let you nor your children down.  In order to be a role model, you have to take great pride in everything that you represent and everything you do.  I am a strong believer that our youth  need people to look up to pattern their lives.  My natural leadership skills attract all people towards me, but it is my compassion and youthful attitude that allows me to connect with our youth.  I am humbled by my opportunity I have to positively impact any person I meet, especially those who need help finding their way in life.   So please enjoy this blog  and remember my number one goal is for you to find your calling, your passion and your dream!

 honor roll all his life and was destined to be a doctor.  It is not about an athlete who excelled in every sport he played.  It is not about a kid who

had to pick himself up after dealing with some issues with drugs, alcohol or woman.   This story is about a simple kid who grew up in a working

class family in Southern California.  I had two parents.  My mom, who is from Cananea,Sonora.  She wanted a boy so bad after having two girls,

that she prayed to St. Martin for a son.  When I was born, she named me after St. Martin and started repaying him immediately by constantly

caring for me with great love.  My father, born in San Antonio, Texas to only his mother due to his dad dying from a gunshot accident 4 months

 prior to him being born. He did not have a father to guide him in life, yet he guided me with his many life lessons in order to be a man of great

character.

     Why do I do what I do?  Why am I the person I am today? Why do I believe we all have greatness to offer this world.  Why do I never say anything negative about another person’s dream?  Because I am the dreamer of all dreamers.  I am everything you think I am.  I am Dr. Martin J. Hernandez , the ultimate cultivator of dreams, inspiration, motivation, character, honesty all wrapped in one tall package of love and happiness.  Can one person really want to see you succeed that much that is not even related to you? Can somebody have such an overwhelming desire to help that he can carry you when you are at the lowest of all points?   ”Dr. Hernandez I do not want to live anymore and I have no reason to live”.  This has happened to me on more than several occasions.  What follows next is not something I learned in a text book.  It’s something God has given me.  As I was quoted in Paradise Magazine during my White Coat Ceremony as a 1st year medical student.  “God has given me the ability to comfort people and as a physician I will do so”.  As one of my patients said, “Dr. Hernandez none of your patients ever leaves upset from here.”

      ”So I hear you want to be a GI doctor?”, I asked the first year medical student during my last year of  residency.  She said, “Yes, but I know I cannot do it, GI is very competitive”, she replied.  I said, ” of course you can do it, anything in life is possible”.   My chief resident in GI looked at me and said, “Marty you are such a kiss ass!”  I kindly just smiled  back to him and went back about my work.  As the day went on, I reflected more on what my chief said.  I thought, ” No, I’m not a kiss ass.  You do not know me.  You can learn from me .  This is who I am.  I am Martin Jay Hernandez.  I speak from the heart.  I have been given this gift to motivate and I will use it.  I have nothing to gain from this beautiful third-year medical student.  I’m happily married.  I have found my calling as a  family medicine physician.  My only intention is to inspire this young lady to find her calling.  I have and continue to inspire and assist many reach their dream.

several years as a paper boy, gardener and neighborhood handy man.   I was excited and nervous to

start at Taco Cabana!  I wanted to work hard and be a team player.  My number one priority was always

school.  Deep down I knew that my calling was waiting at UCLA ( at least I thought so!).  My manager

and coworkers had no clue that my dream included to better my life through an education.  They only

saw the Marty that brought his A game every day and going above and beyond.   They probably thought

this kid is trying to make a career from this.  Nothing wrong with this career, but again, I had different

plans.  I had the focus of a laser at 17 years of age.  I missed out on many things young teen agers did

in high school.  Working Friday nights was always fun at the Cabana, seeing everybody come in drunk

after partying all night!  One particular Friday, I asked my manager Mike to please let me go home early

in order that I study for my finals.  Mike stated, “You do not need to study, this here is more important

to you than your studies!!!”.    I kindly took off my Taco Cabana hat and team shirt and handed them to

Mike and I said, “ Thank you for this opportunity, but I have bigger plans!”  About one year later after

completing my first year at the University of Arizona I decided to go pay Mike a visit at Taco Cabana.  I

have never been about rubbing anything in anybody’s face.  I just wanted to come say hello and show

him my new Arizona Starter Jacket!  As I walked in, I saw Mike and sat by his table.   I kindly said, “Looks

like this college thing  is working out Mike!”  He could not believe his eyes.  If only I can find Mike again

and show him my white coat!!!!!   Unfortunately Mike stopped dreaming at a young age and tried

stopping my dream!  It just was not meant to be!  This was my destiny!  I guess that is why I do

what I do today:   help others find and cultivate their dreams to do anything in life!   God Bless you all!

Your friend for life,

Dr Martin Jay Hernandez Motivational Specialist!