Beast Mode!

I’ve been a Scoutmaster for two years. I realize that’s an unexpected first line for a story titled ‘Beast Mode,’ but bear with me a moment, and let’s see if I can tie this together…

Two years as a Scoutmaster, and I’d say I’m probably an average Scoutmaster at best, when you look at all that Scoutmastering involves. I could probably be tougher on the merit badge tracking and driving. I could be better at fundraising and organization. I work some nights and most weekends, which can make it hard to attend every single function, training, and planning meeting. However, when it comes to loving the boys and building camaraderie and enjoying the times we have together, I can’t be beat. That’s got to bring my grade up to at least a C+, right?

Boy Scouts go to Scout Camp for a week each summer, and for the last two years we’ve attended Camp Piggott, situated in the Cascade foothills in Washington State. Last year, I was there for the entire action-packed week. The kids got tons of merit badges, and they took third in ‘Charlie’s Challenge,’ a camp wide contest on the last day that requires the use of Scout spirit, skills and knowledge. We’re a relatively new Troop, and that was our first trip to Scout Camp together; to get third in the big finale was pretty awesome, and a tribute to the energy the young men brought. The boys and their families were grateful that I had been able to stay all week, and I’ll admit I felt pretty good about doing it.

This past August, we attended Scout Camp for the second time. I had just changed jobs, and was only able to go up for the first couple days; I had no vacation days to use yet. This year, with my time at camp limited, I determined to make the most of literally every minute, and to really jump in and do everything I could.

The first couple days at Scout Camp, as a leader, your job is to make sure the boys all get to their merit badge classes, to meals, and to Troop activities on time. Basically, you make sure the kids get somewhere, then go sit in the shade and drink a soda if you like. An hour later, you make the rounds, ensure everyone is where they need to be, go back to enjoying the peaceful settings, maybe taking a little hike, attending a brief meeting with other leaders, etc.

Between scheduled activities, you need to keep checking in with the kids, making sure they are on track for the badges they hope to get. Hanging out, having fun, making sure nothing burns down, that’s pretty much a Scoutmaster’s job, if he’s letting the boys lead themselves and each other, and that’s what I aim to do, for their growth as much as for my own enjoyment.

This year, with only 48 hours or so to spend with the kids, I resolved to approach Scout Camp differently. I resolved to be engaged, to be present, to getting a week’s worth of leading and playing and mentoring and working into those 48 hours. The boys were not going to get any less from me this year because of time and logistics... This year, for two days, I was gonna be in Beast Mode!

I don’t know where the term ‘Beast Mode’ originally comes from, but here’s what I understand: The Transformers got tired of turning into cars and robots, and decided they’d get better ratings by turning into giant gorillas and dinosaurs. I’m sure it is more complex than that, but that’s all I remember TV teaching me about Beast Mode. When we were kids, my brother Mike had his own version of Beast Mode. On days when the chore list was exceptionally long, he would start singing the theme to the Lone Ranger (the William Tell Overture to my civilized readers) when we'd set in to the yard work, weeding and raking in a frenzied pace to finish the job more quickly—Beast Mode circa 1980!

Most commonly, at least in my circles here in the Pacific Northwest, Beast Mode is the nickname of Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch, an explosive, aggressive runner who goes over and through anything and anyone in his path. As a fan of Seattle’s arch rivals, the San Francisco 49ers, it’s tough for me to wax poetic on Lynch, but he has had some of the most incredible runs I’ve ever seen. In the 2011 wild card playoff game against the Superbowl champion New Orleans Saints, Lynch had a 67-yard touchdown run that sealed the Seahawks victory. That run is a blast to watch, even for a Seahawks-hater like me; he seems to be touched by every member of the Saints—some of them more than once. Marshawn bounds through, around, and over every one of them, bouncing off of and knocking down Saints, showing his explosive speed and unbeatable spirit. This run, more than perhaps any other, exemplifies Beast Mode.

Marshawn will not define Beast Mode, he says it just comes out of him on the field. I’ll attempt to define it though. Beast Mode seems to me to be a mixture of intense effort, concentration, presence, and engagement. You can almost see the joy radiating from Lynch during these explosive bursts on the field—totally existing in the moment, doing what he loves, loving what he does, and giving his all. That’s Beast Mode!

And that was to be my approach at Scout Camp this year. Last year, as the kids jumped in the lake at 7 a.m. to take their swimming tests, I watched and took pictures, warm and dry on the shore. This year, I was the first one in the water, and went swimming a couple other times in the two days I was there—three lake swims in two days! Last year, I was content to hang back and relax when they did a strenuous activity. This year, I did it all, including a fun mountain bike ride/impromptu race on a great new course the camp staff had just built. I gave it my best at the archery range (winning our troop contest and earning Bowman Classification), and jumped in to every activity I could, even a few merit badge classes. And at night we played cards, teaching each other new games, playing for gummy bears as I dealt.

Those two days were two of the most enjoyable, satisfying days I’ve had in months. Living in Beast Mode for a couple days, and contemplating the experience following Scout Camp, got me thinking of the difference between merely participating and truly engaging. As I mentioned a moment ago, last year was a great trip; I had fun, the kids had fun, and their families were greatly appreciative of me and my ‘sacrifice.’ This year, due to my being truly engaged, Scout Camp was infinitely better—I experienced more, I spent more on-purpose time with the boys, I achieved more and expanded my own abilities. I was able to give more help to the kids in courses they were challenged by, and they even gave me tips on how to perfect my splash in cannonballing off the dock. This year’s camp experience was better in every way.

The whole experience also got me thinking about other areas of my life I can improve by living in Beast Mode. My relationship with my family, my performance at work, my self-esteem, and even my physical and emotional health all seem markedly better as I’ve attempted to live in Beast Mode in different facets of life. I’m sure there are times I radiate the same kind of joy in my life that Marshawn Lynch does as he throws an opponent to the ground, running right over him.

A challenge for today: take a quick inventory, and see what area of your life can improve by your turning on and shifting into Beast Mode! Run at that part of life with all you have—and see what kind of pure joy emanates as you fully engage, give it all you’ve got, and find a way through the obstacles thrown your way. Let's spend today in Beast Mode!