A unique journey has led Ambrose Leburu to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, where he works at the Murfreesboro Athletic Club as a personal trainer under his Doerz Motivation brand. Leburu’s story began in the African country of Botswana, where he witnessed the horrors of war and violence. His family moved to the United States, first settling in California, then experiencing the extreme cold of South Dakota for one winter before landing in Atlanta.

As a high school student in Atlanta, Ambrose took an interest in soccer, and through determination, desire, motivation and following habits that led toward accomplishing his goals, willed himself from being a very average soccer player to becoming the MVP of his team by his senior season. He even earned a scholarship to play soccer at DeKalb College (now part of the Georgia State University system).

However, as Leburu wrote in his book, Cut the Crap, this resulted in “losing my scholarship by flunking my classes for playing around too much.”

His next step was to join the U.S. Army, and while finding himself holding an automatic weapon in Bosnia and Croatia may not have been a part of his initial plan for success, Leburu says his time in the military did help further build resilience and determination.

Now, working as a personal trainer (after a brief time in radio broadcasting in South Florida), the Doerz Motivation founder aims to help motivate others to cut the crap and achieve their goals.

“Fix your face,” Ambrose sternly instructs a client in the midst of a difficult set of chest presses at the MAC. He’s not insulting them. He’s reminding his trainee that if he convinces himself that the exercise is difficult, it will show on their face. It will translate to his breathing pattern. It will be difficult. He will defeat himself psychologically even though he is physically capable with a little motivation and determination and digging deep. If the client controls his mind, if he tells himself he is in control of his body, if he meditates on being capable of completing the requested exercise, it will happen, with precision and control.

The Doerz Motivation trainer will push his clients to improve and remind them that they are capable of great things, in control of themselves, their bodies, their minds, their lives . . . even when their muscles may be trying to cry out in an uncomfortable burn.

“It’s not about the number [of repetitions], it’s about the squeeze [of the targeted muscle being trained],” Ambrose says during a different routine. “Don’t sacrifice form for numbers.”

He does add a numerical goal into a set, though, with a little method the trainer likes to call 21 Savage. This killer set of 21 involves seven regular repetitions of a particular exercise, followed by seven at an exaggeratedly slow pace to emphasize control, then seven more normal reps, for a good burn.

Most everyone has an opportunity for great transformation, and the ability to make it happen, with the right motivation and habits, Ambrose says.

“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing. That’s why we recommend it daily.” – Zig Ziglar

Leburu is there to help those around him kill their kryptonite—identify the thought patterns, habits or even people in their life that hinder them from accomplishing their goals, and to then discard them from their lives.

“What excuse do you have for your lack of self-discipline?” he asks.

He emphasizes the importance of surrounding oneself with doers, with those disciplined and motivated individuals who can provide a source of positive energy.

“Commitment means sticking with it until the job is done,” Leburu says. “A lot of people have great ideas and goals but are stuck between the knowing and the doing. That simply means we know and have the means to make things happen—but doing it is another story. I’ve had clients who sit in front of me and tell me everything they will not sacrifice in order to see results. If you’re not willing to sacrifice, don’t waste your time dreaming or talking about your goals.”

Murfreesboro Pulse: Your organization is called Doerz Motivation. Where did that name come from?
Ambrose Leburu: The name came from James 1:22: “be a doer and not just a hearer.” Biblically, everyone has their definition of that. But that described who I was: a professional procrastinator. I had so many plans and goals, my book being one of them. Do something. The minute your mind is prepared, it is training.

So your method to success is about training the mind just as much as the body?
I always tell my kids, “finish what you started.” But the hardest part is starting.

We’ve always been trained and programmed, “No, don’t do that. You can’t do that. Be careful, be careful. Don’t go there. Don’t say that. Don’t eat that.” Eventually, that’s all you’re going to do. Think in negatives.

But when a kid is born, they’re going to take risks. They’re going to jump off that couch, even if they are two feet tall.

Don’t play defense. Even with losing weight. The doing, the doing . . . the power is in the doing! James 1:22.

You use positive reinforcement, then, and encourage your clients to play offense . . .
Losing weight, getting healthy, getting rich—the only thing that stops you from that is your mindset. People telling you all your life that you can’t.

Fitness is so commercialized now, many people don’t take it as seriously as spirituality, marriage, finance, relationships, their career. Why is it that we don’t approach the health and fitness compartment with the same vigor?

There are so many elements that keep us from exposing who we really are.

What is some specific exercise advice you would recommend that anyone can do, even with limited time?
Number one, and I’m telling you if you don’t do this, nothing else will fall in place, you have to start with loving yourself. Self-affirmations. If you don’t believe that you are healthy, if you believe that you are fat . . . whatever you tell the universe, it will say “yes.”

Start with that, loving yourself . . . then work on your cardiovascular. Start with half a mile of walking, I’m talking about a novice here. Then do a mile. I’m not talking about running a marathon. One brick at a time, not two bricks, not three bricks, one.

Then, movement. Any type of movement. Move. Do something.

Let’s talk about the food aspect of it. Nutrition. We all eat the same food: chicken, beef, fish, veggies, pastas. But how are you preparing these meals? The key word to nutrition is preparation. If you prepare your meals, you are not going to fall for the commercialized, processed foods, [which are] really the reason obesity is ridiculous.

You know you shouldn’t eat sweets every day. You know you shouldn’t drink alcohol every day.

Now, I say don’t eat meat every day. We have kids seven years old developing breasts [due to the possible presence of hormones such as estrogen in the meat]. Where’s all of this cancer coming from?

We talked about preparation, now, [the next step with nutrition is] moderation.

Strength training—you either need to have a friend that is already doing it who can show you, or you need to get a personal trainer. Strength training is important for everyone; especially older folks, who will trip over a pillow or something and lose their balance and damage themselves. If you do not lift weights, you are going to get injured. And this can be body weight. That’s fine: pushups, sit-ups, pull-ups, squats.

If there’s one exercise that I can say if you don’t do anything else, do dead-lifts.

You have to lift; you have to lift yourself off the ground!

Then you have flexibility, some men don’t like it, but be aware of your body and how your body moves.

How does someone move from interest to commitment?
It’s all about your whys. Your why is so important. It’s all a belief system. The process will decide for you.

For example, why am I doing Doerz Motivation? I really believe there is something in me that I need to give birth to that can help and inspire a lot of people. Whatever that thing is that is brewing inside of you, let it come out. Let that God-given gift shine. What more needs to happen to let you know that tomorrow is not a promise? Stop giving a shit [about the opinions of others and their negative comments] . . . give the world your gift. Live,  bro!

How important is surrounding yourself with those who share your vision, and to have some accountability?
Very important. If you are married and you are hanging around with single people, you are looking for trouble. If you are looking for success in your business, and you are not hanging around successful businesspeople, you are looking for trouble.

If you want to improve and lift heavy, hang around people who are lifting heavy.

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For more information on Ambrose Leburu and Doerz Motivation, call 615-689-7309‬ or visit doerzmotivation.com.