You see, in life, success leaves clues. And all success is repeatable with the proper mental, emotional, physical and spiritual diet.

I decided, rather than reinvent the wheel, I would reach out to the experts in Calisthenics and Bodyweight Training and ask them, somewhat the same questions and see what responses they would give.

I will be interviewing the best of the best, sort of like, a Think and Grow Rich version but for Calisthenics.

For some time now, I have followed Pavel Rudometkin also known as Fortress on YouTube. He is one of those few people who seems to put values and principles ahead of his fame and notoriety.

If you have followed his videos as I have, you will notice someone who is really all about being of service, without thought of himself.

In today’s age, of reality stars that will “do just about anything” to seek their 15 minutes of fame, its pleasantly refreshing to see someone who is so grounded in his spiritual values. Quite literally a “Fortress.”

Someone who will not sell his core values and believes for anyone or anything. We all need more people like him, as this planet is sorely lacking in good role models.

I had the extreme pleasure to interview Pavel (Paul) and his answers were quite illuminating.

Rather than ask him the typical questions around health and fitness, I thought I would explore questions around his mindset and what makes him tick.

If you want to learn about Pavel in the more traditional sense, he made a great video that is about 19:32 minutes, and covers everything from his age to what he eats and where he grew up.

I am proud to present, Pavel Rudometkin.

How do you integrate spiritual values into your life?

It’s actually the opposite, I integrate everything else into my spiritual life I don’t do anything, or try not to, if it doesn’t have spiritual value. I pass it through a “spirituality” test where I ask myself and God: is this what you want from me now?

How can what I’m doing now have eternal value? Is this pleasing to you? And then I go ahead. I need a specific goal purpose for everything I do.

What’s the most important life lesson you have learned thus far?

This is a tricky question, because I learn important life lessons everyday, and it’s difficult to single out just one. All the lessons build on top of each other, and if you take one out, the building tumbles down without a foundation.

The most important lesson I have learned is to keep Christ the cornerstone of my life, and build everything on from there.

What’s the most important habit do you think is critical to your success and the success of others? Why?

Well, success is a strong word. I consider people who will be satisfied with life – successful. I don’t measure success in money, social status, or political power, but in satisfaction level of the person and their life; not only this life, but life after death as well.

The single most important habit would also have will be checking the purpose of everything and seeing if what I’m doing is pleasing to God, because if it is, then I’m also satisfied with everything I’m doing, and thus, I am successful

What’s the most important personality trait that you feel is sorely missing in society today? Why?

Sincerity. People hide behind words and feelings, people are afraid to show what’s deep inside them. My whole life is an open book, and I’m completely open about everything.

I actually don’t consider anything in my life personal, and am willing to share what I’m going through at the moment, where God is leading me.

My downfalls, my weaknesses, and everything down these lines. This is a scary personality trait to have because if people have personal information about you, they may misuse it and try to cover you with mud, but I learned that it doesn’t matter.

I really don’t care what people think of me, as long as God is pleased with me. All my friends know that if they hear a rumor about me, or something that isn’t right, they contact me directly and they ask me. If I actually was wrong in something, I will be completely open about it too and ask for forgiveness.

This trait helps in establishing meaningful relationships, and having no “secrets” that bind you to your “demons”. Sincerity helps release everything into the hands of God and not worry about it any longer.

In one sentence or phrase how would you define success?

Oops, already did that in number 3

Who are your mentors or heroes? And why?

I don’t really have any, because they always change. I find people in whom I see Christlike traits that I want to take in for myself, and then I spend as much time around them as possible. I ask them questions, I try to absorb their personality traits into myself.

This doesn’t last long, maybe a few weeks, and once I’ve “absorbed” those characteristics, I move on with them.

I stay great friends with the person, but I no longer “look up” to them, because I consider us both on the same level. Christ is the standards of perfection, He is the one I line my life up to…

What was the most difficult decision you had to make? And why?

Ooh, what a question! The underlying decision would probably be between deciding what I think will make me happy, and what I know God wills for me to do, and deciding to do God’s will despite my confusion and lack of understanding in the moment.

This happens once in a while, these kinds of decisions are the hardest, but they are all relatively equal in scale, and in the end, looking back, I’m fully satisfied in choosing God’s way because I see how foolish it would be to take my route.

It’s a difficult choice in the moment, because you don’t fully have the “why” answered, but as maturity comes, you’re happy you entrusted the One who knows best .

What was the best decision you made? and why?

The most difficult decisions described in part 7 are also the most gratifying. As time flies by and you look back, you see the lives of others and you compare, and you are happy beyond belief over all the things God has guided you around and led you to simply because you chose to submit in the moment.

I’m not being specific because there are many of those choices I’ve had to make that it’s difficult to pick one. There are several particular ones that I would definitely zoom in on, but they involve other people, and they are quite personal to those people, so I wouldn’t want to share something that someone else is not okay with.

This goes back to question 4, where people are so emotionally attached with past events, that they don’t want to be seen with an angle that people might misjudge… I don’t mind, but others do, and I care for them too much to go against their convictions in this matter.

And lastly what question should I have asked you that I didn’t and what is the answer?

Good question. I don’t know. “What is the most important thing in life?” Jesus Christ. And I don’t say this as an opinion but as an objective truth, because He himself said that “I am the way, the truth, and the life, and nobody comes to the Father, except through me.”

And He has proven himself by rising from the dead. If that’s not enough of a proof, I don’t know what is. Basically, if you don’t have Christ in your life, you’re living in vain and all your works will go to the grave with you… Why not get to know the life-giver who conquered death while you still can?

Thanks Pavel for your time.

It’s been a true pleasure.