I was doing some roadwork (that’s cool martial arts speak for running) recently. I ran about 4 miles. I realize I wasn’t going super fast but as I was running, a car drove by and some punk yelled out the window, “Go faster.” 

At first, it kind of annoyed me. For a split second I thought about chasing his car down and seeing if he had anything else he wanted to say. Then I came to my senses and realized I was a 40 year old father of 3. 

I had a choice. 

I was recently at a business mastermind and the subject of focus kept coming up.

It was almost unanimous that we are struggling to do the things we know we should do.

So it’s not that we’re not sure what’s healthier between the cookie and the apple. The issue is eating the apple when we know we should.

Can you relate to this at all?

It’s fascinating how our behaviors rarely line up with what we say we want.

Many people want a great marriage, a fit body, and a big bank account but we avoid difficult conversations, skip workouts, and spend more than we make.

So what gives?

It starts with being clear with what you want?

With that said, what do you want?

Spend some time gaining clarity around that.

Once you’re clear about what you want it comes down to believing you can and acknowledging the sacrifice.

Yes, it’s going to take effort to get there but it also takes effort to not take the proper action.

Once those things are in place it’s all about creating habits to do the things you know you need to do.

All habits start with a trigger. Use triggers wisely. What’s going to trigger the habits of eating a healthy meal, doing a workout, or getting some rest?

These things are simple but they aren’t necessarily easy especially going at it alone. If you feel like you need some support please don’t hesitate to reach out.

We are all busy! Whether you are a stay at home mom always on the run or working 2 or 3 jobs, we all have trouble fitting everything in to our busy days. Watch this quick video for help with how to make sure you fit in your workouts. Remember, YOU are the most important part of your day!

It’s hard to believe but we’ve surpassed the 10 year mark in business. In honor of this milestone, I figured I’d share 10 lessons I’ve learned (no particular order).

1. Often times people’s behaviors don’t line up with what they say their goal is – For example someone will say they want to lose 10 pounds but then they’re not willing to skip the donut. We are all guilty of this and it comes down to focus. When we don’t have it, we have no chance.

2. The tortoise always beats the hare – It’s one thing to lose weight or get into shape but another thing to stay there. The folks who focus on the long-term are the ones who will truly enjoy the benefit.

3. Fundamentals win the day – Although TBBC hot 10 years I’ve been a fit pro for over 20. I’ve seen so many trends come and go but what remains is that the fundamentals win. The big secret is that there is no secret.

4. Nothing beats perseverance – Most people think of perseverance as continuing to press on when things get tough. While that is a big part of it, I’m also referring to just remaining consistent through it all. It’s just doing the things that are in line with your values whether you feel like it or not.

5. Make it easy to do – Life is busy for all of us. If you truly want to be consistent with certain behaviors, reduce the friction. This may mean making an appointment at the gym so it’s in your calendar, laying out your workout clothes the night before, or doing meal prep.

6. Take responsibility – The people who win with their fitness or anything else are the ones that take full responsibility for where they are. The quote “If it is to be it’s up to me” it applies here. While it may seem easier to blame a spouse, no time, kids, or genetics, at the end of the day we all get to choose how we spend our time and what we prioritize.

7. It’s not just workouts – The people who achieve the highest levels of success are the ones who realize it’s not just about working hard. Although that’s a part of it, there are other pieces to the fitness puzzle including mindset/emotional health, nutrition, and rest/recovery.

8. There will be ups and downs – Just as there have been ups and downs in business over the past 10 years you will have ups and downs in life. Fitness and health may not always be at the very top of the list but as long as there is some type of balance over the long-term you’ll be in good shape.

9. Your environment is crucial – One of the reasons I believe so many succeed at TBBC is because of the environment. What I mean by this is the other people who are so caring and supportive. Having the right people around us can help us thrive while being around the wrong people can leave us stuck.

10. Simple is best – Whenever we’ve tried to complicate things in the business, it back fired. It’s the same with fitness. The best program is the one you’ll follow.

Let me know which tip resonates the most with you and why.

Are you not getting started with something you really want to do because you are nervous about what you can not do? You are not alone. Just TAKE ACTION!! You will not be able to do as well as others that have been doing “that thing” for a while but you will get better and you will see you can do more than you think. As you keep going, you will get better and better! Don’t be intimidated to start – remember, it’s all about YOUR first step 🙂 Watch this quick video for motivation to help get you started.

I was recently talking to a friend and I really appreciate what he told me.

He was explaining how he was frustrated with himself. He had some goals that he started the new year with and wasn’t on track.

I appreciate how brutally honest he was. Most people don’t acknowledge the reality so I was impressed by that.

After he explained a bit about what was going on, he said, “What it comes down to is I have a hard time staying motivated and doing what I know I need to do when the result is so far away.”

Have you ever felt that way? I know I have.

My friend was looking for advice so I wanted to share some of what I discussed with him.

There isn’t necessarily an easy fix to this but hopefully you’ll find this useful.

Vision – What keeps people going when things get tough is always their vision. “Vision” is simply the picture of how things can be in the future. It doesn’t seem worth it when we only look at the short-term but once we look at the bigger picture and keep that at the center, our perspective changes.

The more emotion that is attached to vision the better. When I had a goal to pay off 100K+ in non-mortgage debt, what kept me going was vision. I pictured a better life, a better marriage, and kids that would grow up much different than I had. That was powerful. It caused me to do things that most people would never do. The things we sacrificed didn’t seem so hard because our eyes were on the prize.

Make it easier to do or harder to do – Ultimately, our outcome will be a result of our habits. Aristotle said, “….success is a habit.” We have to make the thing we want to do as easy as possible. On the flip side, we need to make the thing we don’t want to do as hard as possible.

One example that comes to mind is saving or even paying your-self first. If you have to literally pay your-self (i.e. write a check and deposit it) each period you’ll be much less likely to do it than if it were automatic. Long-term savings is the same and it also relates to the first point. At age 40, I’m putting money away that won’t be touched for decades or perhaps longer. If that weren’t automatic, it would be much more difficult.

You can make money that you don’t want to spend harder to spend by transferring it to a different bank and putting the bank card and info in a locked safe.

Embrace the process – This is related to the point above but it has more to do with how we view the journey. There is value in stretching ourselves whether or not we get the desired result. John Maxwell says that if we are going downhill we’re going the wrong way.

What’s probably better than accumulating one million dollars plus is who you become in the process of doing that. You’ll become a more positive, confident, disciplined, and generous person.

Let me know which of the 3 points resonated with you the most and why.