28 Years 28 Lessons

Each year I read these type of articles from the fit pros I follow (Martin Rooney, Luka Hocevar, Todd Durkin, and Eric Cressey to name a few).  I always find it interesting to see the different lessons each has to offer from their past experiences.  So after 5 years in the Biz and 28 Years on this earth I figured I would give it a shot.

1. Nothing Beats Hard Work . . . Nothing

I feel that this is the most important lesson I’ve learned and I was lucky enough to learn it at a young age.  There is absolutely nothing that can replace hard work.  Learn to love it and most of all appreciate it.  Everything that I have accomplished thus far on this earth has simply been a result of my willingness to do what others won’t.  I’m not special.  I’m not gifted.  I just promised myself to never let anyone work harder than me.

2. Be Different

No one should want to be just like everybody else.  Arnold Schwarzenegger taught me that it’s ok to be different.  That’s how you get noticed.

3. Commitment and Consistency

Both are under appreciated. There are no overnight success stories.  Behind every “overnight success” story you will find years of Hard Work, Failure, Triumphs, and Lessons.  Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it isn’t there.  Commit to something, be consistent with it and you will be rewarded in the end.

4.  Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff 

Simply put, most shit doesn’t matter.  As someone who struggles with anxiety I’ve always worried about what others think, feel or might say about me.  I would get distracted because of a comment someone said or a facial expression they made.  I was always stuck worrying about these potential scenarios of what might happen.  Turns out… none of that matters (Most of the time).  Wish I knew that when I was younger.

5.  Ideas Are Shit/Action Is Everything

I had to borrow this one from Gary Vee.  Everyone has ideas but very few people ever do anything about them.  If there is one thing I really try to live by it is to do what I say I am going to do.  The only reason O.B. Training & Sports Performance has grown to what it is today is because we do what most people won’t.  This will help you with #2 because most people don’t do what they say.

6.  Everything Is Your Fault

This I learned quite recently.  As soon as you learn to accept that everything in your life both good and bad is a direct result of your actions, the easier it is to change them.  There is great power in knowing that you created everything around you.

7.  Your  Network Is your Net Worth

Want to be a better person?  Surround yourself with better people.  Surround yourself with people that will support you and push you to be better.  They also have to be willing to tell you when you’re being a dick and making bad decisions.  The quality of my life has exponentially increased since opening O.B. Training & Sports Performance and surrounding myself with amazing people every day.

8. Self-Awareness  

Again, Gary Vee taught me this.  Having Self-Awareness is probably one of the best attributes you can have.  Know what you’re good at go all in on it.  Just as important, know what you’re bad at and stop trying to fix it.

9.  Appreciation

Life moves fast….very fast.  Don’t forget to stop and take time to appreciate everything around you.  Appreciate your loved ones, your family, your friends and even the rollercoaster of life events the you will experience.  Most of all appreciate and love the process not the end result.

10.  Have Fun

One of the downfalls of #1 is that I have missed out on a lot of fun over the years.  Parties, Vacations, Games, Adventures you name it.  I sacrificed it all because of hard work.  Now, I’m trying to work harder at having fun 🙂

11. Be a Good Person

I know that this seems obvious but I think that sometimes we forget to do this.  In a world that moves 100 miles an hour with everyone trying to get more, more, more, more I think we sometimes forget to be nice to our fellow human beings.  Again, most shit doesn’t matter so don’t get upset about it.

12.  Give More

After reading the book The Go Giver I truly believe that there is an unmeasurable currency of give and take flowing in the universe.  I know that sounds a little far fetched but trust me.  The more value you’re willing to give to someone, the more you will eventually receive.

13.  Transparency

Don’t beat around the bush, lie, cheat or try to deceive people.  Again, I know this seems obvious but it’s not practiced enough.  Everything is so much easier when you just have an open, honest, transparent conversation about something.

14.  Be Unrealistic

Set unrealistic goals, expectations and outcomes for yourself.  Being realistic is the fastest way to mediocrity.  Plus when you reach that unrealistic goal you get to laugh at everyone that said you couldn’t.

15.  Set Goals

Have a Plans.  It’s a much more direct path to the top of the mountain when you have a map and checkpoints along the way.  Goal setting and life mapping is not utilized enough.  If you want to achieve something – set a goal and map out how you’re going to get there.  Trust me – It works.

16.  Quality over Quantity

More is not always better.  Except when it comes to Value.

17.  Always Provide Value

Change your thinking from “what can someone do for me?” To “How can I provide them the most value?”  Remember, the more you give.  The more you will receive.

18.  Smile

Smiling and laughter is the most contagious emotional gesture.

19.  Under promise – Over Deliver

Never promise something you can’t provide.  Again, most people don’t do what they say.  Don’t be most people.  Always try to give more value than someone expects.

20.  Meditate

I discovered the benefits of meditation over the last 6 months.  I can think more clearly.  My anxiety is the lowest it’s ever been.  I can even focus better too.  It is not just a thing for Monks.  It works. So do it.  Everyday.

21.  The Sky Is The Limit

I sincerely believe that you can do whatever you want in life.  As long as you are willing to put in the work, time, effort, and make the sacrifice – there is no limit.  The biggest thing holding you back is yourself.

22.  Fail

Take chances.  Make mistakes. Fail.  Then Try again.  Someone once told me there are no failures, only lessons.  They make you stronger and more likely to push yourself in the future.  This is a problem I see a lot with young kids.  Their parents have babied them so much that they have never experienced failure or disappointment.  Then when they get older and enter the real world, they don’t know how to deal with it.  Allow them to fail and teach them how to cope with it when they are younger so they can succeed when they are older.

23.  Stop Watching T.V. (Especially The News)

When we opened the business I took my T.V. from home to be used at the gym.  This was one of the best decisions I ever made because it forced me into the habit of no TV.  My life is exponentially better without TV.  I could go on forever about this but long story short – everything on TV is garbage.  It’s bad for your mind.  Read a book.

24.  Read and Write

Too many people stop reading and writing when they get older.  I never liked to do either when I was a kid but it does wonders for me now with problem solving and creative thinking.  Just like meditation, reaching and writing helps create space in your mind.  Creating space creates clarity and clarity precedes action.

25.  Ignore the naysayers

For every person that says you can do something there will be 100 that say you can’t.  Ignore them and possibly get rid of them but keep their number so you can call them up when you did what they said you couldn’t do.

26.  Play

Don’t forget to be a kid.  Be goofy.  Play outside.  Play games. Be Yourself.  Don’t ever lose that.

27.  Eat Like You Give A F*ck

I got this from my new cookbook Thug Kitchen.  I like it because it’s true.  If more people just ate like they cared about themselves we wouldn’t have an obesity epidemic on our hands.  Start caring what you put in your body and you’ll be amazed at how your diet will change.

28.  Connect

There is nothing more beautiful yet under appreciated than the connection with another human being.  It could be a Friend, family member, stranger, lover, co-worker, classmate it doesn’t matter.  Get off Facebook, put down your phone, or your iPod, or your tablet, or smart watch, or laptop, or video game or whatever other instrument it is that allows you to hide from the world.  Have a conversation with another human.  In person.