industry, I trusted that the education I gained from my mentors would create a place that would attract people. We want to take this industry back and build it up to where it was when people first started getting into working out, before it was a trend.
... whatever you want to do, you can do it, but you just have to want it bad enough.
Do you think the game is changing?
I am changing the game. I’ ve developed a team and my team is developing me. My members are part of my team and my direct staff is part of my team. You see me as a stereotypical guy that will laugh at somebody who’ s not in shape or isn’ t going to help somebody that’ s weaker than him, and it’ s the exact opposite. So when you meet me, and if you have respect, I give you a ton of respect, and I give you credit for just walking in the doors. We’ ve created a culture. This culture is a direct representation of the idea that“ Everybody’ s fighting a battle you know nothing about.” To add onto that, this culture then becomes a habit, and it’ s then instilled in people’ s kids. Then their kids start to think it’ s cool to workout. Fitness doesn’ t have to be for just good looking people who look good with their shirts off. It’ s about the mind more than it is about the body. You see that a lot in this world where maybe a person’ s body looks good, but their mind is f *** d up. I would have it the other way around any day of the week.
You ' ve become friends with a lot of members at your gym. How does that change the big picture for you?
I don’ t know if it changes anything. The big picture is ultimately being able to help people. Not just at my gym, but also at other gyms who have the same beliefs and values that we do. It’ s more about getting the traction and being able to get the word out there, and changing the industry as a whole. Like-minded people will stick together. If you’ re the accumulation of the five people you most hang out with, then I better put myself in a situation where I’ m with people who don’ t bitch about the weather and aren’ t sharing the garbage news all the time. You just have to be aware of who you put around you on a day to day basis. I think we should all be aware of who we’ re surrounded by. It’ s going to take much more of these friends to create more traction to go in the direction where we want to go.
I’ ve noticed that people tend to look to you for guidance and motivation on pursuing their goals. Can you tell us a little bit about what“ mindset” means to you?
I have the courage to share my past. I’ m not too worried about my past, you know, the past is the past and you can move on. Every situation is a learning experience, and you either win or you learn. Even when you win you learn, but usually when you lose, you learn more. It’ s hard to stomach a loss. It’ s easier said than done, but a loss is super valuable. When I do talk to people who have encountered crazy adversity, I want to give them a hug. Not because I feel sorry for them, but because I think about how much that specific adversity is going to make them so much stronger. I admire that in people, when they can use their losses to their advantage. I feel compassionate for people who are going through hard times. At the same time, you have to be aware of people who are trying to distract you or are trying to make you feel guilty for going after your goals or for wanting what you want. These people have long ago sold themselves on the idea that they’ ll never get what they really want, and they’ ve given up on their own future. People like that seek comfort in working to ensure some mediocrity or misery for others. When someone lacks progress, they want you to lack progress as well. These people have given up on their dreams long ago. This is your life, your only life, whatever you want to do, you can do it, but you just have to want it bad enough. There’ s so much I could talk about on this subject, but I feel like if you have the confidence to go after something, you can obtain it. You just need to be specific on what you want, map it out, and make sure you know why you’ re doing it. If you have that WHY, it will push you, it will drive you and it will make sure that this vision is sustained. It’ s not going to be easy, but easy come easy go, right? When people seek motivation from me and ask me questions, I can get them fired up because that’ s all they need. They need a little bit of education, a little spark, some sort of momentum. But it’ s not easy. Think about what you want, whether it’ s in your job,