IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT. BUT IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY
I would consider myself a fairly driven individual. I enjoy the hustle, most days I wake up feeling motivated, hungry, and excited. I have been sick only two times in the last three years. I haven’t missed a week of training at least 4 days/week, in almost two years.
But eight years ago, there was a period of life that sucked. I sucked. I didn’t feel great. I had auto immune condition flare up that would leave me in bed for 1-2 weeks at a time.
I have never considered myself a lazy person, but during that period, there were people (bosses, coaches) who DID think I lazy. My inability to perform at a high level mentally and physically, was interpreted as such.
The kicker is, nobody cares what the reason is or was. If you aren’t performing, that is the only thing they see.
Mentally-Physically-Emotionally
Only the people closest to you really care about the rhyme or reason. Everyone else is too busy with their own shit to feel sorry for you, or care about the reason you aren’t doing what needs to be done.
Even your family really isn’t going to care that much at times. If you aren’t showing up for your kids, because you are sick-dealing with personal issues-brain fog- tired, etc; they aren’t going to have much sympathy.
Bosses don’t care about WHY you’re always sick, if you aren’t living up to the standard of production, you’ll be replaced tomorrow. It’s not personal,but it is reality.
Your kids don’t care that you can’t play with them because you’re fat and have zero energy, they only see that you can’t play with them.
Coaches don’t really care WHY you’re always injured, if you aren’t cutting it on the field, you’ll just get cut from the team or ride the pine. Your story doesn’t matter that much when winning is on the line.
Your spouse doesn’t really care that your hormones are a mess, you have sleep apnea and wake up hating the world each day. They only see your negative attitude towards them and take it personally.
The reason doesn’t matter to the outside world.
The end product of how you show up every day does.
It is the unfortunate reality of life. It is on you to take care of yourself, so that you can pour from a full cup.
When I was struggling, it was interpreted as lazy and unmotivated. But the truth was, my health was struggling, and my sleep-diet-stress were not being managed correctly.
The best investment I’ve made over the last 10 years, hands down, has been my health, wellness, and fitness. What I learned, is that you need to be “selfish” to some extent about taking care of yourself. Sacrificing your diet because work is too busy, will catch up to you. Not sleeping will catch up to you. Not training, will eventually catch up to you.
-It becomes more selfish to NOT take care of yourself, and pour from a full cup, than it is to run on fumes under the illusion of “sacrifice.”
I’ve spent tens of thousands of dollars on supplements, and coaches to help me. I prioritize and invest in good food and my diet. I sacrifice social aspects to ensure I keep a consistent sleep routine. I sacrifice time to train and exercise daily.
People look at it as being a “health nut.” The fact is, it’s saving my life. My quality of my life.
Now, and for the future
In the way I show up in work, relationships, and fatherhood.
Whether it’s today, or 30 years down the road, we all are going to hit a point where a lack of health focus catches up with us. We either invest in it now, or down the road when we need chemo-physical therapy-joint replacement-doctor’s visits trying to figure out what is going on in our body or develop a disease.
An ounce of prevention, is worth a pound of the cure.
To end with some value, here are a few things that have moved the needle for me. I haven’t had an auto immune flare up in 8 year. I’m rarely sick, and have more energy and focus than I did at 21:
80 to 90% quality diet adherence: It really makes a difference. Hit protein goals, hit fiber goals, include fruit, hydrate, stay away from foods that mess with your gut or mood, use a model that makes it seem easy.
Drinking coconut water-electrolytes-trace minerals: We are all pretty potassium deficient. I feel significantly better when I pay attention to getting it in.
Supplementing with the basics: Things I take and recommend to most clients-Magnesium, Vitamin D/K2, Shilajit, Multi (2-3x per week), Fish Oil, Creatine
Putting effort into sleep: It’s not easy, its boring, but by far the biggest return on investment: Room temp below 70F, Dark room, Nose strips, Mouth Tape, PM priming supplements, stretching pre bed, 12k steps per day, getting sunlight, caffeine cut off at noon.
Lift hard, and recover: 4-5 times per week + 1-3 Cardio sessions, hit it and get out.
Get a change of environment once a month: Every month I get out for a weekend, get outside, eliminate stress, reset.
Use Nootropics and Niche Supplements where needed: Rhodiola, Cistanche, Pregnenolone, Tongkat, Methylene Blue, Ashwaganda
Walk daily/Sprint Weekly
Do things that inspire me and keep me excited: If everyday is a slow, spiritual death, no diet-supplement-sleep routine is going to help the psychological damage you’re creating.
Your situation, circumstance, health status my not be your fault.
But it IS your responsibility to fix it.
