The motto at my gym, Tutela Training Systems, is to get better every day. We use that as our motto because it’s something I instilled in my own life somewhere around 2012.
I decided that in some way, no matter how big or small I will get better every day of my life. So I wrote down a list of things that I knowingly sucked at, and things that I wanted to get good at. Some things were health and fitness related, some were physical skill sets, some verbal communication skills and some were business related.
Once I had this list written out I created another list made up of the action steps I could take in order to get better in each of these categories. Writing out these lists lead to me taking classes and seminars, attending workshops, getting involved in martial arts and hiring some of the best coaches in my industry to help me develop.
As a result, I improved as a coach, business owner and more importantly, a human being. I am nowhere near where I want to be, but I continue to work on myself every day so I keep making progress.
I share this message with you not because I want to pat myself on the back. It’s because you need to see that change is possible, and you can develop skills in any area of your life, no matter how bad you think you are.
So many people I meet hold themselves back due to some type of fear of what other people think of them. I empathize with that because I understand this fear. I’ve been there.
But most of the time the criticism we think other people have for us is just our own bullshit we put in our heads.
Most of the people that you think are judging you aren’t judging at all. In fact, more often than not, people wish that they could get up there and give that presentation, or compete in the event or… fill in the blank.
It’s YOU who’s judging yourself.
Once you accept that and understand that you are your biggest critic and no one is judging as much as you think they are, things become much easier.
At 31 years old I have evolved in many ways over the years, especially in the last 5. I am able to do things that I never thought I’d be able to do. But that isn’t just by chance. It’s the result of making the decision to develop skills and work on them every single day. I know that by consciously improving my weaknesses I will get better.
And so will you.
But first you need to make the choice and commit to change.
As a result of focusing on self-improvement, my lifestyle, training, nutrition, social skills and business have evolved tremendously.
My training has gone from beating myself into oblivion 6 days a week to training more intelligently and learning the art of Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (I’ve got a long way to go here).
My nutrition has gone from focusing primarily on physique transformation to eating for health with physique transformation occurring as a byproduct.
In business we went from only 6 members in October of 2015 to about 120 now.
I never thought I’d be able to speak in front of a large crowd but I was able to get on stage in front of 1,500 people and do improv at an event I attended.
My friendships are deeper and more meaningful, my conversations are better, I have more clarity, focus and drive and I’m having more fun than ever.
But this certainly wasn’t always the case. I used to be super insecure, doubted myself and lived in a world of confusion.
If you’re currently living in that kind of space understand that you can begin to change and evolve at any given moment. You’re not stuck in this space forever, unless you choose to be.
This evolution of my own life has helped me learn and understand human behavior, which allows me to help guide others through their own development. And I want to share with you the step by step process in which I followed so you too can start taking action and making the changes that you want in your life.
- Make the decision to commit to change
- Write down a detailed list of things you want to get better at or change and why
- Write out one or two actionable steps you can take to get better in each category
- Write out small daily tasks that are easily achievable which can help to accomplish your bigger goals (this can be as simple as saying hello to someone at the grocery store to help with your communication skills)
- Read your lists and goals first thing every morning
- Hire coaches, mentors and people who’ve been there and already achieved what you want. Trust me, the investment is well worth it.
- Take action every single day.
This list may seem simple, but in my opinion simplicity is the key to sustainable results. Something as simple as writing down and reading your goals and action steps is a key component to success that most people neglect. However it is absolutely necessary for turning your thoughts and ideas into a reality.
By taking consistent action on your list your results will accumulate over time, and one year from now you will be in a much better place than you are right now.
A lot of people also fear making the investment to hire a coach or mentor. We bullshit ourselves and pretend we can’t afford it but then waste our money on meaningless materialistic things. This was one mistake that I’ve made over and over again, and one that I wish I would have figured out sooner. Paying someone to show you how to get from where you are to where you want to be is an absolute no-brainer and I cannot recommend it highly enough. That goes for fitness, finance, business, relationships…whatever! I know that there will never be a time in my life where I don’t have a coach again.
If there’s one thing I want you to take away from this article it’s that change can occur at the very moment you decide to change. If you want it bad enough, your life will change. You aren’t just destined for unhappiness or an unfulfilling life. It’s never too late to do the things you want to do.
Make the changes you want to make, and live the life you want to live. It’s all possible, it just takes work.
Now go make it happen!
Thanks for reading.