Body and Business Transformation Aren’t That Different

Body and business transformation aren’t all that different. This past year I decided I could still be in the best shape of my life at age 50 and beyond as defined by overall physique. Mission accomplished.  

I applied a simple, specific three step formula. And learned some lessons along the way. You can apply them to your body, your business or both.

Three Steps to Transformation 

1. Commit. Once I decided it was possible to get in the best shape of my life I registered for a physique contest. I paid the money and announced it publicly. At this point I was committed. In business we can make external declarations of what we intend to accomplish to our peers, superiors, partners, team and trusted advisors.  
2. Get a coach. Whatever you are going for in body or business, there is someone who has “been there, done that” and can help get you there. My coach William Johnson laid out the workouts, nutrition and supplements for each stage of training. He made adjustments along the way based on my progress in the gym and weekly photos. I didn’t have to figure out anything, I just followed the plan. Which brings us to #3…
3. Do the work. The best plan in the world won’t work if you don’t. And it may be more and harder work than you ever done. The physical regimen was the most extensive and arduous of any training I have ever done – in the gym up to 3 ½ hours a day. And then there’s the nutritional component. Six meals a day. Purchased, prepped and portioned. And you have to eat them. Then clean up. Repeat often. And the green beans, so many green beans… With the added element of traveling for speaking engagements and running a business it was overwhelming at times. But you find a way to do the work. And so it is in business. 

There were a few lessons along the journey. I’ve done my best to condense them into the following four.

Body and Business: Four Lessons Learned

1. Discipline is its own reward. When it comes to body or business building, many people think of discipline as a necessary evil. Or at best a means to an end. In reality discipline is an external representation of an internal commitment. It restores a sense of integrity, certainty, and congruence. This allows for a richer experience of life and a deeper sense of purpose. When this is dialed in results are a by-product.
2. FORM (Focused, Optimal, Repetitive Motion) is critical. Each rep in the gym must be performed properly and powerfully. Mentally, emotionally and physically you must be fully engaged. The same is true in the critical disciplines that move the needle in business.
3. Unstoppability. The starting point of becoming unstoppable is realizing where you get stopped. There were many times when I pushed myself (or was pushed by my coach) beyond what I thought possible. And I became unstoppable – in and out of the gym. 
4. Personal growth is professional growth. When you expand your capacity in one area of life it has a ripple effect. Recently I had an interesting conversation about this concept with AXA Advisors Executive Vice President Stephen Dunbar. He told me about climbing Long’s Peak in Estes Park, CO., one of the hardest things he had ever done in his life physically and mentally. He wanted to quit a thousand times. But he didn’t stop. And his professional capacity increased accordingly. 

The seven months of physique training and competing were among the most powerful, productive and profitable of my life. 2019 is already the best revenue year in the history of my company. 

You can apply the above steps and lessons in body or business transformation. So I leave you with the question:

Body or Business transformation? Or both?

Choose powerfully.