Journeys have highs and lows. Everyone celebrates the mountaintop moments, but it’s in the valleys, the quiet, frustrating, painful parts; this is where real gains are made. Lately, I’ve had people reach out to me: “How do I get started?” “How can I hit this goal?” “What would you do in my shoes?”
Here’s what I tell them:
- Demand success from yourself.
- Expect setbacks.
- Listen to your body.
- Find an accountability group.
That’s your foundation.
I had a small injury during a solid training stretch. Nothing dramatic. But it sidelined me. Add a minor medical procedure, and I was out from heavy workouts for four weeks and limited for two more. I was frustrated. But my tribe reminded me: the gains had already been made. The body remembers. Consistency had already done its work.
Rome wasn’t destroyed in a day. Rome can be destroyed over time. The best part is it can be rebuilt. You just have to put in the time, the work. You have to be disciplined.
When you’re frustrated, put in the work. When you’re not at your peak, put in the work. When life is overwhelming, put in the work.
Nobody gives you gains. You earn them. One rep, one choice, one day at a time.
Build a legacy your family will carry forward.
Consistency becomes habit. Habit becomes lifestyle. Lifestyle becomes journey. Journey becomes legacy.
Go beyond you.
Leave something for others to live by.
Where It Started
The starting point was 270 pounds. The challenge? One workout a day for 55 days. Minimum 10 minutes. Post it in a group chat. No breaks. No excuses.
Why 55 days? Because that’s when we had a brotherhood event on the calendar. That was the finish line. That was the mark.
So I started.
Day one? I videoed my workout. It was ugly. I attempted 10 burpees. I found out later it was only 9. I couldn’t even count correctly. I was that out of shape. That’s how far gone I was. But I documented it anyway. Not for attention. For proof of life.
Because that first 10-minute workout was my rope. I wasn’t just pulling myself up. I was preparing to throw that rope back to others.
The Truths That Changed Everything
Truth #1: The great pyramids were built one stone at a time. Every journey starts with one act of intention. My first was hitting “record” and hitting the ground for burpees. Your first might be push-ups or air squats. It could be making a concentrated effort to go for an extended, purposeful walk.
Truth #2: Rome was not destroyed in a day. One bad meal won’t destroy you. One missed workout won’t break you. But a series of missed efforts will. This is about patterns. Momentum. Not perfection.
Truth #3: Anyone can carve out 10 minutes a day. Most gym sessions waste more time in commuting, selfies, and talking than in actual effort. So I built mine around bodyweight and gravity. Ten minutes of burpees. Ten minutes of pushups. EMOMs. Core work. If I wanted cake, I paid penance in sweat. That’s the rule.
Truth #4: Accountability is key. Motivation is fleeting. Discipline is forged in accountability. My brothers and I posted every day. We weren’t competing. We were cheering each other forward. When they posted, I had to post. That’s what kept me going.
The Lifestyle Shift
I started seeing results. Clothes fit differently. Holes punched into belts. The belly jokes from my kids started to fade. That’s when it clicked. The 10 minutes became 20. Then 30. Some days, two workouts. Discipline was becoming my new default.
I started controlling what I could. Waking up at 5 a.m. to put in sweat equity. Sacrificing TV time to show up for my health. Tracking calories. Cooking more. Choosing meals based on fuel, not just cravings. Leading by example in my home.
Now, my kids just start banging out burpees. It's a joy to watch my 6-year-old challenge me to 25 burpees. To see my 2-year-old doing her best to do burpees. They’ve picked up habits I fought hard to learn. That’s when I knew I wasn’t just changing my life. I was building a legacy.
The Hard Truth About Sacrifice
People say, “I’d die for my kids.”
I believe you.
But here’s the harder question:
Would you live for them?
Would you sacrifice comfort, laziness, and convenience for health, strength, and presence?
The final seconds of your life are not where your greatest sacrifices lie. They lie in your choices today. In your daily actions. In whether or not you get up, show up, and do what you said you’d do.
No more “next week.” No more “when I have time.”
It starts now.
Your Legacy Starts Here
You don’t need a gym. You don’t need gear. You don’t need permission.
You need a reason. You need 10 minutes. You need to decide.
From consistency comes habit. From habit, a lifestyle. From lifestyle, a journey. From journey, a legacy.
And you, my friend, were built for legacy.
This is me throwing the rope back.
Grab it.
