I recently had the chance to attend the Fitness Business Summit and Roman Fitness Systems Mastermind meet-up in San Diego.
At the event I had the pleasure of listening to various fitness professionals wax poetic on all things business for four days. As I sat through the speakers and socialized with the other members of the group, I was reminded of a Facebook post made by John Romaniello that I’ve yet to forget:
“In the worlds of fitness, self-improvement, and entrepreneurialism, one seemingly universal notion is this: ‘you’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with.’
While there’s certainly at least a hint of insipid ideological phraseology inherent in any universalism, this one in particular has merit.
You are–without question–a product of your environment, and the people you with whom you choose to surround yourself will, as a matter of course, have a tremendous influence on everything from your ambition and the energy you’re willing to expend to achieve realize it, to the way you speak and present yourself.
Ironically, while people accept this as truth, many seem to miss the inescapable yet seldom voiced counter-notion: if you’re the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with, then you’re also 1/5 of the equation for each of those people, and anyone else in your immediate orbit.
Therefore, while it’s certainly true you should prune your social and business circles from time to time, and seek ways to spend time with people who make you better, you also have a *responsibility* to the people you care about to be better and to always be getting better.
Put somewhat less prolixly: don’t suck. If you suck, you make everyone else suck, too.”
The people in this picture know this.
Seen here are 30+ members of the RFS Mastermind, in San Diego during our last meeting.
For my roommates and a few others, it wasn’t enough to simply show up and listen to the speakers. A handful of us decided to take things up a notch and rent a place together so we could continue surrounding ourselves with those who elevate and inspire us to be better.
We understand that it’s important to do as much as you can with people who make you better. Drink coffee with them. Share fridge space with them. Breathe the same air as them. Talk shop with them.
And, whenever possible, hang out and laugh with them all damn day, and learn from them.
Environment for success
EVERY DAY, you have the opportunity to surround yourself with people to make you better. As John says, “even just working at that coffee shop that’s a little bit farther away because the energy is right and you’re surrounded by others who chase the game of success just as hard as you do.”
Knowing this notion to be true is what inspired me to pack up my life in southern Louisiana and move to New York City to be closer to John, Jordan Syatt, and my roommate, Rog Law.
In order to become the best version of myself, both personally and professionally, I know I have to give myself the best opportunity to succeed and that means positioning myself next to people who elevate, challenge, and encourage me.
To quote my friend and fellow mastermind member, Alex Mullan:
“Your environment affects everything.
The people you surround yourself with, the gym you train at, where you live, even the grocery store you shop at.
All will either hoist you up, or drag you down.
I believe that it’s in your best interest to position yourself into an environment that supports what you believe in, aligns with your values, and aids in what you want to achieve.
You have complete and total control over your environment.
Hate your job? Quit.
Does your group of friends pull you down and/or hold you back? Get new friends.
Can’t stand where you live? Move.
The answer may be simple, but it’s far from easy.
It takes balls to uproot yourself and change your environment.
The road less travelled is so for a reason.
Chances are you’ll lose yourself in the process. But, it’s in the process of finding yourself, and standing by what you believe in.”
Which begs the obvious question:
Who in your life elevates you? And what are some things you could do to improve your environment for success?
Mentor for success
Who is the most influential person in your life? What makes them different from everyone else? How have they helped to shape your view of the world?
Not only do they provide you with valuable knowledge, insight, perspective and vision, but they also have the experience to keep you from wasting time going down a rabbit hole that leads to frustration and money wasted.
The value of a mentor is in cultivating skills that allow you to maximize your strengths so you can perform at an elite level.
Have you ever considered why professional athletes hire world-class trainers? Or why the best chefs learn through apprenticeships? Even the most gifted of prodigies seek out famous music trainers.
Winners make it a point to learn from the best. They don’t waste time trying to “figure it all out” by themselves. They put in the time, money, and effort it takes to be successful. They don’t wing it.
Put yourself under the microscope
I didn’t always understand this.
A decade ago, I was a chronic yo-yo dieter who rolled my eyes at the idea of paying a trainer or a business coach thousands of dollars. I spent tons of time, money, and energy trying to figure this stuff out on my own, but all I did was spin my wheels with no measurable progress to speak of.
I’m stubborn that way. I always felt like with just a little bit more research I’d have all of the answers. It’s amazing how I believed the lies I told myself.
In the end, it left me feeling more frustrated than before. That’s why I still choose to work with a coach today — to have an objective point of view from a professional. Someone to help me achieve my goals so I can spend more time focusing on the things I enjoy.
Successful clients understand that their mind and body are their most valuable assets and they’re going to require a unique plan. If they want optimal results, then they’re going to have to invest in their success. And that means putting in the time, money, and effort to learn from the best, and then following their footsteps.
If you’re serious about changing your life in a way that brings happiness, confidence, and lasting change, then why wouldn’t you want to learn from someone who’s already done it?
Perhaps Kevin Ngo said it best, “If you don’t take the time to work on creating the life you want, you’re going to be forced to spend a lot of time dealing with a life you don’t want.”
Why wouldn’t you want to give yourself every advantage to succeed?
Need help clearing the fog? Hit me with an email and let’s chat and see what the best course of action is for your body, your lifestyle, your preferences, and your schedule.
