FFN 015: Why Fitness Matters

Men, welcome to your Friday Field Notes, a short show of my ramblings for the week. Today, I want to talk with you about my fitness journey and why it's critical for you, as a man, to go on this journey as well.

We'll talk about where I have succeeded, where I have failed, why this is critical to you becoming a better man, and how you can get started or break through the plateau you might find yourself on.

Transcript - Why Fitness Matters

Men, welcome to the Order of Man Podcast! My name is Ryan Michler and I am the host and founder of Order of Man.

If you’re new to the show today, I want to welcome you along with the men who have listened to every single episode we’ve created to date – which is about 100 or so….

Again, if you’re new, this is a show all about being a man – how to be a better father, husband, community leader, business owner – a better man. We talk about all the important topics to you like your relationships, how to build more confidence, discipline and focus, building businesses, growing wealth, self-defense, and just about anything else you want to talk about.

Now, this is our short show so you’ll want to subscribe to the Order of Man Podcast so you never miss a single Friday Field Notes or our full interview show released each Tuesday.

With that said, let’s just jump right into the topic of today which is ‘Why Fitness Matters.’

If you’ve been following me for any amount of time, you know that I have been on a bit of a fitness journey over the past three years come this September. I want to tell you a little bit about that journey, where I have succeeded, where I have failed, why this is critical to you becoming a better man, and how you can get started or break through the plateau you might find yourself on.

Three years ago, I was in a bad way guys. I was depressed, I was tired, I didn’t have any energy, I hated the way I looked – it was bad.

I remember one time in particular when I came home from work and my sons asked if I could play with them and I had to look them in the eye and tell them that I couldn’t – that I literally could not go play. I just didn’t have the energy. That is the moment that changed it all for me. I knew something had to change.

I also remember sitting in a parade around this time three years ago and one of the entries in the parade was a local Crossfit gym that was getting started. They handed me a flier for a free week and that was it.

That was three years ago. Now, a lot has transpired since then but I’m in the best shape of my life, my businesses are exploding, my marriage is doing awesome, we’re making more money than we ever have, we have the time flexibility to do what I want when I want.

A lot of you might be saying something like, “that might be nice for you but...,” “but, I have to go to a job,” “but, I have bills to pay,” “but, I have obligations to take care of.”

If that’s you, here’s the lie you’re telling yourself: Your saying to yourself that it’s an either/or scenario. “I have to take care of my obligations OR I can take care of myself.”

And, what I’m here to tell you is that you can have both, IF you consciously decide what it is you actually want and, then, start crafting a plan to get you there.

The first step is a decision.

I’ve told you the benefits for me getting back in shape: deeper relationships, business success, connection with my kids, making more money. And, if that’s not enough motivation for you I don’t know what is.

You might be thinking to yourself how is it possible that working out regularly will help me with every other aspect of my life. The quick and easy answer is that when you are working out, when you are exercising, when you are eating right, you’ll regain the energy to handle your other business: family, work, spiritual leadership, community service, and so on.

And, while that is true, it is so much deeper than that and so much more powerful.

Here’s the big secret to why, if you aren’t happy with where you are in life, you should start with fitness: when you spend time getting back into shape, you develop ALL the tools, skills, abilities, and habits that will help you succeed in other areas of your life. That simple.

It’s discipline. It’s hard work. It’s dedication. It’s commitment. It’s doing things when they get hard. It’s doing things when you don’t want to. It’s sacrifice.

Those are all the things that it’s going to take to succeed whether you’re trying to hit a personal record on your deadlift, trying to re-engage with your wife, or working on getting that job promotion.

That’s why fitness matters! It applies to every other aspect of life.

Now, when I start talking about Crossfit, I inevitably hear someone say, “Crossfit is bad for you” or “You’ll get seriously injured doing Crossfit.”

Look, I don’t care if you like Crossfit or not. What YOU do and believe has no outcome in my life. So, if you don’t like Crossfit because your uncle’s, son’s, sister’s, boyfriends, friend hurt himself, Cool, but you better do something.

I’m not a fitness expert so I’m not going to suggest that you do a certain routine or a workout but, I will tell you, the best workout for you is the one you’ll do.

So, here are a couple things I would consider as you’re working on your fitness:

First, do something that engages you. If you like running, run. If you like playing sports, play basketball. If you like lifting heavy things, lift. If you like martial arts, do Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Don’t listen to anyone who says you “have to do _________.” Because, if you HAVE TO and it doesn’t appeal to you, you probably won’t.

Next, find some accountability. This could be going on a jog with your friend. Keeping score and allowing others to see it, or competing with someone at your same level. Competition is huge. Accountability is huge. You’ve got to do it.

On another level of accountability, get a coach. I was at the gym this morning and I started to slack on my pull-ups. My coach came over and said, “Let’s go.” That’s all it took and I was back into it. A coach is going to keep you motivated but he’ll also see things you cannot. He’ll say the things you need to hear. So, if you’re ready for some big commitments, hire a coach.

Next, sign up for events. And, even more important, sign up for events before you’re ready! I signed up for four Spartan events before I was ready. If you’re interested in learning more about Spartan Races, check out the podcast I did with the founder Joe De Sena at www.orderofman.com/051. I just signed up for a GoRuck event. And, on a side note, I just interviewed Jason McCarthy, founder of GoRuck so be on the lookout for that one. The point is, having your eye on some future event will, in a way, force you to get prepared for it.

And my last tip for today – be in it for the long-haul. If you’ve been slacking for any amount of time with your fitness and nutrition goals, when you start back up, the weight is going to fall off but, as you get back into shape, you’re going to see fewer and fewer pounds drop and less and less gains in your workouts. That’s why it’s critical you don’t exercise as a quick way to get ready for that cruise next month. You’ve got to commit to the HABIT of getting in shape, not the RESULTS you want to see.

So, there you have it men. You have your marching orders. Get moving, eat right, and watch your life change. And, above all, when you feel like giving up on your health goals, STAY THE COURSE!

I’ve given you some ideas today but if you want some help in that accountability piece we talked about, join us inside The Iron Council. This is a collection of 100+ men who want to succeed in every area of their lives – not just fitness and, they want you to succeed.

This week we just rolled out our Twelve-Week Battle Plan System where each of the guys is identifying Twelve-Week Objectives and the tactics they’ll employ daily and weekly to get there.

If you’re interested in doing more in the next 90 days than you have all year, join us right now inside The Iron Council. Go to www.orderofman.com/ironcouncil to join.

Guys, I look forward to talking with you next week but until then, take action and live manfully!