by Craig Hysell

1. Establish good habits.
I learned this from Dave Tate. He was asked, “What would you tell someone who wants to begin a fitness program?” His advice was to create the habit of working out. Whether that be starting with walking 3 times a week at 6am for a half hour or going to the gym after work. Whatever. It didn’t matter what it was. It only mattered that you committed yourself to doing it. This makes perfect sense: showing up is the first thing you have to do. And, if you want to make change, you have to do it often and regularly. This accounts for anything worthwhile in life, not just fitness.

2. Continue to practice these habits when it ceases to be convenient.
This is called discipline. I learned this from my parents. This is unequivocal. I also remember watching a show on a competitive billiards player. She practiced every day. The interviewer asked her suspiciously, “Every day?” She grew serious. “That’s what separates the champions from everybody else, they practice even when they don’t want to.”

3. Compartmentalize.
I learned this from Jason Khalipa and Glen Carrigan. People who hate mediocrity are usually very busy folks. Being busy can distract one from being great. When you do something, be focused on that something for a set amount of time. Do not be distracted. Once the set time has passed (whether you set this for yourself or others have set it for you), move on to the next thing. With organization comes understanding, progression and the ability to execute.

4. Be patient with the process.
I learned this from Life. Be intelligent. The laws of nature apply to you. You will not be great at anything unless you put in the work over and over and over and over again. You will not be great if you wish it were easier instead of working toward getting better. You will not be great if you beat the hell out of yourself with your “It” and never leave time to recover mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. It is not the goal that teaches you The Thing, it is the journey. Don’t forget to look around and enjoy the process. It is about a lifetime, not a specific subset of time.

5. Laugh.
I learned this from my family, my friends and from our members. Laugh. Loud and often.