Lessons Learned from 2018
It’s hard to believe 2018 is almost in the rear view but come tomorrow, it is time to break out the new calendar.
Did 2018 seem like it went by quickly?
For me, 365 days flew but I have to say, it has been my best year yet.
It included major life events, risks as well as constant learning and growing as both a person and professional.
Here are some lessons I learned along the way.
1. YOLO
Yeah, I know. I probably could have phrased it a little better like “take a risk” but YOLO just seems to work. If you are not up on the lingo of kids these days, YOLO stands for “you only live once.”
This year has been a year of major change.
Going into the year, I set my New Year’s Resolutions like most people in the world. This year was different though. I set goals that were going to challenge me to get out of my comfort zone. I set goals that were going to require taking a risk. I set goals that were going to change my future.
My goal was to open my own gym this year.
Opening my own gym and owning a business has been a future goal of mine but I had never put a timeline on it. It was always one of those things I wanted to do but was I going to take the risk?
I’m happy to say I took the risk and it’s the best thing I could’ve done.
I was content with my job. I enjoyed going to work every day. I had a good work environment. Was I growing though?
To grow as a person and professional, I needed something more. I needed to challenge myself and get out of my comfort zone.
You’ve probably heard the expression, “Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.”
Where can you apply that to your life? What risk are you willing to take to better yourself?
2. DIAL INTO YOUR ROUTINES
Yes, I’m a creature of habit.
Yes, my routine is pretty much the same thing every morning.
Yes, I’m sometimes a little too rigid when it comes to my routine.
Guess what?
That’s okay.
Here is what some of my routines look like:
Morning Routine – Wake up one hour and fifteen minutes before having to be at work to eat breakfast, read for 10 minutes, foam roll, stretch and shower.
Nighttime Routine – Set out breakfast dishes for the morning, set out clothes for the next day, write down tomorrow’s big tasks to complete, pack workout clothes and read for at least 15 minutes.
Weekend Routine – Set aside a few hours for meal planning including grocery shopping and cooking.
Do you think I’m crazy?
Routine is what makes me productive. If I didn’t have set routines in my life, I would not have my own business. I would also probably have a pretty poor diet.
In Darren Hardy’s New York Times best-selling book, “The Compound Effect,” he says routines are the foundation for all successful people. Hardy says, “Developing a routine of predictable, daily disciplines prepares you to be victorious on the battlefield of life.”
Jack Nicklaus had the same pre-shot routine every single time. I’d say it worked out for him.
Everyone has the same 24 hours. It’s just a matter how you use it and routines help me be the most productive.
What do your routines look like and how can you improve them?
3. FOCUS
Do you get distracted easily?
Welcome the 21st century.
There are distractions everywhere.
Phones, television, things to do at home, your pet. You name it and it’s a distraction.
I learned that to accomplish something you need to focus.
Seems obvious, right?
Yet we consistently fail to do this.
First, don’t try to do everything at once.
To accomplish opening my gym, I broke things down by month and what I needed to accomplish to make it a reality.
For example, for one month I had to create an onboarding process.
That was my main focus.
Next, dedicate the time to focus on what you’re trying to accomplish.
Put it in your schedule because if you don’t, it won’t get done.
Lastly, find a place where you can focus.
If you have a home office, free of distractions, great.
Working at home is challenging for me because I always can find something around the house to do.
If you’re like me, go to a coffee shop, lock yourself in your office at work or just find a place where you can focus and get work done.
Instead of doing a million things just okay, what can you eliminate from your life and narrow your focus to become great at a few things?
4. GROWTH MINDSET
Growth is constant, or at least should be.
Lou Holtz said, “In this world you’re either growing or you’re dying, so get in motion and grow.”
Growth comes in many shapes and forms.
To really achieve growth, you need to first tap into your mindset.
If you want to get better every single day in any area of your life, it’s time to adopt a growth mindset.
According to world-renowned psychologist Carol Dweck, you are either a fixed mindset or a growth mindset.
A fixed mindset is one that everything stays static. Your performance, intelligence and creativity all stay the same. You are what you are and that’s it.
A growth mindset is one that has flexibility. There is no ceiling on potential. We can grow, get better, achieve more and the sky is truly the limit.
Which one are you?
Growth can be as simple as reading a book or attending a conference.
For me, this year there was plenty of growth. There were risks taken by opening a business. I attended a Mastermind Retreat in San Diego to be around other fitness professionals and push me forward. These made me push myself and instead of staying content.
At Adam Clark Fitness, one of our core values is to “Get 1% Better Every Day.” It starts today. What ways can you grow and get better?
5. HAVE A SUPPORT SYSTEM
Trust me. You can get a lot further with a good support system.
Are you one of those people who tries to do everything?
Yes, I am too.
However, if you really want to accomplish things and get results you need to have a good support system.
Whether that is someone that you can run business ideas off of, a workout buddy or just a set of friends who are always there for you, if you want to live a happy and successful life, you need these people around.
Do you have the constantly negative friends or family members who bring you down?
Time to get rid of them or distance yourself from them as much as you can because you don’t need that negative energy in your life.
It’s better to create long-lasting relationships that are great with just a few people than it is to create just okay ones with a bunch of people.
Ever heard the phrase, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with?”
Start hanging out with people you want to be around and that lift you up.
I’m happy to say I have a very strong support system and owe a lot of my success to that.
Without family and friends, the new gym doesn’t happen.
While I try to keep my inner circle small and tight, my circle has grown this year with Adam Clark Fitness.
The members are what I look forward to every day and in the short time we’ve been open, we’ve created a strong support system and tight-knit community of people trying to better themselves.
So, who is your support system? Who do you need more of in your life and who do you need to let go of?
6. WHO’S YOUR NUMBER ONE?
This is an extension of your support system, but it’s important to have that one rock in your life who is always there for you.
This can be a friend, co-worker, spouse, parent, sibling or child.
They have your back, help you when you need help, give you constructive criticism when needed and are just the one person that is always there.
I have my rock and she has pushed me, challenged me to be better, stayed up late to help get things done, helped plan my business ideas on the weekends and always believed in my vision. Not to mention, she also was a one-woman marketing and recruiting machine.
Many of you know her and her name is Sarah Estes.
This year’s success wouldn’t have been possible without her.
To cap off the best year yet, I am happy to say I locked her up long term and will be spending the rest of my life with her.
I proposed. She said yes. And yes, it was at halftime of the Patriots game (perfect timing!).
Who is your number one? Show them how grateful you are to have them in your life.
After reading this, some of you may think I’m an alien. No, I’m actually a fairly normal person who likes routine and being organized.
I strive to grow as a person and professional and push the limits and challenge myself daily.
I also eat pizza on Sundays, enjoy ice cream in the summer, watch football for hours and hours, flip through the National Enquirer when I’m in line at the store and like to watch Netflix and be lazy occasionally.
2018 has been a great year for me and I could not have done it without great support and people on my side.
I hope you can take at least one piece of advice from this and apply it to your life.
Thanks for coming along for the ride this year and here’s to making 2019 your best year yet.
Dedicated to Your Success,
Adam Clark
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