27 Things I have Learned

Not quite sure where the time has gone but it is my 27th birthday today. It is kind of funny when you are a kid and you look at adulthood as the point in life where you have it all figured out and have all the answers. I was certainly wrong in that assumption as I still have a lot of questions when it comes to life. However it has been a lot of fun looking for the answers and may the pursuit go on. I have learned a few lessons along the way. Definitely more than 27 but when it came to being selective these were the ones that jumped out at me when it comes to the topics that I am often immersed in.

1. Numerical Age Is A Horrible Way Of Classifying Human Potential.

    Certainly age does have some limitations but by no means is it as significant as we give it
    recognition for. It is amazing what the mind and body can do at any age whether it be the
    strength of a 60 year old or the creative brilliance of a 6 year old.

2. Nutrition Is Everything

    If you can figure out your nutrition you can figure out a lot about yourself.

3. Movement Matters

    Life is a move it or lose it game. If you want to live to the fullest exercise paired with
    nutrition will be the answer. Really a lot simpler than we sometimes make it.

4. Invest In Your Brain And Your Body

   You have complete control on the return and no economic downturns and shady banking
   practices can take it all away from you.

5. Don't Let School Get In The Way Of Your Education

    Learning goes well beyond the textbook. It requires you to get your hands dirty as well.

6. Your Personality Is A Product Of Your Experience

    What you take in is what defines your character.

7. 27 Seems To Be A Good Age

    I talked with a lot of people about being 27 and it seems as if it was a great year for a lot of
    them. I am fortunate enough to get off to a good start as I am writing this in Las Vegas,
    one of my favorite cities to visit with my mom and dad. Two of my favorite people. I am sure 
    this will be contributing to number six as well.

8. Surround Yourself With Successful People

   I am sure it is not the first time you heard it but wow this one is important.

9. Education Is Key

    It does not stop. Keep reading, keep learning, keep applying, repeat.

10. Medicine And Health Are Two Completely Different Categories

      I look at this as one of the most common mistakes made. Medicine certainly has its place
      but you are in control when it comes to your health.

11. I Work With Some Cool People

      To the people that I work with daily as well as the people that I train. This post is a result of
      your presence. Thanks a lot! You know who you are.

12. Eras Are Changing

      I took this one from Thomas Myers' lectures I attended in Rhode Island. We are no longer in
      an age of industry and labor. The electronic era is here. This means we are moving less and
      less. For people experiencing this here is a lifesaving tip. Be aware of this and do as much as
      you can to do something about it. Trainers, be mindful of this in your programming because
      what may have been effective a few years back may not be as applicable as it used to be.

13. Relative Strength Is The Boss

      This could be debated but to me pursuing relative strength is the ultimate tool to chase any goal.
      It is a beautiful combination of making the most of what you have when it comes to body
      awareness, movement quality, stability, strength, and making the most of what you have. Not
      to mention if someone aspires to squat 200% of their bodyweight, weight loss becomes a much
      bigger priority.

14. Lifting Weights Is Cool. Very Cool.

      I don't know how to explain it but there is something so natural about lifting. The feeling is
      surreal and the lessons you learn are limitless. Want to read a beautiful article on the topic?
      Read The Iron by Henry Rollins.
      The Iron: Henry Rollins

15. Exercise Methodologies Are Tools In The Fitness Tool Box

      I used to rip on a lot of different methodologies. Crossfit you were at the top of the list my
      friend. While I don't practice it or put the people that I work with through it I can see where it
      has it's place. Another colleague of mine and great trainer Chris Hodgins said something that
      stuck with me. Functional training is training that is meant to provide you with the outcome that
      you are looking for. If you are looking for cannonball shoulders, bodybuilding would be
      functional. If you are looking to destroy yourself as fast as possible, Crossfit may be your best
      option. What is the point of ripping them apart if they are ultimately getting people off of the
      couch and away from the potato chips and sodas. This brings me to my next point.

16. Having An Open Mind Is Essential If You Want To Make It In Fitness

     There are fewer wrong answers in exercise than we sometimes think. A deadlift can mean a
     lot more than feet hip width apart and a tall posture for example. We have limitless vectors
     of movement so it would be an injustice to look at a deadlift as just that. If you have an
     open mind, you can find some gems in exercise where you never would have expected to find
     them.

17. Be Wary Of ''Experts''

     There are a lot of bright people out there but the brightest ones will admit they still don't have all
     the answers. If you are dealing with a self proclaimed "expert" or "guru", chances are they won't
     admit they don't have all the answers and gave up on finding them a while back.

18. Feedback Is Important

      I touched on this in my Power Of Practical post but this to me is one of the best training tools
      out there. Rep schemes, set schemes, and rest intervals to me follow a system, but ultimately
      it is the feedback of the person that I am working with that makes the final decisions. When is
      it time to stop a rest period? When they are ready to bring everything they have to the next set.

19. Skill And Talent Are Very Different

      While there is a lot of skill that can be acquired in my line of work, talent seems to be the one
      that is far more elusive but at the same time far more important. You can know everything
      there is to know, but if you do not have the ability to coach it you may be in trouble. Which
      brings me to...

20. Coaching Exercise Is As Much Of An Art As It Is Science

      Number 19 pretty much explains it.

21. Creativity Is Key

      It was a big year of creativity for me over the past year and I am hooked. The writing over
      the past year, working on The ChangeLink, as well as the Move Improve App brought a lot
      of it out of myself, Josh, and Marty. It taught me not to hide ideas but to showcase them and
      I now look at creativity much differently. It is vital.

22. Do What You Love

      This will get the creative juices flowing. For some it may be a roll of the dice but it will pay
      off in more ways than just the bank account.

23. Just Because It Is Legislated Does Not Mean It Is Right

      Why isn't processed sugar locked up and hidden like a pack of Marlboros?

24. Less Is More

      Back to the topic of exercise. The biggest training successes that I have experienced all had
      one thing in common. It was a pretty fundamental path to get there they are. It was nothing
      electrifying. It was quality fundamental movement, clean eating, and assessing and fine tuning
      lifestyle choices. More life saving advice.

25. Enjoy The Ride

     I think we often put too much expectations on ourselves to get results and get them fast. The
     ride to results is meant to be a straight line enjoyable ride. Adopt that mentality and you have
     your expectations crushed before you even realize it.

26. Read

     I was never much a reader in school and I think it was purely because I didn't have a choice in
     the material. I am glad I overcame that because the information that you can absorb is mind
     blowing.

 27. Look Forward To Your Forward Years

      I am not sure why aging has the stigma it does but I am having a blast getting older and look
      forward to another year of accumulating knowledge, having new experiences, and learning
      more lessons. I have a lot of goals that I want to accomplish and I know that they wont happen
      if I hit the rewind button. Bring on the years baby.

That's it. I am sure there are a lot of other lessons that deserve some honorable mention but they will have to wait for another year.  It was fun looking back on the last 27 years but time to put these lessons into place and make 27 as good as I want it to be. Starting with breakfast in The Bellagio. I'll take that.