ife is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.”
– Helen Keller
Last week I celebrated my 39th birthday. Unlike most people my age, I actually look forward to my birthday. I try to embrace each stage of my life, reflect on what I’ve accomplished and ponder on what I still want to create.
I believe one of the most important things in life is to learn from your life experiences. When I look back at my 10-year career as a baseball coach, trainer and entrepreneur, there are no shortages of lessons. In honor of my 39th birthday I figured I’d share with you the top 39 lessons I’ve learned as a baseball coach, trainer and entrepreneur. These lessons are listed in order.
39. Stop putting other industry leaders on a pedestal
Early in my career it was easy for me to focus on how much I didn’t know. I was consistently comparing myself to those I’d see speaking at conferences, which made me feel inadequate. It was easy for me to get down on myself. Once I learned to stop comparing myself to them and instead use them as a model for all that I can be, things shifted for me. I had to stop comparing my chapter 1 to someone else’s chapter 20.
38. Be the leader I would follow
Stepping into the leadership role was probably one of the most challenging things I’ve had to do as a business owner. Leading was always something that came relatively natural to me as a baseball player. I assumed it would natural as a business owner as well. That was not the case. I had holes in my skillset and my experience, and I knew it. That made it difficult for me early on. Once I learned how to move past that and just show up the way I’d want someone leading me to show up, things began to improve. I slowly started becoming more confident in my leadership abilities.
37. When I choose to go a little bit slower I often times arrive sooner
Early in my career I prided myself on multi-tasking. I thought that was the best way to get a lot done. Over time I’ve realized that is not always the case. Oftentimes when I’m multi-tasking it just leaves me with a lot of unfinished projects. I’ve come to the conclusion that if I want to get stuff done properly, in a timely manner, I need to slow down!
36. EQ matters more than IQ
As a business owner, trainer and coach, EQ (Emotional Intelligence) matters far more to me than IQ (Intelligence). Although they’re both important, one’s ability to identify, evaluate, control and express their emotions is critical. If I can’t connect with my athletes or employees on an emotional level, it doesn’t matter how much I know about business, training or hitting a baseball. My athletes and my employees need to know how much I care about them before they care about how much I know.
35. Concern myself with grasping principles, not methods
Early in my training career I focused on learning exercise programs. I neglected to understand the principles behind those programs, so it made it hard for me to create any of my own. Once I understood that principles matter far more than methods a whole new world opened up for me. Grasping methods is easy. Grasping principles takes time, patience and hard work.
34. My network is my net worth
I believe my social capital is far more valuable than my financial capital. To me, building deep, meaningful relationships is what life is all about. While building my business I’ve tried to build both, but I’ve never lost site on which one I value most.
33. Be open minded to the rapidly evolving world of hitting
Hitting has changed more in the last 5 years than it had in the 30 previous. Exit velocity and launch angle (among other things) are the science behind the art of what we’ve always done. It would be easy for me to say, “We didn’t use any of this information when I played.” However, that would make me a dinosaur. Instead, I choose to learn as much as I can about the new technologies and concepts so I can help as many players as I can.
32. Fixed vs growth mindset
I unknowingly used to approach life with a fixed mindset. I would say things like “I’m not good at math.” or “I’m not a morning person.” instead of trying to improve the things I wasn’t good at and the qualities I didn’t like about myself, I would just accept them. Once I realized that our skills aren’t fixed and that we can change them, my whole world opened up.
31. Calmness is mastery
I’ve always been a pretty emotional human. Owning my own business has taught me to keep my emotions in check. The highs can get really high and the lows can get really low. After having been broken into a few times (among other things) I’ve had to learn to stay calm, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to show up for my team and our members in the way they need me to.
30. The struggle ends when the gratitude begins
Practicing gratitude may be one of the single best things I’ve learned to do in the past 5 years. It’s easy to identify everything I haven’t accomplished or compare myself to others that seem to be “killing it.” Once my mind starts going there, I’ve learned to reel it back in and focus on all that I do have and what I have accomplished. Gratitude puts me in a much calmer state of mind, which is essential in order for me to be the kind of father, husband and leader that I aspire to be.
29. Be my own best friend
This is something I read in Augie Garrido’s book Life Is Yours to Win back in 2012. When I read it, it spoke to me. I’ve always been pretty hard on myself. What he talks about in the book is treating yourself the way you’d treat your best friend. If your best friend doesn’t get something done, you wouldn’t berate them for it. You would simply let them know that you know they can do better. So why don’t we treat ourselves this way?
28. Know my numbers
One of the biggest challenges for me as a business owner has been getting a better grasp of the business financials. I’ve always been intimidated by numbers. They were always something I passed off to someone else to handle. The problem with this is that if I don’t understand my numbers then I don’t understand my business; I’m flying blind. Every decision becomes an emotional decision, not a strategic one. Understanding my finances is crucial. From an operations standpoint, having Key Strategic Indicators (KSI’s) has made a world of difference. Rather than trying to measure everything, we’re measuring what matters most. This has completely changed the way I look at our business.
27. Time is my number one asset; don’t waste it
Having kids changed my perspective on time. I’ve always tried to be the kind of person that gets a lot accomplished in a day. I also want to be the kind of father that’s there for my kids every day. That doesn’t mean these two are mutually exclusive. However, if I want to do both then I have to be really good at managing my time. I’ve learned to design my life so that I’m maximizing every minute. Sometimes that means slowing down and relaxing.
26. Practice what I preach
Early in my career I worked long hours to get the business off of the ground, sacrificing my own health. My workouts were sporadic at best. A year or two after we opened our brick & mortar, I realized I couldn’t do that anymore; I had to put my health first. I started training regularly and haven’t looked back. It’s the best thing I could have done for my health and one of the best things I’ve ever done for my business. It provides me with the energy I need to work long hours and allows me to be an example for all of the athletes that train at Paradigm.
25. Be open to many different training methods
Often times trainers and coaches pigeonhole themselves into one training style. Although I can see how this happens, I’ve always been aware of it and tried my best to avoid doing that. I feel that by sticking to one style you close yourself off to a lot of good training modalities that can potentially help your athletes. Be open minded to what’s out there, you never know what methods will work best for you or your athletes.
24. You must be a generalist before you can be a specialist
Early in my career I kept hearing that I needed to be a specialist. I understood the concept but disagreed with the timing of it. So, I would work with as many different types of clients as I could, trying to get as much experience as I could. Without that foundation of knowledge, it would have been tough for me to know with certainty what type of clientele I wanted to work with. That experience early in my career was invaluable.
23. Train movements, not muscles
This concept is something I heard early in my career and it created a complete paradigm shift in the way I program, even to this day. All throughout my playing career I would think in terms of training muscles. When I’d go to the gym I would train my “chest and triceps” and “back and biceps.” Now I’m thinking in terms of push & pull, knee dominant & hip dominant. Unilateral vs bilateral. This simple change has made all the difference in my programming.
22. The power of mentors
Surrounding myself with an amazing team of mentors has been one of the best things I’ve done in my career. Their life and business experiences have allowed me to learn things much faster than I ever could have learned on my own. Using them as a sounding board and a guiding light has made a profound impact on my business and my development.
21. I’m only as good as the team around me
I find this statement to be true in baseball and in business. In business, it’s important to have a good supporting cast. One that can balance out my strengths and weaknesses and can help me execute on my vision. I’ve been blessed to have had a good team around me for the 5+ years we’ve been in business. On the baseball field, succeeding is a lot easier when you have a group of talented, hardworking players all pulling in the same direction.
20. Competing is more important than winning
As much as I love my teams to win, I’m more concerned with my players ability to compete. One thing that took me by surprise early in my coaching career was my team’s inability to compete. They seemed uninterested in it. I realized early on that we needed to shift our focus to competing if our teams wanted any chance at winning. This one adjustment had a profound impact.
19. Listen to your body
Recovery was not something that I made a priority back in my playing days. I always felt it was best to push through on the days I was sore or not feeling 100%. I’ve come to realize that mindset was doing me more harm than good. Now I build two recovery days into my own training program and if I feel like I need more then I’ll take them. It’s made a huge difference in how my body feels.
18. Establishing a routine makes all the difference in the world
As a kid I observed that my father lived his life on a strict routine. I didn’t understand it at the time but as I’ve gotten older, and my plate has gotten fuller, I’ve come to realize the importance of routine. Having a routine allows me to get more done in a day than I would be able to without one. It creates consistency and allows me to attack each day from the moment I wake up.
17. Make continuing education a priority
Audio books and podcasts have completely changed my education process. Anytime I’m in a transitional moment throughout my day (i.e. making breakfast, driving, doing dishes, etc.), you’ll find me with a set of ear pods in listening to a book or podcast. It’s a great way to take in information while maximizing my productivity. In addition to that, I try to go to at least two continuing education workshops a year. Doing this helps keep my mind sharp and my interest in the field high.
16. Mastery is a mindset
This may be one of the most important things I’ve learned in the past 3 years. Although I hate to admit it, I used to believe that intelligence and certain skills were fixed. That what you were born with was what you got. What I’ve come to realize is that that we have more power and control over these things than I used to give credit to. Mastery can be achieved with the right mindset.
15. A.C.E. – Action Changes Everything
I’ve found that anytime I’m feeling overwhelmed because I have too much work on my plate, just getting started changes everything. This can be true with working out as well. Anytime I need to train but I’m not in the mood, just getting moving can be enough to change my state. Action changes everything!
14. Development matters most
One of the things I love most about coaching is development; long term development. There are a lot of professions I could have chosen to keep me involved with baseball. However, I chose coaching, specifically young players, because it gives me an opportunity to work with players for 6+ years. The amount of impact that I can have on a young athlete’s life is big. As much as I like winning and competing, nothing is more important to me than developing good players and people.
13. Nutrition can’t be neglected
If an athlete wants to see changes in their physical appearance or in their performance, then they can’t neglect their nutrition. It’s that simple. Over the years I’ve experimented with my own nutrition. When I start eating clean for 3+ months I see a drastic change in my energy levels and body composition. Abs are made in the kitchen and you can’t out train a bad diet. Trust me, I’ve tried. And as I get older it gets harder and harder.
12. Change can take years before it happens all at once
I believe one thing that discourages people from taking on new things is the time it will take to get good at it. This was true in my baseball career and it’s been true for me as a coach. But the most recent example is my decision to take on boxing. When I started I was terrible. My footwork felt clunky and my combinations we’re slow and sloppy. However, after giving it a full year of concentrated effort, my footwork magically improved and my combinations flow much more freely. I’m far from an expert but I’ve been very happy with my progress and when I look back at my development it feels like it all came together at once. Slow and steady wins the race.
11. External queuing > Internal queuing
I heard a phenomenal presentation on this topic from my friend and mentor Nick Winkleman several years ago. His presentation changed the way I communicate with my athletes. In a nutshell, Nick’s presentation broke down the science behind communication and proved that external cuing (using cues outside the body) is far superior to internal cuing (using cues that involve parts of the body). I try to use external cues any chance I can.
10. Leadership is a lifestyle
I’ve already mentioned leadership on this list but it’s worth mentioning again because it’s been the largest hurdle I’ve had to jump over while owning my own business. What I eventually realized is that someone doesn’t one day become a great leader. Leadership is not a finite game, it’s an infinite game. The only way to get good at it is to practice it every day, and accept the fact that you’ll never be a perfect leader. Leadership is having the difficult conversation with an employee or client. It’s showing up ready to go, even on the days you don’t feel like it. It’s the small things added up that make leaders great.
9. The joint-by-joint approach
I heard Gray Cook talk about the Joint-by-Joint approach early in my training career. This approach states that the body is made up of mobile segments and stable segments. These segments alternate as you move up the body, starting from the ground such that the mobile segments can gain leverage off the stable segments to effectively produce force. If one of these segments isn’t functioning properly (i.e. a joint that is supposed to be mobile is stable or vice versa) it can create a problem in the body. Usually those problems will manifest themselves above or below the joint that isn’t functioning properly.
8. The importance of hip & shoulder separation
When I was in high school I played with a guy that hit homeruns in practice at will. He was a senior and I was sophomore. He was tall but I wouldn’t call him a “big” guy. I had no idea how he did it. I asked him how he did it and he didn’t know either. Decades later, after years of playing and coaching experience, I figured out how he did it. His ability to disassociate his hips from his torso is what gave him the ability to hit the ball further than everyone else. For him it came naturally. However, it’s a learned skill and it can be taught. If done properly a hitter can hit the ball further and a thrower can throw the ball harder.
7. Establish company Core Values
Establishing my company Core Values may be the single most important thing I’ve done as a business owner. Your Core Values should represent who you are and what kind of business you want to own. If done correctly, you will attract employees and clients that share your same Core Values.
6. Say yes (early on)
I was always told that in order to be successful you have to specialize. Although I believe this is sound advice, I don’t believe trying to specialize when you’re starting out is a good idea. You need to be a good generalist before you can be a good specialist. We tell our athletes all the time to avoid specializing early. Why wouldn’t we follow this same advice when it comes to our career? Build a strong foundation before you try to become a master in a niche category.
5. Learn how to say no (later on)
I once heard Derek Sivers say that when he is asked to do something, if it’s not a “Hell Yes” then it’s a “Hell No”. As my career has evolved, I’ve had to learn how to say no. Every opportunity that comes my way isn’t necessarily a good opportunity. Even if it is, the timing may not be right. As my career has progressed, I’ve had to adapt my approach from saying yes to everything, to saying yes to only the things that will help move the needle forward.
4. Know your vision and do everything you can to protect it
Getting clear on my vision was one of the most important things I’ve done as a business owner. Once I knew what I wanted and where I wanted to go, I was able to work backward from there. Any time I feel like we’re moving away from the vision, it’s my job to get things back on track. That said, the vision can change. But it’s my job to make sure my team knows that. It’s also my job to protect the vision.
3. Be unapologetic about what you want your business to look and feel like
Early on I felt like Paradigm needed to look more like other businesses. I wasn’t confident in what we had created. Paradigm started in 2014, during the height of the CrossFit explosion. Opening Paradigm in the birthplace of CrossFit only magnified that problem. There were plenty of times that I felt like maybe I was making a mistake by not having Paradigm be more like CrossFit, or be a CrossFit altogether. Every time I’d start thinking that way I’d remind myself why I opened Paradigm and not a CrossFit. 5 years later I’m really happy I stuck to my vision.
2. Culture is King
One of the greatest thrills for me as a business owner, coach and leader is creating a culture I’m proud of. I couldn’t be more proud of the staff, athletes and ballplayers that we have at Paradigm. In the book Legacy, by James Kerr, he writes… “Leaders create leaders by passing on responsibility, creating ownership, accountability and trust.” I’ve done my best to create a leadership culture at Paradigm.
1. There is no path to success. Success is the path by living everyday like a champion
I’ve learned that the quality of my life depends on the quality of my habits. With the same habits I’ll end up with the same results. If I want to live the life the I’ve always imagined for myself, then I have to embody it every day.
It’s been an incredible 10 years. I feel very grateful for the opportunities I’ve had, the people I’ve met and the life I have. Every day I wake up I’m grateful that I had the courage and support to step away from my comfortable job and start a business that allows me to do everything I love with people that bring joy into my life. Thank you all for what you bring to my life and the rest of the Paradigm Sport Community!
