The Early Days Are The Hardest

Summary

• My first gym was located underneath a parking garage, which was noisy and not ideal for sleeping due to cars and partying college students above.
• I moved across the country to Huntington Beach, where I knew no one, making the experience even more isolating.
• For the first six months, I couldn't sleep properly and survived mostly on naps.
• Homeless individuals often slept in the parking lot, which added to the stress as I had to ask them to leave.
• I slept on astroturf in the gym with just a blanket and a pillow.
• The hardships felt like enduring a long marathon, similar to a Rocky montage that lasts seconds in a movie but years in real life.

Video

How To Take Action

I would suggest implementing a mindset of resilience and persistence, just like I did when I started my first gym. No matter how tough things get, keep pushing through. Remember, it’s like a Rocky montage, but in real life, it takes much longer.

A good way of doing this is by setting small, achievable goals each day. Break down your big goals into smaller tasks so each day feels like a win. This keeps you motivated over the long "marathon" period.

Consider creating a positive environment, even in less than ideal spaces. Use what you have and make it work. I slept on astroturf with a blanket in my gym because I didn’t have another option. Find simple ways to make your space comfortable, which can help reduce stress.

Building relationships is crucial, especially if you move to a new area. Like when I moved and knew no one, focus on networking. Attend local events or join community groups to connect with others. This can help you feel less isolated and could open doors for your business.

Also, prioritize rest and manage your time efficiently. I survived on naps those first few months, but you can find a better balance by scheduling breaks and proper sleep. This will improve your productivity and well-being.

Lastly, don't be afraid to ask for help when needed. Whether it's moving homeless individuals from your space or seeking advice, it's okay to reach out. This will ensure you can focus on growing and improving steadily.

Full Transcript

my first gym was underneath of a parking garage and so there's these metal dividers in the ceiling and so cars would drive over this and it's a Concrete box and so it sounded like a gunshot like and it would happen at all hours of the night and probably the most painful from an emotional perspective experience that I would have on a regular basis was that it was also abandoned enough parking a lot that college kids kids my age would go up and party on the roof and so like while they were parting literally above my head and making noise that would prevent me from sleeping I would be down below in a dark Warehouse in a city that I knew no one like I was from Baltimore I drove across the country I went to hunting to beach I literally knew no one and no one knew me and so I'm sleeping there and then I realized that I can't really sleep at night I'm I'm taking basically I'm living on naps for the first 6 months of the gym and like homeless people are sleeping in my parking lot and I have to like go out and tell them to like go away and then I get back lock the door and I go back on the astro turf which is where I slept with a blanket and a pillow I I bring this up because like the visceral feeling that you go through when you're going through the mound of period or the eating what feels like a marathon is that the rocky cut scene lasts 30 seconds in the movie but it can Last 5 Years in your life