Monday Mindset:

Respect and boundaries are essential. Everyone deserves both.

If you know me, you know a few things. You know I love to work hard. My brain never really shuts off. And if I’m not smiling, laughing, and enjoying life, I’m probably sick.

So knowing all that, people are usually surprised to hear that I once worked as a prison guard. Yep Texas Department of Corrections baby.  Back in college, I needed something steady, and for whatever reason, I convinced myself that was the path.

Now, I’ve got nothing but respect for people who make a career out of that work I know some truly solid individuals who do. But for me? It was 💯 not the right fit.

That said, even in a short time, I walked away with lessons that stuck with me. Most I keep to myself. But one has shaped how I move through life ever since:

Respect and boundaries are essential. Everyone deserves both.

That environment made one thing very clear, you can’t have one without the other.

Respect says: “I see you as a person.”
Boundaries say: “But there are lines you cannot cross.”

Both have to exist at the same time. Lean too far one way, and things fall apart. Too much control without respect creates tension and resistance. Too much leniency without boundaries invites chaos.

And the truth is, this doesn’t just apply to prisons, it’s applies to life, to relationships.

See respect isn’t agreement.  You can respect someone without approving of their choices. And boundaries aren’t punishment. They provide clarity. They prevent confusion, resentment, and burnout.

When you combine both (real respect and clear boundaries) relationships become stronger, expectations become clearer, and life becomes a whole lot more balanced.

So there ya go, definitely not the only lesson I learned but one that I have carried with me for 28 years.

Choose Growth Over Ease. (Chapter 29 in my book BTW:) 

We’ve all heard the saying, “Choose the path of least resistance.” It sounds appealing right? Less struggle, less confrontation. But what if the easier path is actually holding you back from real growth?
Imagine a lazy river: you hop in a tube, and the gentle current carries you effortlessly. Sounds relaxing, but what if you tried swimming “against” that current? When I ran beach boot camps, one challenge was to swim, run, or crawl 100 yards upstream against that lazy river’s flow. It was tough to say the least. Legs burning, breath short, heart pounding etc, and after all that effort, you’d barely make it 20 feet.
That resistance is what builds strength. If you just floated along, your muscles wouldn’t grow, your heart wouldn’t get stronger, and you’d miss out on the pride that comes from overcoming challenges.
Life is just like that. The path of least resistance is comfortable, but it doesn’t push you to grow. Real transformation comes when you face obstacles head-on, embrace the struggle, and keep moving forward.
The thrill of crossing that finish line after fighting the current was unforgettable. That’s the feeling I want in life. Embracing resistance, growing stronger, and celebrating every hard-earned victory.

So, what challenges will you face head on this week instead of taking the easy way out? How can leaning into resistance help you unlock your true potential?

Never Stop Trying.

I was watching an interview the other day with Barbara Corcoran, you probably know her from Shark Tank and for starting her real estate business with just $1,000 and later sold it for $66 million… talk about a ROI.

But honestly, that’s not even what stuck with me.

They asked her what her mantra is? What she’d want people to take from her story. And it wasn’t about being the smartest, having the best strategy, or even having connections.

Her answer stopped me and made me think.  Her answer simply was never stop trying.

See we usually only see the highlight reel. The wins. The big moments. The “made it” part. What we don’t see are all the things that didn’t work. The flops, the swings and misses, the businesses that didn’t take off, and the times things just fell apart.

Barbara’s said she had so many business and ideas that nobody heard of because they weren’t successfully. The difference is she just never stopped trying. She learned, moved on, and tried again.

And I think that’s where most people get stuck. Not because they aren’t capable but because they stop after something doesn’t go their way.

It’s easy to look at successful people and think they figured it out early or had something we don’t. But most of the time, they just kept going when it would’ve been easier to quit.

So that’s the mindset I’m choosing. That’s the mantra I am adopting: never stop trying. Not everything is going to work. Some things will fail. Some directions will turn out to be wrong. But that doesn’t mean you’re done it just means you adjust and keep moving.

So if you needed a reminder today this is it.

Keep going. Keep trying. Keep showing up.

NEVER STOP TRYING

How you do small things is how you do all things.

I love my morning routine, a cup of coffee in hand and a motivational speech on YouTube playing on the TV.  It’s the perfect way to start your day. Try it sometime.  Anyways, the other morning, a quote caught my attention and it stuck with me: “How you do the small things is how you do all things.” That simple phrase took me back to my childhood and the way I was raised.

You see, I’ve always been the “fix it fast and hope for the best” kind of guy. If something needed doing, I’d rush through it just to get it done. My dad was and still is the complete opposite, and to be honest, sometimes it drove me crazy. He would take his time, making sure everything was done as well as it possibly could be. He was the kind of man who wouldn’t just mow the lawn he’d bag the grass, trim the edges, and leave the yard looking perfect. (I know… crazy right:) It seemed like overkill to me back then, but now I understand why.

My dad taught me that it’s often the little things that shape who we truly are. How you show up for the small tasks is a reflection of how you’ll handle the big ones. When you give your best effort even to the tiniest details, you’re building a foundation of excellence, discipline, and integrity. These small moments aren’t just chores or obligations they’re opportunities to prove your character.  Character builds is what Greenhaw’s call them.

Greatness isn’t only about the big, flashy achievements. It’s about the quiet, consistent dedication to doing things right every single day. Your attitude in those small moments reveals your true character. So don’t overlook them or rush through them. Instead, embrace every task, no matter how small, with pride and purpose.

HYROX

This past weekend, I had the incredible opportunity to compete in the Hyrox competition—a fitness race like no other. If you’re not familiar, Hyrox challenges you to push your limits with eight intense exercises, each preceded by a 1 km run. That’s 8 km and 8 exercises, all done as fast as you can. Sounds fun, right?

My girlfriend  Lisa and I have tackled this race together the last two years, sharing the workload and the thrill. But this year, things were different. Lisa was down with a stomach flu, and as much as she wanted to compete, it just wasn’t possible. So, with her prompting, made a bold decision that I was going to take on the challenge solo.

As I walked downstairs to confirm if I could do it alone, I decided: I was just gonna have fun, and see what happens. Standing in the tent with 50 other athletes, just minutes before the start, a powerful thought struck me. “Why dont I run this for people I love?”  I thought “Why dont I tackle this to make my kids proud”  I thought of my son, who’s currently thriving and excelling in the army, making me prouder than ever. I thought of my daughter, who’s courageously building her own business and blazing her own trail with relentless dedication.

In that instant, my mindset shifted completely from “Let’s see if I can survive this” to “I’m going to do this to make them proud.”I found myself getting emotional, and I found my WHY, my purpose. And with that fire in my heart, I crossed the finish line. It wasn’t the fastest time, but given the last-minute nature and lack of preparation, I was immensely proud.

Throughout the race, every step, every breath was fueled by the strength and the desire to show them what’s possible when you adapt, persevere, and give it your all. I ran faster when I thought if this could teach them that life changes at the last minute sometimes and you have to choose to trust your perpetuation and go for it. I I hope my run inspires them to find their own WHY and chase it fiercely, no matter the obstacles. Because sometimes, it’s not about being the fastest or the strongest, but about showing up, pushing through, and making every moment count.

Doubt… the dream killer! 

If you have any experience in the fitness world, you’re probably familiar with box jumps. A box jump involves jumping onto a box that is typically 20, 24, or 30 inches high. In 2016, J.J. Watt posted a video of himself jumping an incredible 61 inches. It’s pretty mind-blowing!

Anyway, if you’ve ever done box jumps, you’ve likely experienced this scenario: you’re all set up, the box is ready, you take that arm swing, and you jump... but you stop the jump short. Then you usually say to yourself, “Wait, wait, I got this!” We’ve all been there.

For me, I’ve noticed this usually happens when I have a little bit of doubt. Thoughts like “I’m sore, tired, not as young as I used to be!” start creeping in, and they make me bail out of the jump early.

The same thing happens in life. Doubt is the number one dream killer. We can have everything set up and ready to go, but when doubt shows up, we start questioning ourselves. Thoughts like “What if I fail? I’m not 100% ready. It’s a dumb idea!” start taking over. Whether it’s our own thoughts or comments from friends and family, doubt has the power to kill our dreams and make us give up early.

When this happens to me, I go back to a height that I know I can jump, and I do it. Then I go a little higher and jump again. I keep doing this until I reach the height I doubted earlier. By achieving these small wins along the way, I build up my confidence. My internal chatter changes, and I’m able to nail the jump I doubted before.

So, when doubt is killing your dreams and you’re scared to take the leap, remember these three steps:  

First, recognize doubt for what it is—a dream killer.  

Second, take a step back and build up your confidence by achieving smaller goals that gradually lead you back to your big goal.  

And finally, when you get back to where the doubt started, trust, believe, and jump!

Omg. Have you ever had to get a new Apple ID? Holy smokes, what an ordeal! Let me share this story with you—I'll keep it as short as I can, but I PROMISE there’s a meaningful point here.

So, my Apple ID was tied to an email I no longer have access to. Naturally, I tried to reset the password multiple times, but after too many failed attempts, my account got locked. Time to get a new Apple ID, right? Sounds simple, but oh no, it was anything but easy.

I first went to the phone store, thinking they could help me out quickly. Nope. They sent me to the Apple Store. I showed up there, waited over an hour, only to be told that I needed to prove ownership of my devices before they could reset anything. Totally fair, but I wish someone had told me that upfront.

So back to the phone store I go, this time armed with the plan to get a receipt to prove ownership. But guess what? They couldn’t verify my account because my driver’s license had expired. And of course, it expired on my birthday—talk about timing! My appointment to renew it wasn’t until next week, so I decided to move it up.

But then came the next surprise: to renew my license, I needed my birth certificate. Suddenly, I was on a new mission—hunting down a piece of paper I hadn’t thought about in years.

Here’s the thing—it might seem like a small hassle, just paperwork and a couple of errands. But what this experience taught me is that every goal, no matter how simple or complex, is a process. You can’t skip steps. You can’t jump to the finish line without putting in the work from the very beginning.

I couldn’t get my new Apple ID until I had my birth certificate. I couldn’t get my license without the birth certificate. And I couldn’t even start that part until I made the appointment. Every step mattered.

So here’s my challenge to you: Whatever your destination is—whether it’s a big dream or a small goal—stop standing still. Stop waiting for the perfect moment or for everything to be lined up perfectly. Take that first step. Start today.