24 Things I Learned in 2024

2. Learn the “art of the pivot.".

Nothing, and I mean nothing in life goes perfectly according to the plan. There are speed bumps, setbacks, and reroutes. Don’t sit still and sulk, you’re wasting time and energy. Learn to pivot, find a new route, and keep moving forward. 

3. "To know 10,000 things, know one well." - Miyamoto Musashi

Commit to becoming an expert in something. Dedicate yourself to absolute mastery in anything that you are passionate about. The effort and struggle you will go through in finding that mastery will teach you so much more than just the task. I could write an entire post about what this quote means to me, but this will do for the purpose of this post. Think about what this quote means to you, and how you could apply it.

4. Invest in your health now.

Stop pushing decisions that deal with your health to the backseat. I’ve experienced too many situations this past year where people had problems that were only dealt with when they became a BIG problem. Don’t wait until its a big problem, make moves now to set yourself up for success later on in life. 

5. Kids change everything.

As a new parent, this hit me like a ton of bricks. Suddenly, things I thought I cared about didn’t really matter anymore. My world revolves around that little girl, and every decision made is based around how it helps make her and her mothers life better. 

6. Share your passion.

I almost titled this one “be authentic”, but I felt like sharing your passion was better. Be proud of the things that make you happy, and express that passion for the things you do. That authenticity is infectious, and people will respect it no matter how weird you think it is. If people don’t respect that authenticity and passion, then they really don’t care about you anyways. Fuck em. Be proud of what you love, and share that with people that love you for who you are.

7. Be okay with growth and change.

Life comes at you fast, strap in cause it’s a wild ride. Whether you are still in school, just married, have kids, first time with an empty nest, retired or anywhere in between, there is still time for growth. Be ok with that growth, embrace the change, and leave the past in the past. Everyone has trials and tribulations, don’t focus on the past and don't let those experiences alter your ability to move forward into that next stage of life. 

8. Be Present.

Everyone is busy, everyone has tough work schedules, stress, bills to pay, etc. Don’t bring all those things home and bleed into other parts of your life. When you are home, be home. I had a tough year of travel and reached out to some friends that have dealt with demanding travel schedules before and asked for advice. The main theme I got in that advice was the difference between just being home, and actually being present while you are home. It makes the biggest difference in the world to focus on that presence, and giving your full attention to your family. 

9. Get your protein.

Nutrition is not my wheelhouse, that is my wife's domain. But what I have found over the past year with lots of travel, wacky sleep schedules, and an average at best workout routine is that at the very least I need to get my protein in. And by protein, I mean protein from something with a face, not some ultra processed protein from sea moss or whatever the hell is the hotness these days. No matter where I have been, there was always a way to get some protein in for the day. Whether that was beef jerky from a gas station, or living out of a hotel room on rotisserie chickens. I would get overwhelmed trying to have great overall nutrition when in those situations, but if I just focused on at least getting my protein, I started feeling much better.

10. When its time lead, lead. when it is time to learn, shut up and learn.

You don’t always need to have a reaction/answer for everything that comes your way. Sometimes it is just a “roger that” and get it done. Learn to listen and not instantly react, especially when it’s a situation where you could learn something. On the other side of that coin is if it your time to lead, take the fucking reigns and be the leader. Leaders don’t need validation or confirmation from others before action, they trust themselves and make decisions. Know when its time to listen, and know when its time to lead. 

11. Stay teachable.

The second you stop learning is the second you stop getting better. Every single person has something you can learn from, whether that is an experience, a cue, or a different perspective, the options are endless. Constantly be the student and a sponge for information. 

12. At the very least, just move and sweat.

Back to the quote above about moving dirt, some days you have that spoon…at the very least, move some blood and get a sweat in. Your body will thank you for it. 

13. Do hard shit. Often.

Challenge yourself, and do it often. Nobody accomplished anything great by being comfortable all the time. Learn something new, do something you’ve never done, and scare yourself, you’ll be better off when you get to the other side of that trial. 

14. It is better to be a warrior in a garden, than a gardener in a war. 

The world continually becomes a scarier place day after day. If there ever comes a time when you are asked to step up and perform, don’t be unprepared. When the zombie hoard is at your door, are you going to be ready to save yourself? No one is coming to save you, be ready. 

15. Don't underestimate a good probiotic.

I wrote about this in a nutrition tip one week, but this was an absolute game-changer for me. There are multiple ways to church up that gut health, probiotics, kimchi, kombucha, etc. Whatever is your go-to method, get after it. The research just keeps building and building on how much the gut affects our overall health. Do it. 

16. Don’t be upset with the opinion of someone you wouldn’t take advice from. 

We live in a world where a tweet or an Instagram comment can ruin a person's entire week. Don’t lose sleep over shitty people that have nothing better to do than sit behind a keyboard and troll. 

17. Build an accessory warmup.

One of the best things I have done this past year is build accessory warmups for myself. I have consistently found myself short on time, or something unexpected would happen and cut the workout short. See the earlier bullet point of kids changing everything. The first thing to always get cut was my accessory work, or what I like to call durability work. I decided to pick 3-4 movements I knew my body needed, whether it was rehab related, mobility, midline, etc. I threw those into a quick circuit that was used as my warmup, and I never missed accessory work again. 

18. Don’t sleep on the single leg work.

This happened by accident, but I had an injury in late 2022 from a car accident that had my left side all jacked up. As part of rehab, I started doing a lot of Bulgarian split squats, single-leg RDLs, and back rack lunges. This was great for rehab, but I also noticed when I started squatting again that I felt great. I felt more balanced, and things that hurt before felt much better. It is not the only answer, but it definitely has its place and should be used accordingly.

19. Carry a notebook.

Have a small notebook on you at all times. This can be used for to-do lists, or just a way to jot stuff down you don’t want to forget. It has been a game-changer for organization, and is such a simple change that anyone can make.

20. Ditch the influencers, most are full of shit. 

The internet is a wild place, on one hand, I fully believe you can learn almost anything on the internet, and on the other, I think it is filled with a lot of people who are clowns saying anything for views. Use the power of the internet, but don’t live your life based on the bullshit some influencer keeps feeding you. I wake up at 4am and journal, then I go into my home gym and workout for two hours, followed by a sauna session, then hop into my 15k cold plunge, I then take 30 supplements, spend 45 minutes preparing a perfect breakfast, then meditate for 30 minutes followed by a game of chess, blah blah blah. Just realize that these people are only showing you staged snippets of their make-believe life. Life isn’t perfect; it’s messy and hard, and that’s ok. Be relentless in getting after it, and stop comparing your life to these clowns online. 

21. Stop talking about problems, start presenting solutions.

No one likes a complainer, they are an energy suck for everyone around them and just miserable to be around. If all you have to do is complain and not offer a constructive solution to said complaint, then don’t talk. 

22. Chill with all the different programs, intensity and intent trump everything.

This has been said before, and it will be said again. The hot program of the season always changes, but the idea of doing 7 different programs for all types of fitness has not. You don’t need a strength program from here, a muscle-up program from there, aerobic capacity from another place, topped off with some bodybuilding and mobility programming from other places. Having a goal, and getting after that goal with intensity and a well thought out plan will trump trying to do everything all at once. 

23. Feel accomplished with the actual accomplishment, not the likes on the social media post. 

Stop living for the likes, and just be amped up when you accomplish something. You don’t need likes to validate something important to you. 

24. Do your best to workout in a group once a week. 

I get it, schedules are tough, you need specific programming for your goals, or you just enjoy smashing some weights by yourself. I am not saying class fitness is meant for everyone all the time. What I will say though, is nothing mimics the intensity and enjoyment of getting after it with other people. Shared suffering is an extremely powerful tool, and should be a strong part of everyone's regimen. Stack on top of that the mental boost you get from that community and you can’t lose. Humans are tribal to their core, find yours and embrace it. 

2024 was a wild year, and I hope you all had a great one. As 2025 rolls into view, let's all continue that endless pursuit for excellence, in whatever realm you choose. Time to get after it people!