If I‘ve learned anything about myself, it’s that I perform best when I have a challenge ahead. Goals drive me to push myself. In 2023, I trained to hike Mount Kilimanjaro. I lost weight, built muscle, increased endurance, and hiked at altitude. I was in pretty good shape.
Once I returned from Africa, I became complacent. I gained a few pounds and wasn’t pushing as hard in my workouts. I needed a goal on the calendar—a Rock, perhaps—to refocus my efforts.
At the end of 2024, I was at the gym when one of the trainers, Tanner, mentioned a fitness event in Houston. The conversation went something like this:
Tanner: “A few of the trainers are doing Hyrox in Houston in March. You should come with us.”
Me: “OK, I’m in. Send me the link.”
Tanner: “Done.”
Me: “Cool, I signed up. By the way… what is a Hyrox?”
What I Learned?
This was my first real fitness competition, and I walked away with key lessons that apply far beyond the gym:
- Master the Process, Not the Goal.
My goal wasn’t really to complete the Hyrox—it was to train harder, eat better and get in better mental and physical shape. If I’m being honest, Hyrox involves a lot of running, and I don’t even like running. But by event day, I was at my lowest weight in 25 years and in the best shape of my life. I had a structured training program, followed it consistently, and tracked progress weekly. The key? I obsessed over the daily activities & mastered the “process” not the end goal.
- Procrastination Kills Results
We followed a structured 23-week training plan—13 weeks of running, 9 weeks of full training, and a taper week leading up to the event. That final week was light to ensure peak performance on race day. If I had crammed all my training into the last few weeks, I wouldn’t have been ready. The same applies to business. In EOS®, we should aim to complete Rocks a week or two early so we can show up to quarterly sessions as our best selves.
- Surround Yourself with the Right People
Over 30 competitors and 20 supporters from my gym traveled to Houston for this event. We pushed each other in training and cheered each other on during the event. Having an accountability group kept me consistent and motivated—just like having a strong leadership team in business.
- Data Drives Results
Our training program was detailed: exact miles per week, reps and rounds of workouts, heart rate targets, time limits, etc. If my plan had simply been “run more,” I would have made progress but lacked the necessary results. Tracking every workout, sharing results, and monitoring strain and recovery through my Whoop (activity tracker) helped get me the necessary results. In the gym, what gets measured gets done. In business, what gets measured gets done.
- Don’t Change What’s Working
Midway through training, I kept saying I’d find a different workout style after the event. But why? I was in the best shape of my life. Instead of abandoning a winning formula, I’ll tweak it and I already committed to at least one (maybe more) Hyrox events this year.
- Your Effort Inspires Others
I trained for Hyrox to challenge myself, but along the way, others noticed. Gym members who weren’t competing told me they were inspired by our dedication. Even more rewarding—my 16-year-old son, after attending the Houston event with me, committed to competing with me in Dallas this November. Who’s watching you?
Show Up as Your Best Self
At the start of Hyrox, we were standing at the starting line and the announcer said:
“Close your eyes and visualize the person you are going to show up as today. Be clear on who you want to be—and go be that person.”
Let’s show up for our families, our teams, and our communities. And let’s not forget—others are watching, and they’ll be inspired by how we show up.
YOUR PRIVACY CHOICES