How to Keep Pushing Hard Years Later... Ep 138

Alex, the host and entrepreneur, delves into the motivations and challenges of running a business, particularly in the fitness industry. He shares his vision for transforming the industry by creating a marketplace for fitness coaching, drawing parallels to Uber's impact on transportation. Alex candidly reveals that fear of failure, rather than the pursuit of success, drives him daily. He discusses how identifying controllable factors helps him manage overwhelm and maintain focus on goals. Despite setbacks like failed ad campaigns and the stress of launching his book, Alex emphasizes the power of perseverance and effort over talent. He reflects on the importance of crafting an identity and legacy, particularly in how he wants to be perceived by his children and himself. Alex concludes by encouraging listeners to persevere and stay true to their self-narrative.

• Speaker A reflects on questions received about motivation, managing overwhelm, and staying focused on goals.
• They mention the recent launch of their book and the recurring themes in the questions asked by their audience.
• Speaker A intends to address these questions in the podcast video.

Good morning, everyone. Hope you guys are having a fantastic Friday and end of the week for normal people. But the beginning of the great working weekend that it is to be an entrepreneur. And so, in the last 24 hours, I had a lot of people reach out, obviously, because of the book stuff that we launched. And I had a few questions that came up kind of repeatedly, and I figured, and I. And I gave some long paragraph answers, and I was like, you know what? It might be worth making a podcast video about it.

The quote sets the stage for the podcast, indicating that Speaker A is responding to recurring questions from their audience, likely prompted by the launch of their book.

• Speaker A discusses the motivation behind their work despite financial stability.
• They express that the vision for their company, Gym Launch, extends beyond the fitness industry.
• Speaker A shares their personal connection to fitness and how it transformed their life.
• They describe their aspiration to revolutionize the fitness industry by creating a marketplace for fitness coaching.

One was, what keeps you motivated? Why do you keep pushing if you already have what you need from a financial standpoint?

The quote introduces the topic of motivation and questions why Speaker A continues to strive for more despite having achieved financial success.

• Speaker A's vision for Gym Launch is compared to the impact Uber had on the transportation industry.
• They aim to create a marketplace that allows fitness professionals to earn a substantial income while providing accountability for clients' weight loss journeys.
• Speaker A acknowledges the simplicity of what people need to do to lose weight but emphasizes the importance of accountability.

And so I got into the fitness business because fitness changed my life. And so it was, honestly, it was the only thing that I really knew how to do. And so that's what I sold because people started paying me for it. [...] And so, for me, the goal is, how can we create an opportunity that's significant enough that someone can make a real income as a low barrier to entry so that people can get coaching and the coaches can make money doing it?

Speaker A explains their personal journey into the fitness industry and outlines their broader goal for Gym Launch, which is to create a low-barrier, income-generating opportunity for fitness professionals.

• Speaker A admits that the grand vision does not provide daily motivation.
• They mention the challenges faced in running a business, such as legal issues, compliance, HR, and accusations from an ex-employee.
• Speaker A reveals that they are more driven by fear and the desire to avoid pain than by the pursuit of gain.

But if I'm being real, that is not what motivates me day to day, because that's really big pie in the sky stuff. But when you've got legal teams and compliance and HR and an ex employee saying that you're a racist and, you know what I mean? Like, all sorts of shit, you know what I mean? That can happen on. None of those things are going on, but they have, you know what I mean? And so there's a million small stressors that can come up. So how do you wade through the shit, right? How do you push through that? And the first thing for me has been, and I mentioned this in the beginning of the book, is, like, I am more motivated by fear and away from pain than I am towards gain.

Speaker A highlights the reality of daily struggles in entrepreneurship and how the vision for the company is not the sole motivator. They also touch on the personal motivation rooted in fear and avoidance of pain, which is a stark contrast to being motivated by positive outcomes.

• The individual is motivated more by fear of failure than by the prospect of gain.
• They express that as they have achieved more, the fear of falling has increased.
• Despite taking protective measures, they acknowledge having irrational fears.
• They find a parallel in gold medalists who are motivated by a dislike of losing rather than the joy of winning.
• The individual channels fear and a bit of anger into productive outcomes.

"So a friend of mine called me up the other day and was like, he started the conversation by saying, well, it's clear that money is not the motivator for you anymore, right? Because he's like, you're already done. You don't need any more money. And it was like, since he said, it's so matter of fact, it took me back for a second, and I was like, I guess you're kind of right. I'm not really doing it for the money, but it's really the fear of failure."

This quote reveals that the individual's motivation is not financial but is rooted in the fear of failing, indicating a shift in motivational drivers from monetary gain to avoidance of negative outcomes.

"And so one of the things that drives me is that, and I know that when they interviewed gold medalists, invariably one of the things that they noticed is that the people who won were not motivated by winning. They were motivated because they hated losing."

The comparison with gold medalists underscores the commonality of being driven by a fear of losing rather than the joy of winning, which can be a powerful motivator.

• The individual focuses on distinguishing between controllable and uncontrollable factors.
• They prioritize and create action plans for controllable aspects, which reduces anxiety.
• Anxiety spikes when faced with problems that cannot be immediately addressed.
• The concept of "open loops" or unresolved issues is highlighted as a source of overwhelm.
• The individual emphasizes the importance of discipline and experience in managing one's mental bandwidth.

"The biggest thing that I do is I think, what of these things are under my control, and what of these things are not right? And so the things that are not under my control, I immediately cut out of my thought processes and thinking, cool, I already figured those out. They're not on my."

This quote emphasizes the strategy of focusing on what can be controlled and dismissing what cannot, as a means to manage stress and prevent feeling overwhelmed.

"And if you're like, but what about this thing? Can I control it? If you can't control it, then don't let it take up your mind space. And that does take discipline. I'm not saying I'm perfect."

The individual acknowledges that it takes discipline to maintain focus only on controllable factors, implying that this is an ongoing effort and not something that is achieved effortlessly.

• The individual's focus on goals is tied back to their fear-driven motivation.
• They express a wish for a more idealistic motivation but acknowledge the reality of their situation.
• The focus on goals appears to be a byproduct of their overarching strategy to manage fear and avoid failure.

"And then the third one, how do you stay focused on your goals? I think actually that kind of routes back to the first thing that I was saying, which is, I wish I had something really sexy. And really, I just love everyone, and"

This incomplete quote indicates that the individual's method of staying focused on goals is not founded on an idealistic or "sexy" notion but is likely a practical approach rooted in their primary motivation of fear. The incomplete nature of the quote suggests that the individual's explanation was cut off or not fully articulated.

• The speaker expresses a desire to transform lives and help people lose weight, but acknowledges that fear of failure is a significant motivator.
• They admit that their drive comes from insecurities and a fear of what others might think.
• The speaker emphasizes the importance of being genuine with their audience.

"I just want to transform lives and I want everyone to lose weight. I wish that were actually the thing that motivated me, and that is something that I want to accomplish."

The quote shows the speaker's idealistic goal of transforming lives through weight loss, which they aspire to achieve.

"A lot of it is just really being afraid to fail and being afraid of what people would say and being afraid of. And I'm working on that."

This quote reveals that the speaker's motivation is not solely altruistic but also driven by personal fears and insecurities.

• The speaker reflects on their academic success, attributing it to a fear of failure.
• They discuss their expedited college education and high test scores as a result of their hard work and fear.
• The speaker believes that motivation can help overcome any obstacle, even for those with attention deficit disorder (ADD).

"I was a really good student. I worked really hard, and I got good grades. You know what I mean? I finished college in three years. I scored really well on the SATs and GMATs and all that stuff."

The quote highlights the speaker's academic achievements, emphasizing their hard work and successful outcomes.

"I was a good student because I was afraid not to be."

This quote connects the speaker's academic success to a fear of failure, suggesting that fear was a key driver in their pursuit of excellence.

• The speaker suggests that many great accomplishments are driven by an internal void or insecurity.
• They believe that deep-seated insecurities can be powerful motivators for success.
• The speaker shares this personal belief candidly with their audience.

"I think that all the great accomplishments in the world are done by people who have a big hole inside of them that they're trying to, you know, I'm just being real with you."

This quote presents the speaker's view that a sense of lacking or an internal void can fuel the drive for significant achievements.

• The speaker shares the recent successful launch of their book and the excitement of receiving feedback.
• They reveal the challenges faced, such as the disapproval of their landing page and multiple failed advertising campaigns.
• The speaker reflects on the persistence required in entrepreneurship and the notion of having no other choice but to continue.

"Last 24 hours was awesome. Mix of emotions, obviously. We launched the book, and tons of copies sold, which was awesome."

This quote conveys the speaker's recent positive experience with the successful launch and sale of their book.

"We launched a campaign that has now, this is now the 8th campaign, and each campaign that we launch has probably 50 ads in it. And we've done eight campaigns in a row that have failed."

The quote highlights the speaker's persistence despite facing repeated failures in their advertising campaigns.

• The speaker compares their entrepreneurial struggles with historical adversity, such as slavery, to understand resilience.
• They suggest that when people perceive no alternative, they can endure and accomplish remarkable things.
• The speaker applies this mindset to entrepreneurship, choosing to believe there is no exit door, which fuels their determination.

"It's amazing what you can do when you have no choice."

This quote encapsulates the speaker's belief that the perception of having no alternatives can lead to extraordinary endurance and achievement.

"I pretend there is no door. There is no exit door for us. And that's what keeps us in. It is like, I have no choice. I have to keep going."

The quote reflects the speaker's personal strategy for maintaining resilience in the face of entrepreneurial challenges by mentally eliminating the option of giving up.

• Perseverance and grit are essential for achieving success, often more so than intelligence.
• Success stories from highly successful individuals highlight the significance of persistence.
• The ability to keep going despite challenges is a key factor in achievement.

"It's just like, how long can you keep going? And I think that it's just like, how bad do you want something? And that's it. And when they look at achievement, that's the single deciding factor."

This quote emphasizes that the duration and intensity of one's effort in pursuing goals are crucial determinants of success.

• Effort is a critical component that contributes twice to achievement.
• The formula for success includes talent multiplied by effort to develop skill, and then skill multiplied by effort to achieve.
• Potential is deemed insignificant without the application of effort.

"Effort counts twice in the achievement category. It's like, first you have talent times effort to get a skill, and then it's skill times effort to achieve something."

This quote outlines the formula for success, highlighting the doubled impact of effort on both skill development and achievement.

• Effort can surpass talent when it comes to long-term achievement.
• A person with less innate talent but more effort can achieve more than a talented person with less effort.
• The gap between current abilities and potential can be bridged significantly by effort.

"You may see people who you believe are more talented than you, and they might be, but if you think about any human and their potential for how much they can achieve with an inordinate amount of effort, it is more than what the talented person can achieve with a medium amount of effort."

This quote suggests that effort can compensate for and even exceed the advantages of talent, leading to greater achievements.

• Long-term commitment and the development of one's identity are key to maintaining motivation.
• Passion may fade over time, and what sustains effort is the identity and the type of person one aspires to be.
• The stories we tell ourselves and the legacy we leave for others, like our children, influence our perseverance.

"For me, it's like an identity thing. It's like, what kind of person am I? Does that make sense? Who do I choose to be? What kind of person do I want my kids to think I am?"

This quote connects the pursuit of goals to the construction of one's identity and the values one wishes to embody and pass on to others.

• The process of working towards goals is also a process of actively shaping one's identity.
• By persevering through challenges, one becomes the hero of their own story.
• This self-narrative is a motivational tool that helps maintain focus on goals and prevents feeling overwhelmed.

"You're actively creating your identity in the story you're telling while you're walking it. And so it's like you become the hero of your own story, but you're not that hero yet, but you're becoming them as you walk."

This quote illustrates the dynamic process of identity formation that occurs as one works towards goals, reinforcing the idea that we are the authors of our own stories.

• Staying motivated involves a continuous effort and a clear vision of the person one wants to become.
• Overcoming feelings of being overwhelmed and staying focused on goals are part of the journey.
• Encouragement and well-wishes are extended to others in their pursuit of goals.

"How do I stop from being overwhelmed? How do I stay focused on the goals? You just keep going, and it's like, what kind of person you want to be?"

This quote addresses the speaker's personal strategies for maintaining motivation and focus, suggesting that a clear understanding of one's desired identity can drive continuous effort.