March 6th, 2020, myself and the whole Greater Purpose Health and Fitness team were on our way to our first-ever team retreat. Something we had all been looking forward to for a few months. We were excited to do some team building, hiking, coffee drinking, and just unwind. And we did. It was a blast. Until it wasn’t.
That Saturday morning, a couple of the other coaches and I were killing some time before heading out for breakfast. We had the TV on in the background as we were chatting, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw something about a "Coronavirus" flash across the screen. The news anchors talked about how fast this virus was spreading and could become a worldwide pandemic. Whether you watch the news constantly, or on occasion, you know there have been many virus threats across the years. The news will do anything for your attention, right? We all brushed it off and naively enjoyed the rest of the weekend.
Over the next few days, after arriving home and working back into the gym, the noise of this novel new virus started to get louder. I remember thinking, "We need to formulate a plan in case any of this is actually true." I had heard of other gyms in my mastermind group having to shut their doors, so I was starting to prepare for the worst. I got that gut feeling.. You know the one? I knew that we would be close behind. So Gaetes, Thomas, and I headed into the one of our meeting rooms to create a game plan. The mood was upbeat. There was almost a nervous excitement, as we had no clue what was in store for us and our team over the next 2.5 years.
Jotting down dozens of different scenarios and what to do if each one occurred - assuming it would only be a few weeks, at worst. I remember one of us even wrote down "Zombie Apocalypse". Seemed funny at the time.
Little did we know….
That very weekend we were to close our doors for the first of 4 times to come in the future. In those years to come, a few things changed…
The not so good stuff:
-I gained 12 lbs of body fat
-Lost a significant amount of fitness as I spent most waking moments strategizing on how to save the gym
-Went into significant personal and professional debt to keep the gym alive
-Lost over 60% of our membership base
-Lost 50% of our staff
-My wife and I tackled what felt like insurmountable stress, every day
I'm not writing to say that you should feel sorry for me. I know how fortunate I am to live in the place we do. I am constantly reminded of this fact as I see the hardships and obstacles that many people face daily in other parts of the world. I share this because many good things came out of that absolute mess that wouldn't be there if I hadn't experienced it.
-My marriage is stronger than ever
-I had a 180-degree perspective shift on my personal health and fitness. Prior to covid, it was at risk of becoming an idol (again). This time focusing simply on keeping the gym alive forced me to be okay with not letting it become a determining part of my value and identity again.
-We introduced a new coaching program at the gym that has been helping so many people holistically transform their lives
-We rebranded ourselves to Greater Purpose Health & Fitness to better embody all the things we offer our members. We are still the home of our almost 10-year-old affiliate, CrossFit Camrose
-I developed a coaching program helping men who want to live with more purpose and be better stewards of all they have been given
Learn more here- TrueAlpha Coaching.
-I designed 4 different models for helping people achieve holistic change - The Anchor Method and the Fit5 Investing System being two of the most noteworthy
-Jilisa and I bought and sold our first short-term rental property in 12 months
-I am in the process of launching my personal podcast to share more of my personal stories and listen to others' journeys
- My relationship with Christ has grown stronger than ever, and I now have solidified personal and relational daily spiritual deposits and practices
-I see time through a completely different lens. How precious it is and how quickly it can disappear
The list could go on and on.
I don't wish to (ever) go through anything like that again. Ever. However, I am profoundly grateful for everything that I was able to glean from the rocky season along the way. Continuing to be refined in character and deeper attached to what actually matters in life, even if it meant gaining 12 pounds of body fat.
We don't know what tomorrow holds. One weekend you could be in the mountains with family and friends, and the next, you could be in a situation you didn't think would ever exist and can’t see a way out of.
Time is precious, people matter, and everything will eventually dissipate like vapor into thin air (the good, and the bad). Don't take today for granted. Pursue to be the best you can be in everything you do, now allowing your identity to get wrapped up in your successes or failures. They are both shaky foundations that will leave you feeling empty and unfulfilled.
Want help creating a game plan to create more time and space for what matters in life? Click here to book a free call.
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