Tag Archives: Zac Keeney

Reflecting on a Decade of Growth: My 30’s

My 30’s were a decade of transformation…beyond the fact that the guy on the left looks much more rested and spry!

One may argue recency bias, but looking back at all the decades of my life [0-9], [10-19], [20-29], and [30-39] I believe I took the largest leap forward in many areas of my life in my 30s.

Let us quickly recap the decades:

  • 0-9: Largely Developmental and learning [how and where] to go to the bathroom
  • 10-19: Puberty and all the weirdness that comes with it, along with middle school and high school.
  • 20-29: Selfishly focused hard work. Living on my own. Work hard and play hard. Looking out for #1.
  • 30’s…

I stumbled upon this idea while thumbing through some old journals I have stored in my office. It was fascinating looking back on the ideas I wrote about, the goals I set and the thoughtful scribbles I catalogued along the way. Much of this journaling started in my mid to late 20’s so I had a basis for comparison when I started thinking about what’s to follow.

Foregoing the obvious and expected, like many others, my 30’s offered many milestones in my life. These thoughts are less about the milestones themselves and more about what I learned in the process.

  1. Parenthood: Becoming a parent was a scientific journey for my wife and I. After years of trying “the old fashioned way,” we found ourselves at the University of Iowa Hospitals looking for help in starting our family. What followed was an IVF journey I couldn’t ever be prepared for. I say this because my wife and I are “Type A Preparers” by nature. We control. We organize. We define when things happen…except for pregnancy. Soon I would learn all I could control in this process were the black circles I drew on the small of my wife’s back with a Sharpie. Followed by the two inch needle I’d insert inside the circle and inject progesterone oil on a nightly cadence into her lower back. I don’t remember how many consecutive nights we did this for, but it felt like years! Fast-forward 9 years, and we’ve got an 8-year old son and nearly 4-year old daughter. We’re eternally grateful for all those at the U of I who helped us fulfill our parenthood dreams…albeit in a test tube. There is no love like being a parent. There is no uncertainty like being a parent. This is a bit of foreshadowing, but it was also my first experience with being truly anxious.
  2. Business Ownership: On Feb. 27, 2012 I sent a LinkedIn message to a friend titled, “Opportunity Calls.” Yes, I saved the email too!! A few months later at 30 years old, the introduction paid off and the Agency I worked for acquired TargetClick Marketing to start a new digital division of the larger company. It was exhilarating and I got the itch to scratch on “owning a business” from my new colleagues. Greg, Doug, Therese, I’m forever grateful for you all and your friendship! As luck would have it, opportunity called to me a few years later and I was on the buyers side of the table again in 2015. The business I bought into was already successful, but we quickly drove it to new heights in a couple short and explosive years of growth. Just a year later, we had an offer to sell the business to a Private Equity backed holding company out of Memphis, TN. It was Dec. 1, 2016. I was 34. When my contract expired I’d be 38 or 39 years old. As the story unfolded, I left that business at 39 and President of the organization. Almost funny isn’t it? How timing works. It’s almost like that chapter, that decade, that opportunity needed closure at 39!
  3. Investing: I’ve always had a strong interest in money. I’m interested in how it works, how it’s made, and how different groups of people think about and use money. In my 30’s my “money education” grew exponentially via the concept of asking some really simple questions to people I considered successful. What do the wealthy do? What do the wealthy own? Key word: OWN. I made it my mission to learn, apply knowledge and own more assets in my 30’s. I already noted the business ownership above (Check box). At 35, I started my real estate investment and ownership journey. I made the decision early in my 30’s and set a plan to “retire” by the ripe age of 45. There were two ways to do this. Win the lottery, or create income outside of any [9-5 income] to cover any basic monthly expenses. Real Estate offered the mechanism to accomplish the latter. I’m nearly five years into the journey and about 65% of the way to F-R-E-E-D-O-M (Say it like William Wallace screams it in Braveheart!!). Lesson here, big dreams are terrific. But nothing happens without taking big action!
  4. Anxiety Lesson #1: I first learned about and truly experienced anxiety in my 30’s. The first time I’d ever had this feeling it was chemically induced and it was when I quit an all too frequent chewing tobacco habit. When that chemical addiction was defeated, I thought the feeling would be as well, but I was pulled back into some of those panicky feelings when going through the IVF process noted above. Being anxious is an exhausting experience. There were times I felt paralyzed in the “trigger protocol” of everything we were going through and we had so much HOPE invested in the process…but no guarantee lived on the other side. I didn’t want to feel our dreams getting crushed AGAIN! What I learned is the anxiety wasn’t about hope. It was about control. A lesson I’d learn again closing out my 30s with COVID.
  5. Anxiety Lesson #2 – COVID. I don’t think we’re done learning about the true impact of COVID-19 on our mental well-being. COVID was a lasting anxious moment for me tied to things I thought I was owed and people I didn’t want to let down. When COVID initially hit, it was shock and awe for everyone…myself included. Those first few months with the kids at home, while running a business that was losing money every day, week, month felt impossible, but we got through the 1st wave. But not without making significant cuts to staff. If you’ve never done this, or sat up late at night staring at a spreadsheet with humans names on them…it’s REALLY hard. By dawn, a plan had to be in place to reduce expenses by many thousands of dollars. The fastest way to do that is something we’re seeing today across Big Tech companies. Eliminate large chunks of payroll. I’d never experienced this before, much less be one of the key trigger men. I wasn’t sleeping well or dealing well with the weight of these decisions. People’s lives were in my hands and I couldn’t find a fast or easy decision to circumvent this choice. In the Spring of 2021 my body started breaking down from the lasting stress and my Ulcerative Colitis flared again. Heavy lies the crown of leadership! At the end of it all, I can say I just didn’t want to let my peers, colleagues and former partners down. We were also owed some money from the sale of our business, and due to COVID I thought there was little to no chance we’d ever see it. Was this my fault? Again, these feelings are all about CONTROL. Now I’m afforded the opportunity to sit with these feelings and be more aware. I’m more aware of what’s in my control vs. what is not. I’m more open to talking through deeply challenging situations and most importantly asking for help/guidance.

At the expense of getting too windy on this post, I learned much more in my 30’s, but a post needs closure. I learned to meditate effectively in my 30s. I learned I have some of the best friends a person could ask for. I also learned a great deal about my body and diet.

All of this to say, I look forward to crushing the next decade in my 40s!

Where Does Ambition Guide Us?

I think it’s safe to say I’m hardwired for ambition. It’s in my DNA to be ambitious. As most children do, I had dreams including BIG accomplishments. As an adolescent maybe that meant money, maybe it meant fame, or maybe I’d someday be able to say, “I made it” from a tropical paradise!

Aging provides a perspective to all these childhood dreams. That perspective is molded from the crucible of life and over time I think less about the dream and more about the why behind it and where it’s taking me?

  • BIG Accomplishment – What does this even mean? Or how will I know when I get there?
  • Money – Sure, when I was young I wanted to be RICH…who didn’t. Now, I’d rather be wealthy and financially free. (Ask Shaq, he learned there’s a BIG difference between being Rich vs. Wealthy)
  • Fame – Of course. I was going to be an athlete, or maybe in the movies. But I’m really cool with that not happening now. I also know my personality would NOT have handled fame well as a young adult. There’s a decent chance my ego wouldn’t have survived this dream well.

So I guess this leaves me defeated?

Not the least. I’m still just as ambitious as when I was young and I could easily argue I’m probably more ambitious now at 40 because this ambition comes with a focus and desire toward something much more real and toward something bigger than myself or selfish desires.

The element I’m thinking deeply about here is how much ambition is motivating, and how much creates problems. I heard a speaker say this earlier this year and it’s really stuck with me. Read it a couple times.

“The fire which forges, also consumes”

Isn’t that the truth. Push hard enough to push through challenge and produce meaningful progress. But, don’t push so hard you push everyone else away in the process of your selfish pursuit. Ambition…but not craziness boarding on obsession.

I read today the founder of Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard gave away his company with the purpose of ALL profits going to fight climate change. I often think about legacy and that’s a HELLUVA one to leave. Whether you think it’s “woke capitalism” or not. He will be remembered for doing something BIG! I very much appreciate the ambition required to make that happen. I also know he’s in his 80s. I wonder how he was thinking in his 30s or 40s.

What does Ambition look like to me now?

Let’s start with what it is not. I have very little ambition that remains for stuff. I think the simple saying that rings true here is, “There’s always another guy with a BIGGER boat!” I’m all for having nice things, but the pursuit of them is never ending and empty.

Lets instead look to the alternative. I view ambition through the eyes of an athlete or competitor because that’s what I’ve always been. When the final bell rings or the curtain drops, all that is left is the competitor. The individual, sweaty from effort, exhausted from thorough competition has no more ambition. There is nothing left to chase. It’s over. My question is, “how would I feel?”

My ambition for this moment trails less and less toward the idea of Win vs. Loss (and I’m a dude who isn’t shy to say I LOVE WINNING!). My desire for this moment is the realization I reached my best self or maximum contribution for others. The deep fulfilling breath that comes only from knowing you competed well at the highest level and got everything out of your talent you could. As Tony Dungy says, “No excuses no explantations.”

The only way to realize this feeling, is to remain ambitious

This is why I continually push myself and others. There is more to learn. I can be in better shape. I can be a better Dad, husband, business partner, or friend. If you’re a reader of this blog you know my affinity for Tony Robbins. Tony preaches, Happiness = Progress.

Now if you’re the cynical type, I can see someone challenging this and saying, “Yeah Zac, that’s great. But your ambition lacks specifics!” I’d say this is fair, but ambition is about desire vs. a goal which is about a target/outcome.

I don’t know if I’ll ever get to my point of a realizing my “best self”, but I’m sure as hell going to try and continue progressing along the way!

As Zig used to say, “I’ll see you at the top!”

5 Thoughts on Labor Day

I hope this message finds you relaxing on this national Labor Day holiday. As a reminder, this holiday was put in place to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United States.

Makes me wonder…where did all the “Laborers” go? It’s time to get back to work America! Time to get back to making contributions to America’s strength, prosperity, and well-being.

Back to the purpose of this post, the 5 Thoughts on Labor Day

  1. GRATITUDE – I heard it earlier this week and it hit me as very profound. If you looked back 10 years and told yourself, what you’d doing now, 10 years later…what would you say?!?!? For me that’s pretty simple. I’d say, “DAMN, That’s terrific!” I’m overly ambitious and an avid goal writer. Ten years ago I wanted to accomplish the following things: Have kids, own a business, build a house on a golf course, own income producing real estate, sell a business (for profit), income targets, etc. I can put a BIG FAT CHECK MARK next to all of these, with a special THANK YOU to the University of Iowa Hospitals and their reproductive team. I’ve heard Tony Robbins say, “people often overestimate what they can accomplish in a year, and underestimate what they can accomplish in a decade.” Today is a day to reflect and be grateful because that is absolutely true!!!
  2. NUTRITION – As I move past that magical milestone of 40, I’m paying more attention to what I put into my body. Look I’m not perfect and I’m not counting every calorie or turning down every cookie. I’m still enjoying myself, but I’m paying very close attention to what I eat an how it makes me feel. With special attention being paid to limiting: sugar, gluten and alcohol. I’m also beginning to follow The Wahls Protocol (although not with militant vigor) as a way to keep my autoimmune condition in check. I will say, so far so good. I am feeling an increase in energy and better sleep.
  3. SLEEP – A good night of sleep is EVERYTHING to me now. To be fair, I don’t know if I’ve ever been a great sleeper. I guess it’s my restless mind and sometimes overly ambitious personality at work. But, even if my 3-year-old wakes up a couple times a week in the middle of the night, I can feel it. I can also tell how I hit the hay based on what I ate/consumed for the day. Getting old does suck, but I’m trying to find ways to make it suck less. For me those include: A Sleep Mask, paying attention to alcohol and caffeine consumption, and overall diet. Few things feel better than an uninterrupted 8+ hours of restorative sleep. < – – – – – – That’s pure gold at 40!
  4. ECONOMY – No silver bullets here or Nostradamus like predictions. But I do think about the macroeconomic factors frequently as an investor and business builder. Where are we? How did we get here? The most immediate thought I have is printing $7 Trillion is going to have lasting effects on where we’re going. There is TOO much supply given to those who created little or no economic value (Hence back to my tongue and cheek comments on “Labor” day). All that said, I still believe the United States is a terrific place to do business, and if you can stay away from tax crazed states, your chances grow considerably. I’m also wondering how we can have such low unemployment, yet sooooo many jobs available everywhere you look? Did that many people really retire or just exit the workforce? In the near term, I’ll continue investing in cash flowing real estate and I’ll keep a nest egg set aside for just in case scenarios.
  5. NO NEWS – I’ve largely stopped watching the news on TV. The funny part is, I still know what’s going on in the world without having to hear about the day’s last looting, shooting, or riot. The only part I really tune in or fast-forward to is the weather. There’s too much shock and awe to start a day for me and the hyperbolic tone is over the top. I remember back to going to my Grandma’s after school and hearing Walter Cronkite deliver the news. Although I was very young, I felt like he actually reported the news and it wasn’t delivered with an agenda. Simpler times I guess.

As a final takeaway, I do a goal review/pacing every Sunday. Being that the calendar just rolled over to September, it means we still have 1/3 of the year left to accomplish big things, or re-establish momentum. I’m happy to say I’m well on pace for my goal of 250 Peloton rides in 2022. I also completed the goal of purchasing (2) income producing properties in 2022. As for other goals…I’ve got 4 months to make a big impact and a lot of pull ups left to conquer.

~Go get it!

Changing Views on Retirement

When I started out in my working career I’ve always thought very intentionally about retirement. You know, that mythical creature we’d all hope to reach by the ripe ole age of 65!! I might look something like the picture above (PS – Thx Snapchat Filter)

I began as most do, with an employer sponsored 401K and began socking away money for a day that “could be” 40+ years from when I started. Initial learnings of OPM (Other People’s Money) became apparent as my contribution was “matched” by my employer. I supplemented this work 401K plan with a ROTH IRA contribution. Post tax dollars invested for a similar “someday” but these dollars would not be taxed as they grew or when they would be redeemed. Decent start for someone early in their 20’s…or so I thought.

All that seemingly remained to accomplish my goal of retirement would be to:

  • Continue to grow earnings & investing with consistency over time
  • Reduce expenses and debt (this almost always makes sense)
  • Hope the market continued to grow as it had the last 90+ years
  • Don’t die…

Don’t Die?

Killer Strategy (no pun intended!). When saving for “Someday” the importance of don’t die took on a new light when I got into my 30’s and continued growing personal income. I began to question the ideals behind saving and investing (buy, hold, pray) during the best years of my life, so I could retire somewhere in Florida to ease my arthritis and work on my shuffleboard game in my 70’s at a measurably slower pace of life.

The goal isn’t to stash away money for 40-50 years so that some day when I’m 75 and have limited mobility I can be as free as a bird (from expenses). It takes too long!!! What if I wanted to retire 10 or even 20 years sooner? How could that happen?

Mindset Shift

Through an introduction of some terrific business friends, I read, listened to and re-listened to The 4-Hour Work Week, by Tim Ferriss. The “new rich” as he’d described saw retirement not as the end goal, but more a means of being throughout life. Scheduled “mini-retirements” were necessary to live life to the fullest now vs. saving it all for a future someday (the end). This began my learning journey of my 30’s.

Concepts like: Business Ownership, Monthly Cash Flow, Time Management and Target Monthly Income (TMI) became common place in my retirement planning while learning from the “new rich.”

The Rich Don’t Work for Money

I dove back into the classic Rich Dad Poor Dad and the classic teaching from Robert Kiyosaki. I started asking simple questions of the wealthy. How did they get there? What do they do? More importantly…what do they OWN?

Assets like a 401K, IRA, or Roth IRA weren’t accessible until 59 1/2 years old (without substantial early withdrawal penalty) and they’re subject to high tax. As I grew in my knowledge, I also became more aware of taxes on the impact of wealth creation and wealth preservation. Would taxes likely be higher 30 years from now….I’d venture a strong HELL YEAH, at this one!

I’m an incredibly visual person and so at 38I drafted this visual to unlock the answer to the question,

“What would it take to retire at 45?”

What would it take to require at 45?

Pretty simple answer. Produce monthly cash flow from investments that exceeds > current expenses. Period. End of story. Invest in assets which produce cash flow. [From: Rich Dad Poor Dad]

There’s a critically important point to make here. I’m 99% sure I won’t retire at 45 to a john boat, weekly fishing expeditions, morning coffee with the boys, and afternoon golf (daily). But, that doesn’t sound too shabby does it?

Back in 2013 I started what I call “Dream Bucket 2027” which is my plan to freedom at 45 years old. I sometimes interchangeably call this mission the “Freedom Fund” as I’m talking about it and investing in assets.

Familiar with the F.I.R.E. Movement?

Financial Independence Retire Early. If you’re not familiar with Mr. Money Mustache, this would be a good side track for you and another POV on early retirement if that’s the mission you’re on. His “mustachian” philosophy is that of aggressive saving and passive index fund investment and aggressively limiting and/or eliminating expenses for financial freedom. Different path, but similar destination in mind.

Where do we go from here?

Today I continue investing in cash flowing assets (primarily real estate) and I feel well positioned given the recent explosion of inflation. I’m also doing a great deal of learning about TAXES and how the wealthy navigate this space (legally)to keep more of what they earn. If you’re wondering why the wealthy don’t pay taxes, consult the IRS Tax code. The tax code is simply a series of “incentives” from the government. The wealthy understand how to use the code. Tom Wheelwright does a terrific job with his TAX FREE WEALTH books and content on this subject.

Nothing Happens without Income Growth

I’m certain there are differing opinions here, but I’ll make this very simple. The first step to any retirement or freedom journey is to MASSIVELY increase your income. A person can live very comfortably and with large steps forward with their income many options will become available. I recommend following Grant Cardone for income explosion inspiration and concepts. I’ve read a few of his books and they’ve been helpful on my journey.

As I move from my 30s to my 40s in 2022, I look back at all the learning I had in my 30’s and how different it was from the learnings of my 20’s. I’m looking forward to further mindset shifts in my journey and I look forward to updating the readers on my DREAM BUCKET journey.

Purple Power Smoothie Recipe

This “go-to” smoothie is nearly a daily occurrence for me! Tom Brady has a similar blend for his favorite TB12 Blueberry smoothie recipe.

My son calls it, “The Purple Power Smoothie” and it’s a staple in the Keeney house usually 4-5 days a week for breakfast. After refining and testing my concoction, I thought it had a definite “Peanut Butter and Jelly” taste…which is A-OK by me!

When complete, this smoothie will be cool or cold, but not icy frozen and definitely smooth with a pleasing and vibrant purple appeal.

I grew up eating cold cereal most days of my adolescent and early adult life. My go-to was either Peanut Butter Capt’n Crunch or Honeycomb. By the way, if you’ve never mixed them…its the BOMB!

Over the years and as I get older I find my body reacts better to a little more balanced breakfast complete with more fruits/vegetables and protein (and less sugar!!!!). This balanced start also helps prevent me from the mid-late morning sugar crash!

This smoothie whips up in only a couple of minutes via our NutriBullet. A couple pours, a couple scoops and blend away! Tim Ferriss often asks guests on his podcast for their most valuable purchases under $100. For me, the Nutribullet has to be on the list…if not at the top. We’ve made hundreds of smoothies and it shows now signs of stopping soon. (I hope I didn’t just jinx it by writing that)

Ok, now to the punchline…the recipe. Please note I’m not the best measurer of ingredients. But the good news is, I’m an excellent estimator!

Purple Power Smoothie Ingredients (& estimates)

  • Frozen Blueberries (Hy-Vee Brand)- about a cup +/-
  • Almond Milk (Silk Almond Milk) pour to top of frozen blueberries
  • Peanut Butter (Creamy Jif)- a hefty/oversized scoop (tablespoon…I guess?). Be sure to lick off the excess!
  • Honey Greek Yogurt (Currently Chobani is my go to) – two hefty scoops plopped into the blender
  • Chocolate Protein Powder (I use MusclePharm’s Combat Chocolate Milk Protein Powder) Purchased from Amazon. One scoop = 25g protein. This by far is some of the best tasting protein powder I’ve used.
  • Spinach (purchased at local grocer)- a little less than a handful. Here are the health benefits of 1Cup of Spinach
  • Chia Seeds (I shake some in the blender…idk)- 7 Health Benefits of Chia Seeds
  • **Banana – Sometimes I’ll add a ripe or overly ripe banana.
  • **Avocado – Similar to a banana I may add in an avocado for healthy fats

I use the larger of the two NutriBullet containers for my daily smoothie. It’s enough to make a good sized portion for my son and I to enjoy (about 16-20oz total).

I’m neither a dietician or a nutrition expert, but here’s what I gather is in this bad boy.

This smoothie contains over 40g+ of protein. It’s packed with antioxidents, vitamins and minerals. The Spinach and Chia seeds are heart healthy and are sneaky ways to add in vegetables and nutrient dense foods.

The next time you spin your blender, give this recipe a try and let me know what you think of it.

Smashing January’s Scorecard

What a terrific start to the year!

What gets measured, gets managed ~ Peter Drucker

January 2022 started off sulking my Iowa Hawkeyes bowl loss on New Year’s Day with a few icy blue Coors Lights. Alas, the next day I started dry January (a day late) with a renewed purpose and new goal pursuits for the new year.

If there’s a word I’m really leaning into for this year it is CONSISTENCY. I think the image below sums up it up pretty well. Less of the left…more of what’s on the right. [Relying on Motivation vs. Consistency]

Moreover, when I’m operating more on the right…I find rhythm. This leads to momentum and I’m ALL FOR steering momentum vs. trying to generate it from a dead stop. I wrapped up 2021 completing over 5,500 pull ups (with a goal of 3,650) and I’m hoping to continue the momentum from the back half of last year into 2022 (already at 1,100+).

My SCORECARD is about vitality metrics. It’s not a specific workout or calorie counting exercise. It’s about momentum, feeling good and the power of a great night of sleep (even when my 3 year old comes in from time to time).

Below are the elements I believe helped me generate and maintain a ton of momentum in January and ultimately led me to crush my goals.

January 2022 Momentum:

  • Consistency – Simple as it sounds, daily work and focus wins out. Even if it’s just a little bit. Not trying to over do it and win the war in a day. Showing up for battle after battle produces progress. Progress leads to momentum – – – – > Forward
  • Peloton – We invested in a Peloton in 2021 and I’m loving it. I booked 20+ rides in January. What else are you going to do when it’s -20 and dark outside? It’s a terrific sweat and something I honestly didn’t think I’d be so into. So far I’m partnering the rides with their meditation classes, which I think are REALLY solid.
  • Dry January – This has been a really good reset for my body. I don’t think I’ll be giving up alcohol indefinitely, but I will be paying more and more attention to how it makes me feel and also the impact on sleep.
  • Sleep – I’ve mentioned this before in a previous post. Sleep is the ultimate lever for how I feel. I do think alcohol is playing a role here to the point above. I’ll also add that if I meditate, stretch, or a combo of both before bed, a great night of sleep is almost certain to follow. As are some crazy vivid dreams!
  • Wim Hof Method – I’ve been sprinkling in Wim Hof Method breathing exercises with my meditation practice. Here is a quick YouTube link to a beginner session (it’s only 11:00). And yes, I’ve also started ending my morning shower with a couple mins of cold, COLD water. I guess I’m a sucker for self-improvement.
  • Checking ALL the Boxes – I’ll reiterate, my scorecard is about creating and maintaining VITALITY in life. Success breeds success. Hitting stride in one platform, leads to progress in another. Fitness + Spiritual + Knowledge.

Finding Momentum in February

As January comes to a close and we wave goodbye to frigid temperatures, there is a good chance many are also waving goodbye to well thought out “New Years Resolutions” promised just 30 days ago. So What!!! Inaction finds us all. Flush it and move on. Don’t dwell.

I beg of you, I implore you, start February anew and find progress in the smallest effort in the right direction. Look to the image above from Liz Fosslien and embrace this. Everyone starts at the bottom left stair. Everyone.

Content Consumed in January:

  1. Finding Ultra (Rich Roll)- Audiobook
  2. Stories That Stick (Kindra Hall) – hard copy
  3. Orchard Hill Church sermon – Family Feelings: Shame (Alice Shirey)
  4. Orchard Hill Church sermon – Family Feelings: Fear (Doug Tensen)
  5. Orchard Hill Church sermon – Family Feelings: Disappointment (Dave Bartlett)

Lessons from 5,500+ PULL-UPS

I’m writing this having surpassed my 2021 pull up goal by over 150%. But that in itself isn’t the lesson I’m hopeful to share here.

Wrapping up 2020 I knew I needed to do something different. Something challenging with my body and something different with my mind.

Starting the year I filled out Tony Robbins’ Rapid Planning Method worksheet (Follow the Link – I encourage you to use it!). The Rapid Planning Method is one part goal setting, one part reason for having the goal in the first place. I listed three goals. One of my goals was to complete 3,650 pull ups. Pretty simple math behind this one. Ten per day, every day, for an entire year. But achieving my goal was going to take consistency and time.

Easy to do. Easy NOT to do.

Slight Edge Principles. The time required to complete 10 pull ups is about 15 seconds (Maybe less). Let that sink in. A total of 15 seconds of output per day was my target. But, that wasn’t going to be the real challenge…the EVERY DAY part was! This wasn’t a goal for my biceps and back. It was a goal to flex my discipline muscle.

I Struggle with Discipline

Short term discipline I’m ok with. But the staying power required to complete looooong tasks is not a talent of mine. I become bored and typically move on to something else. I experience this finishing a book I’m less than interested in or staying with diet/lifestyle choices for long periods of time. This behavior has not proven to be detrimental, but I had a feeling I could do so much better if I pushed through the boredom.

So What Happened in 2021?

  1. In 2020 I had the exact same pull up goal – But I quit shy of 1,500 (insert bummer emoji). Not sure why, other than what I mentioned in the paragraph above. I simply quit showing up to the bar. I got bored I guess because if you think about it, a pandemic is a PERFECT opportunity to knock out home workouts.
  2. 2021 HOT START – As with my addictive personality, I was off and running in January 2021 and feeling pretty good. Ahead of pace with few “missed days” in the process. The early goal was consistency and not try and overdo it.
  3. Feb/March/April – I fell off the face of the earth as my Ulcerative Colitis flared up and my energy level was entirely zapped with work and parenting duties. I’d fallen behind…well behind and I was weak to boot! Signal – – – – > quitting time!
  4. QUITTING TIME – Goal: 3,650. I’d done a little over 400. I had 3,250 left to complete and 7 months to do so. Given my situation I could’ve easily thrown in the towel. No one would fault me…except myself. Realistically all that changed was my 10/day target, moved north to 15+. Still 100% achievable if I’d commit.
  5. MAY 2021 – Sometime after another colonoscopy, some helpful steroids and my body beginning to heal itself, I got back on the bar. I had work to. I was nearly 1,000 reps behind pace for where I “should have been” if I’d stuck to my 10/day/everyday commitment.
  6. MOMENTUM – Sometime in the summer/fall I hit my stride and momentum kicked in. There were days I was completing 50, 70, or 100+ reps. I was chasing down my goal like a hungry dog chasing a meat truck and I had the calluses to prove it.
  7. 11/3/2021 – I hit target and damn it FELT GOOD!! This also meant I had nearly 60 days left in 2021 to create separation from my goal. I even started adding weight of 10-20 lbs. between my legs on sets.

Thus a new and good habit is born, for when an act becomes easy through constant repetition it becomes a pleasure to perform and if it is a pleasure to perform it is a man’s nature to perform it often. When I perform it often it becomes a habit and I become its slave and since it is a good habit this is my will

The Greatest Salesman in the World (The Scroll Marked I)

In reality, the annual pull up target isn’t really impressive. After all, David Goggins once did just over 4,000 pull ups in 24 hrs. One day! That said, my goal achievement did give me the momentum needed to see what’s possible. I’m thinking next year the target is 10,000 (after all…it isn’t even 30/day).

Like many others, I can be impatient in the pursuit of a BIG goal or target. Sprinting when I should be jogging and also resting when I should also be walking. This duel edged sword can be both good and prove incredibly challenging for someone like me when pursuing a lengthy goal. What helped me the most in 2021 was breaking the annual target into daily achievable numbers and staying the course. Small efforts magnified by time.

Don’t Eat the Whole Elephant

Those who work with me know I frequently use the saying, “Don’t eat the whole elephant, but instead…keep taking bites!” Small, intentional bites in pursuit of accomplishing the target!” Progress > Perfection.

As we step forward into another year the word RESOLUTION will be thrown around wildly in the coming days and weeks. My advice would be, RESOLVE to set daily or weekly targets and PUNT the New Year’s Resolution nonsense. Let the daily work and accumulation take care of itself. You can accomplish a WHOLE LOT of anything x 365!

I’ll leave you with the image on the right. Every rep accounted for on the backside of the drywall in my basement (sorry honey!).

Top 5 Posts of 2021

Reflecting back on 2021, I see a year of challenge, renewal and momentum.

Incase you’re not a subscriber (subscribe below), or even if you are, you might have missed out on one of these gems. This is a quick recap of my top 5 blog posts of 2021 based on readership and engagement. Selfishly speaking, it was a fun exercise pulling together this content. I hope you enjoy this curated list this holiday season.

TOP 5 POSTS of 2021:

  1. Earn Your Comfort – Happiness is NOT purchased through luxury, comfort and general ease. It’s purchased through progress and effort. Comfort is to be earned!
  2. Starting Over. Week 1. Day 1. – Habits win out over time. This post is a reflection on where my bad habits left me earlier in 2021 (in a bad place) and the consequent journey out of a challenging time in my life.
  3. The Four Pillars of Progress – This post unlocks my pillars to vitality. If I got only these four efforts right, the rest of life falls in line because my energy, output and sleep are aligned accordingly. The older I get, the more I’m focused on these efforts.
  4. Greenlights and Havard Business Review Collide – Life is undoubtably a journey of managing the +/- being thrown at us. At times, momentum is effortless and we “find our frequency” and flow in the journey. This post will help you pay attention to times when it is all clicking. Pay attention to what you’re doing, who you’re with and how you feel. Be on the lookout for your own Greenlights.
  5. Career Advice: Leave a Dent! – I made a large career change late in 2021. This change left me reflecting back on all the connections I’d made and the impactful moments I’d shared along the way. Business comes and goes, but we can always make sure to leave people with a lasting impact!

Looking forward into 2022 I will use the momentum generated from these posts to continue delivering my unique (Keen) perspective to the readers out there.

~Cheers to a healthy, wealthy and fulfilled new year!

Earn Your Comfort

I used to think the goal of life was to seek or retire into comfort. Some would do this at 45, others maybe 75…but retire nonetheless. Comfortable. In the meantime during the pursuit, I’d take some time out of every week to be…comfortable.

I’m now convinced this couldn’t be further from the truth.
The goal of life is continued progress. Working through hard things, for the benefit of personal growth and progress.

Someday when I do retire, I want to arrive there knowing it was EARNED.

“We must all either wear out or rust out, every one of us. My choice is to wear out.” — Theodore Roosevelt

Unearned or continued comfort is called laziness. Reminds me of the Seven Deadly Sins and the sin of Sloth.
But sloth isn’t only laziness, it is also carelessness, unwillingness to act, half-hearted effort, or becoming easily discouraged by possible difficulty.

When Everything is Satisfaction

Too much of a good thing, connects my thoughts to the often used analogy of the “rich kid, with a cocaine habit!” Everything given to him, such that he works for nothing, appreciates nothing, is motivated by nothing because there was no struggle to achieve what was gifted (in this instance, money and time). Instead of work and progress toward a goal, he focuses his efforts and energy on a substance that gives him that lonely “high” he’s searching for. That comfort and release he’s been so desperately looking for. When everything is satisfaction and easy, satisfaction is unearned and empty.

Friday Feels

There is something really wonderful about a Friday evening after you’ve made the most of a week kicking ass Monday through Friday. Earning the opportunity to have a great dinner, or a cocktail, or simply to put your feet up, feels infinitely better when reflecting on progress of a week vs. just moving through the motions.

Challenge Comfort with Progress

Tony Robbins says, “Progress equals Happiness!” This is exactly what I think “earning comfort” looks like. Progress, reward. Progress, reward. Progress, reward. Say it out loud. It FEELS DAMN GOOD! It feels like momentum. This is exactly why successful people continue to be successful oftentimes in greater magnitudes. They’ve generated tremendous momentum and they literally can’t be stopped. Successful people generate too much momentum and have reservoirs of progress to tap into when they hit a lull.

Rich Roll Said it Best

I shared this in my last post, and I think it’s worth sharing here again. Rich Roll on happiness.

Rich Roll says the following: “We’re in a culture that is driving everybody toward this idea that happiness is purchased through luxury, comfort and ease. And the truth could not be more different from that reality. If you want to find peace with yourself, self understanding, self knowledge, self esteem, all of these things are going to be found through: sacrifice, getting uncomfortable, re-evaulating what your normal is and putting yourself in situations you don’t want to f*cking do” “RICH ROLL PODCAST – EPISODE 413”


The Answer in Children’s Eyes

I’ll leave you with this. My son is currently learning how to read real books and it’s an exciting engagement every night we dive into a book (< – – – insert challenge). We work with him every week on learning new words from school, but this isn’t about learning “level 3 words” as much as it is about feels to me. The reaction a child produces when they learn something new is astounding. You can literally see the spark in their eyes, and their physiology changes in an instant due to the challenge just conquered. The world is theirs for a moment! More importantly, momentum is earned and stored to tackle the next phase of learning and the next challenge.

We’re all evolved children. You need that spark. I need that spark. We must combat boredom with progress and earn our comfort.

Starting Over. Week 1. Day 1.

I despise starting over. But beginning Feb. 26, 2021…that’s exactly where I was.

I spent that cold Iowa Friday night with some friends on the golf simulator at our golf course. A few too many beers and a few months of COVID (family, business, life) stress led me to making a decision I knew I’d regret as I’d spent years staying clear of it.

I’d chew tobacco again. But it wasn’t really that I’d chew again that specific night, it was more that I’d been doing a lesser version of this same habit (Camel Snus) for a few months in 2020 and most importantly – – – – > hiding it from my wife. But this night it was the real stuff and it was placed directly against my gums…and it tasted G-R-E-A-T. It was sending ALL the signals to my brain I knew I’d have to fight on my hands…tomorrow.

The next day I was filled with a poor night of sleep and a titanic-sized boat load of shame with my family. I was starting over and I knew what the addiction battle that lie ahead looked like and that I needed to rebuild my body and health.

The prognosis was simple: two weeks of hell followed by bits of progress and commitment. But the good news is I’d done it before, and that was the silver lining.

Let me rewind.

I quit chewing in 2011. I know this because I kept a diary my first 100 days of quitting. Sept 12th was my first “Days Upon Days” email to myself (I’ve shared these with no one). I’d slipped up two days prior to writing this message. I was watching the Iowa vs. Iowa State game in 2011. It was a 44-41 overtime thriller and one of the last times in a decade Iowa State would beat Iowa (sorry, couldn’t resist Cyclone fans). I was six days into my quit and I’d given in. I was at my friend’s parents house (Kalli you’ll remember).
Here’s proof of my first email to myself.

The following week would present the same challenge as the week before. Tailgating. Make it past seven days. Eventually I did, and continued to write about my journey the whole way, past day 100 and beyond. If I’m ever deep in a challenge, I relate back to these messages to understand what I’m capable of taking on, and what real perseverance looks and feels like. It starts as pain, and ends in progress.

At this moment in my own personal reflection, I’m quite certain you’re asking yourself, “Why is he telling me this?” “What is it about this story that needs to be shared now?”

I’m sharing because I’m staring to embrace the concept of starting over and energy of the rebuild. I’m making a game out of it.

Life isn’t a straight line and people make mistakes. God knows I’ve made my fair share and I’m sure I’ve got more waiting for me.

Most importantly, I know people this very moment struggling and battling with a variety of similar challenges and they’re all MEN I respect. I’m talking with some men daily and others weekly as they work to make progress in their journey. They’re all in different phases of the rebuild and “starting over” from any one or two of the things listed below:

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Alcoholism
  • Stress from Business Collapse
  • Addiction
  • Marital Issue
  • Combo order of elements above (add two, shake and scream)

I’m sharing this for my friends, colleagues and peers to know they’re not alone. Everyone is dealing with some shit. The rebuild isn’t humiliating. It’s an empowering challenge. And although it may suck now, it doesn’t have to suck forever. There is a way through and it’s actually incredibly mobilizing with momentum.

Dealing with stress, or anxiety, or addiction doesn’t make you weak. It makes you human. Everybody’s got something.
How do I know? Listen to this podcast with olympian Michael Phelps (23 gold medals) talking through his struggles. Tim Ferriss Show Episode 494. Michael Phelps now famously stated, “It’s OK, to not be OK!”

I love that. It’s OK, to not be OK!

If you’d like more mental resources, here is another I recently feel in love with from Rich Roll and David Goggins. Start your watch at 1:46:38 when Rich says, “Then it becomes about Willingness…”

Lastly, Rich says the following: “We’re in a culture that is driving everybody toward this idea that happiness is purchased through luxury, comfort and ease. And the truth could not be more different from that reality. If you want to find peace with yourself, self understanding, self knowledge, self esteem, all of these things are going to be found through: sacrifice, getting uncomfortable, re-evaulating what your normal is and putting yourself in situations you don’t want to f*cking do”

“Rich Roll Podcast – Episode 413”

~Damn Rich. Love this! Thank you!

One last thought I’d like to share is, “Be weary of the quick fix.”

I know I’m guilty of wanting answers and progress immediately in life, especially in times of struggle. But that’s just not likely, nor will the results stick. Results have to be trained in with habits. Good habits.

I’m reminded of lottery winners who win tens of millions in a jackpot…then go broke. Why on earth would a lottery winner go broke!?!?! Because they didn’t have good money habits in the first place. The money was transient. The habits won out. They’re broke again.

Today upon publishing this piece it’s Oct. 7th and I’m feeling really great. My body and mind are in an entirely different place than where they were six months ago. Looking back I was broken, body inflamed, stressed and tired. I still feel the temptation, and I will continue to, but that’s ok. I’m aware and being aware is the shit!

My habits are also in a different place. I’m on a mission to knock out 3,650 pull ups this year (10 per day). It’s a feat I gave up on in 2020 and only amassed 1,400 before quitting. I’m proud to say I’m nearly at 3,000 and I’m gaining momentum every day. Three months ago I started running again to get a good sweat in and free some mental space. I still don’t like running, but I love the cleanse of a good sweat.

(Good/Bad)Habits win over time!

Choose your habits wisely.

If any element of this post hits with you, I’d share with you one final quote,

Henceforth, I will consider each day’s effort as but one blow of my blade against a mighty oak. The first blow may cause not a tremor in the wood, nor the second, nor the third. Each blow, of itself may be trifling, and seem of no consequence. Yet from childish swipes the oak will eventually tumble. So it will be with my efforts of today

“The Greatest Salesman in the World” ~OG Mandino