What's up people!

Last week I got to help my buddy Paul Johnson run across America. 

My main takeaway: what he is attempting to do is really grueling.

I got to see Paul run 61 miles in one day while dealing with a potential stress fracture. He could barely move. But he showed me that we can continue to move even when our body is telling us no.

I was also impressed with how bought in Paul and the rest of his team is. For his challenge and most things in life, finding the right people to surround yourself with is critical to achieving big-time goals. 

I'm in a very busy stretch right now. I have The Speed Project coming up. Boston and London marathons in April. I'm launching my new Pod soon. All while I'm rolling out changes to my business. So it was tough to drop everything and fly to New Mexico for a few days to be with Paul.

But I've always been about saying yes to opportunities and being there for people. It may not have been the most logical decision, but I'm all about showing up and doing what is fun.

I'll always remember getting in those miles with Paul in the snow on his trek across America.

Speaking of not making logical decisions, I made another one last weekend when I entered a flag football tournament with some friends. 

I ended up hurting my hamstring on an all-out sprint. 

Sure, I could just stay focused on my running and producing content but those two things are not my only identity. I love putting myself in environments that are challenging, fun, and different. My mentality is to not let my "work" prevent me from doing other hobbies I enjoy and engaging with my community. 

Pulling my hamstring is a learning experience. It's a sign that I'm not doing enough sprinting in my running training. So when I asked my body to do something it wasn't used to, I got hurt.

I encourage everyone to play sports with their kids, join the rec league, and participate in their hobbies even if it goes against what your main thing is.

Just remember to incorporate some of the different movements required for those activities in your training so that you can prevent what happened to me.

Wellness Tip 

How to rehab a strained muscle

Do's

1. Prioritize sleep and nutrition

• Your body heals when you sleep (aim for 8-9 hours)
• Get some extra protein and collagen to repair tissues and fibers (aim for 1 gram of protein per lb of body weight)

2. Move to improve blood flow

• Get in as much movement without causing too much discomfort
• Some exercises I will focus on for my hamstring are
  • Squat with assistance
  • Single leg balance
  • Bridge with light intensity

3. Contrast therapy

• You know the drill: sauna and cold plunge

4. Lift other body parts

• When there is inflammation in one area, you can work on other areas of your body
• I'm not letting this hamstring injury discourage me from doing upper-body lifts 

5. Bonus items for faster recovery

• Do myofascial release, dry needling, cupping, and/or deep tissue massage
• The goal is to circulate as much blood through the impacted area by lightly stressing the system

Don'ts

1. Stretching

• Your muscle is already lengthened so you don't want to stretch it even more

2. Sitting

• You want to prevent your muscle from getting too stiff

3. Doing too much

• Be smart about pain mitigation and don't overwork the muscle, especially when you are not on a tight timeline

Injuries are tough. It's easy to get discouraged. The biggest thing is to keep a positive mindset. Continue to stack small wins, push through some mild discomfort, and surround yourself with a positive peer group and recovery specialist if possible.

The Speed Project is coming up in less than 2 weeks. I may not be able to perform to the same standard as when I was fully healthy, but I'm confident I will complete the 300-mile race with my team.

Mindset Framework

Take action and say yes to opportunities

When I first started creating content in 2020, I had a personal training business and my goal was to eventually build a gym in Maryland. 

I read Gary V's book Crushing It and learned about the importance of leveraging an audience. I started implementing what I learned immediately. I posted content every day with barely any engagement from anyone.

Then out of nowhere, a protein bar company called Rise reached out and said they would send me free protein bars if I would just put the box somewhere in my videos.

So they want me to just do what I was already doing, but I get free stuff? Cool, sign me up!

I got a few of those types of deals then Shokz, the open-ear bone conduction headphone company reached out. But instead of offering free headphones, they asked me what I charge.

I was pumped! I never anticipated getting paid just for posting my content on social.

But I had no idea what to charge. All entrepreneurs deal with this problem when first starting and trying to figure out what they are worth. I had two choices:

1. Throw out a big number and risk them saying no

2. Throw out a small number and leave money on the table

I ended up asking for $1,000 and they agreed. Sure, maybe I could have gotten more, but I had to start somewhere.

Today's price is not yesterday's price. You can always increase your prices as you get more experience and better at what you do.

It wasn't a linear path for me though. A few months later after some more paid deals, NordicTrack approached me with an offer to pay for an all-expenses trip to the Boston Marathon. They weren't offering any direct compensation but I decided to take them up on it for the experience.

In Boston, I got to meet with other creators from around the country who were also participating in the event. While I was there, one of the guys turned to me and said "Matt, you may not know it yet but this is the start for you".

He was right. I didn't know what he was talking about. But when I got home, I figured it out.

After that non-paid NordicTrack event, brand deals started coming in from lots of companies. My confidence started to build that I could make money from this. I could maximize my time 100x better through media and content vs trying to scale a personal training business.

I never planned on building the brand that I have today. I just knew I wanted to build something. At first, it was the training business and a gym. So I took action towards that goal but quickly learned that it's not actually what I wanted. I didn't want the overhead, the liability, and all the logistics that come with opening a gym. So I stayed open-minded as these brand deals came in. And I just kept saying yes even when I didn't know what it would lead to.

Now, 3 years after that first brand deal, I have a lot more leverage. I know what my value is. I also have a better idea of what I stand for and the types of brands I want to work with.

I can request more than that initial $1,000. But I am also willing to leave money on the table when the brand is not the right fit.

Whether it's starting a business, getting into running or pursuing a new career path, you're not going to have all the answers at the beginning. It's about setting an intention and moving in the direction of where you are trying to go. And along the way, say yes to opportunities. Lean into what seems fun and surround yourself with a community you enjoy.

That's all I did the past 4 years and continue to do today. I'm excited to see where it takes me 4 years down the road!

Best Content I Saw this Week

Gotta call out my guy Gary V again.

A lady was thanking Gary for changing her life and she goes:

"I know one day I'm gonna be somebody". 

Gary drops the best response possible:

You are somebody, NOW"

I believe it's irrelevant how many followers you have or how much money you have. We all are somebody. And if you don't believe it now, then you won't believe it once you get those followers and money.

See the full video here.

Keep crushin it,

Matt