If Not Now, When?

Last week, one of my clients approached me at the front desk with questions about his billing. After I explained, he began backpedaling, making excuses about why he wanted to put our training relationship on hold.

Now, in fairness, he’s a virtual client. We don’t train one-on-one like the bulk of my clientele. He buys programs from me, and I’ve also done some nutrition coaching with him. But his schedule has been erratic, and as with all my clients, I can only meet him halfway—I can’t do the work for him.

Consistency is the key to coaching of any kind, especially nutrition. Information alone isn’t the answer. We live in a world overflowing with free information at our fingertips. And yet, people still struggle with their weight. The problem isn’t knowledge—it’s discernment and follow-through. It’s about knowing what’s right for you and sticking with it long enough to get results.

So, back to my client. His reasons for pausing coaching sounded logical enough: summer, his kids’ activities, travel, and work. But when I asked if his goals had changed, he said no. That’s when I told him that the very reasons he listed were the precise reasons he needed coaching. All his excuses fell under the heading of “life.” And life never gets less chaotic.

Your kids won’t suddenly stop needing you. Your career won’t stop demanding your time. That’s life. And that’s why you need a coach. If you came to me because you couldn’t make it happen on your own, why would you expect that to change just because life is busy? The key is to stop focusing on the obstacles and start focusing on the solutions.

As a teenager just starting out in the gym, I thought everything had to be perfect—training, nutrition, recovery. If I didn’t get seven or eight hours of sleep, I was convinced my body would implode. One of my early influences, Dr. Joe Davis, helped shatter that illusion. Joe was an internal medicine doctor and bodybuilder who competed on the side. At 5’11 and over 200 lean pounds, he was a big man with a full plate of responsibilities.

Curious, I once asked him: how did he juggle medical school, residency, caring for a young family, and still find time to train? His answer was simple: he just made it work. His priorities came first—school and family—but he always found a way to train. He didn’t always sleep enough, but he lived with a solution-first mindset. He refused to make excuses. He did what he had to do.

Arnold Schwarzenegger was another early influence. I devoured his book Education of a Bodybuilder as a teenager. At the time, he was dominating Hollywood with Conan the Barbarian, The Terminator, Commando, Predator, and more. But what inspired me most was his story before fame. When he arrived in the U.S. in 1968, he launched a small construction business with Franco Columbu, took English and acting lessons, and simultaneously trained his way to seven Mr. Olympia titles. The odds were stacked against him—accent, name, towering frame—but he invested in himself relentlessly.

Arnold’s favorite lesson was that the body follows the mind—always. If you believe and act with conviction, your body will follow. That’s the essence of living in the solution.

The Old Ridge Route in California is a vivid metaphor for patience in pursuing goals. With nearly 700 sharp curves packed into 48 miles, drivers were limited to just 15 miles per hour. At night, or in heavy fog, visibility dropped to just a few car lengths. The road was treacherous. But those who trusted the path and kept moving forward always reached their destination.

Life’s most meaningful objectives are rarely achieved in a straight line. They require patience, trust, and steady progress—even when visibility is limited. Step by step, curve by curve, the road will carry you where you’re meant to be.

Dallas Jenkins, creator of The Chosen, drew strength from a similar perspective. Pulling that show together was a battle, but one story from the bible carried him: manna from heaven. God provided daily bread to Israel—never in surplus, only what was needed for that day. Dallas learned to walk one day at a time, trusting God to provide. Things didn’t get easier, but his mindset shifted. With five successful seasons now complete, his perseverance stands as proof of faith and grit.

There’s also a myth that success can be achieved through “balance.” Balance may sound appealing, but extraordinary success almost always requires seasons of radical imbalance. Navy SEAL training is a prime example. Hell Week isn’t balanced. It’s brutal, disproportionate intensity. But it forges warriors unlike any other.

The same principle applies in business, athletics, or any great pursuit. Writing a book. Building a company. Training for an Ironman. Mastering an art. True achievement requires seasons where you sacrifice comfort and convenience for a higher goal. Balance returns later—but greatness is born in the imbalance.

In the summer of 2020, a young man named Cooper Langston—Air Force Cooper—walked into my gym with his mom and sister. He had just finished eighth grade. To my surprise, it wasn’t his mom looking for training—it was him. His goal? To prepare for the Air Force Academy PT test.

From that summer until August 2025, when he left for prep school at Georgia Military College, Cooper’s life revolved around that dream. His grades, his community service, his extracurriculars, his training—all of it pointed to Colorado Springs. Though he wasn’t accepted on his first attempt, his prep school opportunity has raised his odds dramatically.

Along the way, Cooper still had fun. He played paintball wars with friends, enjoyed his girlfriend, and kept God first. But his focus was unwavering. He knew what he wanted, and he lived with discipline far beyond his years. One lesson I repeated to him often: he was pursuing something rare. Fewer students earn spots at service academies than athletes make it into the pros. It’s rare air—and it demands sacrifice.

My college professor, Rip Cormany, put it well: “If another man has done it, it ain’t a big deal.” He wasn’t belittling anyone’s accomplishments. He meant that if it’s been done before, and you’re willing to pay the price, then you can do it too.

So here’s the question for you: are you willing to pay the price? Whatever your dream—whether health, fitness, business, faith, or family—the path is the same. Someone has already blazed the trail. The excuses will never disappear. Life won’t suddenly become easy. But if you decide, and if you’re willing to make the investment, then the path is clear.

Life is short. Don’t waste time. If not now, when?




9/21/2025 At 4 AM this morning, I had the thought of looking for an image of Dr. Davis from his competitive years to add to this post. I knew it would be a shot in the dark, but worth a try. I was saddened to find the following from Joe’s obituary.

I had no idea that he had passed away in 2022, and I immediately thought back to the last time we saw each other. Oddly enough, it was in my hometown at a video store of all places. My mom and I were walking in as Joe was walking out. I had not seen him in years, and after exchanging hugs and brief small talk, it was over. I will never forget Dr. Davis, who was my doctor, mentor, and friend.