Last week I started something I have never done before in my life. I GOT MY OWN PERSONAL TRAINER!
Me after a workout with Jason
You’re probably asking yourself “Why?”
Why would Vaughn need a trainer? He owns a personal training company! He is a personal trainer! What does he need a trainer for?
Well, despite being the owner of Performance QSA and a personal trainer for the last 10 years, I have my faults just like everyone else.
I am a busy entrepreneur, husband, father, son, and friend.
I face many if not all of the same challenges day in and day out as many of you.
Then you compound those daily challenges with the stressors that come with running a business and it all starts to pile up and after you know it, YOU become last on your priority list.
This is an issue I have juggled with for the last 6 years.
Ever since I opened this studio in January 2005, I have put myself last behind my business, family, staff, clients, and many others.
Because of that, my personal health has suffered.
No, I don’t have any immediate health problems, but the reality of the situation is there are a lot of things that I’m not proud of.
I am about 15-20LBS heavier than I want to and should be. My energy levels are up and down, and my stress levels are much higher than where I want them.
These things are all symptoms of not putting myself first in my hierarchy of responsibilities.
I had a conversation with one of my business coaches recently and we talked about the Hierarchy of Responsibility:
As you can see from the image above, this is my personal hierarchy and this is how it should be for my health, happiness, and success.
Each of you should also have a personal Hierarchy of Responsibility that outlines your priorities and relationships that you have in your life.
Don’t get me wrong, GOD is first and foremost in my life, but after that the first TWO in the hierarchy should not change no matter who you are. So let’s look at those two:
- YOU. The FIRST responsibility you have in life is to take care of yourself. You are the foundation of everything. So when YOU are off, everything you do will be off. You must take care of yourself with the fundamentals like breathing, eating, sleeping, and exercise. Give yourself regular time off for rest and relaxation. And do what you can to keep your stress levels low.
- YOUR FAMILY & FRIENDS. There are people in your life who depend on you. You play many roles in your life from spouse, to parent, to friend. And don’t forget son/daughter, brother/sister, cousin, etc. Each of them are important. We play these roles for others and they play these roles for us. Each of us making up critical components of the support systems we all need in order to be at our best.
There you have it. The FOUNDATION of your Hierarchy of Reponsibility.
I’ve spent many months and years in my own ‘learning’.
And I’m certainly not done yet. But I’ve come a long way and I feel that now more than anything I need to focus on taking care of myself and you should do the same for YOU!
Remember, if there is no YOU, who will take care of those that depend on you?
You have my support and I hope I have yours!
Committed to your success,
Vaughn
Awesome! Great content! Very important stuff here!
Thanks trainer! Keep bustin my tail!
I really enjoyed reading this. It is so hard to put yourself first when you have so many other demands. I have this problem too. Thanks for sharing.
No problem Lauren! At some point things really “click” and you realize that YOU come before anyone else!
Love your new blog (or it’s new to me anyway)! Keep up the great work!
Thanks LaVonda! I love it too!
This is awesome and so true!! Once you put yourself in the mix it makes life so much more enjoyable and fulfilling. Just taking that hour or so per day makes a difference in your whole attitude and outlook on everything. Jason is a tough but an amazing trainer. He sticks by you until you have reached your goals and keeps you encouraged and accountable all the way through.
I came across this quote this morning and thought of this journey you’re on and how it relates to everyone you’re sharing it with:
“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: “What! You too? I thought I was the only one.”
— C.S. Lewis
We like knowing that you are human too!
This is so true…especially for us “super” moms!
“If Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!” isn’t that the saying? But, it’s up to Mama to set the ‘FOUNDATION of [her] Hierarchy of Responsibility’…not just for herself but for her family.
It brings me great comfort to know that you too are now being abused by Jason.
Thank you Jessica!…& Geoff, me?…abuse? Never!
Thank you so much for the reminders…it’s wonderful knowing that when we fall or fail we can get back up and start again…and no one is counting. Thanks for continuing to challenge us through your blogs and your incredible trainers!!
Great stuff!!! This is all so true and is something i need to apply to my life. Keep at it!
What… no push-ups??? Thanks for setting an example – makes my heart happy to know that you are working out with a “trainer”… what about those other QSA team members? We should have a “client train the trainer” day!!! Think of the fun that would be!! :0)
Vaughn
I kind have the same issue, that I’m dealing with and I need some help. I would love to come in and talk to you. I been looking for a gym like this in the upstate. I think this type of training would help take my body to the next level.
Yep…While it is better to give than to received, you have to have something to give first. If your foundation has holes, you can’t support the rest of the pyramid.
Right on Patrice!
I’ve known Vaughn since the 6th grade, and I’ve always known him to be a driven and competitve winner. If you want to win consistently, you can’t wait for others to point out your flaws. You can’t wait until you lose a game to make adjustments. Great job Vaughn for catching this early on and making corrections before it’s too late. A champion not only has the guts to be their own worst critic, but they also are willing to go on record and take the heat when they’re not at the top of their game. Vaughn’s thrown the challenge out there for himself, but who else is willing to STEP UP to the challenge, ADMIT they’re not where they should be, and (most importantly) DO SOMETHING about it? –David O. (friend and fan)
Isaiah,
I would love to sit down and talk to you! Give me a call…864.233.9309 ext. 7
David,
What’s up man! Thanks so much for the kind words!
What a tough lesson for some of us to put into practice. We know the truth but don’t make it a priority. Wish I had done it sooner but better late than never! Great example, Vaughn!
What an honest post! Thank you for your openness, and for inspiring others to ask for help when they need accountability! It’s exactly why I chose QSA.
As much as you support our success, we support your’s. Good luck in your journey!!! Bust his butt Jason!!!