61 Ways to Be Your Most Excellent Self

How to be cool, train hard and be your most excellent self…

A few years back I was inspired to write this post, so I thought it needed a rework and a 2.0 version. The funny thing is that a lot of the things haven’t changed much.

Being excellent is awesome. Training hard is awesome. Being cool is awesome. Do that….

1. Lift weights
2. Lift heavy weights that kinda scare you (with good form of course)
3. Laugh every day
4. Be able to laugh at yourself
5. Relax
6. Remember that nutrition makes up for about 80% of your success. You can’t out-train a bad diet
7. Learn how to do push ups and do them often
8. Work on your hip mobility several times throughout the day, especially if you sit at a desk or drive a lot
9. Sleep 8 hours a night
10. Watch The Hangover and enjoy it
11. Crank up some bad-ass music during your workout. It’s amazing how much it helps
12. Get up and stretch your shoulders for 30 seconds several times a day if you work at the computer
13. Sprint in bare feet in the grass
14. Drink lots of water
15. Push the Prowler sled at least once in your life
16. Listen to the Girl Talk station on Pandora
17. Get your cardio done in 30 minutes or less
18. Skip the gym machines and move your body with the basics- squats, push ups, rows, lunges and sprints
19. Stop hiding behind emails and texts, talk to people face to face if you need to say something
20. Take 1-2 rest days per week and let your body heal
21. Tell the important people in your life how much they mean to you. Don’t assume they know
22. Pop your hips when swinging a Kettlebell. Don’t muscle it up like a tough guy
23. Get good at body weight exercises
24. Eat something green with every meal
25. Make someone smile every day
26. Practice your breathing for 5 minutes every day
27. Don’t deprive yourself with a “diet”- eat for life
28. Realize all the good stuff you have in your life
29. Do hill sprints once a week
30. Sit back in your hips when you squat (your knees will thank you)
31. Use a foam roller, lacrosse ball or softball to improve your mobility for at least 5 minutes every day
32. Surround yourself with people who are smarter and more successful than you
33. When you’re the smartest person in the room, it’s time to find a new room
34. Watch Modern Family
35. Be cool. Did I already say that? Some people are so uncool
36. Slow down and enjoy life
37. Be humble
38. Learn to to Chin Ups with assistance and then gradually reduce the assistance until you can perform 3-5 solid repetitions. This is the coolest thing ever when you can finally do them!
39. Don’t text and drive
40. Check email as little as possible
41. Make a list the night before of what you want to accomplish the next day
42. List out 5 things you are grateful for or completed that day (do this every night)
43. Read more fiction
44. Do Front Squats (KB, DB or BB)
45. Do one thing every day that brings you closer to your goals, no matter how small it is
46. Get a great pair of old school Chucks, best sneakers ever made
47. Be polite, always
48. Train your core with plank variations, wheel roll-outs and TRX movements
49. Eat your veggies
50. Don’t obsess about calories
51. Don’t be ashamed to watch reality TV, sometimes it’s hilarious
52. Call your parents
53. Don’t let other people’s negativity bring you down
54. Stay consistent with your training. Real results come from consistent work, not quick fixes
55. Ladies, don’t be afraid to lift weights. You won’t get bulky, you will get awesome and confident
56. Go to Vegas at least once
57. Don’t complain
58. Don’t look down on others, you never know their story
59. Compliment someone, just because
60. Be that person that brings positive energy and is fun to be around
61. Meditate