The maxim of “document, don’t create” really helped me get started in creating content. It took the pressure off to be “creative” so I could just focus on being real. But at some point, I started to doubt myself. I realize that I do a lot of the same things every day. Now I see that as a good thing because I’m trying to be consistent and build good habits. But does that get boring for anyone watching the content I put out? You need some repetition to get a message across, but how much is too much? That’s what I try to figure out in today’s episode.

When you hit a dead end, sometimes the best way forward is to go back to the beginning and start fresh. As I seek to find my as a content creator, I sometimes find that I have drifted a bit into the weeds. When that happens, I find it’s best to return to my roots and think through where I was trying go and why I started in the first place.

I’ve become a big believer in the value of taking action. Better to just start, make some mistakes, and learn by doing than to overthink everything and never get going. However, not all action leads to progress. When we start doing something new, we’re usually not very good at it. Without a commitment (and a process) for getting better, we can very easily stay mediocre, even if we’re technically “doing something” every day.

I’ve realized that I have been avoiding talking about some of the negative experiences on my content-creation journey. And there are probably various reasons for that: pride, embarrassment, wanting to stay optimistic & upbeat, not wanting people to feel sorry for me, etc. But I’ve also realized that if I’m going to stay true to my values of authenticity, transparency, and honesty, then I need to find an appropriate way to communicate about both my successes and failures. This is going to be a challenge for me, but I believe it’s also going to make me a better story teller.

Building a brand is all about communication. A lot of that has to do with what you say: communicating who you are and what you’re about. But, as anyone with a decent marriage will tell you, communication is a two-way street. Thus, any successful relationship (whether a friendship or a business partnership) requires a trust that is only possible through listening.

My guest for this episode of The Output Habit Podcast is Forrest Dawkins. Forrest is a fellow businessman, fitness enthusiast, and disciple of Christ. We set aside some time to talk about supplements,  coaching, fitness, social medial, the 75 Hard challenge, and the importance of developing consistency in our lives.

Forrest is an independent health coach with Optavia and you can follow or contact him through his Facebook page to learn more (just search "Forrest Dawkins" on Facebook).

Whenever we start thinking that something is beneath us, we’d better watch out. Not only might we be exhibiting a type of pride that leads to destruction, but may also be in danger of missing out on opportunities that we have wrongly prejudged.

We often keep our gifts, talents, and creativity to ourselves because we think it’s “not good enough”. But where do we get that idea? Who says it’s not good enough? How good does it have to be so that it’s “enough”? Usually what we mean is that it’s not as good as something or someone else. But does that really mean it’s not good enough to bless someone else? That it doesn’t have value? What you have will never be perfect, and it may never even be as good as you want it to be, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t start using it (today!) to serve others.

I started the Output Habit Podcast about a year ago. It was right around the time I started refining my training to focus specifically on obstacle course racing. In this episode, I talk about some of the lessons that I’ve learned throughout that process and how they relate to other areas of life outside of athletics.

In this pre-race episode, I talk about the two ditches we want to stay out of when it comes to work or training: laziness and burnout. It’s good to work hard. Sometimes we’re too easy on ourselves and stop short of the greatness we’re capable of. Our laziness causes us to miss out on what we could have accomplished, the good we could have produced, or the difference we could have made. It’s also good to rest, reflect, and enjoy the fruit of our labor. Sometimes we push ourselves beyond our capacity as if we think we’re super-human when we’re not. And when our own limitations catch up with us, it’s not pretty. At that point, we’re no longer any good to anyone. So long-term effectiveness involves a healthy rhythm that includes a strong work ethic combined with rest, self-awareness, and humility.