5 Struggles - I was poor. I worked 12 hours a day and trained just to be able to afford food. I often paid for gas with loose change because I didn’t have enough money, and I still wanted to compete. - I am motivated by money because I know its value. I grew up with poor parents and with the constant stress of not being able to pay the bills. Even today, I sometimes wake up stressed, afraid I won’t be able to pay my bills. - My father was bipolar and had borderline personality disorder, was addicted to drugs, and was mentally and physically violent. This caused a lot of insecurity in my life. - I put a lot of pressure on myself every single day. I’ve had panic attacks because of bodybuilding. I am an extremist—I always want to achieve more—and that creates anxiety. - People didn’t believe in me when I started bodybuilding. They laughed at me, and it made me insecure. ______________________________________ 5 Contrasting Wins: - Mother:My mother always believed that to succeed in life, you had to go to school. Today, without any formal education, I make over $1M a year and I succeed more than 99% of people—by living from what she believes is “not a real job.” - Mental illness:My panic episodes were mainly linked to bodybuilding. I learned to stop identifying myself through that, to do it for myself instead. I redirected that same energy into my business. - Broke:I went from having no money and working nonstop, to still working hard but now in what I love. I’ve had my dream cars, a paid-off house, a paid-off gym, employees, and my name is recognized across Canada in coaching. - Bodybuilding:I went from being the guy people laughed at to becoming an IFBB Pro in Open Bodybuilding before the age of 23—and I’ve helped others become IFBB Pros as well. - Pressure:All the pressure I felt was tied to bodybuilding and identity. I managed to redirect that energy into my business, and I no longer identify myself through it. ______________________________________