Mine: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DU01Q4-jlsY/?igsh=bzE2YnFhaHl5NHlh My victim: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUv9x4vkakj/?igsh=MWhrMHI0NHhpZzk2bQ==

Yall can disregard all the curiosity hooks, knife edge hooks and all that are dumb jargon. Just say exactly what the fuck happened. Example: I'm 35 and my worst night mare is happening... https://www.instagram.com/p/DUMFAi9EuMU/

Emotion: acceptance without surrender Slide 1- Hook: I built mental & physical toughness for decades. Body said, “ Cool. Now chill out a little.” ( started laying th bricks) Slide 2- Discipline. Pain tolerance. “Don’t quite.” “Man up.” ( this is where the identity locked in) Slide 3- More weight. More grind. Less rest. ( Because that’s why “strong” looked like.) Slide 4- still pushing. Still proving. Still believing toughness solves everything. Slide 5- Then my body changed the rules. Energy became limited. Recovery became non- negotiable. ( Hashimoto’s didn’t ask my opinion.)

Struggles & Contrasting wins Struggle 1: Hashimoto’s Hypothyroidism I was recently diagnosed with Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism, and it’s been a daily battle. I deal with waves of depression, chronic fatigue, low libido, weight gain, brain fog, joint pain, and a constant lack of energy. Contrast For most of my adult life, I operated in the top 1% when it came to mental and physical toughness. Now I’ve had to completely change my approach and scale my expectations to match my current abilities. This disease has slowed me down—but it’s also forced me to learn patience, something I never had to rely on before. ⸻ Struggle 2: Career vs. Fatherhood I spent most of my kids’ lives chasing excellence in my profession. I achieved what I set out to do—but now I can’t help but feel like I missed the mark in other areas. Contrast Becoming elite required doing things most people can’t even imagine. While I missed time with my kids, I also showed them that discipline, planning, goal-setting, and relentless effort can turn big goals into reality. ⸻ Struggle 3: Financial Anxiety I grew up with parents who were always in debt, and I never had strong financial role models. As an adult, I carry a lot of financial anxiety. I’m not terrible with money, but I’m not great either. I contribute to my Thrift Savings Plan, own a rental property outright, and pay my bills—but I still waste money on dumb things. Not fun things. Just unnecessary spending, especially eating out. Contrast That anxiety has made me intentional about teaching my kids the importance of being financially responsible and making smarter decisions with money. ⸻ Struggle 4: Identity Tied to Physical Output I’ve always relied on my physical ability to get things done and move forward in life. That worked extremely well in my profession—until age and Hashimoto’s changed the equation. I never developed traditional skills like mechanics, carpentry, sewing, investing, or higher education. I struggle with classroom-style learning. In my 20s, body dysmorphia pushed me even deeper into fitness as my identity. I’ve always been the pack mule—strong, dependable, and physical. Now, I feel like half the man I used to be.

Contrasting win: For most of my adult life, I operated in the top 1% when it came to mental and physical toughness. Now I’ve had to completely change my approach and scale my expectations to match my current abilities. This disease has slowed me down—but it’s also forced me to learn patience, something I never had to rely on before. _________ Curiosity hook: - I used to believe discipline meant pushing harder… until slowing down became the only way forward. - I mastered pushing through pain.This disease taught me what I couldn’t outwork. __________ Knife edge hooks - If your identity depends on pushing harder, this disease will take it from you. - I almost burned myself out trying to be “tough”—instead, I learned how to slow the hell down. _____________ Refusal hooks • I refused burnout-by-grind-set; I chose naps and boundaries. - No to proving I’m tough. Yes to listening to my body.