As we approach the end of 2024, I’d like to share a story I revisit often—a story that reminds me of an important lesson I hope to share with you today.
10 years ago, I made a decision that changed my life and, eventually, the lives of many others. With money I didn’t have, I signed up for the CrossFit Level 1 seminar for myself and our other coach at the time. It was a big investment—financially, logistically, and emotionally. But the real challenge didn’t show itself until we hit the road.
After coaching the last class of the day on Friday, we packed our bags and headed toward Cookeville, Tennessee, for the seminar on 4 bald tires. Just 5 miles past Jackson, one of those tires shredded. Suddenly, we were limping down the highway on 3 bald tires and a spare—going no more than 55 mph and wondering if we’d even make it.
We arrived in Cookeville at 1:30 a.m., exhausted but determined. The seminar began at 8:00 a.m., and we couldn’t miss it. Before class started- between the hotel and the gym, we found a tire shop willing to sell me a used tire that “fits well enough.” During the lunch break, we walked back to pick up the car, now equipped with its slightly-less-dangerous tire. By Sunday, we made it home—safe, accomplished, and completely drained.
But there’s a moment from that trip that sticks with me more than anything else. It happened on the side of the road as I changed the tire, staring at the obstacles in front of us. I realized we had two options:
- Turn around. Use the shredded tire and all the other hurdles as excuses to quit.
- Press forward. Accept the obstacles as just details in a story I’d one day laugh about.
A smarter man would not have but I chose the second option. And I can say without hesitation that if I had turned around that day, Penance Gym would not exist today.
That trip taught me a lesson I carry to this day: Your obstacles can either be excuses or details in your story. The choice is yours.
It was nerve-racking and scary to drive to Cookeville on three bald tires and a spare. But it was necessary for the life I wanted to build. That decision led to the foundation of Penance Gym and the opportunity to help others build their strength, confidence, and capacity—not just for the gym, but for life.
So as you reflect on your own challenges—whether they’re fitness goals, career hurdles, or personal struggles—ask yourself: Will this be the reason I stop, or just a funny detail in the story of my success?
I hope you choose to press forward. The road may not be easy, but the destination is worth it.
Here’s to a stronger tomorrow—and a story you’ll be proud to tell.