Jim
“Keep going. You never know who you’re inspiring.” --unknown
In November 2017, I booked a trip to Onnit Academy in Austin to take the Functional Range Conditioning (FRC®) training. The trip is notable because this is the first time in 10 years I had spoken to someone on an airplane. I flew Southwest, and as a cheap butt that never pays for early boarding, I was delighted to see that there was a window seat in the exit aisle open.
I posted up in the empty seat and shoved my bag under the seat in front of me. I buckled up and then was horrified when the human sitting in the aisle seat opened his mouth and spoke to me. Although my mind screamed, “Put your headphones in and pretend you didn’t hear him!” my mouth opened and said hello.
I’m glad I did because, as it turns out, that human was exceptionally lovely. We chatted from gate to gate about everything and nothing. Jim was a concert promoter traveling to Austin because one of his artists was performing. I told him about FRC and the fire department and all the work I was putting in trying to get a business off the ground. We exchanged family stories and fun stories and everything in between.
About 15 minutes from landing in Austin, Jim asked me whether I’d like to have tickets to the concert he was in town promoting. Again, my brain screamed, “NO!” while my mouth spoke the words, “Yes, please, I appreciate that very much.”
We exchanged numbers so he could let me know how to retrieve my ticket, and then parted ways. I walked off shaking my head, not even knowing this person I had turned into who had accepted concert tickets from a stranger on an airplane in a strange town.
I got my car, found my hotel, went to the grocery store, got settled, and around 5 pm, my phone buzzed with a text to pick up my tickets at will-call. Jim said I’d sit in the front with the artist’s family. I had one of those momentary freakouts where I questioned my sanity but forged ahead with a shower and headed out for the concert before I could change my mind.
The venue was beautiful, and Jim met me at the front for a quick hello after I retrieved my tickets. I enjoyed the concert more than expected and was truly grateful for his generosity. Jim was busy after the concert, so I simply texted my thanks and went about my weekend of learning.
We exchanged a few e-mails and texts in the following months, but life happened, and we lost touch.
Imagine my surprise on 10/23/2019 to get a text from Jim. Rather than relate the content, I’ll simply post it for you to read.
Here’s what is amazing. I’m currently riding a high. I’ve built a successful business, and my services are in demand. Almost daily, I get e-mails and messages from people asking for my expertise on various topics from program design to business launches to gym setup.
But in November 2017, I was struggling. I was trying hard to gain traction but just not having much success. I was very near giving up in fact. I kept questioning myself and wondering why people weren’t listening and paying attention.
It turns out they were. This stranger on this airplane listened to what I said, and he applied my advice. That advice was free; the best kind of advice. He could have easily discounted it, but he didn’t. He made one change and executed it with relentless consistency.
No magic. No potions. Nothing special. Just consistency.
“He made one change and executed it with relentless consistency.”
I’m in a better place now with my business and my life. But I’m infinitely grateful for Jim reaching out and sharing his success with me. At the time, I didn’t know that I was positively impacting someone else’s life. I’m thankful for that opportunity!
Here’s a free lesson for all of you reading. Jim didn’t wait until January 1 to start. He didn’t wait until Monday, or after Easter.
Click here to read about Day One X Infinity
He just started relentless consistency. And he’s 80 pounds lighter for it.
Note from AZ: This blog originally appeared on the FireSQFitness website in 2019.
