FRLN74: Stick to Fitness Easier, Make More Money, & Live a Happier Life
Greetings Friend,
My latest podcast episode just dropped, and today I want to talk to you about:
How to stick to your fitness routine without willpower.
Practical advice to make more money in your career.
And the truth about how happiness really works.
But before we get to that...
This Week’s Podcast Guest: Gary Batara
Gary’s the Vice President of Marketing at a Y Combinator Top 100 company.
He’s also a Millionaire, a competitive Olympic weightlifter at the national level, a husband and father, and the author of Lessons to Inspire — a book packed with wisdom from high performers across business, fitness, and life.
But what makes Gary special isn’t just his resume.
It’s that he used to be the exact opposite:
• A bad father.
• A crappy husband.
• A terrible coworker.
But he turned it all around.
This episode is his story (and here’s your preview):
Fit — You’ve Got 1,440 Minutes a Day, Use 20 of Them
Gary’s take on fitness is simple but savage:
“If it’s not in your routine… It’s not a priority.”
There are 1,440 minutes in a day, and if you can’t spend just 20 on your health? It’s not that you don’t have time. It’s that you don’t see the point. That’s why his advice is to figure out why fitness matters to you first.
Because if you’re just chasing six-pack abs or a shredded physique… you’ll lose interest.
But if you tie it all in to something deeper, like your ability to show up strong for your family, lead your team, or feel confident in your own body, then your goal has a reason to stick.
Gary trains like an athlete because he wants to live like one.
Here’s My Take:
The better shape I’m in, the bigger edge I have in every other area of life.
• More energy in my business.
• More happiness with my body.
• More inspiration to the people around me.
I want to be the 100-year-old grandpa who’s still jacked, playful, and can out-hike the 20-year old's stuck inside playing Minecraft all day. That’s why I focus on sleep, food that feels as good as it tastes, and why I don’t skip training just because life gets in the way.
Because I too have lived both ways… and this way is better.
Rich — People Pay for Value, Not Time
Gary’s core principle for living a rich life is simple:
“Whatever your field is… constantly learn so you can add more value.”
He didn’t become a millionaire or get to VP in marketing by coasting. He did it by reading hundreds of books and studying the top minds in business, performance, and psychology. And not only that, but by distilling that wisdom down into his very own book called:
Lessons To Inspire: Practical Advice From Successful People
Which I highly recommend reading, by the way.
He’s living proof that value isn’t about how long you’ve been in the game, but by how much you decide you want to grow, and how much you decide you want to give.
Here’s My Take:
When I worked in enterprise B2B sales, I’d spend a decent amount of time each week traveling around to meet clients at their offices.
But instead of just phoning it in and “enjoying” the drive…
I’d devour audiobooks on sales, persuasion, and psychology.
I wanted to understand exactly how people make decisions. I wanted to know why they buy, why they hesitate, and how to help them choose. Zig Ziglar, Tony Robbins, I absorbed it all.
Every drive was a study session, and every client meeting was putting what I just learned into practice.
That’s what made me the top performer at my company.
Not necessarily natural talent, but an obsession with mastery
Life — Detach From Happiness
For much of his life, Gary chased happiness like it was “the finish line”.
But when he finally recognized that despite his pursuit of excellence, he wasn’t being the good father, the good husband, or the good co-worker he knew he was capable of being, he learned the hard way:
“You’re not going to be happy all the time.”
And chasing it constantly?
That’s a surefire way to set yourself up for disappointment.
And so he learned to detach himself from the outcomes in life. He learned to stop judging himself for feeling off, angry, sad, frustrated, or stuck.
Instead, he started listening to the message underneath the emotion.
And started using it to his advantage.
Here’s My Take:
This lesson hit home for me, too.
My wife Carly is an EFT practitioner, and she’s taught me that there’s no such thing as “bad” emotions. Every feeling you have is just a powerful message from your subconscious.
If you can pause… hear it… and process it healthily.
You can integrate and move forward in a powerful way. And as a result, your life becomes more colorful, nuanced, and real. Just like a good movie, the joy in your life hits harder when it’s surrounded by ups and downs.
Life isn’t about trying to stay blissful all the time.
It’s about building the emotional resilience to handle the full spectrum and still move forward each and every day.
Action — One Question + One Click
This week, I want you to ask yourself:
“Where am I pretending?”
Where do you say something matters… but your actions say otherwise?
Where are you chasing an outcome… instead of enjoying the process?
Where are you hiding from feelings… that have something to tell you?
Then go listen to Fit Rich Life Podcast Episode 83.
Because Gary’s story isn’t just inspiring — it’s a mirror.
You’ll see yourself in it (I know I did).
And you’ll walk away with new fuel for your next transformation.
Listen on:
🎧 Spotify | 🍎 Apple | ▶️ YouTube | 🌐 Web
To your health, wealth, and happiness,
— Justin David Carl