I got home last night from a 10-day travel block of work and leisure. 3 days in Orlando for work, 7 days in Phoenix for fun.

As a routine person, I can easily beat myself up for getting loose while on the road - maybe you can relate. Couple more beverages than usual. No home-cooked meals. Less H2O per day. It doesn’t take much to feel completely off the wagon.

On the flip side, what I have come to realize is that these occasional breaks from the norm can actually increase your appreciation for the very routine you sometimes come to dread. You look forward to feeling hydrated again. You look forward to the same meals. You look forward to waking up early to train.

Life is a game of perspective, and so long as you’re constantly taking stock of where your perspective is aimed at the current moment, you can turn any situation into a positive.

So today I feel refreshed to get back on it. I feel recharged. And now we’ll parlay this into an even stronger push to the year-end. Where’s your head at this morning?

Brain - An Underrated Cheat Code - Reliability

In a world where everyone is chasing shortcuts, we often overlook some of the most foundational principles of being successful in any venture.

As I reflect on any success I have had in my career or in my fitness pursuits, I often find one common denominator across the years - reliability.

When I study those who have paved the path before me and had success for themselves that one would strive to emulate, I find one common denominator - reliability.

It’s not a flashy hack. It’s not a new approach. But it’s the quiet differentiator that compounds faster than almost faster than everything else.

I saw this quote this week: “The cheat code nobody talks about: Being reliable. Answer emails quickly. Show up on time. Do what you said. Keep small promises. Remember details. In a world where everyone is flaky, reliability looks like genius.”

That quote hits because it’s true. Reliability isn’t a skill you’re born with, it’s a decision you make, over and over again. It’s the discipline of showing up when others make excuses. It’s keeping the promises you make, no matter how small. Over time, those little acts of consistency build an unshakable reputation.

In my own career, reliability has opened more doors than talent ever could. Managers, peers, and customers all learn one thing: if I say it’s going to get done, it gets done. That trust becomes currency. It earns respect, responsibility, and opportunities. And the same is true in personal relationships, reliability builds security and credibility faster than words ever will. It’s not rocket science, there’s no gatekeeping to reaping the benefits, it’s simply a commitment to yourself and those you care about that when you speak words, they hold weight on the other end.

If I were to prescribe a playbook to practice reliability:

1. Do what you say you’ll do—always. Even if it’s inconvenient. The fastest way to erode trust is to make casual commitments you don’t keep.

2. Be consistent in the small things. Answer texts and emails promptly. Show up when you said you would. Reliability starts in the micro moments.

3. Under-promise, over-deliver. Don’t commit to things you can’t handle. Protect your word by making fewer promises, and then exceeding them. This single action can completely change the way people view you, because you will gain a reputation for never missing.

4. Build systems, not intentions. Reliability doesn’t come from good intentions, it comes from habits. Use reminders, checklists, and time blocks to make sure things don’t slip.

5. Treat reliability as identity. Don’t just do reliable things, be a reliable person. It changes how you operate at every level.

Reliability is the ultimate differentiator because it’s rare. Most people overestimate what they can do and underestimate how much consistency matters. But in a world full of flakes and half-finished efforts, the person who quietly follows through becomes indispensable.

It’s not genius. It’s not talent. It’s just doing what you said you’d do, when you said you’d do it.

Every time.

Body - Cardio Is Not a One-Size-Fits-All

My first marathon training block, I put on weight. Huh?

What has personally become one of the most frustrating realizations for anyone who has started an endurance pursuit as the primary mechanism for changing their physique is that unintentional cardio isn’t going to melt the fat off. Going for a run every day isn’t a guaranteed solution to losing weight. It doesn’t make sense, until you’ve found yourself in the midst of the very problem itself.

Cardio comes in endless forms - running, biking, rowing, walking, circuit work, HIIT, you name it. But not all cardio serves the same purpose. The key I have come to understand through personal trial and error and studying is understanding how intensity and heart rate zones determine what you actually get out of your effort.

When I started training for endurance events, I assumed all that mileage would make me shredded. I was wrong. My endurance skyrocketed, but my body composition didn’t change as much as I expected during certain blocks. The reason? I wasn’t training in the right zones for fat burning, I was training for performance.

Your body responds differently at each heart rate level:

1. Zone 1–2 (50–70% max HR) – This is your easy, conversational pace. Think walking, incline treadmill, or slow runs. Here, your body primarily uses fat for fuel, making it ideal for fat burning and recovery. It’s not flashy, but stacking consistent time in this zone builds aerobic efficiency and supports hormone health.

2. Zone 3 (70–80% max HR) – The “tempo zone.” You’re working, but still under control. This is great for building endurance and increasing your aerobic threshold - the engine that supports both fat loss and long-term stamina.

3. Zone 4–5 (80–95% max HR) – These are your intervals, sprints, HIIT sessions, and MetCon workouts. They’re incredible for athletic performance, conditioning, and calorie burn, but they don’t directly improve fat oxidation like lower zones do. They stress your system, which can be powerful when programmed strategically, but counterproductive if overdone.

So why didn’t endurance training get me shredded? Because long bouts of cardio often elevate cortisol and increase appetite. You burn a lot, but your body also compensates by holding water, craving more food, and sometimes burning lean tissue instead of fat if recovery and protein aren’t dialed in.

The real secret is specific utilization of each type of cardio (with ample weight training as well) to achieve “balance”:

• Use Zone 2 training 2–4 times per week to support fat metabolism, recovery, and overall health.

• Layer in Zone 4–5 intervals 1–2 times per week to build power, improve performance, and keep your heart adaptable.

• Keep your nutrition aligned, because cardio creates the opportunity for fat loss, but diet determines whether it happens. It is incredibly easy to overeat after you have just burned 1000 calories.

Cardio is a tool, not a punishment, not a one-size-fits-all. The smartest athletes I know blend low and high intensity depending on the goal. Want to burn fat? Live in Zone 2. Want to perform better? Sprinkle in sprints. Want longevity? Walk more.

At the end of the day, we all want to perform well and to look good too. Every training block will have to have a priority (IE - Performance over Physique), but if you want balance, train it with intention. And don’t beat yourself up when those results don’t come as fast as you thought.

Book - Foundation Series - How to Win Friends & Influence People

Few books have stood the test of time like Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People. First published in 1936 (!!!!!), it’s often dismissed as outdated because of its title, but its wisdom is timeless. It’s not a book about manipulation or tactics. It’s a guide to understanding people, leading with empathy, and realizing that influence doesn’t come from being the loudest in the room, but the most genuinely interested.

If there’s one principle from this book that changed my life, it’s this (multiple appearances in this very newsletter):

“You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get people interested in you.”

That line flipped a switch for me.

In my early career, I was focused on proving my worth, showing people what I could do, how hard I worked, and why they should value me. But Carnegie’s lesson taught me that influence doesn’t start with you. It starts with them.

When you take a real, genuine interest in others (their goals, their families, their stories) you create trust. People want to work with you, root for you, and remember you. The most magnetic people I’ve met all share this trait: they make others feel seen and heard.

Here’s how Carnegie outlines applying it daily:

1. Ask real questions. Don’t just ask, “How are you?” Ask about something specific they’ve mentioned before. Remember their kid’s name, their last project, their weekend plans, and follow up.

2. Listen without waiting to speak. Most people listen with the intent to reply. Listen with the intent to understand (This takes intentional practice)

3. Celebrate others often. Give sincere appreciation. Notice effort. Send the thank-you email. Tell someone when they did a great job.

It’s simple, but that’s the point. Everyone is busy trying to be interesting. The real power is in being interested.

This single shift has impacted my relationships, my sales career, and my leadership more than almost anything else. People rarely remember what you said, but they always remember how you made them feel, and the easiest way to make someone feel valued is to care, consistently.

That’s the foundation of influence. Not manipulation. Not persuasion. Just a genuine human connection.

And that’s why How To Win Friends & Influence People will forever be a mainstay in my most impactful reads and recommendations.