Serving

Getting back into writing….

/ Ryan Gibbons / Leave a comment

What in the world!? It’s now 2020! I haven’t even logged into my blog site in two years. I feel like so much has happened!

After starting a Youtube channel this year, it got me thinking about my blog. I miss writing a lot and now that I have a computer, I have no excuse not to!

A lot of the topics on my youtube channel pertain to helping Men deal with life’s biggest challenges. So I will be gearing a lot of my blog posts toward that as well!

Look forward to getting back into it!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtPs0rtz0HN5JB_PSPe5RAw?view_as=subscriber

Over a year later….

/ Ryan Gibbons / Leave a comment

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          It’s funny how time goes by so fast. It has been over a year since my last post, why? I honestly did not have a computer so I was blogging on my phone. Typing 900 words and more on a phone is not easy to do, so I just lost interest. However, we received a new computer for Christmas so I wanted to get back into it.

The fitness journey has been all over the place since we had our little girl in April. Presley was born and our entire world changed for the better. We had to learn to operate on a new set of schedules and learn to understand that Presley was calling the shots now. The days of going to bed at nine and waking up at four were long gone. When you are operating on a couple of hours of sleep, you have to learn to adjust. The blessing of having my wife stay home with Presley is unreal however. She is so amazing at raising Presley and it really allows me to get back into a routine. A lot has changed in 2018 with my career, my fitness goals and life goals as well. I am excited to get back on this journey of sharing it with everyone.

Mental battle

/ Ryan Gibbons / Leave a comment

img_2169Why are we as humans naturally lazy? How can we overcome this feeling of laziness? Are we really as tired as we say we are? One thing that I have struggled with my whole life is consistency and sticking with something for a long period of time. Waking up early, going to the gym 5-6 times a week, eating healthy, etc. These are all things most people want in their lives but rarely achieve for a long period of time. For me, the longest I’ve been consistent with the gym is 3 months and then I will slowly begin to fall off the wagon and not go. Then I will get motivated again after a week or so and then repeat the cycle. Why is consistency so difficult?? I have learned over this past year that “motivation” is not enough to accomplish goals. Why? Motivation is a temporary fix that has no long-term effect. Think about times when you needed motivation in your life. You found it from music, other people, buying a product, etc. but at some point I bet that motivation ended and you had to find more. Motivation is like caffeine, you get some and it gives you a quick burst of “life” and then it wears off and you need more to feel energized again. Now I’m not saying getting motivated is always a bad thing, however when it comes to lifestyle choices it will not be a long term effect.

“Motivation is a temporary fix”

So what is the answer? Well, honestly I am still working on finding the answer. The best start would be to begin changing your lifestyle. This is a difficult thing to do because of people around you and because it forces you to give up things you “enjoy.” Staying up late to watch TV will cause you to over sleep or wake up feeling like a zombie. Not eating for a long period of time will cause you to have sporadic cravings and binge eat. Throwing off your schedule over the weekend makes Monday morning feel impossible. These are all lifestyle changes that have a negative or positive effect on how you feel. Is the big game worth you feeling like garbage the next day? For some I’m sure it is. It all comes back to how bad you want something. I mean REALLY want something. To really have a full grasp on something and make it a consistent habit, I would say you have to do it everyday for at least a year. A lot of things are labeled “12 week transformation” or even “6 month” but really people don’t begin to change their minds until they physically see or feel results. That is the true “motivation” that drives people: results. However everything tells you it will be a quick fix, immediate results, or overnight changes. How can we have long-term consistency if we are obsessed with having overnight success? Results take time and I mean reat-time. If you want to lose weight, it’s going to take years. If you want a perfect and successful business, it will take more than one week. We need to start focusing on slowing things down and building on that consistency overtime rather than expect results after one day and give up when we don’t get it. Slow things down and focus on your goals for at least one year so you can begin working toward that better lifestyle.

Expecting more from doing less.

/ Ryan Gibbons / Leave a comment

img_1836Last night I decided to have a staff meeting with our store to go over problems and issues we have been having. Meetings like this are always difficult because it is hard to plan them around everyone’s schedule. So at 9:30pm last night we rounded up the staff to go over a few things. This was also the first meeting we have had since I took over this location from the previous manager. One issue we have been having, and in my opinion the most destructive issue, was everyone has had a very strong feeling of entitlement. The funny thing was the majority of them didn’t know what that word meant! So having a group of people who felt like they deserved so much for doing so little was becoming an issue. Some of them are going through a lot in their lives just like most people in the world, however I explained to them that when someone expects a handout, they will never learn to stand on their own two feet. They will always be expecting that next handout. So my (harsh) advice to them was to simply work harder!! I explained to them that it’s not that people can’t empathize with them about their issues, however I simply want them to just work harder! I told them “Nobody cares, work harder!” Now of course deep down I do care and I want them to feel like they can talk to me about their issues, however if they are looking for a handout, I am not their guy.

Becoming a business owner has taught me a lot and has certainly caused me to face some challenges. However, these challenges are the reason I’m still growing and not standing still. I strive to challenge my staff everyday to be better workers, but most important to be better people! Trying to get a 17-year-old kid to understand the importance of wearing a belt, in this day and age, is not an easy task. However that belt signifies much more than something to hold up his pants. Wearing that belt sets you apart from everyone else: you look professional, you look sharp and mature, and of course your pants won’t be sagging to the floor!! I can’t tell you how many excuses I get as to why someone forgets something so simple like a belt. “Excuses only satisfy those who make them!” This quote goes nicely with telling people nobody cares, work harder. I understand that in certain situations these things won’t apply and people legitimately need help and that is okay, however the examples I deal with are on a very small-scale and people expect help because they have never been challenged enough to stand on their own two feet.

“Excuses only satisfy those who make them”

I always tell my employees to prove to me you deserve what you’re asking for whether it be more hours or more pay. Asking me for it means nothing if your’re not willing to work for it. Put the time and effort in first and then tell me what you want because your more likely to receive it. These are principles that apply in anything, you can’t treat your spouse like garbage and then ask for love! You can’t eat McDonald’s all year and then ask why your overweight!  Put the work in and then you won’t have to ask for anything because results will come. Just work harder…..

 

Your Potential!

/ Ryan Gibbons / Leave a comment

img_1786Ever met someone who has all the potential in the world to do anything they want? However………they don’t use it?? Have you ever wondered why?? Yeah, me too! In my line of work, I see a lot of young people (and older people) who have so much potential in a variety of things, however they don’t utilize it! This is something that is very frustrating to me because I enjoy watching people succeed. So let’s start with why they don’t even realize their potential…it’s because no one has told them!! What a simple concept right?? Have you ever looked at someone and simply said: “wow, you have so much potential!” Most people would respond with a dumbfounded look! Unless they were brought up in a home that encouraged potential, which is becoming more rare these days, the majority of people have never been given that positive vision for their life. I am a firm believer that anyone can do anything they want if they truly want it. However most people want things, but if it’s to hard to achieve, they don’t really want it anymore. Now, for myself, I do not think I could ever be a brain surgeon or neuroscientist, however I also have no interest in these either. My passion lies elsewhere so could I have done those things? Maybe, but I wouldn’t be happy.

“Wow, You have so much potential!!”

So are you living up to your potential? Do you even know what your potential is? Most of us never find out because we’ve never been told we have it in the first place. I remember working through college at Jersey Mike’s Subs and battling through 40 hours a week while taking a full load of classes. The whole time I had my full focus on becoming a police officer. That’s what I was studying so that’s what I felt I needed to pursue. I was coming up to the end of my final semester and I was talking about moving for a potential job offer. Now up to this point I had a mentor that I worked with who would attempt to persuade me to stay in the business but I wasn’t having it. I remember the day like it was yesterday, when my general manager looked at me with such frustration and said “Why can’t you just see your potential???” At the time it didn’t mean as much as it does now, however my mind was so saturated with what I wanted that I wasn’t focused on what my potential was. It’s funny because after all this time, I am still working for Jersey Mike’s and own a portion of one. The point is, if those people didn’t push me to understand my value and potential, I wouldn’t be where I am today. We eventually moved and I switched company’s still under the Jersey Mike’s franchise and was immediately challenged to my absolute, fullest potential. Accomplishing more in the last 2 years than I could have ever imagined including buying into my own store. But it all started with one person telling me the potential I had!!

People need to be encouraged and reminded of their value on a daily basis. Something I struggle with is saying thank you to my staff and telling them I appreciate their work. I can cast you a vision and a road map all day, but I struggle with saying thank you. I am willing to admit my faults and continue to work on them daily. The best part of my job is watching people live up to their potential and watching them set, meet and exceed their goals. If you see someone who has potential in a certain area, TELL THEM!! Encourage them to pursue whatever it is they are good at and work 100% to achieve their goals. Constant encouragement will always help them gain respect not only for you, but for themselves.

So what is your potential??

Dedicate yourself….

/ Ryan Gibbons / Leave a comment

img_1779The subject of leadership can bring up an array of topics to cover as well as discussions to have. I have realized that the majority of people who I know who have strong leadership qualities have such a tight list of core values that they dedicate themselves to live by. These are things that they would never compromise for any reason. Now I am not saying you cannot be a strong leader if you do not have core values, however I feel that when you do, it is almost like self accountability to ensure you are dedicated to your vision. The company I work for has core values and I can remember when we were all in discussion about what the list should contain. Everyone sent an email with 5 things they would like to see on the list. Basically, core values for your business, your family or even just yourself should be characteristics that you strive to uphold. For example, our first core value is teamwork: this is somewhat of an obvious one for a company because without teamwork, things become chaotic and unorganized. Naturally, this may not be a core value in your personal life, but it is ideal for a business or organization. In addition to teamwork, we also have integrity, excellence, relationship driven, and giving back to our community. All things we are passionate about in our company and strive for on a daily basis. These are things that I have personally adopted into my life and try to display every day while working. Hopefully I have painted a good picture for you of what our company is about.

“Dedicate yourself to your values and standard”

So the question to ask yourself now is what are my own core values? Do I need core values? Do successful people have core values? Well, not necessarily would be an answer to all these questions. However, I believe the only way to lead others successfully is to change their core. Someone may have all the potential in the world, but if their inner core is “rotten,” then at some point their potential will run out. I believe your core values start at home and you will display them when you leave. What kind of person are you when you are home? Are you the worlds best friend when your out and about, but when you arrive home, you change? How do you treat your spouse? Leadership starts with being selfless to other people. One thing I learned from my brother-in-law long before I got married was we should begin each day thinking of how we can serve our spouse. How can we make their day better? That word: SERVICE is something we don’t hear much about anymore unless it’s a “church service” or “community service.” These are great things don’t get me wrong, however are we serving others every chance we get? Even the highest level CEO of a company, the strongest leader of that business, should be a servant at times whether it is counseling someone or just expressing his appreciation to his workers. Selflessness and service will allow you to be so humbled that you will make a difference in many people’s lives. I always hear about husbands who will sacrifice their lives for their wives in an instant if something detrimental were to happen, however my question to that is why aren’t you sacrificing yourself daily for your wife? My wife and I have only been married 2 and half years and I fully understand how being selfless and humble seems impossible at times, but also being the leader of the household, how important it is to humble myself for my wife. Serving her on a daily basis to make her day a fraction better and to take stress off her plate. I am not saying I’m the perfect husband by any means because I certainly know my flaws and understand I can be selfish at times, however it is not the action that defines a man, it is his core and his response to accountability for that action that will define him.

“Leadership starts with being selfless to other people”

Leadership and discipline are things that take practice and require a lot of sacrifice to achieve. Holding oneself to a higher standard and not letting others sway your decisions and values. These are things that have become increasingly difficult in today’s world. Disciplining oneself mentally and physically to set a positive example for other people who may not have the same drive and focus. The reason I love getting up early and having a consistent workout regimen and even something as simple as having a healthy marriage  is because it is almost weird to other people! I enjoy doing things that other people are unable to do, not because they can’t, but because they are mentally to weak to do so. I enjoy being that example to others saying  yes, you can do this, you are just choosing not to because you are comfortable where you are. Remember, you should train yourself to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. I always tell people the only reason something is uncomfortable is because you don’t do it enough! Being a leader is stepping out of your comfort zone and choosing not to stand still in life, but to continually do things that will propel you forward to get you closer to your goals. It’s okay to want things, but you have to work for it.