My friends think I’m crazy. There’s no doubt about it.

Back in college I knew I’d make it big (which I’m still working on). I promised them I’d buy us all a vacation to some cool island in the tropics to party… once I finally made it.

Being young and brash, I figured that would have happened a long time ago by now. Life seems a lot easier looking forward.

Now Taylor and I are very successful in our business, but we are still far from our ultimate goals… still far from ever paying for this huge party – celebration – vacation for all my college friends.

Whenever we all get together for a football game on TV or just to hang out, they’ll poke fun at me…

“Dan, I’m still waiting for that vacation!”

“Geez Dan, I only have one more week of allowed vacation from work… should I reserve it for our party trip?”

Blah… blah… blah!

It’s Been A Million Times Harder Than I Thought And I’m Thankful For That!

I never thought it would be this hard to get our website full of great members… and we’re not even close where we need to be.

And yet, I’m thankful for that.

I’m thankful that it’s hard. It’s made me appreciate others that have achieved such great success. It’s not easy being persistent in the face of adversity.

It’s not easy listening to small jabs from family and friends ridiculing you… and it’s not easy keeping your mouth shut and just taking it because it’s not worth getting into a bickering match defending your dreams.

It’s not easy holding onto single dreams.

It’s The Paradox Of Success!

This has nothing to do with business success or achieving your dreams in the grand scheme of things. It has everything to do with you losing weight and working out so you can achieve the body you want. No matter how “crazy” that body may be.

Here’s what I’ve come to realize:

When you’re starting out, you want success to be easy and fast so you can enjoy the spoils.

Once you enjoy the spoils, you want success to be long and hard so you can appreciate the spoils… knowing with pride that very few can ever achieve what you just did.

Think about that for a minute. It helps to think about something you accomplished that you really appreciate… Would you of wished it were easier now that you have achieved it?

Easy And Fast Means Zero Appreciation!

I’ll turn the tables on myself, but put yourself in this story too:

If I had a magic wand and I knew that I could wave it once and be thin, gorgeous, and super healthy…

I’d eat, act, and treat others like a glutton.

I would destroy my body during the day eating whatever I pleased knowing full well it was horrible for me. It doesn’t matter though… I have my wand.

I would probably experiment with crazy drugs to see what they did to my state of consciousness. It doesn’t matter though… I have my wand to repair myself at night.

In the eyes of others I would be a selfish loser because I have zero cooth or appreciation… I take my body and life for granted because I have the easy quick solution.

That’s pretty hard but it’s true isn’t it?

We all take things for granted. And the free things, the easy things… those we always, always take for granted.

There’s not success in that is there?

To Work Means To Achieve Success!

There is no magic wand. To get this awesome looking body, to be the most gorgeous version of yourself (which includes more how you see yourself), and to be super healthy…

It takes DAILY actions.

It doesn’t happen overnight. If you eat bad, you pay the price.

If you do drugs, you pay the price.

In the eyes of others, you are (most of the time) admired and sought out for your advice and help. Of course there are those trolls that hate on successful people before they ever get to know them… but that’s life.

The biggest thing is you appreciate it:

• You love that it was hard to lose weight.
• You love that you had those hard days and nights when failure was so close you almost started crying.
• You love those mini successes that to others didn’t seem like much, but to you they were huge!
• You love seeing the small things happen which bring the people in your life closer to supporting you… cheering you.
• You love that it was freaking HARD!

You love the results and you take care of them. Most people will never achieve what you have achieved… that makes it all the more special.

You protect it and because of that you don’t come off as a snob that as handed things… so people are drawn to you and your confidence. People sense your graciousness.

That’s Losing Weight The Hard Way… The Only Way!

I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to take my friends on that vacation. I work hard everyday in my business to achieve that milestone.

But I appreciate everyday that I have a goal, a dream that I’ve not sacrificed. I enjoy the challenge… the hard work… the little successes.

I enjoy the fact that in “real life” it’s never going to officially end.

I’ll always take the hard way… will you?