Do the Things That Matter

When I played football I was obsessed with putting on muscular size and strength as it was necessary to compete at a high level.

I graduated from high school at 170 pounds and by my sophomore year of college tipped the scales at 195 pounds and by my junior year I got up to 207 pounds.

Gaining 30 pounds of functional weight for a sport where maintaining my speed is vital in six months was no easy task.

To do this I ate constantly.

Some of my tricks. (I DO NOT RECOMMEND ANY OF THESE)

– Mixing a gallon of milk with powdered milk until the consistency was that of wet cement.

– Mega fat bomb super smoothies.  Olive oil, fish oil, nut butters, etc.

– Two cans of Campbell’s tomato soup prepared with milk of course, with an entire package of saltines, and at least half a block of cheese.

As you can see weight gain, NOT HEALTH, was the goal.

Combining extreme eating with the Boise State weight training, conditioning, and practices and what do you know like magic, I grew into a Division I football player.

This is me weighing around 190 pounds (at least 10 pounds was from my fro).

At that time in my life what mattered most in terms of health and fitness was a spot on the roster.

As soon as I finished playing ball my focus switched to long-term health and wellness.

I now weigh 160 pounds and am a shadow of who I was in college physically but many times more “fit” for a long healthy life.

You have to figure out what matters most right now for yourself and then do the things that align with that goal.

If you want to look good and be healthy should you spend your time, money, and resources on eyelashes, makeup, and spray tans or a workout program and nutritious food?

If you want enough money to retire at a young age should you go out to eat often, drive expensive cars, and keep your closet stocked with the newest fashion trends or eat at home most of the time, drive a quality but not an extravagant car, and replace clothes only as needed?

Most often, like my fro in the picture above, the things that align with your goals are not sexy.

It doesn’t matter what you do as long as you know what’s most important for you and align your habits, actions, and behaviors with it.

Start with getting clarity on what matters most right now.

Once you know what matters most your life will become simplified and many decisions will be made before you ever encounter them.

Brett “What Matters Most?” Denton