Reflecting on the Year: Wins, Losses, and Lessons Learned

Every year feels like a full training cycle—physically, emotionally, and mentally.

Some lifts land. Some don’t. Some weeks feel smooth. Others feel like everything’s heavier than it should be.

This past year wasn’t my strongest year competitively.

But it was one of my best years personally.

Here’s a reflection on what stood out, what I missed, and what I learned—not just as a coach or athlete, but as a husband, father, and human trying to show up in all areas of life.

Win of the Year: Finding Balance (Even If Briefly)

This year, I made real progress in finding balance. Not perfect balance—but better.

I’m a coach. I’m an athlete. I run a business.

But more importantly, I’m a husband to an incredible wife and a father to two amazing kids (a five-year-old and an almost-three-year-old).

What I learned this year is that there will always be more work.

Always another meet to prep for, another athlete to check in on, another block to plan.

But there isn’t always more time with your family. There isn’t always another bedtime story or another chance to be fully present when your kids need you.

So I worked on balance—not just for the sake of productivity, but to be better in the roles that matter most.

It wasn’t perfect. But it was a win.

Missed Goals: When the Numbers Aren’t There

As a competitor, you’re always chasing the next total. The next PR. The next big moment.

But this year, I had to come to terms with the fact that some of my goals—realistically—weren’t going to happen.

I was a little banged up. Training wasn’t ideal. And the opportunity I wanted just didn’t line up with the readiness I had.

That was tough.

The competitor in me wanted to load the bar anyway. Swing hard. Prove something.

But the truth is, you can’t PR your way out of under-recovery and misaligned preparation.

So I learned. I didn’t make the team I wanted. I didn’t win the meet I was chasing.

But I’m still here. Still building. Still swinging.

Lesson That Kept Showing Up: Lean on the Right People

If there was a theme this year, it was this:

Lean on the people you know you can lean on.

And don’t do it with expectations.

Give because it’s right. Show up for others because it matters. But let go of the idea that people owe you something in return.

That shift in mindset allowed me to fully appreciate the people who truly are in my corner:

• My family

• My staff

• My athletes

• My closest friends and training partners

When you stop expecting certain people to show up—and instead start focusing on the ones who always do—you stop feeling burned, and start feeling supported.

What Changed: My Coaches Built Something Bigger

I don’t think I changed as much as my coaching staff did—and I’m proud of them for it.

They found ways to build a real community inside an online company.

They ran training camps. They grouped athletes together who might’ve never met—and gave them a shared identity, a shared energy.

Because of them, athletes from all over now check in with each other, support each other, and compete like teammates—even if they’ve never lifted in the same gym.

That’s the magic we’ve been trying to build from the beginning. And my coaches deserve the credit for making it real this year.

A Note to My Past Self—and My Future One

To the version of me at the start of the year:

It’s okay to ask for help from the people who are around you for the right reasons.

To the version of me stepping into the new year:

Keep building—but don’t forget what you’ve already built. That’s the foundation.