For the Optimizers

4am: Wake up

4:05am: Drink 64 oz of water. Done for the day. 

4:10am: Meditate. Cold Plunge. Sauna. Feeling temperature confused and stressfully zen.

4:12am: Coffee. Just kidding. You’re so filled with purpose (the need for external validation; dad?) 

You don’t need it.

4:12am (really): The greatest HIIT workout of all time that you found on instagram. No recovery meal because you’re obviously fasting.

4:15-7am: Content time. Tik Toks and Reels for the #algo

7am: Emails. Block 2 hours each morning. Answer literally one per day. “Where does the time go?”

9am-8pm: Work meetings. Show up incrementally later and later to each one until the last one gets pushed. 

No food or water. Bathroom? Never heard of it. 

Bladder = optimized.

Living. The. Dream.

Systems! We love them.

They help us #hustle and #grind.

To get ahead of the competition.

To live our dream life.

Or so we think.

My question to all the optimizers out there.

When does it all become too much?

Please do not get me wrong (even though I know there will be flack for this post, whatever)

I love a good routine.

I have mine. (Almost) Every morning and every night.

The consistent actions I take to help feel accomplished. 

On pace.

In sum – they help me feel like ME.

However, these mundane routines have a point of restriction that cannot be ignored.

The constant “No”s to events and gatherings.

Missing out on spending quality time with friends and family.

Many times, forcing your hand into making a decision.

Is it worth the stress and guilt?

Sitting on the sidelines, working on work that will ultimately be there for you tomorrow.

Instead of connecting. With yourself. With others.

Where is the spontaneity? 

The serendipity?

Is it planned?

Orchestrated?

Does that even count?

This is where the grinders and optimizers stop reading. They’ll tell themselves I have it all wrong. That I’ll never be “successful” because I value the wrong things.

Maybe that’s true.

Maybe I’m too easy on myself.

Maybe I'll never get there.

Wherever “there” is (up to you).

But I know as long as I’m doing what I feel is right for me, that I’ll be ok.

And that means occasional late nights.

Missing a workout here or there.

Making an effort to see friends on a week night even though I know I’ll get less sleep.

I used to consistently shut those offers down.

I “couldn't” because it would “impact my performance”

And you know what? I was performing just fine at work at the start.

But eventually, the loneliness crept in.

Isolation for the sake of optimization 

Just made everything more difficult.

So now, I welcome those nights. Because the connection and memories are worth it.

And I feel more free.

I’m no longer tied to arbitrary routines and tasks that add and take away.

I still love my routine. But I also love breaking them for the people and the activities I love…

A friend I respect once told me “If it’s not a ‘fuck yes’ then it’s a ‘no” 

And I’ve lived by that notion since.

So, If you’ve made it this far

I’ll leave you here to reflect.

Ask yourself this:

What truly fills you up? Allows you to be the best you?

Where are you unnecessarily strict? (If at all)

Where can you tighten up? 

Are you saying yes to less than a “Fuck yes”?

Let me know what you come up with.

There’s a Creative in Me

And you.

Although that side may be hiding, or even forcefully kept at bay, it will happily show you the way,

if you let it.

“Am I creative?”

That is a question I’ve had on my mind for years.

It all started during a Communications class in college. One assignment was to write a script for a TV show or part of a movie. I was big into “Friends” those days, having just finished the series.

I planned, found a sample script write online, wrote like mad, and submitted. I shared my work not just with my professor, but with anyone who shows even the slightest interest.

Feedback from friends was few and far between. I got an A on the project, but no notes.

Not the whirlwind of approval and flashing lights on a red carpet I had expected…

Writing an episode of TV was the most fun I had in college. The work did not feel like work.

Ever since wrapping up that assignment, I’ve been yearning to create since…

Though I never fully acted on or committed to for a number of reasons.

Fear being one.

This sounds like: “What if the people I love don’t like what I’m producing? What if they don’t support me?”

“What if they think it sucks?”

Imposter Syndrome being another. Also fear. Fear of not being “good enough” or XYZ label I often give myself.

Lastly (and this one if a funny one), Success.

WHAT IF IT WORKS?!

What if I do it, and love it so much, that this very thing upends my entire life?

This is no longer a question of “What could go wrong?” but of “What if this goes RIGHT?”

So, because of these thoughts (that seem so silly as I type them out), I suppressed the voice inside my head for years.

The voice that wanted to be let out into the world.

The voice that has lessons to share.

Jokes to make.

Stories to tell.

and Questions to ask.

However, the rumblings never stopped. I swear if you saw my notes and Evernote you’d think I had multi personality disorder.

The range is WIDE, my friends.

There are stand up bits (which is generally an excuse to critique society and those around us).

Ideas for TV shows and movies (originals too, promise).

Reflections on life.

Parallels between fitness and work/life/relationships.

The whole gambit, really.

So here I am. Opening up again to the world.

Deciding to write because I genuinely enjoy it.

Not concerned about what others might think.

Or if it will “work” or not (whatever that means).

Wayne Dyer once said “Don’t die with your music still in you.”

Read that again.

I am not planning to die with whatever I have still inside of me.

So…to many more. Cheers.

Keep your promises to yourself

I didn't want to run this morning.

We just moved into a new apartment.

Which means a new bed.

New pillows.

The temperature wasn't right.

It's a totally new environment.

Not to mention building furniture and organizing all of the things you've accumulated and realize you don't need (but keep anyway, "just in case").

Aka...I didn't sleep well.

We ate dinner at 9pm.

I'm usually in bed by 8:30.

(this is not a joke)

I woke up at 6:45am.

Dehydrated from the singular beer I drank whilst building a bar cart (necessary?)

I usually have a bunch of water and my cup of coffee in my hand by 6:30.

On a normal day, I'm ready to hit it by 7.

Not today.

7:30 rolled around.

The coffee finally found its way to my hand.

Then 8.

And all of a sudden, I let out what had been building in my mind from the minute my head left the pillow,

"I don't want to do this"

Yep, that came out of MY mouth.

The one who is always showing Instagram how much he's running and how much fun he's having doing it.

The one who just had the best day ever, running the NYC Marathon with friends and family by his side to support.

"Maybe I'll just skip it today it's been a long week"

But that's how it starts.

The slow burn.

First it's just one day.

Then it's two.

Harmless right?

Wrong.

It's much more than skipping a workout.

It's breaking a promise you made to yourself.

Do you know what they say is the fastest way to lose all self confidence?

Lie.

To yourself.

Tell yourself you'll do something, feel the dopamine hit just from having a mere thought,

Then back off.

"Next time"

"It's no big deal"

The cycle continues.

On and on and on...

So

With the fear of letting myself down in my heart,

I begrudgingly laced up my shoes,

Put on a hat,

Strapped on my watch,

And hit the road before I could conjure up more excuses.

And you know what?

I'm so happy I did.

It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t fun. But it was worth every step.

Cheers to proving your fears, doubt, and negative self talk wrong.

Have a day.

-Dan

6 Lessons from 26.2 Miles

This past Sunday, after a long and excruciatingly hot summer, 50,000 runners embarked on a journey through the streets of New York City. A journey that consisted of transportation snafus, crowded streets, deafening cheers, and 26.2 harrowing miles that left some 2,000 participants broken hearted as they left the course without that coveted FINISHER medal.

The New York City Marathon is a premier World Marathon Major. The first Sunday of November, year after year, runners flood the concrete jungle to put their long months of training to the test.

Hundreds of miles logged.

Many hours on the foam roller.

Countless gels consumed.

The 2022 TCS New York City Marathon was my first ever marathon. I trained for 18 weeks. I had a plan. I knew when I would wake up, catch my transportation, what I would eat that morning and on the course, how much water to drink, and my paces all dialed in to a T.

Then the wheels came off. Almost immediately.

Bus issues had a large group of runners waiting +2 hours in the record high heat and humidity for a ride to the village. Hundreds missed their start times. Many left without food and water to properly fuel beforehand (myself included).

I thought I was done for.

But such is life, right? We make a plan, the plan falls apart, and the only other options are to make a new plan or give up. And I was not about to let 18 long weeks of training get swept away with the wind. I picked myself up and made the best of a brutal situation that ended up crippling many.

To those who didn’t have the day they wanted - I feel for you.

My first marathon experience taught me more than I could have asked for. While I loved the training, I knew it would be a challenge. Boy was I spot on.

It wasn’t just the seemingly endless running. It was the balancing act. Daily runs, work meetings, relationships being pushed to the side, hard days, easy days, rest days, and so much food in between. All coming together over 4 months to create the beautiful symphony we call training.

Here are 6 lessons I learned preparing for (and running) 26.2 miles:

1. Get started - the first step, duh. The point here is to step out of your comfort zone. Change your narrative. Let go of the expectations, the wanting to be perfect, the fear of failure. Embrace it all for what it is - learning. 

2. Prepare like a Pro - endurance sports are just that, a game of who can endure. Both mentally and physically. We can easily follow a plan to build our physical fitness. Simple right? We move with intention, eat well, rest and recover. But what about our mental fitness? How are we prepared to handle the curveballs life will (un)expectedly throw at us? Things not going to plan should actually be the plan! It is not the situations that define us, but how we react that tells the true story. Plan out every scenario. Work backwards. Visualize. Do what you need to do to set yourself up for success.

3. Keep going - know there will be ups and down. Ebbs and flows. Such is life. Prepare for these moments by knowing they’re coming. When it feels easy, know it will get harder. When it feels hard, know it will be worth it. After all it’s just pain, right?

4. Don’t go out too hot - consistency is key. It's better to show up every day and operate well than take a week off because you burnt out, got hurt, got sick etc. Create the space necessary to listen to your body and head its warnings. Leverage this time to hone in on your self awareness. Accept where you’re at and the gap from there to where you want to be. Understand time under tension is the only way to get there. Take care of yourself along the way.

5. Drop the comparison - you know, I think that old adage is onto something... Everyone is running their own race. Whether it is a first timer just trying to cross that finish line or a vet chasing down a 2 minute PR, we’re all competing against ourselves. Comparing yourself to anyone else is fundamentally inaccurate because we don’t have enough data to support the assumptions we are making. So drop it and enjoy your journey.

6. Remember your WHY - Your superpower. We all have a reason as to why we do what we do! Discover yours, own it, and let it be the wind in your sails. I think you’d be pleasantly surprised how far your story can take you (especially when you’re cramping at mile 22 going up 5th Ave…).

Bonus: Smile through it all. Enjoy each moment. We only have so many.

A Welcome Message

Well, fancy meeting you here…

I’m Dan.

I’m a sales professional, runner, fitness and wellness junkie.

I’m a lover of podcasts, travel, music, hiking, comedy, personal development, and most importantly - quality connection (especially when said connection is being forged over a good sweat or a good meal).

My goal for this page is to share openly with you, in hopes that you might be able to advance on your path as well.

Sharing more about my life is something that I’ve wanted to do for quite some time now.

I’ve been on an off Instagram. Sharing my fitness journey, food, life, travel, and all that other good stuff people share on social.

But it always felt wrong to me.

Not because I was being in authentic.

But because I was doing it to get noticed. Hoping someone would find it and like it.

So I hid from it. I stopped posting. I stopped sharing my truth. I stopped sharing what I was learning.

I felt guilty for wanting to share my life because I was expecting validation in return.

I dampened my light. My own light. Because I was afraid of what others might think.

And to tell you the truth, I’m still afraid.

However, I’m choosing to let authenticity take precedence. I’m choosing to share what is on my mind and in my heart.

Not for vanity.

Not for followers.

Not for approval.

For the one person out there who might be impacted by my story.

It was this quote that changed it all for me.

“Don’t die with your light still inside of you” -Wayne Dyer

That would be sad, wouldn’t it?

So… Welcome. I’m happy to have you here.