Be Relentless Podcast

Isaac Wilkins

From three trips to the point of rock bottom - physically, mentally, and finally spiritually to building a life and business worth talking about, my name is Isaac Wilkins, and I'm a student of fitness and performance training, mental toughness, and finding your purpose in this life.

I share everything I learn about fitness, nutrition, higher purpose, mental toughness, and overcoming adversity so you can break free of your rut and win.

This show is for former athletes, warriors, and those who have a vision and feeling inside them that they are able and destined for more. Regardless of your current situation and struggles, big or small, you have that drive to level up, winning, and getting the self-respect you desire.

I share all of my most significant insights and clarity from my personal journey as well as lessons and strategies gleaned from my clients' journeys. I interview some of the most successful visionaries, celebrities, and thought leaders who've been to the wall and back.

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100 episodes
Updated Dec 29, 2022
Explicit

Episodes100

Newest first

Feb 28, 2019 · 31 min
Episode 40 - The Pyramid of Success
Fitness, Nutrition, Mindset, everything is easier if you have a framework to go from. That's why I developed the Relentless Success Pyramid to help the Relentless members frame their journeys and I'd like to share it with you. As you can see, there are four parts to the pyramid. In this podcast, I went over three of the first steps we take with almost all of our new clients to introduce them to the pyramid, get them making great progress, and build the foundation of their fitness journey. Those four pieces are: The Relentless Mindset We start with building the right mindset, because if the mind isn't in it, this whole fitness and life project you're on is starting from a weak foundation. -I talk about the secret "bank account" you have with yourself, and if it's low, you'll struggle. -We get into the mindset shift that has to happen to take you from "I'm X" to "how can I be Y"? -I bring up the one question that I love to ask people when they're stuck on really nailing down their goals. Supportive Nutrition Next I get into the basics of how we handle nutrition from a habit perspective, not micromanaging every gram of carbohydrate. That stuff has its place, but it's not the starting point for most. -When it comes to nutrition, lots of people jump on a complicated diet... trying to run before they crawl. The result is the same as the metaphorical baby - They fall. Instead, here's where we start to help our family members avoid that stumble. -Then we get into the BIG THREE that we address with pretty much everyone when it comes to nutrition. Controlling these three variables will have a greater effect on your physique and health than almost everything else combined. -Next we get into the one missing link that many people seem to skip over that causes a lot of stumbling and back-sliding and how we avoid that. Smart Training NOW, on a "fitness podcast" we get to training! -Ok, so what's the foundation of training and where do most people screw it up? I get into it. -Once you've built the foundation, what's the next layer? This is an often misunderstood one and I get into it here. -Finally, I talk about the dial we turn to move the first two points up a notch. Kaisen -Aaaaand the last piece of the pyramid is the Kaisen principle: Making a small improvement every day and stacking those wins until you've created a masterpiece. Interested in those points? Give it a listen!
Feb 26, 2019 · 8 min
Be Relentless Monday Quick Hit 28 - Move the Chains
One of my mentors regularly uses the phrase "Move the Chains" in our conversations and it's become a mantra that I've absorbed. In the game of football, the idea is to keep moving the ball down the field to eventually score a touchdown. In a perfect world, you'd do it in one shot. Just like in life, that rarely happens. Instead, a football "drive", as it's called can often take eight, ten, or fifteen plays before there's a score. But you know what? It's still the same number of points on the board whether it's one play or fifteen. Most people get the concept of driving down the field. Focusing on the small wins. Moving the marker chains with each play until eventually you score. I think there's something else there, though. You see, every time you "move the chains" and get a new set of downs, that's four more chances to score or at least make a big play. That's four more chances for a big shot to open up for you. So moving the chains isn't just about keeping forward momentum, although that's a big deal. Moving the chains is also about giving yourself more, and better, chances to make a big play. Instead of forcing an attempt at a big play, which often doesn't work, you're allowing the laws of progress to give you opportunities for the big play to open for you... so you can strike when your chances are better. Whether you're playing football or talking about life, it's still the same: Move those chains.
Feb 22, 2019 · 30 min
Be Relentless Podcast 39 - Goal Setting 101
A goal without a plan isn't really a goal, it's a wish. Most people spend too much time in the "wish" area and ultimately are unsatisfied because they never really nail down what they're trying to accomplish. In this episode I'm going to fix that! This episode is the podcast version of the seminar I did for Relentless Members at the gym about Goal Setting, minus the pauses for writing time that we took throughout that workshop. I'm going to share with you: The old SMART Principle of Goal Setting, how it applies and where it doesn't. The Three Big Exercises I have clients go over to work on their goals: -The number one tool to take your current negative talk and turn it around. -Your cue to be able to build better goal-setting sentences. -Your number one exercise to clear the clutter from your brain and get your goals clear. After that, I go into: What do you do when you see a goal, but the way looks rocky? How to anchor goals to achieve the greatest effect? How to break up goals to turn them into daily wins that build up to a big one? Ready to nail down your goals so you can start accomplishing them? Give it a listen!
Feb 19, 2019 · 8 min
Be Relentless Monday Quick Hit 27 - What Is Your Win
"Keep the goal the goal" -Dan John Dan is one of my favorite fitness authors and he's well known for delivering simple but powerful messages. I am in agreement with him in that a lot of people get so caught up in their journey that they stray from the overall goal if they don't keep it in mind. However, I think a lot of that problem starts even before that: I think that they don't know how to measure their success because they never truly clarify what a Win is for them. Not what the media says. Not what the marketers say. Not what Tammy down the street says. Not what I say. Not what your parents, spouse, (and almost certainly not) your kids say. For you. What is a Win and Success for you?
Feb 13, 2019 · 9 min
Be Relentless Monday Quick Hit 26 - Manage Your Stress Load
Stress. It's a word we here from all of the media around us. Clamoring. Shouting. Warning. Quite frankly, half the time we're stressed about stress. . The thing is, as humans we're really good at handling stressors. That's why we still exist, from a biology perspective. We have very good systems for handling stress, learning from it, and overcoming it. Stress makes us who we are. There are, though, limits to the stress that we can absorb and build from. We can basically be in some percentage of protection from stress and growth. It's kind of a percentage thing. . Just a little stress gives us stimulus and opens us up to lots of growth. Too much stress and we clamp down, afraid or unable to grow. From an evolutionary perspective, this heavy stress was brief, focused, and infrequent, so it gave lots of opportunity between bouts to grow. Now, though, we have lots of low-level, chronic stress: Mortgages, pollution, advertisements, screens, reports at work, etc. So we're always running around 30-40% (I am making that up, but you get the point) stressed. So when we do get a big stressor, we overload and don't grow. Instead we get fat, weak, and sick. Want to make the most progress? Reduce your low-level, chronic stress. Clear the clutter. Hydrate. Meditate. Get outside. Listen to or play music. Do cardio. Sleep more. My most successful clients are always the ones who manage their life stress the best.
Oct 9, 2018 · 9 min
Be Relentless Quick Hit 25 - Beat That Drum
This past weekend I was at a business conference. In a lot of ways, business and fitness run parallel. Both require hard work, consistent discipline, and while there's a lot of flashy stuff out there, there's also a lot of pretty proven paths to success. Of course, when you get a bunch of fitness or business people in a room, in this case, fitness business people, you here a lot of talk about "what's working". There's always new ideas being thrown around. It's easy to get caught up in the hype and want to shake everything up or jump onto a new, shiny program. Is that really what you need, though? Maybe yes, maybe not. Should you change your path? WHEN should you change your path? What's the biggest secret to success that nobody seems to talk about? I picked up some really great lessons and reminders about those questions this past weekend, and they were definitely not the ones that I expected.
Oct 4, 2018 · 30 min
Be Relentless Podcast 38 - How To Get the Support You Need
One of the biggest keys to success in a fitness/health transformation, especially over the long term, isn't just the will to succeed. It's not just the vision. It's not even just the knowledge. I've been fortunate to have been part of a lot of fitness transformations, and time and time again the successful have SUPPORT. As a matter of fact, a big box gym I used to work at used to say that 80% of people who didn't have a personal trainer, workout buddy, or supportive spouse would fail to reach their workout goals. Now, I don't know if that number is accurate, but it's not outside the realm of reason. So, how do you get support? What if your spouse is always "sabotaging" you? What if your friends are always trying to pull you out to Margarita Night, even though they know you're on a diet? Getting the help you need can be way harder than most people feel it should be. So with that in mind, in this podcast I go over the Five Step Process to help your support team stop sabotaging you and start lifting you up. You'll learn: -The fundamental mindset difference that can totally change your conversation about support. -How that conversation can go wrong and how to help smooth it out. -The way you look at things might not be the same as the other person, and how to work with it. -The way to build a support team without going out and trying to drag them along, kicking and screaming!
Oct 1, 2018 · 10 min
Be Relentless Podcast Quick Hit 24 - LUCK - What It Stands For
LUCK How often do you hear someone say "So and So is lucky!" or "That was a lucky break for you!"? Now, there's definitely some examples of luck or good coincidence, but when it comes from people being "lucky" in fitness, business, and many other facets of life, I've found that there's usually something a lot more to it than a simple alignment of stars and planets, or whatever. I was listening to a Real Estate Podcast (BiggerPockets) and one of the guests had an acronym for LUCK that I had never heard before. It really hit home and I think it sums it up. Here's my hot take on it.
Sep 27, 2018 · 32 min
Be Relentless Podcast Episode 37 - Lessons from The Worst-Best Time of My Life
"Good times, bad times You know I had my share..." -Led Zeppelin, "Good Times, Bad Times" It's funny. When I get the chance to talk to people who've had some success in their life and I ask them about the best (or at least most valuable experience) in their life they almost always point to something that you could consider the "worst" time of their life. Maybe they hit rock bottom. Maybe their world fell apart. Which is terrible. But it's also where they learned how to grow, build, and overcome. It turned into a valuable part of shaping them into who they are today. It's no different for me. In today's podcast I go over some aspects of a period of time where I stood in my own way, allowed others to keep me down, and just plain didn't hold up my end of bargains... and four of the (many) lessons that I learned from that time that have shaped my life since: -How my Fixed Mindset had resulted in a "ducking" behavior that eventually came to bite me. -The error that I, and many people make, when it comes to their planning and execution. -The discomfort that my boss put me through that changed my trajectory. -The hard truth about success and that it's usually not the same as what the books say. -My tip for getting out of that rut and moving in the direction you're searching for. Give it a listen!
Sep 24, 2018 · 9 min
Be Relentless Monday Quick Hit 23 - Fall In Love With the Process
Let's be honest. The vast majority of people don't hit their goals, whether it's in fitness, business, or life in general. They end up settling for less. Now, is it because they're not smart enough to get to their goals and dreams? Usually not. Is it because their goals and dreams aren't rooted in reality? Sometimes, but generally not, as most people actually dream pretty small once you boil away the extra. No, most people fail because the way to their dreams is HARD. And when it's hard, they give up. Why do they give up? Is it because they've hit a threshold of suffering that they just can't manage? Again, maybe, but often times that isn't the case at all. They give up because the struggle and suffering that comes with chasing big dreams outmatches their EXPECTATION of what it would be. So, what's the answer? Listen and find out!
Sep 20, 2018 · 30 min
Be Relentless Podcast 36 - Healthy Eating Habit Tips for Busy People
Look, we're all busy. Between work, family, travel, hitting the gym, and every other activity that life throws at us, you can find yourself eating on the run a lot. Sure, it'd be great if every meal was home-cooked, and you were able to prep everything... but that probably doesn't happen. So in this podcast I'm going to break down some tips on eating on the run AND how to make that actually a habit that sticks. I'll go over: -The THREE components of a habit, and how often there's something missing, which is why you don't always make the right choice. -How to make things easier to eat right at home, and how it messes me up when I don't do it. -My strategy for keeping night eating under control. -What to do when you do get stuck at the drive-through, travel, or just end up going out to eat. It IS possible to eat both great food and healthy food when you're busy. These strategies will help you do it.
Sep 18, 2018 · 9 min
Be Relentless Quick Hit 22 - PCT vs RSF Thought
Which one governs your life? If you're like most people, that's Problem-Centered Thought (PCT). Dr. Jason Selk, author of "Exective Toughness", instead would have you focus on a Relentless Solution Focus (RSF). At Relentless, and not just because of the name, we have made this a cornerstone of our Relentless Mindset program. If you're looking to start turning the ship around, even if it's inch-by-inch, then you need to be focused on your RSF.
Jun 2, 2018 · 1 hr 11 min
Be Relentless Podcast 35 - Honesty and the Journey - Ben Stocks
I had the great pleasure of recording a conversation with my friend Ben Stocks. In Ben's words: "Ben went from broke personal trainer to creating and managing a successful gym business before selling that business and now works directly with entrepreneurs and business owners to get them more customers and clients." Ben has successfully navigated both his own transformation through life struggles and also helping his former and current clients through theirs. We talked Ben's secrets of success (simpler than you think), how to find your easiest avenues of success, and how to avoid where most go astray. Reach him at benstocksmarketing@gmail.com
May 1, 2018 · 8 min
Be Relentless Quick Hit 21 - You're Always In Mid-Life Crisis
I was listening to a great podcast with Ed Mylett and Jasmine Star and they started talking about a mid-life crisis happening at 25. That got me to thinking: At any point when you're about to make a change your life is divided into two parts: The part that was before, and the path afterward. This means that, while it might not actually be the MIDDLE of your life (nobody knows that), you're always at a mid-life point. That means that any big change can be a Mid-Life Crisis, and that isn't necessarily bad! It can give some fire and intensity to your change, and in this podcast I get into why I think that's the most telling sign of an impending transformation.
Apr 26, 2018 · 54 min
Be Relentless Podcast 34 - Lessons Learned From an Unlikely Coach - Hunter Grindle
I had the opportunity to catch up after a great weekend seminar with a truly interesting and inspiring young coach, gym owner, and entrepreneur: Hunter Grindle, the owner of Hybrid Fitness Gym in Thomaston, ME. I've known Hunter for a few years and what he's been able to accomplish is extraordinary, although he probably wouldn't admit it. In addition to opening his gym at just 18 years old, the now-22 year-old basketball playing Hunter has embraced a demographic that you wouldn't expect: Moms and helping them become healthier, lose fat, and enjoy their life. We talk about some insights he's found in the process and how those insights, whether they're applied to business, fitness, relationships, or most anything else, ring true. Hunter is an avid reader, so we hit on some of his favorite books and the lessons that he's picked up from them, as well. I've always enjoyed and had great conversations with Hunter, so it was great to catch one on audio to be recorded!
Apr 10, 2018 · 8 min
Be Relentless Monday Quick Hit 20 - You Have Permission
You have permission! One of the things I've really been thinking about since my podcast with Sasha and Chris last week is that too many people think that they need to be "good" before they can do something. I saw it in the gym last night. You don't need to be good to do, you BECOME good by doing, and if you are doing, you ARE something. If you need permission, you have it.
Apr 6, 2018 · 1 hr 10 min
Be Relentless Podcast 33 - Winning the War of Art - When Particles Collide
Winning the War of Art (A nod to Stephen Pressfield's great book, "The War of Art") Guests in the house! All my life I've been fortunate to have had extraordinary people enter my sphere, become my friends, and even if life takes us in different directions, stay that way. I was lucky to sit down with two of those today and get the mic on. Sasha and Chris happen to be former clients, always the rockstars of our Relentless Gym Family, and are currently on TOUR as a rock/punk/muse-catching duo. I think a lot of people envision the life of the touring musician as a free-flowing, zero care existence. Well, probably that isn't the case if you want to STAY a touring musician. We had a great conversation and what I found most striking was how many of the principles we talk about in this podcast for helping your life, fitness, and nutrition are exactly the same for Sasha and Chris in their music business. We hit on: -The importance of routine, even when you are in a lifestyle that is anything but routine. -How mastery in something can improve everything else. -How to pick yourself up and keep on when the world kicks you down. -Their first official "Hate Letter" and how they handled it. -How inspiration can happen when you least expect it and why most people miss it. -And plenty of other success topics! And you know for damn sure you want to know how they sound and how their Unstoppable Rock Tour is going, right? Check them out online at www.whenparticlescollide.com
Apr 3, 2018 · 8 min
Be Relentless Monday Quick Hit 19 - External Cues and Internal Motivation
External Cues and Internal Motivation When it comes to cuing a movement, more often than not people understand it better if you use external cues versus internal cues. An external cue references something outside of the body. This is because people are used to seeing with their eyes and interacting with things OUTSIDE their body without often thinking about the HOW of how they move their body. When it comes to motivation, the opposite often works better. An external motivation would be another person or event forcing someone to do something. While this can often get the ball rolling, the motivation lasts only as long as the stimulus. Internal motivation, though, comes from a deeper source. It comes from within. So when things get tough and the external motivation flags, internally it's still burning strong. Make the most of both techniques. Focus on external cues to most efficiently move forward, and internal motivation to be what keeps you doing it.
Mar 27, 2018 · 8 min
Be Relentless Monday Quick Hit 18 - Smooth the Roadblocks
So many people spend their whole life looking for the next plan. When things aren't going well, it's always the first thing you do is look for a new road. They rev up their engine and plow right down the road... until they hit a roadblock. Then it all blows up. Where do they go then? Looking for the next road. The truth is, they probably already know the road will get them where they want to go. They've researched it. They have the map. They probably know the basic way. They probably have the car that will get them there. That means the answer isn't to get a better road or a better car. The first step is to clear out the roadblocks. That's what we do at Relentless - We smooth out the roadblocks first. Once the path is clear, you can really get a strong sense of what you need to do as far as changing directions or upgrading your vehicle along the way, not the other way around.
Mar 23, 2018 · 23 min
Be Relentless Podcast 32 - 7 Workout Tips for Busy People
7 Workout Tips for Busy People Look, we're all busy. Unless you happen to have the lifestyle that lets you go to the gym whenever you want, sleep, rest, and so on with pleny of leisure time, you know what it is like to have to cram a quick workout in before/after work or on the road. At Relentless we are fortunate enough to work work with a lot of busy professionals who are balancing work, life, family, AND staying in great shape. Here's 7 of my favorite strategies to get more out of the workout time you DO have to get the results you want while still handling life like you need. I go over: -How to adjust your training to get twice as much done in the same amount of time. -The hierarchy of training priorities so you can focus on the big rocks. -How to select exercises for maximum efficiency. Get more done with less. -A great "rule" I picked up that has helped me get through those days where I don't want to train at all because I can't do ALL of the things I want to do.