I’ve worked with hundreds of guys to transform their bodies over the past 7 years. 

Here are TWO traits the most successful guys always have. 

Ignore these at your own expense…

#1: “FUNDAMENTAL-FOCUSED”

The guys who get in great shape learn the basics first.

They don’t ignore the fact that they are new to training, and they want to do things right.

Instead of:

• • Following the crowd at the gym – they seek to understand what matters most. 
  • Trying to lift heavier as soon as possible – they learn how to squat properly.
  • Showing up to the gym and doing random exercises – they find a plan they can stick to.

That’s how you build a success story. 

Now, I’m not saying that you have to memorize every muscle or go get a degree in nutritional science. 

But at least spend a week of your life watching videos or reading about training, nutrition, and recovery. 

Even if it’s just 20-30 minutes a day for 7 days. 

You might hear a lot of conflicting information and a bunch of tiny details that probably aren’t relevant to your situation. 

But there will be some common fundamentals that show up over and over again. 

• • Sleeping 7+ hours/night 
  • Training with weights and getting stronger over time
  • Eating the right amount and type of food for your goals

These are the kind of “big-ticket” ideas that pay HUGE dividends. 

But to be honest, these are also the same boring things that you’ve probably heard a million times before.

That’s a big part of why people make up outlandish “rules” and sexy-sounding claims.

Because something like “Muscle Confusion” sounds much more foreign and enticing than “progressive overload.”

There will be time to learn about (and experiment with) all kinds of different approaches down the road. 

But for now?

Just get into something simple and start making progress. 

The easiest way to do that is to focus on those fundamentals. 

#2: “IMPROVEMENT-ORIENTED”

It doesn’t matter if you’re 350lb. 

It doesn’t matter if you haven’t been to the gym in 15 years. 

Or if you’re 56 years old. 

Where you are currently will always be just one step away from improvement. 

If you have that mindset, you’ll go as far as you want. 

This is especially important in the beginning when your biggest challenges are: 

• • Getting started
  • Knowing what to do and how to do it
  • Committing to the process

It will continue to serve you down the road when you need to:

• • Push through the monotony
  • Fine-tune more than you needed to previously, and 
  • Learn how to level up

Keeping the focus on improvement over perfection is the trait that keeps on giving. 

Here’s how it looks in reality:

Day 0 – “I fucking hate being overweight and out of shape. I’m sick of it, but I don’t know how to get out of this rut…”

Day 15 – “This week wasn’t perfect, but if I keep showing up, things will only get better!”

Day 90 – “I’m down 20 lbs! If I keep hitting my calorie targets, workouts, and step goal, I’ll be on track to hit my goal weight in 4 weeks!” 

Maybe you skipped a week of workouts – who cares? 

Just get back on track and do better next time. 

SUCCESS IN ACTION

Spoiler alert: “Getting in shape” is just self-improvement in disguise. 

Go adopt those two traits for yourself today, and a year from now, you won’t recognize the man in the mirror. 

Or don’t. 

Time will pass all the same, and you might just find yourself reading this article again next year, kicking yourself for not getting started now.

Do your future self a favor and take action today.