#97 - How You Manage Time, Energy & Distractions Will Make or Break You

This episode of The Bare Performance Podcast features Nick Bare, who is sharing insights gleaned over the course of his entrepreneurial journey. His venture, a labor of love and all-out commitment, has reached an inflection point that surprises no one who knows Nick and his indomitable spirit. Guest Host Wyatt Knight digs deep and mines all kinds of gems about Nick’s path – from college and his first (faltering) start-up efforts through military service to his “all-in” years making BPN the success that it is. Unsurprisingly, persistence, faith and focus have been essential every step of the way.

Learn about the stumbling blocks that torpedo so many would-be dreams – in business pursuits as well as life. Nick shares in vivid detail his best advice about the three ingredients that are foundational to making goals happen, even against great odds. Time, Energy and Distractions are the enemy and this episode of The Bare Performance Podcast spells out exactly why, as well as offering strategies for beating back forces that conspire to keep us down. Whether it’s susceptibility to peer pressure or too many hours invested in our favorite spectator sport, Nick challenges us to look critically at what we listen to and consume.

Among the topics covered: The value in morning routines and the consistency required; what it means to “Go One More;” intentionality in all things, especially as relates to positive energy; and how “Flintstoning” your way through adversity is a show of respect for your own goals and dreams. Enjoy lightning rounds of “Quick Hits” that give us a window into Nick’s mind and world view as well as the powerful work ethic that drives him from the minute he awakens in the pre-dawn hours until he lays his head down at night to sleep.

• (04:10) Intro to this special episode, which highlights the “all-in” focus Nick has brought to each element of the platform he has developed.
• (04:57) On the eve of Black Friday, Nick is feeling a charge of momentum that reflects multiple channels of energy and purpose flowing together as one. The gas pedal is all the way down!
• (6:44) Nick had the vision, which was a start, but recognizing and deflecting distractions over the course of 10 years has been key to realizing BPN’s goals.
• (9:44) QUICK HITS: Wyatt has Nick give flash responses to big concepts:
• • Austin, Texas: Inviting. That place where you can be whoever you want to be.
  • America: Freedom, where you can achieve the American dream, military, power.
  • Freedom: Something that can be lost and we have to fight to maintain.
  • Purpose: Fulfillment.
  • Passion: Necessary.
  • Growth: A choice.
  • 2590 Oakmont Drive: BPN’s first warehouse, which was a stretch financially! Signing that lease in 2017 was the start of an incredible, passionate journey.
• (12:45) All about Plan B. In short: There was none. Nick was “all-in” from the start and at all points throughout his endeavor. 
• (13:36) Nick had a degree in nutrition and some vague ideas about jobs he could pursue once out of the Army, but he was already onto another path.
• (17:27) BPN developed in some ways out of ignorance – and a blind commitment to making the business work. 
• • No self-imposed limitations.
  • No retreat from failure.
  • Learning by doing.
• (18:30) Entrepreneurship is a buzzword these days, something that sounds sexy and fun. But the reality, as Nick has learned year over year, is entirely different. It’s grueling!
• (20:48) BPN’s turning point came when Nick finally shut out all the noise, disregarded peer judgment and the self-consciousness that come with curated social media (YouTube, Insta). From that point on he disregarded haters. There was no going back to 2012, when he let judgment and fear knock him off his mission.

(23:30) Through the course of his military training, Nick acquired a new sense of competence and confidence that sharpened his focus. He learned that eliminating distraction was key to prevailing, whatever the task. He spent all the money he had on a new camera and that was it: His course was set.

• (25:09) Whenever he wasn’t on task for the Army, Nick was filming vlogs in his neon yellow tights: exercise, nutrition, recipes, workouts. And the platform started growing.
• (28:28) When people in his military unit finally got onto his YouTube channel and saw what he was doing, Nick was apprehensive. But – surprise! People had too much stuff of their own going on to sit around hating on his videos.
• (33:44) About light and dark: Nick explains his philosophy about pursuing the beacon, the positive, either being or following leaders with values, scruples, vision.
• (37:23) Nick reflects on the concept of balance and the ongoing challenge to bring intentionality to priorities and sacrifices. There are sprints and it’s up to you to communicate with loved ones and resist the temptation to overcommit. 
• (40:40) Deep Work: Nick is a huge advocate of putting the blinders on and turning off everything: chit chat, texting, emails, social media. Eliminating distraction ensures maximum productivity.
• (44:00) Going deep is what was required for Nick to build his brand. He couldn’t have done it – and created all the media buzz and product – without shutting out unnecessary distractions.
• (48:05) MORE QUICK HITS:
• • Morning Runs: Nick’s absolute favorite!
  • Saturday Morning Runs: Long, and even more of a favorite!
  • Consistency: The most powerful thing Nick has ever learned to master.
  • Motivation: Short-term, short-lived.
  • Perseverance: Essential to getting where you want to be.
  • Culture: It will make or break you.
  • The Bare Standard: A product that came to life based on all the things Nick believes in.
  • The “Go One More” Mindset: The entire year of 2017 was about “Go One More” as Nick broke through revenue targets to $1.7 million but had no cash flow and was constantly juggling to keep the bills on his wholly owned company paid.
• (55:06) Nick shares thoughts about the currency that is time – and how intentionality is key to generating the results you desire. Small talk is a wasted opportunity.
• (58:00) There’s being busy and there’s being productive. It’s all specific to individuals and their purposes – and being deliberate and setting expectations in all things.
• (1:01:38) There is tremendous power in having a consistent morning routine. Nick offers his best tips and tricks for creating a platform that sets the stage for the rest of his day:
• • Starts with coffee, and thoughts are already percolating.
  • Listens to an audiobook, just to further generate sparks.
  • Out running: The train of thought starts to flow immediately and Nick finds himself coming up with ideas for everything from go-to-market strategy to disruptive tactics designed to drive the business forward.
  • Nick’s #1 Action Item for jumpstarting your morning: Write your day backwards, laying out the milestones at every juncture mapping to your first hour of the day.
• (1:11:13) For Nick, morning is sacred because it’s what establishes and protects his routine – and that consistency is what undergirds everything going forward the rest of the day.
• (1:13:20) ONE MORE ROUND OF QUICK HITS:
• • Responsibility: Everybody has it.
  • Commitment: Not many people have it.
  • Ketchup: Goes on everything!
  • Eye contact: Lacking in this world.
  • Doing hard things: Doing them every day!
  • Failure: Expected.
  • Army Ranger School: Training and experience that were pivotal to Nick’s life.
  • Entrepreneurship: Nick’s biggest passion.
• (1:14:15) All about energy, which comes down to the entire mix and the atmosphere around you. Nick brings discernment to every scenario, looking at all the elements and choosing whether to invest his time there. It’s time you can’t get back.
• (1:17:00) The BPN ethic exudes positivity, energy and a self-reinforcing source of fuel that drives the whole team forward and towards new heights day after day. Nick searches out people and environments that fortify with optimism and avoids those that are an energy suck.
• (1:20:42) NICK RECOMMENDS THREE IMMEDIATE ACTION ITEMS:

1. Be consistent. Being disciplined doesn’t just mean making your bed or going to the gym. It means fulfilling your goals day after day after day.
2. Be responsible. Own that you have the choice as to what you do with your time.
3. Take stock of the people surrounding you. Are they making the kind of impact you want? Do they share your sense of intentionality?

• (1:23:30) WRAPPING UP: What does it really mean to “Go One More” and how does Nick embody it? It’s not just going one more mile or doing an extra rep at the gym or doing one more project. It’s an ethic that transfuses everything you do at every moment of your day, inspiring you to exceed whatever it is you think you can do. 

“Keep pushing the needle forward. Nothing stops me. Nothing is going to hold me back. There may be some speed bumps, but I’m going to find a way to get over, under, around or through any of those speed bumps or obstacles. That’s the mindset you have to have going into it.”

Further Contacts/Resources:

Bare Performance Nutrition: www.bpnsupps.com
BPN's Instagram: www.instagram.com/bpnsupps
Nick Bare: www.nickbare.com
Nick's Instagram: www.instagram.com/nickbarefitness