Fit For Life: How You do Anything…is How You do Everything…

Sunday, April 23, 2017

Matt Espeut, GoLocalWorcester Health +Lifestyle Contributor

The G.A.S. factor, is a term I came up with that separates the actions of the great from the mediocre. It will determine whether you excel at whatever it is you are doing, or if you will just go through the motions, and half ass things. It will automatically dictate whether you do things with passion and enthusiasm or just drag yourself through the mud to get something done. If you don’t have it, it is likely that what you are doing will be far from your best effort. As a matter of fact, if you don’t have it, what you are doing will be so unfulfilling that you won’t have any desire to put your best effort on the line. It's called the "give a s--t.” factor. But from this point on, I will refer to it as the G.A.S. factor, and I am here to tell you that without it, what you are doing is just another mundane task or chore.

Another saying I heard that holds true for many people is that “how you do anything, is how you do everything”, and from experience, this is a pretty accurate statement. Let’s go over some examples as to why the G.A.S. factor is so important to incorporate into your everyday tasks, and we will start with your health and fitness routine.

When you do not have the G.A.S. factor instilled in yourself, it makes it harder to be disciplined enough to really apply the effort needed to make a change in your life. It requires a lot of hard work as well as discipline to change things around and live a healthy lifestyle. I said lifestyle, because there is no quick fix here. Even if you had a goal that you reached, it takes constant commitment to maintain your health and physique. You need to watch what you eat ALL the time. Not just when you feel like dropping a few pounds. You need to shop for healthy food all the time, you need to prepare healthy meals all the time, you need to hit the gym all the time, you need to read labels, and prepare your meals all the time, you need to say no to eating garbage all the time.

And guess what? The people that G.A.S. - do it! These are the people that are always reading labels, aren’t afraid to spend money on their health and buy quality food, as well as make the commitment to train at the gym all the time. If you G.A.S, these tasks become second nature.

The ones that do not G.A.S about themselves or their health will still go to work unprepared, grab lunch at a drive thru most days, and find some excuse as to why they can’t get to the gym. These are the same people that keep telling themselves that they “can’t” get fit and healthy. I am saying that you can, if you G.A.S.

The next place you need it to excel is at work. Whether you care about your boss, your clients, or bettering yourself with higher salary or higher position, you will not achieve anything without the G.A.S factor. If you don’t care about who you work for, and despise the fact that you are working for a paycheck and someone with more authority is making more money than you, you have two choices. Either quit and open your own business and work for yourself, or you can start to G.A.S., lose the attitude, and take some pride in what you do, and do it to the best of your ability. Believe me, people can tell when someone has the G.A.S factor. When someone at a checkout register smiles, makes eye contact, bags your items with a hop in their step, and goes above and beyond to make sure you have a good experience, they are showing that they G.A.S., either about you, the job they are doing, and that they respect the people they work for.

On the contrary, when you get someone that is difficult, miserable, and unwilling to help you above the basic tasks of their job, it’s a good guess that they do not G.A.S. about you, your experience, or the person that signs the front of that check. They are only concerned about trading time for money, and the chances of them becoming anything more than mediocre is slim to none.

Look at athletes. When they G.A.S., they play to another level. When they don’t G.A.S., they stay average. I saw it my first year of coaching high school football. The first half we worked with G.A.S. and won most of our games. The second half, we didn’t, and lost most of the remainder. Its attitude that propels success. I always preach to first get your mind right, and your body will follow.

Being a business owner you need to have many G.A.S. factors instilled in you, or you will be sure to fail. First you need it about your clients or customers. If you don’t, they will sense it and leave you. You need to try and find ways to go above and beyond to make everyone happy. Even doing so you sometimes can’t please everyone, but if you don't do it, you won’t please anyone.
You also need to have it about your employees in order for them to return that way of working for you and your business. If they don’t G.A.S. about anything, their production will tell you so. When they have some pride in what they do, mistakes become more infrequent, and business moves along more smoothly.

It’s all about details, and the things that will make you stand out and be the best. This is the reason that Providence Fit Body Boot Camp is the best facility around. We G.A.S. about the small details like appearance, cleanliness, customer service, and most of all getting people results. I also have this attitude about making money, and that keeps me on point all the time. I am always marketing, writing emails, motivational columns, changing things around, and investing in my development, and I know deep down that is the only way I am going to succeed down the road, and prosper as a successful business person. I am already successful as a coach and trainer, now I am working on the business aspect of it all.

It all ties together with the saying “how you do anything is how you do everything. When you G.A.S. about what you are doing, regardless of how big or small, the outcome will always be better. If you are a leader, you will always lead, if you are a follower, you will always follow. If your house is a mess, so is your car, and probably your life. If you take pride in all facets of your life, you are most likely in a good place.

It doesn’t cost you any more time or effort. It isn’t going to inflict any pain. It isn’t going to do anything negative to you. In fact, you and your life will improve drastically once you start to G.A.S.

Matt Espeut, GoLocal's Health & Lifestyle Contributor has been a personal trainer and health & fitnesss consultant for over 25 years. He is the owner of Fitness Profiles, a one on one, and small group personal training company, as well as Providence Fit Body Boot Camp, located at 1284 North Main St., on the Providence/Pawtucket line. You can reach Matt at (401) 453-3200; on Facebook at "Matt Espeut", and on Twitter at @MattEspeut. "We’re all in this life together – let’s make it a healthy one

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