Hard Work Pays Off

Hard Work.

What does it mean to you? And how do you connect "hard work" to your goals and success rate at which you achieve those goals??

To me, everything is based upon hard work as the foundation. It is something I have prided myself on since my days as an athlete on the soccer field, and continue to carry it with me now every single day. One thing I have vowed to myself is to never be outworked. Someone may be more naturally gifted or talented than me, but I will never be outworked. Time and time again, holding myself accountable to this promise has paid off. Both as an athlete my entire life, and now as I am trying to make a name for myself in the fitness industry, hard work pays off. Period.

In January, I set a long list of goals for myself for the year of 2010. I can proudly say I have achieved almost every single one of them 8 months in to the year. There are two goals that I know will happen, if not by the end of this year, by the end of 2011. When I was writing that list I was dreaming big. I remember writing it thinking, "should I even put this on the list? Is that really achievable in such a short amount of time?" I told myself to go for it.What did I have to lose? The worst that could happen would be hearing a few no's.

The past 8 months I have been hustling. I have been working hard towards all those goals I set and finding a way to MAKE THEM HAPPEN. Given the first five months of the year I was still in school finishing by BS in Exercise Science. I then moved to LA so I could continue to chase my goals and my dream. I now have to manage having a full time job as well as running my own company, The EZ Whey LLC along with all my other fitness articles, publications, and projects on the side. Yes, it does get crazy at times. ( most of the time) Yes, I am a work-a-holic at times (most of the time)-- BUT it is worth every second of hard work. Knowing that I am going to get out of this what I put in. Knowing that if I am unsuccessful, I gave it my best shot. There would be no "maybe I should have tried harder " or regrets if I look back a few years down the road from now.

I have been honored these past couple months. FMI alumni and people that are very successful in the fitness industry are coming to ME for advice. Me? Little old me? I have gotten multiple emails, facebook messages, questions, etc, on how did you get all this to happen in such a short amount of time? Who is pulling strings for you? How do you just "make things happen". How do you get in magazines, get an agent, get sponsorships, get published nationally and internationally, have your own magazine columns, get endorsement deals, etc etc. There has to be a secret. Emily can you please tell me what I need to do?

This is crazy to me that people are asking ME. 10 months ago I was sitting in a chair at FMI listening to Clark Bartram speak. I was a girl who was there because I thad a dream of making it happen. I almost didn't go to the conference because I questioned whether I had what it takes. As I looked around the room I saw girls who my have been "prettier" than me. More "model like" etc. But I knew I had something inside of me that would help set me apart. A fire and passion for hard work. As he was talking, my mind was going 100 miles a minute trying to apply everything he was saying as well as write it all down to look back on. The one thing that Clark repeatedly said was " Make something out of nothing, and follow through". At the time, I had no idea what he meant. I thought, "how can this guy just magically make things happen?! "

But then I learned. I learned how to apply everything he was saying. To not be afraid to ask for what I want. Learned to make something out of nothing. Now my problem is I try to make something out of everything :)

Anyway, If I had advice for anyone who has asked me on how I "have got all these deals, features, etc etc in such little time"

1. Go to FMI and listen to Clark and APPLY everything he says. Don't just talk about it, BE ABOUT IT!

2. Hard Work! -- Bottom line.

3. Make SOMETHING out of NOTHING!

4. HUSTLE

How BAD DO YOU WANT IT?!

Without my work ethic or drive, none of this would be happening. Yes, at times it is hard to balance it all. I am honored to be nominated for the Fitness Talent of The Year along side Cover Girls Rachel Elizabeth and Chady Dunmore, as well as IFBB Pro Karen Mullarkey.

But I always say this " If you want something bad enough, you will make time for it. Anything you truly want to make happen, can happen"

EZ

What is most exciting, is that the best is yet to come.