What I want you to know about me is that I’ve always been a coach and teacher at heart. That I get so much joy from seeing other people do INCREDIBLE things.
What I don’t want you to know is that there are times I feel like I have to put on a front or a persona so people take me more “seriously”
What I want you to know about me is that a large part of my career was in the fitness industry and I am SO grateful for the coaching skills I cultivated in THAT arena that have transferred over into what I do now. Being able to recognize when people have more in the tank to give. That they aren’t “done” yet. The importance of community for success. The way to craft progressions while still maintaining variety. The importance of movement and health in seeing more success in all areas.
What I don’t want you to know is that when I was my absolute fittest… Abs for days, strong, lean, athletic…my life was struggling the most. Financially I was a wreck, my marriage was suffering, I wasn’t inspired OR inspiring others. And I hated that that was usually the first and/or only thing people knew about me…that I was really fit.
What I want you to know is that I’ve had the opportunity to work with some of the biggest businesses in the world…from Chickfila to Home Depot to Delta…all the way down to small offices and teams of only a handful of employees. Seeing examples of teams being led well and being led poorly.
What I don’t want you to know is that the overall corporate structure can feel stifling to me and while I LOVE great leaders, I am driven crazy by “management” and bureaucracy when I work in some corporate environments. That I can help an executive motivate and inspire their team or better communicate their vision and direction…but I couldn’t do what they do. That as much as I love a suit and tie(and I actually really do, haha) that I couldn’t do it day in and day out for 20 or 30 years like some have.
What I want you to know is that some of my favorite moments in my business is when I’m standing on a stage. My website is justinkierspeaks for a reason, haha. Whether it was my TEDx talk speaking directly to men on the dangers of isolation, or speaking to groups, companies, or teams on the power of intentional collaboration…it’s my greatest strength. You know how there are some things you know you are just BORN to do? For me, it’s speaking, whether from a physical OR virtual stage (although I obviously prefer physical) Inspiring, pushing, prodding, providing new ways of looking at your life or your team or your business.
What I don’t want you to know is that part of the reason I believe so strongly in the dangers of isolation is because it almost ruined my life. Me not reaching out or asking for help led to me getting a phone call saying our stuff was getting put on the lawn because we were being evicted. From not just me but my entire family(wife and 2 kids) sleeping in friends houses, or living with my parents, or the 6 months we spent in a one room extended stay hotel.
What I want you to know about me is that all those experiences are part of what make me the coach I am today. Providing steady leadership and space for insights for my clients. Putting things into perspective. Seeing options and points of view that were missed. That I am able to open their eyes to the calm in the midst of chaos and pull out the greatness THEY bring to situations.
What I don’t want you to know about me is that I still worry at times that I will mess everything up and drag my family back to the early days. That I will drop the ball. That I will be overwhelmed. That I won’t fully step into my OWN greatness. That my life is just a house of cards that will someday, out of the blue, come crashing down. That I won’t be enough.
But the final thing I want you to know is that deep down I know that won’t happen. Because my faith in the direction God is taking my life has never been more solid. Because He has provided me with a family that has been strengthened and forged by the trials we’ve come through. Because my mindset has shifted and I consistently reach out for coaching and mentoring and insight into my OWN life. Because I know I’m growing. Because I care too much about serving my clients. Because of YOU.
