December 11, 2024 • 31 mins
From a tumultuous past marred by addiction and despair, Trey Patterson has become a symbol of hope and transformation. Discover how a moment of clarity in a jail cell at just 16 years old, led him to embrace the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous, sparking a journey of recovery that has since inspired over 50,000 students. Trey's story is a testament to the power of vulnerability in overcoming life's most daunting challenges and serves as a guiding light for those walking similar paths.
We explore the profound role of vulnerability, especially amid the life-altering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Trey discusses the elements of uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure that define vulnerability, and how these shaped decisions and personal growth. Trey shares his journey of penning "The Sustained Fitness Transformation," highlighting the transition from personal struggles to fostering sustainable, healthy changes in life. This episode promises to illuminate how vulnerability can be a powerful catalyst for achieving our deepest aspirations.
The episode also delves into the intricate relationship between vulnerability and leadership. From battling body dysmorphia to navigating the pressures of social media, we uncover how sharing personal insecurities can build trust and connection. Trey shares insights from his experiences and those of others, like bodybuilder Phil Heath, underscoring the importance of vulnerability in leadership roles. Whether you're leading a team or striving for personal growth, this conversation emphasizes the transformative effects of open, honest dialogue in fostering a supportive environment for change.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Carol Park (00:02):
Hi everyone and welcome to the Courage Unmasked
podcast.
I'm your host, carol Park, andI'm so excited about this
adventure, as we unmask couragethrough the lens and practice of
vulnerability.
First, a little bit about me.
I'm a licensed professionalcounselor, a registered and
licensed dietitian and acertified eating disorder
specialist.
(00:23):
I'm also trained in BreneBrown's work, which has honestly
been a tremendous source oflife change for me.
Another fun fact is that I aman entrepreneur and co-founded a
HIPAA compliant telehealthplatform for mental health
providers.
I know you'll learn more aboutme as time goes on, but I did
want to say that part of ourvision for the Courage Unmasked
(00:44):
podcast is that we really wantto build and support a community
of culture-first leaders thatcan tell a story of
vulnerability which we believe,in turn unmasks true courage,
which again, then, in turn,builds better work cultures and
inspires personal growth anddevelopment, turn builds better
(01:06):
work cultures and inspirespersonal growth and development.
So, with that being said, let'smeet today's guest.
Okay, so we'd like to welcomeTrey Patterson to the Courage
Unmasked podcast.
Trey, thanks so much for beingwith us today.
Trey Patterson (01:18):
I'm so excited to be here.
Thanks for having me.
Carol Park (01:20):
Well, we're excited to have you.
So we're going to start withthe proverbial kind of
icebreaker which, side note, Idon't really like these at
parties and things but I thinkit's just going to be kind of
like start into the flow, get toknow you just a little bit
before we dive in.
So I want to do top five.
Top five favorites.
So what's your favorite book ormovie?
Trey Patterson (01:42):
So what's your favorite book or movie?
Favorite book, I love JamesClear Atomic Habits and my
favorite movie is Hands DownGladiator, which I'm excited
because they just releasedanother Gladiator this.
I think it's actually beingreleased tomorrow, so I'm
excited about that.
I'm going to go check it out.
Carol Park (01:59):
Yeah, nice, nice, okay, so favorite beverage.
Trey Patterson (02:04):
Favorite beverage.
I'm a tea guy.
I drink a lot of tea.
I cut coffee while back I'm a.
I'm a tea guy now.
Carol Park (02:11):
Okay, Good deal.
And then food, favorite foodfavorite food.
Trey Patterson (02:15):
Uh, I'm going to put aside my trainer cap for a
second, not admit that I'm apersonal trainer and a
nutritionist.
I'm a pizza guy.
I love pizza.
Carol Park (02:23):
Pizza.
Hey, pizza's got all the foodcategories, so you're good there
.
Trey Patterson (02:28):
Right.
Carol Park (02:29):
How about favorite hobby?
Trey Patterson (02:31):
Favorite hobby.
It seems pretty obvious to sayexercise, but I do love cycling.
Cycling is probably my favoritepastime activity within fitness
.
Carol Park (02:42):
I'll put it like that yeah, nice, nice, and then
finally favorite place.
Trey Patterson (02:47):
Favorite place, Mackinac Island in Michigan.
Have you ever been there?
Carol Park (02:51):
No, but I'm going.
My sister's 60th birthday isthis year and that's on the list
to go, so okay, you have tocheck it out later and you'll
have to tell me more, since it'syour favorite place.
Trey Patterson (03:04):
So I've been there probably 20, 30 times.
I'm the guy to talk to if youwant some advice, oh absolutely,
we will definitely post podcast, have this conversation.
Carol Park (03:15):
Well, again, we're so excited to have you on this
morning.
So tell, tell us, telleverybody a little bit about
yourself and kind of yourjourney into leadership.
Trey Patterson (03:26):
Yeah, absolutely so.
Going back a few years, in myteenage years I had a little bit
of a troubled past andstruggled with drug addiction,
depression, suicide and so,having all these struggles, at a
young age I had a rock bottomexperience in a jail cell and
(03:52):
was committed to changing mylife and I realized at this
point in my life the trajectoryof my life wasn't looking good,
had to make some dramaticchanges and during this time I
went through the 12 steps of AA,um, and to answer your question
, yes, I was the youngest personin every AA meeting I ever went
to.
I was only 16 at the time anduh and part of it too is I was
(04:12):
court ordered to go to thesealcoholics alcoholics, anonymous
meetings and um.
And so I had a big come toJesus moment when I was 16, got
really active in church, gotpulled away from the wrong
environment, spent during thistime.
I spent nine months in amilitary bootcamp school.
(04:33):
I'd been expelled from myprevious school.
So I had a little bit of atroubled past and when I made
that transition, getting out ofthat lifestyle, my biggest goal
was just to impact people.
I wanted to lead the generation.
I wanted to be the Superman forthe generation and help
troubled teenagers that werestruggling with my previous
(04:54):
addictions.
And during this time I gotintroduced to an individual that
had her own drug awarenessorganization and I had a few
conversations with her.
She saw how passionate andcharismatic I was and offered me
a platform to speak within thisorganization.
And so, from the time I was 18to 24 years old, I've spoken in
(05:17):
front of over 50,000 students inDFW, traveling from high
schools to middle schools, justsharing about my story, how I
came out of my addiction, how Icame out of, um, my suicide, uh,
suicidal thoughts, depression,and how I was able to overcome
and get out of all that.
And so, um, then, as the yearswent by, uh, graduated college,
(05:40):
got a degree in communications.
Um, I still I still jokinglytell everybody to this day that
you know, as a communicationsmajor, this is, you know, you
might find it funny as acommunications major, you don't
really learn a lot except forhow to talk.
And so I always say you know, Idon't really learn any specific
trade, but I can BS my way intoany job, so I'm really good at
(06:01):
communicating.
So that's kind of the runningjoke with communication majors.
So went to college learned howto communicate very well.
And then from there, I kind ofwas at this crossroad, didn't
really know what fitness bug,was super passionate about
(06:23):
fitness and uh, I was, uh,working out at a gym and there
was this guy that I reallylooked up to incredible physique
, um, he was a publicizedfitness model and um, and he
just said, trey, you know what?
You're very charismatic, you'vegot great personality, you
would make an amazing groupinstructor.
And how, how would you like itIf you became certified?
(06:43):
I'll hire you to be a groupinstructor for um, for my, uh,
my classes.
And I said, absolutely.
So that was my first job as atrainer.
And then, within six months, Ijust decided to apply for um,
orange theory fitness I'm notsure if you're familiar with
them.
So orange theory fitness, bigchain, um, and I applied for a
job there.
I honestly I felt like you know, when you first start something
(07:06):
, you don't really feelqualified for it and it's almost
like imposter syndrome.
I'm walking in to this.
You know, auditioning for arole that I knew it was like.
It was a very competitiveposition, a lot of people were
applying for that job.
I was one of four people to goand audition and long story
short, I got the job and I spentthe next five years working in
Orange Theory Fitness and I wasat that point I was instructing,
(07:30):
coaching over 500 people on aweekly basis.
So I was doing 30 classes aweek on average about 18, 20
people per class, and I did thatover the course of five years,
so I'd coached man, I think6,500 classes by the time I
exited after the five years, umand uh, and so every every week,
like it was just I, I got totake my motivational speaker and
(07:52):
put it into fitness and I would, I would you know, conduct
speeches in front of the classand my whole goal was to empower
and encourage all the peoplethat were in the class and to
push them past what they thinktheir limitations are.
And then, from there, I was onmy way of transitioning out of
Orange Theory when I actuallyapplied for a position at
(08:13):
another boutique gym doing groupclasses and I thought at this
time this is going to be great,it's going to be awesome.
And then COVID hit and I was inthe middle of a job transition.
Going to be awesome.
And then COVID hit and I was inthe middle of a job transition.
Here I am at um.
You know I didn't have a lot ofsavings in my account.
You know I was.
I was, you know, as a fitnesscoach.
I mean just being transparent,you don't make a lot of money,
(08:34):
so I didn't have a lot offinancial saved.
Um, I was definitely struck witha uh, just a reality check of
getting my finances in order andfor the first three months of
COVID, I just started offering.
I started inboxing everybody.
I knew like, hey, would youlike to do personal training
with me?
Basically, just come support atrainer.
I need food on my table.
(08:56):
Started selling some very cheaponline workouts and then, after
the first three months, I willsay it was very challenging but
it was very rewarding in termsof growth.
It was probably my biggestgrowing experience where I had
to really investigate how to youknow how to form good financial
habits.
(09:16):
You know I invested it.
You know I started investing indifferent stocks and learn more
about, like, the financialaspects of life.
You know, when you're workingfor someone else and you're
getting a paycheck every week,like you don't really you're not
really, and especially as youngas you are, when you're in your
twenties, you don't reallythink into the future and you
know your 401k and what'sretirement look like.
And all this stuff became areality check for me when I got
(09:39):
put into that position whereit's like, wow, like I need to
get bread on my table to surviveand so, uh, but anyways, that
was actually the beginning of meforming my own business.
So I became a full-time personaltrainer.
To this day, I'm still afull-time personal trainer, um,
and now I also I do groupclasses as well.
Um, I'm partner with um Addison, uh, with um Addison, texas.
(10:02):
Um, I've got a permit with themwhere I do offer group classes
outside and I do personaltraining as well.
I became certified as a healthand wellness coach and I wrote
my first book and it's going tobe the first of many.
So that's where I'm at today.
So I am a full-time businessowner, work for myself,
self-employed, and have my owntraining business and I'm an
(10:23):
author and I do a little bit ofspeaking on the side as well.
Carol Park (10:26):
Fantastic, so many leadership roles.
And even as you were talking Iwas thinking, oh so true, covid
was such the just vulnerabilitycome in and for everybody.
You know, uncertainty, risk,emotional exposure is how Brene
Brown defines vulnerability.
(10:48):
And so for you it's like, oh,the group classes at the gym we
all remember it's like shut downand then, as you said, it's
like, oh gosh, I got to putbread on my table and I didn't
write my finances in order iswhat you said.
So that vulnerability that wasjust catapulted onto all of us
then, you know, kind of droveyou to figure some things out
(11:12):
and sounds like too opened up alot of gateways for you.
So the kind of not necessarilywanted, but catapult, you know,
it just kind of came out ofnowhere, where that
vulnerability kind of pushed youinto that.
So so I do want to hear a littlemore about your book, because
(11:35):
if I think again that definitionvulnerability, uncertainty,
risk and emotional exposure Imean publishing a book is going
to have lots of uncertainty andrisk and then certainly
potential for lots of emotionalexposure.
So tell us just a little bitabout your book that you
published.
Trey Patterson (11:55):
Yeah, you know, it's funny you mentioned the
word vulnerability because youknow, like I jokingly say like
I'm an open book and I'vewritten books.
So everything that about mybaggage, all the things that I
struggled with in my past, myteenage years, even just
struggles I had as a fitnesscoach, I used to compete in
bodybuilding as well Um, andthere was a lot of like mental
(12:15):
struggles, body dysmorphia thatI developed through those years
of competing and and this is allstuff that I lay out in my book
.
So you know, I jokingly say,but also at the same time, I'm
serious, I'm an open book.
You know all all theinformation about, you know the
struggles that I used to have.
It's all in my book.
I exposed it to the world and,um, and so, yeah, yeah, what's
(12:35):
the title of your?
book.
So the title of the book is thesustained fitness
transformation.
So one thing I will say is Iactually I've never even thought
about writing a book.
And you know, funny, duringCOVID I got really big into
reading.
I was just really hungry forgrowth.
It was a time in my life, likeI said at the beginning of COVID
(12:57):
, where I developed a growthmindset and I really was hungry
to learn about financials.
I was hungry to learn about howto grow in leadership, how to
run your own company, and so theSustained Fitness
Transformation.
I started reading a lot of booksand at the time I just wanted
to be the best steward of theposition that I was given, and
(13:17):
my position was being a personaltrainer and leading my team and
leading the people that arecoming out to my group classes
all my personal training clientsas well.
And so I started reading a lotof books and, honestly, I had no
intention of writing a book.
And then, after I was readingall these books, like there was
a lot of books that just kind ofgave.
Like a lot of the authors gavetheir opinion on what actions
(13:39):
you should take to be successful, but none of these books talked
about what systems to create inorder to produce change.
And so I kind of tie within mybook.
I tie my past and how I cameout of a drug addiction mindset
to someone who's free um, whocame out of that addiction Um,
and I tie um a lot of.
I talk a lot about identity andunderstanding your identity.
(14:00):
Um, that the um, the like.
For example, the outcome of thehighest achievement is an
identity change.
So I talk about, like, ifyou're trying to create
sustainable change in yourfitness journey, don't seek to
get into the habit of running,but seek to become a runner,
because if you start to seeyourself as something like
identity, behavior theorysuggests that if you see
(14:21):
yourself as something, you'remore likely to continue in the
actions that reflect your shapedidentity, to continue in the
actions that reflect your shapedidentity.
So I started talking aboutwithin the book how to create
systems to produce change ratherthan just here's the
information on how to getresults.
Like we all know, we shouldavoid fast food, drink a lot of
water.
But I also talk about how toform new habits.
(14:42):
I talk about how to shift youridentity, how to develop the
proper mindsets to produce thatsuccess.
Carol Park (14:50):
You know, it's so interesting because you said
you're an open book and eventalking about your past and at
16, when you had that rockbottom moment and made the
decision that you were going tochange and that life was going
to change, and then you movedinto that.
I want to help others change.
(15:11):
You know, I think sometimespeople don't understand that
even moving from and I'm goingto use this term a jail cell to
success is vulnerable.
You know, we think that because, again, it's uncertainty.
What you knew was things ofyour past at that time and those
(15:33):
were that's, that's what youknew, so that was certain.
So to move to the uncertainty ofsuccess and the risk of do I
put myself out there?
I mean, again, we think thatit's like vulnerability is
always going to.
You know, this is what it iswhat you wanted, but we think of
(15:55):
it as well.
Of course you want it.
So that's not vulnerable.
But the truth is, moving fromwhat you're familiar was which
let's just call it that troublepast, the addiction to success
at that point was actually veryvulnerable.
Past, the addiction to successat that point was actually very
vulnerable.
But I like what Brene says too,that vulnerability is actually
the gateway to the things thatwe want more of in life.
Trey Patterson (16:19):
Absolutely.
Carol Park (16:20):
Yeah, and so you moved into that vulnerability of
getting clean and sober andwhatever all of that entails.
So that's really that's amazing.
So, as we're talking aboutvulnerability, has there ever
been a time you, as a trainer ora coach or a mentor, that and
(16:42):
you said you shared some of this?
Is there a specific examplethat you would want to share of
when you were vulnerable, likewith a client, that then led
them to inspire them to changeor to growth?
Trey Patterson (16:59):
Yeah, I think within fitness, you know,
there's a lot, even within mybook, that I talked about with
my struggles with bodydysmorphia, um, struggles that I
had with with poor eatingpatterns, and you know it's it's
when sometimes it almost feelslike, in a weird sort of way,
like when clients come to methey're very reserved, they
don't want to share, cause, atthe end of the day, like it's
(17:19):
not easy to be vulnerable, it'snot easy to share, like I have
an eating disorder, it's noteasy to share that and sometimes
it takes, it takes a long timesometimes to build that trust as
well.
Yeah, um, and so it's what Ifind as a leader when I am
training clients, that when Iopen up and share about my
struggles, it makes themcomfortable because they realize
(17:41):
, okay, like it makes merelatable.
They look at me and say youknow cause, sometimes I think,
as a leader like you, you wantto present yourself as like
you're on this throne, you'restrong, you're mighty, you're
grand, you're great.
But when you actually open upand share, like, hey, I've got
these struggles too and I evenstill struggle with some of
these struggles Um, I thinkthat's when, um, they become
(18:02):
much more inclined to becomevulnerable with you and open up
to you and share about theirstruggles.
And I've seen that over andover again when I talk about
like hey, listen, it's normal tostruggle with eating patterns.
It's normal to struggle,especially in today's day and
age.
You know, I keep going back tobody dysmorphia and that's
something I struggle with and itseems like almost the majority
of my clients struggle with that.
You know, we have all thesefilters today that alter
(18:22):
appearance, and one thing I evensay in my book is and not
trying to make any socialargument against filters but
filters make the world see abetter version of you quote
unquote but it makes you see aflawed version of you.
And so when you open up andshare about your own
insecurities and you share aboutyour own struggles with body
(18:43):
dysmorphia or whatever it is, itmakes them much more inclined
to talk about.
You know what you're right I doget triggered when I'm on
social media because I'm so, youknow, I'm so busy comparing
myself to others' looks andlives and it's not realistic.
So I've seen, I've seen it overand over where, just when you
express that vulnerability withthem, it makes them much more
(19:04):
inclined to open up and sharewith you.
Carol Park (19:07):
Absolutely.
I think that is one of the keysin leadership.
You know we want to see inother people vulnerability but
we're scared to, so we're scaredto share it ourselves.
But really in leadership, I dothink, as we can open up and
share our humanity and so thecommon humanity trust is a word
(19:27):
you just used, and I absolutelyagree that can help build trust
which creates safety within therelational dynamics, so then
they can feel safe to open upand now you have connection, and
with connection I mean there'sso much opportunity for growth
and change.
(19:49):
And so, yeah, what an incredibleexample which, just as an aside
, I don't know if you know thisabout me or not.
I said it in the intro, but Ihave actually worked with eating
disorders for 40 plus years atthis point, and I'm so grateful
that you, as a male, can sharethat.
(20:09):
You have this struggle becauseeverybody believes that it's
just, it just affects women, youknow, but it doesn't.
It really doesn't.
And, as you touch on thedifferent aspects of what social
media does and all of that,it's really hard.
So so, to find people who arewilling to be open, to share and
(20:30):
find that common humanity andbuild trust, it really does help
all of us.
So thank you for sharing that.
Trey Patterson (20:38):
Yeah, absolutely .
You know.
There's actually something elsethat just came to mind and it's
something that for the longesttime, I think, I was in denial
that I actually had this issue.
And it's funny because we'retalking about leadership, we're
talking about vulnerability, anda few years back when I say a
few years back, it's probablyabout seven, eight years ago
there was a guy named Phil Heath.
I don't know if you know likemuch about the bodybuilding
(20:58):
scene, but he's like a seventime Mr Olympia and he openly
came out and talked about likehow he had body dysmorphia and
an eating disorder.
And so it's interesting becausehe opened up and you just think
like here's this guy, he's atthe top of the bodybuilding
circuit and it's crazy becauseit honestly it convicted me.
(21:18):
I was like you know what I mean.
Everything he's talking about Ican relate to.
This is a struggle of mine aswell.
And so you talk aboutleadership, actually opening it
up and being vulnerable withyour audience, when you're
supposed to be the poster childof health, you're supposed to be
the poster child ofbodybuilding, and here you are
talking about your struggles,and it allowed me to even open
(21:39):
up and say you know what I get,that that makes sense.
Carol Park (21:42):
Wow, yeah, again, it's that I think of him at the
top Uncertainty, risk.
Do I open this up and it blowseverything, and then I'm just
devastated and whatever.
And yet it's like look what itdid your life and then, and then
it's like it just trickles down, you know, and then as humans,
we feel seen, and then it allowsfor our own personal growth and
(22:07):
change, or in teams, you knowtoo.
So, wow, what an example.
You know.
I was going to ask you hasthere ever been a client who was
vulnerable that inspired you?
But in this case, it wasanother leader that inspired you
by opening up, which, I think,is how vulnerability really
works.
So, but is there like, have youever worked with a client and
(22:31):
they were vulnerable, perhapsfirst, or whatever that allowed
you then to grow or seesomething differently?
Trey Patterson (22:41):
Yeah, absolutely , I think you know there's.
I think more so when I thinkabout when I was my years of
being a motivational speaker,getting to work directly with
teens that had those depressionsand struggles.
You know there was.
You know, like we had a bigsupport group, you know.
So we're always sharing thingswith each other and sometimes
you don't even realize that itis the struggle, that it is,
(23:05):
until someone else opens up andshares what their struggle is.
And then all of a sudden itmakes sense to you, like in the
same, in the same way that, likewhen Phil Heath opened up and
talked about his struggle withbody dysmorphia and even eating
disorder.
You know, mind you, this guy'sa monster, he's huge, you know,
and like you just think, likethis guy had eating disorder,
but it's, it's interesting thatit's it's.
(23:25):
You know, when you're in thattype of support group and people
are sharing about theirstruggles, and all of a sudden
it resonates with you and yourealize, wow, I've got that same
struggle.
So it 100% works both ways.
Carol Park (23:37):
Yeah, yeah, that's.
That's incredible, you know, aswe're talking about even kind
of social media and the fitnessindustry, and you know how that
can actually.
Sometimes it could lead topeople becoming less, say, like
(23:58):
mentally healthy, instead ofmore you know.
Focus on that because we'resuch a society.
I think that so for you, how doyou feel like vulnerability and
leadership may impact?
The fitness industry to be moreholistic in nature and perhaps
(24:25):
not just focused on how the bodymay look in the external image.
You've touched on it already.
The story is amazing and I'm sograteful that you've had the
courage to come on and to shareit and write your book and that
you're going to continue to justput it out there.
But how do you think some ofthis may, the vulnerability, may
(24:47):
impact the fitness industry toperhaps become more holistic in
nature mental health, emotionalhealth, not just the physical.
Trey Patterson (24:58):
Yeah, I, I, um, trying to trying to think.
So, you know, I, I let me letme kind of point the finger at
myself on this one.
So, you know, my mindsetchanged through the years, you
know, when I started realizingand starting to see the
vulnerability and seeing thestruggles of people that were in
the fitness space and talkingabout, especially a lot of
(25:19):
competitors like, as someone whois a bodybuilding competitor,
um, and all the you know, andI've even trained a lot of other
competitors a lot of thesecompetitors they've got a body
dysmorphia.
I mean, I'd probably say amajority of people competing
there's, there is a bodydysmorphia behind that, you know
, to take their body to thatextreme.
And so I think that, as more andmore people are starting to
(25:39):
realize and I'm by no meansbashing bodybuilding,
bodybuilding- is great, I thinkthere's a lot of people that you
know there's a lot of peoplethat that it's it's a great
thing for them in a lot of ways,like I loved it because it was
something that really pushed meinto stricter discipline, eating
healthy, um, and helped me toform good habits, um, but uh,
(26:01):
I'll put it like this, like whenI started getting out of that
and started developing my ownhealth issues and then hearing
other people that werevulnerable about their struggles
, in that it kind of pushed meinto more of a health and
wellness space and that's why Ibecame certified as a health and
wellness coach.
And I think that for a lot ofpeople, especially in fitness,
fitness, like, when you thinkabout fitness, you mainly think
(26:21):
about like you want to look good, you're trying to, you know,
accomplish something great,whether it's on a marathon, and
so you have these great goalsand that's all awesome, um, but
in a lot of ways, there is a lotof to take your body to the
extreme from a bodybuildingperspective.
There's a lot of unhealthyelements involved in that, and
so I think, as more and morepeople open up about their
(26:41):
struggles and and and whatthey're going through and their
body dysmorphia, eatingdisorders, whatever it is, um,
that's more people are kind ofshifting into more of a health
mindset and realizing, like man,I'm actually hurting myself by
taking my trying to take my bodyto this extreme.
So I think that it's more, notso much like within the whole
(27:02):
fitness industry that there's ashift, but it's in the
individual that, uh, thatvulnerability is really shifting
them into more of a healthspace rather than, you know,
physique and fitness andbodybuilding space, if that
makes sense.
Carol Park (27:17):
Yeah, that makes so much sense, I think, for me.
A lot of times I will refer toour bodies as our earth suits.
You know that this is thevehicle that I've been given to
live out my passion, my purpose.
You know my goals, and so yousaid being the steward and that
you know you've got so manydifferent areas that you're
(27:39):
passionate.
But but really, is there a foryou?
Is there a primary message orgoal that you find yourself
speaking or wanting to kind ofpromote as you do the work that
you do, and maybe you don't, butso one thing I'll say is you
(28:03):
know, someone listening to thismight, you know, might think to
themselves like I'm not a leader.
Trey Patterson (28:07):
They hear all this talk about leadership,
being a leader, being vulnerable, and they might think to
themselves that I'm not a leaderbecause, well, I'm not a
manager for company, I don'thave my own business, I don't
really have a lot of people thatlook up to me.
But the reality is and this issomething I even mentioned in my
book is that everyone is aleader because everyone leads
(28:28):
someone.
So, whether you know it or not,there's someone that looks up
to you.
It could be your daughter, itcould be your son, it could be
(28:48):
your son, it could be yoursister, it could be your brother
, it could be someone in yournetwork that looks up to you.
So everyone is a leader and theessence of much more substantial
impact on those few thansomeone that like, for example,
for myself, that could be on astage speaking in front of
several thousand people, and soand that's one thing I will say
that I actually had to learn thehard way.
It was very humbling when I,you know, left my position with
Orange Theories.
(29:08):
You know, coaching 500 peopleon a weekly basis, feeling like
I'm making this incredibleimpact to only coaching a few
people on a weekly basis when Ifirst started, and it made me
realize that you know what, Ican make a much grander impact
on those 20 people that I'mcoaching today than those 500
people that I didn't really evenhave that much of a
relationship with.
(29:29):
So I think, at the end of theday, most important thing is to
remember that everybody is aleader, because everyone leads
someone and you can have a veryprofound impact on those few
people that you lead.
Carol Park (29:41):
Wow, Trey, that's yes Exclamation point to that
Beautiful and just again, sograteful that you were willing
to come on to the podcast todayto be vulnerable in sharing your
story, and I'm glad you knowthat you're open book if you
(30:04):
will, that you're willing to bevulnerable and share, and that
you wrote a book that is openfor people to read, and I just
thank you so much.
You're a leader, you're anencourager, you inspire those
who you work with and then ittrickles down right and so just
pass that on and so that's partof the goal in the podcast and,
(30:28):
yes, your vulnerability, yourwillingness to come on, so
grateful.
Trey Patterson (30:32):
Carol, thank you so much for having me.
I appreciate it.
Hi everyone and welcome to the Courage Unmasked
podcast.
I'm your host, carol Park, andI'm so excited about this
adventure, as we unmask couragethrough the lens and practice of
vulnerability.
First, a little bit about me.
I'm a licensed professionalcounselor, a registered and
licensed dietitian and acertified eating disorder
specialist.
(00:23):
I'm also trained in BreneBrown's work, which has honestly
been a tremendous source oflife change for me.
Another fun fact is that I aman entrepreneur and co-founded a
HIPAA compliant telehealthplatform for mental health
providers.
I know you'll learn more aboutme as time goes on, but I did
want to say that part of ourvision for the Courage Unmasked
(00:44):
podcast is that we really wantto build and support a community
of culture-first leaders thatcan tell a story of
vulnerability which we believe,in turn unmasks true courage,
which again, then, in turn,builds better work cultures and
inspires personal growth anddevelopment, turn builds better
(01:06):
work cultures and inspirespersonal growth and development.
So, with that being said, let'smeet today's guest.
Okay, so we'd like to welcomeTrey Patterson to the Courage
Unmasked podcast.
Trey, thanks so much for beingwith us today.
Trey Patterson (01:18):
I'm so excited to be here.
Thanks for having me.
Carol Park (01:20):
Well, we're excited to have you.
So we're going to start withthe proverbial kind of
icebreaker which, side note, Idon't really like these at
parties and things but I thinkit's just going to be kind of
like start into the flow, get toknow you just a little bit
before we dive in.
So I want to do top five.
Top five favorites.
So what's your favorite book ormovie?
Trey Patterson (01:42):
So what's your favorite book or movie?
Favorite book, I love JamesClear Atomic Habits and my
favorite movie is Hands DownGladiator, which I'm excited
because they just releasedanother Gladiator this.
I think it's actually beingreleased tomorrow, so I'm
excited about that.
I'm going to go check it out.
Carol Park (01:59):
Yeah, nice, nice, okay, so favorite beverage.
Trey Patterson (02:04):
Favorite beverage.
I'm a tea guy.
I drink a lot of tea.
I cut coffee while back I'm a.
I'm a tea guy now.
Carol Park (02:11):
Okay, Good deal.
And then food, favorite foodfavorite food.
Trey Patterson (02:15):
Uh, I'm going to put aside my trainer cap for a
second, not admit that I'm apersonal trainer and a
nutritionist.
I'm a pizza guy.
I love pizza.
Carol Park (02:23):
Pizza.
Hey, pizza's got all the foodcategories, so you're good there
.
Trey Patterson (02:28):
Right.
Carol Park (02:29):
How about favorite hobby?
Trey Patterson (02:31):
Favorite hobby.
It seems pretty obvious to sayexercise, but I do love cycling.
Cycling is probably my favoritepastime activity within fitness
.
Carol Park (02:42):
I'll put it like that yeah, nice, nice, and then
finally favorite place.
Trey Patterson (02:47):
Favorite place, Mackinac Island in Michigan.
Have you ever been there?
Carol Park (02:51):
No, but I'm going.
My sister's 60th birthday isthis year and that's on the list
to go, so okay, you have tocheck it out later and you'll
have to tell me more, since it'syour favorite place.
Trey Patterson (03:04):
So I've been there probably 20, 30 times.
I'm the guy to talk to if youwant some advice, oh absolutely,
we will definitely post podcast, have this conversation.
Carol Park (03:15):
Well, again, we're so excited to have you on this
morning.
So tell, tell us, telleverybody a little bit about
yourself and kind of yourjourney into leadership.
Trey Patterson (03:26):
Yeah, absolutely so.
Going back a few years, in myteenage years I had a little bit
of a troubled past andstruggled with drug addiction,
depression, suicide and so,having all these struggles, at a
young age I had a rock bottomexperience in a jail cell and
(03:52):
was committed to changing mylife and I realized at this
point in my life the trajectoryof my life wasn't looking good,
had to make some dramaticchanges and during this time I
went through the 12 steps of AA,um, and to answer your question
, yes, I was the youngest personin every AA meeting I ever went
to.
I was only 16 at the time anduh and part of it too is I was
(04:12):
court ordered to go to thesealcoholics alcoholics, anonymous
meetings and um.
And so I had a big come toJesus moment when I was 16, got
really active in church, gotpulled away from the wrong
environment, spent during thistime.
I spent nine months in amilitary bootcamp school.
(04:33):
I'd been expelled from myprevious school.
So I had a little bit of atroubled past and when I made
that transition, getting out ofthat lifestyle, my biggest goal
was just to impact people.
I wanted to lead the generation.
I wanted to be the Superman forthe generation and help
troubled teenagers that werestruggling with my previous
(04:54):
addictions.
And during this time I gotintroduced to an individual that
had her own drug awarenessorganization and I had a few
conversations with her.
She saw how passionate andcharismatic I was and offered me
a platform to speak within thisorganization.
And so, from the time I was 18to 24 years old, I've spoken in
(05:17):
front of over 50,000 students inDFW, traveling from high
schools to middle schools, justsharing about my story, how I
came out of my addiction, how Icame out of, um, my suicide, uh,
suicidal thoughts, depression,and how I was able to overcome
and get out of all that.
And so, um, then, as the yearswent by, uh, graduated college,
(05:40):
got a degree in communications.
Um, I still I still jokinglytell everybody to this day that
you know, as a communicationsmajor, this is, you know, you
might find it funny as acommunications major, you don't
really learn a lot except forhow to talk.
And so I always say you know, Idon't really learn any specific
trade, but I can BS my way intoany job, so I'm really good at
(06:01):
communicating.
So that's kind of the runningjoke with communication majors.
So went to college learned howto communicate very well.
And then from there, I kind ofwas at this crossroad, didn't
really know what fitness bug,was super passionate about
(06:23):
fitness and uh, I was, uh,working out at a gym and there
was this guy that I reallylooked up to incredible physique
, um, he was a publicizedfitness model and um, and he
just said, trey, you know what?
You're very charismatic, you'vegot great personality, you
would make an amazing groupinstructor.
And how, how would you like itIf you became certified?
(06:43):
I'll hire you to be a groupinstructor for um, for my, uh,
my classes.
And I said, absolutely.
So that was my first job as atrainer.
And then, within six months, Ijust decided to apply for um,
orange theory fitness I'm notsure if you're familiar with
them.
So orange theory fitness, bigchain, um, and I applied for a
job there.
I honestly I felt like you know, when you first start something
(07:06):
, you don't really feelqualified for it and it's almost
like imposter syndrome.
I'm walking in to this.
You know, auditioning for arole that I knew it was like.
It was a very competitiveposition, a lot of people were
applying for that job.
I was one of four people to goand audition and long story
short, I got the job and I spentthe next five years working in
Orange Theory Fitness and I wasat that point I was instructing,
(07:30):
coaching over 500 people on aweekly basis.
So I was doing 30 classes aweek on average about 18, 20
people per class, and I did thatover the course of five years,
so I'd coached man, I think6,500 classes by the time I
exited after the five years, umand uh, and so every every week,
like it was just I, I got totake my motivational speaker and
(07:52):
put it into fitness and I would, I would you know, conduct
speeches in front of the classand my whole goal was to empower
and encourage all the peoplethat were in the class and to
push them past what they thinktheir limitations are.
And then, from there, I was onmy way of transitioning out of
Orange Theory when I actuallyapplied for a position at
(08:13):
another boutique gym doing groupclasses and I thought at this
time this is going to be great,it's going to be awesome.
And then COVID hit and I was inthe middle of a job transition.
Going to be awesome.
And then COVID hit and I was inthe middle of a job transition.
Here I am at um.
You know I didn't have a lot ofsavings in my account.
You know I was.
I was, you know, as a fitnesscoach.
I mean just being transparent,you don't make a lot of money,
(08:34):
so I didn't have a lot offinancial saved.
Um, I was definitely struck witha uh, just a reality check of
getting my finances in order andfor the first three months of
COVID, I just started offering.
I started inboxing everybody.
I knew like, hey, would youlike to do personal training
with me?
Basically, just come support atrainer.
I need food on my table.
(08:56):
Started selling some very cheaponline workouts and then, after
the first three months, I willsay it was very challenging but
it was very rewarding in termsof growth.
It was probably my biggestgrowing experience where I had
to really investigate how to youknow how to form good financial
habits.
(09:16):
You know I invested it.
You know I started investing indifferent stocks and learn more
about, like, the financialaspects of life.
You know, when you're workingfor someone else and you're
getting a paycheck every week,like you don't really you're not
really, and especially as youngas you are, when you're in your
twenties, you don't reallythink into the future and you
know your 401k and what'sretirement look like.
And all this stuff became areality check for me when I got
(09:39):
put into that position whereit's like, wow, like I need to
get bread on my table to surviveand so, uh, but anyways, that
was actually the beginning of meforming my own business.
So I became a full-time personaltrainer.
To this day, I'm still afull-time personal trainer, um,
and now I also I do groupclasses as well.
Um, I'm partner with um Addison, uh, with um Addison, texas.
(10:02):
Um, I've got a permit with themwhere I do offer group classes
outside and I do personaltraining as well.
I became certified as a healthand wellness coach and I wrote
my first book and it's going tobe the first of many.
So that's where I'm at today.
So I am a full-time businessowner, work for myself,
self-employed, and have my owntraining business and I'm an
(10:23):
author and I do a little bit ofspeaking on the side as well.
Carol Park (10:26):
Fantastic, so many leadership roles.
And even as you were talking Iwas thinking, oh so true, covid
was such the just vulnerabilitycome in and for everybody.
You know, uncertainty, risk,emotional exposure is how Brene
Brown defines vulnerability.
(10:48):
And so for you it's like, oh,the group classes at the gym we
all remember it's like shut downand then, as you said, it's
like, oh gosh, I got to putbread on my table and I didn't
write my finances in order iswhat you said.
So that vulnerability that wasjust catapulted onto all of us
then, you know, kind of droveyou to figure some things out
(11:12):
and sounds like too opened up alot of gateways for you.
So the kind of not necessarilywanted, but catapult, you know,
it just kind of came out ofnowhere, where that
vulnerability kind of pushed youinto that.
So so I do want to hear a littlemore about your book, because
(11:35):
if I think again that definitionvulnerability, uncertainty,
risk and emotional exposure Imean publishing a book is going
to have lots of uncertainty andrisk and then certainly
potential for lots of emotionalexposure.
So tell us just a little bitabout your book that you
published.
Trey Patterson (11:55):
Yeah, you know, it's funny you mentioned the
word vulnerability because youknow, like I jokingly say like
I'm an open book and I'vewritten books.
So everything that about mybaggage, all the things that I
struggled with in my past, myteenage years, even just
struggles I had as a fitnesscoach, I used to compete in
bodybuilding as well Um, andthere was a lot of like mental
(12:15):
struggles, body dysmorphia thatI developed through those years
of competing and and this is allstuff that I lay out in my book
.
So you know, I jokingly say,but also at the same time, I'm
serious, I'm an open book.
You know all all theinformation about, you know the
struggles that I used to have.
It's all in my book.
I exposed it to the world and,um, and so, yeah, yeah, what's
(12:35):
the title of your?
book.
So the title of the book is thesustained fitness
transformation.
So one thing I will say is Iactually I've never even thought
about writing a book.
And you know, funny, duringCOVID I got really big into
reading.
I was just really hungry forgrowth.
It was a time in my life, likeI said at the beginning of COVID
(12:57):
, where I developed a growthmindset and I really was hungry
to learn about financials.
I was hungry to learn about howto grow in leadership, how to
run your own company, and so theSustained Fitness
Transformation.
I started reading a lot of booksand at the time I just wanted
to be the best steward of theposition that I was given, and
(13:17):
my position was being a personaltrainer and leading my team and
leading the people that arecoming out to my group classes
all my personal training clientsas well.
And so I started reading a lotof books and, honestly, I had no
intention of writing a book.
And then, after I was readingall these books, like there was
a lot of books that just kind ofgave.
Like a lot of the authors gavetheir opinion on what actions
(13:39):
you should take to be successful, but none of these books talked
about what systems to create inorder to produce change.
And so I kind of tie within mybook.
I tie my past and how I cameout of a drug addiction mindset
to someone who's free um, whocame out of that addiction Um,
and I tie um a lot of.
I talk a lot about identity andunderstanding your identity.
(14:00):
Um, that the um, the like.
For example, the outcome of thehighest achievement is an
identity change.
So I talk about, like, ifyou're trying to create
sustainable change in yourfitness journey, don't seek to
get into the habit of running,but seek to become a runner,
because if you start to seeyourself as something like
identity, behavior theorysuggests that if you see
(14:21):
yourself as something, you'remore likely to continue in the
actions that reflect your shapedidentity, to continue in the
actions that reflect your shapedidentity.
So I started talking aboutwithin the book how to create
systems to produce change ratherthan just here's the
information on how to getresults.
Like we all know, we shouldavoid fast food, drink a lot of
water.
But I also talk about how toform new habits.
(14:42):
I talk about how to shift youridentity, how to develop the
proper mindsets to produce thatsuccess.
Carol Park (14:50):
You know, it's so interesting because you said
you're an open book and eventalking about your past and at
16, when you had that rockbottom moment and made the
decision that you were going tochange and that life was going
to change, and then you movedinto that.
I want to help others change.
(15:11):
You know, I think sometimespeople don't understand that
even moving from and I'm goingto use this term a jail cell to
success is vulnerable.
You know, we think that because, again, it's uncertainty.
What you knew was things ofyour past at that time and those
(15:33):
were that's, that's what youknew, so that was certain.
So to move to the uncertainty ofsuccess and the risk of do I
put myself out there?
I mean, again, we think thatit's like vulnerability is
always going to.
You know, this is what it iswhat you wanted, but we think of
(15:55):
it as well.
Of course you want it.
So that's not vulnerable.
But the truth is, moving fromwhat you're familiar was which
let's just call it that troublepast, the addiction to success
at that point was actually veryvulnerable.
Past, the addiction to successat that point was actually very
vulnerable.
But I like what Brene says too,that vulnerability is actually
the gateway to the things thatwe want more of in life.
Trey Patterson (16:19):
Absolutely.
Carol Park (16:20):
Yeah, and so you moved into that vulnerability of
getting clean and sober andwhatever all of that entails.
So that's really that's amazing.
So, as we're talking aboutvulnerability, has there ever
been a time you, as a trainer ora coach or a mentor, that and
(16:42):
you said you shared some of this?
Is there a specific examplethat you would want to share of
when you were vulnerable, likewith a client, that then led
them to inspire them to changeor to growth?
Trey Patterson (16:59):
Yeah, I think within fitness, you know,
there's a lot, even within mybook, that I talked about with
my struggles with bodydysmorphia, um, struggles that I
had with with poor eatingpatterns, and you know it's it's
when sometimes it almost feelslike, in a weird sort of way,
like when clients come to methey're very reserved, they
don't want to share, cause, atthe end of the day, like it's
(17:19):
not easy to be vulnerable, it'snot easy to share, like I have
an eating disorder, it's noteasy to share that and sometimes
it takes, it takes a long timesometimes to build that trust as
well.
Yeah, um, and so it's what Ifind as a leader when I am
training clients, that when Iopen up and share about my
struggles, it makes themcomfortable because they realize
(17:41):
, okay, like it makes merelatable.
They look at me and say youknow cause, sometimes I think,
as a leader like you, you wantto present yourself as like
you're on this throne, you'restrong, you're mighty, you're
grand, you're great.
But when you actually open upand share, like, hey, I've got
these struggles too and I evenstill struggle with some of
these struggles Um, I thinkthat's when, um, they become
(18:02):
much more inclined to becomevulnerable with you and open up
to you and share about theirstruggles.
And I've seen that over andover again when I talk about
like hey, listen, it's normal tostruggle with eating patterns.
It's normal to struggle,especially in today's day and
age.
You know, I keep going back tobody dysmorphia and that's
something I struggle with and itseems like almost the majority
of my clients struggle with that.
You know, we have all thesefilters today that alter
(18:22):
appearance, and one thing I evensay in my book is and not
trying to make any socialargument against filters but
filters make the world see abetter version of you quote
unquote but it makes you see aflawed version of you.
And so when you open up andshare about your own
insecurities and you share aboutyour own struggles with body
(18:43):
dysmorphia or whatever it is, itmakes them much more inclined
to talk about.
You know what you're right I doget triggered when I'm on
social media because I'm so, youknow, I'm so busy comparing
myself to others' looks andlives and it's not realistic.
So I've seen, I've seen it overand over where, just when you
express that vulnerability withthem, it makes them much more
(19:04):
inclined to open up and sharewith you.
Carol Park (19:07):
Absolutely.
I think that is one of the keysin leadership.
You know we want to see inother people vulnerability but
we're scared to, so we're scaredto share it ourselves.
But really in leadership, I dothink, as we can open up and
share our humanity and so thecommon humanity trust is a word
(19:27):
you just used, and I absolutelyagree that can help build trust
which creates safety within therelational dynamics, so then
they can feel safe to open upand now you have connection, and
with connection I mean there'sso much opportunity for growth
and change.
(19:49):
And so, yeah, what an incredibleexample which, just as an aside
, I don't know if you know thisabout me or not.
I said it in the intro, but Ihave actually worked with eating
disorders for 40 plus years atthis point, and I'm so grateful
that you, as a male, can sharethat.
(20:09):
You have this struggle becauseeverybody believes that it's
just, it just affects women, youknow, but it doesn't.
It really doesn't.
And, as you touch on thedifferent aspects of what social
media does and all of that,it's really hard.
So so, to find people who arewilling to be open, to share and
(20:30):
find that common humanity andbuild trust, it really does help
all of us.
So thank you for sharing that.
Trey Patterson (20:38):
Yeah, absolutely .
You know.
There's actually something elsethat just came to mind and it's
something that for the longesttime, I think, I was in denial
that I actually had this issue.
And it's funny because we'retalking about leadership, we're
talking about vulnerability, anda few years back when I say a
few years back, it's probablyabout seven, eight years ago
there was a guy named Phil Heath.
I don't know if you know likemuch about the bodybuilding
(20:58):
scene, but he's like a seventime Mr Olympia and he openly
came out and talked about likehow he had body dysmorphia and
an eating disorder.
And so it's interesting becausehe opened up and you just think
like here's this guy, he's atthe top of the bodybuilding
circuit and it's crazy becauseit honestly it convicted me.
(21:18):
I was like you know what I mean.
Everything he's talking about Ican relate to.
This is a struggle of mine aswell.
And so you talk aboutleadership, actually opening it
up and being vulnerable withyour audience, when you're
supposed to be the poster childof health, you're supposed to be
the poster child ofbodybuilding, and here you are
talking about your struggles,and it allowed me to even open
(21:39):
up and say you know what I get,that that makes sense.
Carol Park (21:42):
Wow, yeah, again, it's that I think of him at the
top Uncertainty, risk.
Do I open this up and it blowseverything, and then I'm just
devastated and whatever.
And yet it's like look what itdid your life and then, and then
it's like it just trickles down, you know, and then as humans,
we feel seen, and then it allowsfor our own personal growth and
(22:07):
change, or in teams, you knowtoo.
So, wow, what an example.
You know.
I was going to ask you hasthere ever been a client who was
vulnerable that inspired you?
But in this case, it wasanother leader that inspired you
by opening up, which, I think,is how vulnerability really
works.
So, but is there like, have youever worked with a client and
(22:31):
they were vulnerable, perhapsfirst, or whatever that allowed
you then to grow or seesomething differently?
Trey Patterson (22:41):
Yeah, absolutely , I think you know there's.
I think more so when I thinkabout when I was my years of
being a motivational speaker,getting to work directly with
teens that had those depressionsand struggles.
You know there was.
You know, like we had a bigsupport group, you know.
So we're always sharing thingswith each other and sometimes
you don't even realize that itis the struggle, that it is,
(23:05):
until someone else opens up andshares what their struggle is.
And then all of a sudden itmakes sense to you, like in the
same, in the same way that, likewhen Phil Heath opened up and
talked about his struggle withbody dysmorphia and even eating
disorder.
You know, mind you, this guy'sa monster, he's huge, you know,
and like you just think, likethis guy had eating disorder,
but it's, it's interesting thatit's it's.
(23:25):
You know, when you're in thattype of support group and people
are sharing about theirstruggles, and all of a sudden
it resonates with you and yourealize, wow, I've got that same
struggle.
So it 100% works both ways.
Carol Park (23:37):
Yeah, yeah, that's.
That's incredible, you know, aswe're talking about even kind
of social media and the fitnessindustry, and you know how that
can actually.
Sometimes it could lead topeople becoming less, say, like
(23:58):
mentally healthy, instead ofmore you know.
Focus on that because we'resuch a society.
I think that so for you, how doyou feel like vulnerability and
leadership may impact?
The fitness industry to be moreholistic in nature and perhaps
(24:25):
not just focused on how the bodymay look in the external image.
You've touched on it already.
The story is amazing and I'm sograteful that you've had the
courage to come on and to shareit and write your book and that
you're going to continue to justput it out there.
But how do you think some ofthis may, the vulnerability, may
(24:47):
impact the fitness industry toperhaps become more holistic in
nature mental health, emotionalhealth, not just the physical.
Trey Patterson (24:58):
Yeah, I, I, um, trying to trying to think.
So, you know, I, I let me letme kind of point the finger at
myself on this one.
So, you know, my mindsetchanged through the years, you
know, when I started realizingand starting to see the
vulnerability and seeing thestruggles of people that were in
the fitness space and talkingabout, especially a lot of
(25:19):
competitors like, as someone whois a bodybuilding competitor,
um, and all the you know, andI've even trained a lot of other
competitors a lot of thesecompetitors they've got a body
dysmorphia.
I mean, I'd probably say amajority of people competing
there's, there is a bodydysmorphia behind that, you know
, to take their body to thatextreme.
And so I think that, as more andmore people are starting to
(25:39):
realize and I'm by no meansbashing bodybuilding,
bodybuilding- is great, I thinkthere's a lot of people that you
know there's a lot of peoplethat that it's it's a great
thing for them in a lot of ways,like I loved it because it was
something that really pushed meinto stricter discipline, eating
healthy, um, and helped me toform good habits, um, but uh,
(26:01):
I'll put it like this, like whenI started getting out of that
and started developing my ownhealth issues and then hearing
other people that werevulnerable about their struggles
, in that it kind of pushed meinto more of a health and
wellness space and that's why Ibecame certified as a health and
wellness coach.
And I think that for a lot ofpeople, especially in fitness,
fitness, like, when you thinkabout fitness, you mainly think
(26:21):
about like you want to look good, you're trying to, you know,
accomplish something great,whether it's on a marathon, and
so you have these great goalsand that's all awesome, um, but
in a lot of ways, there is a lotof to take your body to the
extreme from a bodybuildingperspective.
There's a lot of unhealthyelements involved in that, and
so I think, as more and morepeople open up about their
(26:41):
struggles and and and whatthey're going through and their
body dysmorphia, eatingdisorders, whatever it is, um,
that's more people are kind ofshifting into more of a health
mindset and realizing, like man,I'm actually hurting myself by
taking my trying to take my bodyto this extreme.
So I think that it's more, notso much like within the whole
(27:02):
fitness industry that there's ashift, but it's in the
individual that, uh, thatvulnerability is really shifting
them into more of a healthspace rather than, you know,
physique and fitness andbodybuilding space, if that
makes sense.
Carol Park (27:17):
Yeah, that makes so much sense, I think, for me.
A lot of times I will refer toour bodies as our earth suits.
You know that this is thevehicle that I've been given to
live out my passion, my purpose.
You know my goals, and so yousaid being the steward and that
you know you've got so manydifferent areas that you're
(27:39):
passionate.
But but really, is there a foryou?
Is there a primary message orgoal that you find yourself
speaking or wanting to kind ofpromote as you do the work that
you do, and maybe you don't, butso one thing I'll say is you
(28:03):
know, someone listening to thismight, you know, might think to
themselves like I'm not a leader.
Trey Patterson (28:07):
They hear all this talk about leadership,
being a leader, being vulnerable, and they might think to
themselves that I'm not a leaderbecause, well, I'm not a
manager for company, I don'thave my own business, I don't
really have a lot of people thatlook up to me.
But the reality is and this issomething I even mentioned in my
book is that everyone is aleader because everyone leads
(28:28):
someone.
So, whether you know it or not,there's someone that looks up
to you.
It could be your daughter, itcould be your son, it could be
(28:48):
your son, it could be yoursister, it could be your brother
, it could be someone in yournetwork that looks up to you.
So everyone is a leader and theessence of much more substantial
impact on those few thansomeone that like, for example,
for myself, that could be on astage speaking in front of
several thousand people, and soand that's one thing I will say
that I actually had to learn thehard way.
It was very humbling when I,you know, left my position with
Orange Theories.
(29:08):
You know, coaching 500 peopleon a weekly basis, feeling like
I'm making this incredibleimpact to only coaching a few
people on a weekly basis when Ifirst started, and it made me
realize that you know what, Ican make a much grander impact
on those 20 people that I'mcoaching today than those 500
people that I didn't really evenhave that much of a
relationship with.
(29:29):
So I think, at the end of theday, most important thing is to
remember that everybody is aleader, because everyone leads
someone and you can have a veryprofound impact on those few
people that you lead.
Carol Park (29:41):
Wow, Trey, that's yes Exclamation point to that
Beautiful and just again, sograteful that you were willing
to come on to the podcast todayto be vulnerable in sharing your
story, and I'm glad you knowthat you're open book if you
(30:04):
will, that you're willing to bevulnerable and share, and that
you wrote a book that is openfor people to read, and I just
thank you so much.
You're a leader, you're anencourager, you inspire those
who you work with and then ittrickles down right and so just
pass that on and so that's partof the goal in the podcast and,
(30:28):
yes, your vulnerability, yourwillingness to come on, so
grateful.
Trey Patterson (30:32):
Carol, thank you so much for having me.
I appreciate it.
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