June 16, 2025 • 19 mins
In this powerful episode of the Early Accountability Podcast, host Kimi Walker welcomes transformational speaker, coach, athlete, and author Robert B. Foster. Known for his high-octane resilience and mission-driven mindset, Robert shares how he went from being told he’d never run or jump again to winning 16 gold medals in track and field and rebuilding his life after personal and professional collapse.
Kimi and Robert dive deep into the raw moments of his journey, including overcoming a devastating knee injury, navigating homelessness, losing his business, and bouncing back with purpose. Robert shares how he shifted his mindset from rock bottom to rebuilding, the importance of prioritizing yourself without guilt, and how creating impact starts with inner transformation. Listeners will leave this episode inspired to rewrite their story, embrace discomfort as a growth zone, and, above all, keep grinding.
Topics Covered in This Episode:
- Overcoming adversity after personal and financial collapse
- How to prioritize yourself without guilt or shame
- Reigniting purpose through fitness, coaching, and mentoring
- The mindset shifts needed for real, lasting transformation
- Using setbacks as fuel for future success
- Daily actions to stay focused when life falls apart
About Robert B. Foster
In the heart of Charlestown, Rhode Island, lives Robert B. Foster, a man whose mission is as inspiring as it is transformative. With a background that speaks of resilience, determination, and a passion for uplifting others, Foster has dedicated his life to empowering people to conquer self-doubt and find their voices. Through his book, podcast, coaching, writing, and motivational speaking, Foster is not just teaching skills, he is changing lives.
From overcoming a life-changing knee injury after being told he would never run or jump again to completing over 190 obstacle races and winning 16 gold medals in track and field, Robert has defied the odds and proven the power of resilience. His journey includes donating a kidney to his sister, watching his father pass away, and rebuilding his life from challenges that could have stopped him in his tracks.
Today, he is on a mission to help others conquer self-doubt and embrace their struggles as the foundation for success. As the host of Shut Up and GRIND, he has interviewed over 300 guests who have defied the odds, inspiring audiences around the world to unlock their potential and turn past pain into present power.
Connect with Robert B. Foster
- Website: https://robertbfoster.com
- Book: Shut Up and GRIND (Available on Amazon)
- Email for signed copies: rob@robertbfoster.com
- Podcast: Shut Up and GRIND on YouTube
- Facebook: facebook.com/rfoster74
- Instagram: @robert_b_foster
- Twitter/X: @RBF_Fitness
- LinkedIn: Robert Foster
- TikTok: @robertbfoster
Connect with Kimi
Connect with Kimi:
- Visit:
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Kimi (00:26):
Okay, Kimmy Walker here and
welcome back to the next episode of
the Early Accountability Podcast.
Today my guest is Robert Foster.
He is a coach, an author an athlete.
He has just done some of everything,
and he's gonna be here today to
share his story and talk to us when
it comes to resilience and how we
can pivot and make shifts in life
(00:46):
and what that might look like.
Robert, thank you so much
for being on the show.
Robert (00:51):
Thank you for having me.
Appreciate it.
Kimi (00:53):
Okay, thank you.
Why don't you first just start
off by telling the audience, I
know you have such a rich history.
Why don't you start off by telling
the audience about your background,
where you're from, a few things
that got you where you are
today, being a coach and author.
Robert (01:06):
Okay.
Yeah, I actually have a mentor for
speaking engagements, and she always
says not to start with your childhood.
But in order to fully understand
how I became who I am for my story,
maybe that works for other people,
but for my story, it's very important
to understand that facet of it.
(01:27):
So I'm the youngest of seven, and we
were all athletes, including my parents.
We were all athletes.
So for whatever reason.
I didn't get the genetics fast
like my other siblings did.
So I'm here watching them excel and
then this isn't like a jealous envy.
It was a, I want that shine, envy.
(01:48):
Like, what's wrong with me?
How come my brothers are over
six foot tall and muscular?
And to put it in perspective,
as a freshman in high
school, I was 5 4 88 pounds.
Right by 4 88 pounds.
So I had that.
I had a stutter, a very bad stutter.
And I go into that in the first chapter
of my book because I'm speaking now.
(02:10):
And back then I was
deathly afraid to speak.
So I'm afraid to speak.
I'm not an athlete like my siblings, and
I felt like something was wrong with me.
And to hammer that insecurity home,
I go into my track practice and I ask
my track coach for the record book.
He looked at me just like, why do
(02:31):
you want the record book just like
that, with that level of snark?
And I said, because my brother used to
walk around with his records on a t-shirt.
Kimi (02:40):
Oh wow.
Robert (02:41):
and little did he
know that I had a notepad.
And I wrote 'em all down because
I was like, eventually I have to
grow , and I'm gonna knock that out.
All of his, all of his records.
And so I asked the track coach again.
I'm like, can I just see the book please?
I'm gonna break the high jump record.
And he said, you don't have what
it takes to be a high jumper.
He's like, why don't you go try hurdling?
I'm like, I don't wanna
(03:01):
hurdle, I wanna high jump.
So we fast forward between sophomore
and junior year, I grew about six and.
The drive was in place.
So even as that skinny
freshman, the drive was there.
I was studying the sport, learning
the sport, putting that work in
while other kids are out, being kids.
(03:23):
I was laser focused on making this happen.
Not so much to prove the coach wrong
because like I had my own goal and
I just wanted to realize my goal.
And I held the high jump
record for 21 years.
I broke the Pentathlon record as
well and I held the Southern Division
Triple Jump record for 24 years.
Kimi (03:44):
Oh my goodness.
Robert (03:45):
And so like as we get into
the other parts of my story, you're
gonna see how it all ties back to.
Kimi (03:53):
Okay.
So what's been one of the hardest
times for you or one of the hardest
pivots where you felt like it just
really is taking a lot for me to
pick myself back up and keep moving.
I.
Robert (04:05):
So I have multiple answers.
I mean, I watched my father die, so
transitioning to life without him.
I was definitely very, very tough,
but death is also a part of life.
So as he got older, I was kind
of mentally preparing for it.
But I would give that a close second,
but two years ago, I mentioned to
(04:27):
you, but before we went live here.
I do mine in life, so
I'm used to saying life.
So, but I literally lost everything.
Like I had this opportunity.
The opportunity was good if
I was just getting paid, you
know, so I was managing the gym.
I was able to do my personal
training and stuff in the gym.
(04:48):
I wasn't micromanaged like
it was a good situation.
I just needed to get paid.
And so I went 10 months
without getting paid.
Ended up losing my car, lost my house.
My kids ended up getting split up.
I was homeless for a week.
You know, it was not like sleeping
on the street, kind of homeless,
but I was bouncing between hotels
and that's not sustainable.
(05:08):
So finally, I used to pride myself
as the only one of the seven kids to.
Kimi (05:15):
Oh, you're one of seven.
Wow.
Robert (05:17):
So at the ripe old age of 48, I
had to pick up the phone and call my mom
and be like, look, here's the scenario.
I'm like, I think I need
to come home for a bit.
And that was tough.
'cause you know, you
get that social stigma.
Oh, grown man living in
his mother's basement.
People always say that.
And so for about six weeks.
(05:39):
I was kind of in a dark place.
'cause at the end of the day, I am human.
You know, it's like I am human.
It was like how do we get here?
And I could have been mad at my, what
should have been my business partner.
I could put all the blame on
him, but I had to look in the
mirror and be like, you did this.
It's like you let it get this far right?
(06:00):
Like you let it get this far.
It's like you put yourself here.
But now the question is, it's
not about being in mother.
What are you gonna
create while you're here?
that's when, because I had paused
my podcast for a little bit.
Like how can I come on talking about shut
up and grind when I'm drinking my sorrows?
You know?
And I literally lost everything.
My kids are split up as like, my world was
(06:22):
in shambles, so I decided to restart the
show and this is where everything turned.
So I restarted the show
and my very first guess.
Gave me the aha moment where she
said she moved here from Canada, she
moved to Hollywood, she wanted to
break into Hollywood, and she said
she knocked on every studio door
(06:44):
that she could until she got a yes.
And I was like, and that's the essence.
Me going back to that
five four skinny kid.
I had a goal.
I had my eye on the prize.
I was like, right now I'm sitting
here feeling depressed because I
have no prize that I'm eyeballing.
So I went to my local high
school where I went to school.
(07:06):
Now this was in April of 23, and so
outdoor track usually starts in March.
So.
Already said.
I was like, but you don't know,
if you don't ask, going back
to this woman just knocking on
every door till she got the Yes.
And so I go and I talk to the
coach and he's like, yeah, you
know you can start on Monday.
And I was like, sweet.
(07:26):
Because at first I was gonna
pivot away from fitness 'cause
I let that situation hurt me.
So I was gonna just run from it
and pursue digital marketing.
But that first track practice re-lit the.
For just the love of fitness and the
love of helping, whether it's helping
athletes improve, helping adults
(07:46):
reclaim their health and fitness,
but it just put me on a path and then
doors just opened left and right.
I just had win after win after win.
And one thing I hammered down to
people is if you keep your eye on
the price and you take the steps that
are necessary more often than you
don't, you're gonna have success.
Kimi (08:08):
Okay.
So what did you prioritize when it was
like, okay, I have to get out of this.
What did you prioritize and
how did you prioritize yourself
without feeling guilty.
Okay, I have to be really
focused on myself right now.
What were those first steps and how
did you do that Without feeling like
I'm being selfish towards others
that need me or others around me.
Robert (08:29):
Would you believe
that is a chapter in my book?
Kimi (08:32):
Oh, really?
Robert (08:33):
to prioritize.
How to prioritize yourself
without the guilt.
Kimi (08:36):
Yeah, it's huge.
It's huge.
Robert (08:39):
Yeah.
So you really can't show up for anyone
else until you show up for yourself.
I tell people that here in the gym
all the time, it affects moms the
most because moms get that mom guilt.
Right.
And I was like, see, you're
not living your best life right
now, because you don't like the
way you look in your clothes.
You don't like the way you feel,
you don't like having low energy.
(08:59):
You don't like any of
that, and it radiates.
The people in your circle will see that.
So when you come here and anywhere from
three to five days per week, when you
drink enough water, when you're eating
the right foods, you're gonna have
the energy, you're gonna be happier.
You're gonna be less bloated,
and you taking care of you,
benefits everyone around you.
(09:19):
That's how you get around the guilt.
If you're saying, I'm just on this grind
so I can look sexy in my little black
dress, that's not the right reason.
And now that's selfish.
And then that's where
the guilt is gonna come.
But if you're like, you know what, there's
a lot of unhealthy people on the job.
Maybe if I get started, then maybe
somebody else will join and then
maybe somebody else will join.
And now the journey is bigger than you.
(09:42):
It's bigger than you.
So when I tell people that I'm
an author, I don't say I'm an
author just to say I'm an author.
People would ask me, how did you do this?
How did you do that?
So I wrote a book showing how,
there's 15 chapters, but within those
15 chapters there's 13 workbooks
Kimi (09:59):
Oh, good.
Robert (10:00):
Yeah.
13 workbooks.
So the prioritize yourself
without the guilt.
There's a whole worksheet for that.
To lay out your wants, why you
want it, who can benefit from you
achieving it, so on and so forth.
But that's what I tell people,
you gotta have a purpose that's
bigger than a selfish goal.
And sometimes being selfish is needed.
It's self care, self-love, self-awareness,
(10:22):
self expression, so some of it is needed,
but if it's just for materialistic things,
that's when the guilt's gonna come in,
because deep down, you know, that's true.
Kimi (10:34):
Okay and you bring
up a good point too.
So we have to be full
vessel to even give, right?
It's not really selfish.
It's what you actually need to do.
I know you talked about you've won a lot
of medals and you won up a lot of prizes.
Now that you're not necessarily a
competitive athlete , how do you
still feel those types of rewards or
achievements or accomplishments when
it doesn't come in the form of a medal?
How do you do that?
How do you celebrate those wins?
(10:55):
The small wins, the big wins?
How do you still get
that sense of feeling?
Robert (10:59):
Why do you assume I'm
not still a competitive athlete?
Kimi (11:02):
Oh, are you still competing?
Robert (11:04):
Absolutely, yeah.
50 years old and still going
Kimi (11:08):
Oh good.
Oh, good.
Robert (11:11):
so how I celebrate now?
Because in 2009 I was told I was
never gonna run or jump again.
Kimi (11:19):
Okay.
Robert (11:20):
So that's what jump started that.
Like when when you use something all
the time, you take it for granted.
So being able to just get up and walk
across the room, we take that for granted.
But for a short period of
time that was taken from me.
So my knee injury was bad, so I
was competing in track and field.
I believe I was 32 or 34 at the time.
(11:44):
So there was one time in my
life that I was overweight.
Separate story, but I battled
through it and I got myself
back into competition sheet.
Again, having that talk with myself
in the mirror, I'm like, bro,
you were an all American athlete.
Like what?
So I got on the journey, lost the weight,
got back in the shape and I said, I think
I wanna get back on the track again.
(12:06):
Now, this was before I got into fitness.
So I just knew what I knew
from being an athlete and what
I learned from my coaches.
So the way I was training,
I didn't realize I was
creating a muscular imbalance.
And so the day the track meet
comes and I did the long jump, I
won the long jump, but I kind of
tweaked something in my right quad.
(12:26):
But I shook that off so we
get over to the high jump.
I didn't really have any height goals.
I just wanted to win.
I said, so long as I win, we're good.
So at that time I was in the 30 to
34 age bracket, so I technically won
my age bracket, but there was still a
45-year-old jumping And your boy's a
competitor, so I was like, I may have
(12:46):
won my bracket, but competition isn't.
It was like kind of the best worst
day ever because that event started
the path to what I'm doing now.
So if I never got that injury, I might
not be sitting here talking to you.
You know?
It's like, who,
Kimi (13:05):
that.
Okay.
Robert (13:06):
knows?
Yes.
So I'm going take my jump I and something
tug in my left knee tend in this.
At that time, I got it when I was
18, so I was 34, so however many
years that is, and I just thought it
was my tendonitis acting up again.
So I was like, you know what?
Let me take one more jump,
(13:26):
and now one more jump.
Changed my entire life and so I'm
coming down, I'm doing my approach.
I plant my foot to jump,
and then I saw white.
I don't know how long I
saw white, but I saw white.
When I came to my kneecap
was on the side of my leg.
Yes, it was on the side of my leg,
(13:46):
so my patella tendon and a bunch of
other stuff in there just gave way.
Fortunately, I couldn't feel
it, so I dunno if there was like
some nerve damage or something.
It's like I felt the separation,
but it wasn't painful.
Kimi (13:59):
Oh, really?
Okay.
Robert (14:01):
So I yelled to my now
ex to call an ambulance, and the
athletic trainer comes running over.
Now, I had my hands like this
over my knee, so she couldn't see
the kneecap, and I said I have
her calling an ambulance already.
She's like I don't know if
you're gonna need an ambulance.
And then I moved my hand.
Just the look of horror on her face.
And she's like, oh my God.
(14:21):
She's like, how are you
not screaming in pain?
I was like, oh, this.
I can't feel this.
This is completely numb.
I said, but the more pressing question
is how do I get my gold medals?
And I was like, what happened?
Happened, you know?
Like I couldn't change it, so I
wasn't gonna pitch a fit over it.
It's like, alright, how do we
move forward from this point?
But one sentence.
(14:42):
I had the power to either
completely derail my life
or to completely inspire me.
We get to the er, the ER doctor comes
in, takes off the brace that the EMTs
put on, and without missing a beat,
he looked me dead in my eyes and
said, you'll never run a jump kid.
And now I have five of my own kids.
(15:04):
And at the time they were ten seven,
two, and twins who were four months old.
Kimi (15:11):
Oh my gosh.
Robert (15:13):
So imagine being the competitor
that I am, and I'm thinking, I'm not
gonna be able to ball up with my kids.
We're not gonna be able to
go for a run on the beach.
We're not gonna be, and I just
started going down this rabbit hole.
I looked up at Kelly, she's crying.
I'm crying.
And then competitor Rob
came out, competitor Rob was
(15:33):
like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
This guy doesn't know how we're.
Kimi (15:39):
Right.
Robert (15:39):
like, you might be qualified
to stitch me back together, but
you don't know how I'm gonna come
back from this and don't judge
me based on the average person,
because I'm not the average person.
Like I'm no different than
anyone else, but I think
differently than most and Right.
So yeah, I don't act like
I'm some special thing.
I just don't let things break me.
(16:00):
And so once I got back
home, I just went to work.
Now a couple times know, because
that first two weeks was hell.
The pain was ridiculous.
Like it was my first ever surgery,
and the pain, it was ridiculous.
A couple times I was like,
Ugh, what if he's right?
But I was like, no, no, no, nope.
Can't think like that.
(16:20):
We're gonna take it day by day.
We're gonna do the exercises,
we're gonna do the stretches.
We're gonna make a full comeback.
And I kept saying that to
myself, not, if not, maybe we're
gonna make a full comeback.
And the first time that I ran it
was probably five months later.
And granted I looked like a
newborn giraffe, but I did run.
(16:41):
And at that moment I knew it,
i'm coming all the way back.
Kimi (16:45):
Oh, awesome.
Okay.
Robert, tell the audience how
they can, find out more about
you where's your book at?
Just a little bit of how they
can stay connected with you too.
I know you also have your own podcast.
Robert (16:57):
So my podcast and my book are
both called Shut Up and Grind, and
you can find the book at it's easy.
Shut up and grind book com.
That'll bring it directly
to the Amazon link.
And if people want a signed copy, you
can email me, rob@robertbfoster.com,
and I'll sign one and send it to you.
Social media.
Unfortunately, when I started
(17:18):
the social media game, I have all
different names so I'll just give
you the two that I use the most.
So I'm mostly on Facebook,
and you can find me there at
obviously Facebook com R four.
Kimi (17:31):
Okay.
Robert (17:33):
On Instagram, it's Robert B.
Kimi (17:38):
Okay.
And we'll have it linked
to in the show notes.
So final question I ask every guest.
So what are some words that you live by?
What's a mantra that you use to ground
yourself and go through day to day?
Robert (17:49):
Have a purpose, whatever you
do, it has to be bigger than you.
When I speak on these platforms, I
don't speak to just talk about myself,
I talk about what I've gotten through
because my target audience is someone
who's stuck , kind of like yours.
Somebody who's stuck, somebody that needs
that push and stop it with perfection.
(18:11):
Nothing's gonna be perfect.
The situation doesn't have to be time.
That's all we have.
All we have is you can
get hit by a bus tomorrow.
The time is now.
And again, it doesn't have to be pretty.
It took me three years to write this book.
Three years.
And there were many times where I stopped,
started, stop, started, stop, started.
(18:32):
And then finally I was like, you just
have to dial in and just get it done.
And I don't know if you can
see, because of the background,
this book cover is hideous.
So I actually just
redesigned it, you know?
So.
Kimi (18:43):
okay.
Robert (18:45):
I let just get it out.
There we go.
See, you can't even see the up.
Kimi (18:50):
Robert, thank you so much for coming
on the Early Accountability podcast.
We really appreciate you being here.
Thank you all again for tuning
into the next episode of the
Early Accountability Podcast.
Until next time
Okay, Kimmy Walker here and
welcome back to the next episode of
the Early Accountability Podcast.
Today my guest is Robert Foster.
He is a coach, an author an athlete.
He has just done some of everything,
and he's gonna be here today to
share his story and talk to us when
it comes to resilience and how we
can pivot and make shifts in life
(00:46):
and what that might look like.
Robert, thank you so much
for being on the show.
Robert (00:51):
Thank you for having me.
Appreciate it.
Kimi (00:53):
Okay, thank you.
Why don't you first just start
off by telling the audience, I
know you have such a rich history.
Why don't you start off by telling
the audience about your background,
where you're from, a few things
that got you where you are
today, being a coach and author.
Robert (01:06):
Okay.
Yeah, I actually have a mentor for
speaking engagements, and she always
says not to start with your childhood.
But in order to fully understand
how I became who I am for my story,
maybe that works for other people,
but for my story, it's very important
to understand that facet of it.
(01:27):
So I'm the youngest of seven, and we
were all athletes, including my parents.
We were all athletes.
So for whatever reason.
I didn't get the genetics fast
like my other siblings did.
So I'm here watching them excel and
then this isn't like a jealous envy.
It was a, I want that shine, envy.
(01:48):
Like, what's wrong with me?
How come my brothers are over
six foot tall and muscular?
And to put it in perspective,
as a freshman in high
school, I was 5 4 88 pounds.
Right by 4 88 pounds.
So I had that.
I had a stutter, a very bad stutter.
And I go into that in the first chapter
of my book because I'm speaking now.
(02:10):
And back then I was
deathly afraid to speak.
So I'm afraid to speak.
I'm not an athlete like my siblings, and
I felt like something was wrong with me.
And to hammer that insecurity home,
I go into my track practice and I ask
my track coach for the record book.
He looked at me just like, why do
(02:31):
you want the record book just like
that, with that level of snark?
And I said, because my brother used to
walk around with his records on a t-shirt.
Kimi (02:40):
Oh wow.
Robert (02:41):
and little did he
know that I had a notepad.
And I wrote 'em all down because
I was like, eventually I have to
grow , and I'm gonna knock that out.
All of his, all of his records.
And so I asked the track coach again.
I'm like, can I just see the book please?
I'm gonna break the high jump record.
And he said, you don't have what
it takes to be a high jumper.
He's like, why don't you go try hurdling?
I'm like, I don't wanna
(03:01):
hurdle, I wanna high jump.
So we fast forward between sophomore
and junior year, I grew about six and.
The drive was in place.
So even as that skinny
freshman, the drive was there.
I was studying the sport, learning
the sport, putting that work in
while other kids are out, being kids.
(03:23):
I was laser focused on making this happen.
Not so much to prove the coach wrong
because like I had my own goal and
I just wanted to realize my goal.
And I held the high jump
record for 21 years.
I broke the Pentathlon record as
well and I held the Southern Division
Triple Jump record for 24 years.
Kimi (03:44):
Oh my goodness.
Robert (03:45):
And so like as we get into
the other parts of my story, you're
gonna see how it all ties back to.
Kimi (03:53):
Okay.
So what's been one of the hardest
times for you or one of the hardest
pivots where you felt like it just
really is taking a lot for me to
pick myself back up and keep moving.
I.
Robert (04:05):
So I have multiple answers.
I mean, I watched my father die, so
transitioning to life without him.
I was definitely very, very tough,
but death is also a part of life.
So as he got older, I was kind
of mentally preparing for it.
But I would give that a close second,
but two years ago, I mentioned to
(04:27):
you, but before we went live here.
I do mine in life, so
I'm used to saying life.
So, but I literally lost everything.
Like I had this opportunity.
The opportunity was good if
I was just getting paid, you
know, so I was managing the gym.
I was able to do my personal
training and stuff in the gym.
(04:48):
I wasn't micromanaged like
it was a good situation.
I just needed to get paid.
And so I went 10 months
without getting paid.
Ended up losing my car, lost my house.
My kids ended up getting split up.
I was homeless for a week.
You know, it was not like sleeping
on the street, kind of homeless,
but I was bouncing between hotels
and that's not sustainable.
(05:08):
So finally, I used to pride myself
as the only one of the seven kids to.
Kimi (05:15):
Oh, you're one of seven.
Wow.
Robert (05:17):
So at the ripe old age of 48, I
had to pick up the phone and call my mom
and be like, look, here's the scenario.
I'm like, I think I need
to come home for a bit.
And that was tough.
'cause you know, you
get that social stigma.
Oh, grown man living in
his mother's basement.
People always say that.
And so for about six weeks.
(05:39):
I was kind of in a dark place.
'cause at the end of the day, I am human.
You know, it's like I am human.
It was like how do we get here?
And I could have been mad at my, what
should have been my business partner.
I could put all the blame on
him, but I had to look in the
mirror and be like, you did this.
It's like you let it get this far right?
(06:00):
Like you let it get this far.
It's like you put yourself here.
But now the question is, it's
not about being in mother.
What are you gonna
create while you're here?
that's when, because I had paused
my podcast for a little bit.
Like how can I come on talking about shut
up and grind when I'm drinking my sorrows?
You know?
And I literally lost everything.
My kids are split up as like, my world was
(06:22):
in shambles, so I decided to restart the
show and this is where everything turned.
So I restarted the show
and my very first guess.
Gave me the aha moment where she
said she moved here from Canada, she
moved to Hollywood, she wanted to
break into Hollywood, and she said
she knocked on every studio door
(06:44):
that she could until she got a yes.
And I was like, and that's the essence.
Me going back to that
five four skinny kid.
I had a goal.
I had my eye on the prize.
I was like, right now I'm sitting
here feeling depressed because I
have no prize that I'm eyeballing.
So I went to my local high
school where I went to school.
(07:06):
Now this was in April of 23, and so
outdoor track usually starts in March.
So.
Already said.
I was like, but you don't know,
if you don't ask, going back
to this woman just knocking on
every door till she got the Yes.
And so I go and I talk to the
coach and he's like, yeah, you
know you can start on Monday.
And I was like, sweet.
(07:26):
Because at first I was gonna
pivot away from fitness 'cause
I let that situation hurt me.
So I was gonna just run from it
and pursue digital marketing.
But that first track practice re-lit the.
For just the love of fitness and the
love of helping, whether it's helping
athletes improve, helping adults
(07:46):
reclaim their health and fitness,
but it just put me on a path and then
doors just opened left and right.
I just had win after win after win.
And one thing I hammered down to
people is if you keep your eye on
the price and you take the steps that
are necessary more often than you
don't, you're gonna have success.
Kimi (08:08):
Okay.
So what did you prioritize when it was
like, okay, I have to get out of this.
What did you prioritize and
how did you prioritize yourself
without feeling guilty.
Okay, I have to be really
focused on myself right now.
What were those first steps and how
did you do that Without feeling like
I'm being selfish towards others
that need me or others around me.
Robert (08:29):
Would you believe
that is a chapter in my book?
Kimi (08:32):
Oh, really?
Robert (08:33):
to prioritize.
How to prioritize yourself
without the guilt.
Kimi (08:36):
Yeah, it's huge.
It's huge.
Robert (08:39):
Yeah.
So you really can't show up for anyone
else until you show up for yourself.
I tell people that here in the gym
all the time, it affects moms the
most because moms get that mom guilt.
Right.
And I was like, see, you're
not living your best life right
now, because you don't like the
way you look in your clothes.
You don't like the way you feel,
you don't like having low energy.
(08:59):
You don't like any of
that, and it radiates.
The people in your circle will see that.
So when you come here and anywhere from
three to five days per week, when you
drink enough water, when you're eating
the right foods, you're gonna have
the energy, you're gonna be happier.
You're gonna be less bloated,
and you taking care of you,
benefits everyone around you.
(09:19):
That's how you get around the guilt.
If you're saying, I'm just on this grind
so I can look sexy in my little black
dress, that's not the right reason.
And now that's selfish.
And then that's where
the guilt is gonna come.
But if you're like, you know what, there's
a lot of unhealthy people on the job.
Maybe if I get started, then maybe
somebody else will join and then
maybe somebody else will join.
And now the journey is bigger than you.
(09:42):
It's bigger than you.
So when I tell people that I'm
an author, I don't say I'm an
author just to say I'm an author.
People would ask me, how did you do this?
How did you do that?
So I wrote a book showing how,
there's 15 chapters, but within those
15 chapters there's 13 workbooks
Kimi (09:59):
Oh, good.
Robert (10:00):
Yeah.
13 workbooks.
So the prioritize yourself
without the guilt.
There's a whole worksheet for that.
To lay out your wants, why you
want it, who can benefit from you
achieving it, so on and so forth.
But that's what I tell people,
you gotta have a purpose that's
bigger than a selfish goal.
And sometimes being selfish is needed.
It's self care, self-love, self-awareness,
(10:22):
self expression, so some of it is needed,
but if it's just for materialistic things,
that's when the guilt's gonna come in,
because deep down, you know, that's true.
Kimi (10:34):
Okay and you bring
up a good point too.
So we have to be full
vessel to even give, right?
It's not really selfish.
It's what you actually need to do.
I know you talked about you've won a lot
of medals and you won up a lot of prizes.
Now that you're not necessarily a
competitive athlete , how do you
still feel those types of rewards or
achievements or accomplishments when
it doesn't come in the form of a medal?
How do you do that?
How do you celebrate those wins?
(10:55):
The small wins, the big wins?
How do you still get
that sense of feeling?
Robert (10:59):
Why do you assume I'm
not still a competitive athlete?
Kimi (11:02):
Oh, are you still competing?
Robert (11:04):
Absolutely, yeah.
50 years old and still going
Kimi (11:08):
Oh good.
Oh, good.
Robert (11:11):
so how I celebrate now?
Because in 2009 I was told I was
never gonna run or jump again.
Kimi (11:19):
Okay.
Robert (11:20):
So that's what jump started that.
Like when when you use something all
the time, you take it for granted.
So being able to just get up and walk
across the room, we take that for granted.
But for a short period of
time that was taken from me.
So my knee injury was bad, so I
was competing in track and field.
I believe I was 32 or 34 at the time.
(11:44):
So there was one time in my
life that I was overweight.
Separate story, but I battled
through it and I got myself
back into competition sheet.
Again, having that talk with myself
in the mirror, I'm like, bro,
you were an all American athlete.
Like what?
So I got on the journey, lost the weight,
got back in the shape and I said, I think
I wanna get back on the track again.
(12:06):
Now, this was before I got into fitness.
So I just knew what I knew
from being an athlete and what
I learned from my coaches.
So the way I was training,
I didn't realize I was
creating a muscular imbalance.
And so the day the track meet
comes and I did the long jump, I
won the long jump, but I kind of
tweaked something in my right quad.
(12:26):
But I shook that off so we
get over to the high jump.
I didn't really have any height goals.
I just wanted to win.
I said, so long as I win, we're good.
So at that time I was in the 30 to
34 age bracket, so I technically won
my age bracket, but there was still a
45-year-old jumping And your boy's a
competitor, so I was like, I may have
(12:46):
won my bracket, but competition isn't.
It was like kind of the best worst
day ever because that event started
the path to what I'm doing now.
So if I never got that injury, I might
not be sitting here talking to you.
You know?
It's like, who,
Kimi (13:05):
that.
Okay.
Robert (13:06):
knows?
Yes.
So I'm going take my jump I and something
tug in my left knee tend in this.
At that time, I got it when I was
18, so I was 34, so however many
years that is, and I just thought it
was my tendonitis acting up again.
So I was like, you know what?
Let me take one more jump,
(13:26):
and now one more jump.
Changed my entire life and so I'm
coming down, I'm doing my approach.
I plant my foot to jump,
and then I saw white.
I don't know how long I
saw white, but I saw white.
When I came to my kneecap
was on the side of my leg.
Yes, it was on the side of my leg,
(13:46):
so my patella tendon and a bunch of
other stuff in there just gave way.
Fortunately, I couldn't feel
it, so I dunno if there was like
some nerve damage or something.
It's like I felt the separation,
but it wasn't painful.
Kimi (13:59):
Oh, really?
Okay.
Robert (14:01):
So I yelled to my now
ex to call an ambulance, and the
athletic trainer comes running over.
Now, I had my hands like this
over my knee, so she couldn't see
the kneecap, and I said I have
her calling an ambulance already.
She's like I don't know if
you're gonna need an ambulance.
And then I moved my hand.
Just the look of horror on her face.
And she's like, oh my God.
(14:21):
She's like, how are you
not screaming in pain?
I was like, oh, this.
I can't feel this.
This is completely numb.
I said, but the more pressing question
is how do I get my gold medals?
And I was like, what happened?
Happened, you know?
Like I couldn't change it, so I
wasn't gonna pitch a fit over it.
It's like, alright, how do we
move forward from this point?
But one sentence.
(14:42):
I had the power to either
completely derail my life
or to completely inspire me.
We get to the er, the ER doctor comes
in, takes off the brace that the EMTs
put on, and without missing a beat,
he looked me dead in my eyes and
said, you'll never run a jump kid.
And now I have five of my own kids.
(15:04):
And at the time they were ten seven,
two, and twins who were four months old.
Kimi (15:11):
Oh my gosh.
Robert (15:13):
So imagine being the competitor
that I am, and I'm thinking, I'm not
gonna be able to ball up with my kids.
We're not gonna be able to
go for a run on the beach.
We're not gonna be, and I just
started going down this rabbit hole.
I looked up at Kelly, she's crying.
I'm crying.
And then competitor Rob
came out, competitor Rob was
(15:33):
like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
This guy doesn't know how we're.
Kimi (15:39):
Right.
Robert (15:39):
like, you might be qualified
to stitch me back together, but
you don't know how I'm gonna come
back from this and don't judge
me based on the average person,
because I'm not the average person.
Like I'm no different than
anyone else, but I think
differently than most and Right.
So yeah, I don't act like
I'm some special thing.
I just don't let things break me.
(16:00):
And so once I got back
home, I just went to work.
Now a couple times know, because
that first two weeks was hell.
The pain was ridiculous.
Like it was my first ever surgery,
and the pain, it was ridiculous.
A couple times I was like,
Ugh, what if he's right?
But I was like, no, no, no, nope.
Can't think like that.
(16:20):
We're gonna take it day by day.
We're gonna do the exercises,
we're gonna do the stretches.
We're gonna make a full comeback.
And I kept saying that to
myself, not, if not, maybe we're
gonna make a full comeback.
And the first time that I ran it
was probably five months later.
And granted I looked like a
newborn giraffe, but I did run.
(16:41):
And at that moment I knew it,
i'm coming all the way back.
Kimi (16:45):
Oh, awesome.
Okay.
Robert, tell the audience how
they can, find out more about
you where's your book at?
Just a little bit of how they
can stay connected with you too.
I know you also have your own podcast.
Robert (16:57):
So my podcast and my book are
both called Shut Up and Grind, and
you can find the book at it's easy.
Shut up and grind book com.
That'll bring it directly
to the Amazon link.
And if people want a signed copy, you
can email me, rob@robertbfoster.com,
and I'll sign one and send it to you.
Social media.
Unfortunately, when I started
(17:18):
the social media game, I have all
different names so I'll just give
you the two that I use the most.
So I'm mostly on Facebook,
and you can find me there at
obviously Facebook com R four.
Kimi (17:31):
Okay.
Robert (17:33):
On Instagram, it's Robert B.
Kimi (17:38):
Okay.
And we'll have it linked
to in the show notes.
So final question I ask every guest.
So what are some words that you live by?
What's a mantra that you use to ground
yourself and go through day to day?
Robert (17:49):
Have a purpose, whatever you
do, it has to be bigger than you.
When I speak on these platforms, I
don't speak to just talk about myself,
I talk about what I've gotten through
because my target audience is someone
who's stuck , kind of like yours.
Somebody who's stuck, somebody that needs
that push and stop it with perfection.
(18:11):
Nothing's gonna be perfect.
The situation doesn't have to be time.
That's all we have.
All we have is you can
get hit by a bus tomorrow.
The time is now.
And again, it doesn't have to be pretty.
It took me three years to write this book.
Three years.
And there were many times where I stopped,
started, stop, started, stop, started.
(18:32):
And then finally I was like, you just
have to dial in and just get it done.
And I don't know if you can
see, because of the background,
this book cover is hideous.
So I actually just
redesigned it, you know?
So.
Kimi (18:43):
okay.
Robert (18:45):
I let just get it out.
There we go.
See, you can't even see the up.
Kimi (18:50):
Robert, thank you so much for coming
on the Early Accountability podcast.
We really appreciate you being here.
Thank you all again for tuning
into the next episode of the
Early Accountability Podcast.
Until next time
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