Nov 18, 2021
This episode of The Bare Performance Podcast features
Nick Bare, who is sharing insights gleaned over the course of his
entrepreneurial journey. His venture, a labor of love and all-out
commitment, has reached an inflection point that surprises no one
who knows Nick and his indomitable spirit. Guest Host Wyatt Knight
digs deep and mines all kinds of gems about Nick’s path – from
college and his first (faltering) start-up efforts through military
service to his “all-in” years making BPN the success that it is.
Unsurprisingly, persistence, faith and focus have been essential
every step of the way.
Learn about the stumbling blocks that torpedo so many
would-be dreams – in business pursuits as well as life. Nick shares
in vivid detail his best advice about the three ingredients that
are foundational to making goals happen, even against great odds.
Time, Energy and Distractions are the enemy and this episode of The
Bare Performance Podcast spells out exactly why, as well as
offering strategies for beating back forces that conspire to keep
us down. Whether it’s susceptibility to peer pressure or too many
hours invested in our favorite spectator sport, Nick challenges us
to look critically at what we listen to and consume.
Among the topics covered: The value in morning
routines and the consistency required; what it means to “Go One
More;” intentionality in all things, especially as relates to
positive energy; and how “Flintstoning” your way through adversity
is a show of respect for your own goals and dreams. Enjoy lightning
rounds of “Quick Hits” that give us a window into Nick’s mind and
world view as well as the powerful work ethic that drives him from
the minute he awakens in the pre-dawn hours until he lays his head
down at night to sleep.
- (04:10) Intro to this special episode, which
highlights the “all-in” focus Nick has brought to each element of
the platform he has developed.
- (04:57) On the eve of Black Friday, Nick is feeling
a charge of momentum that reflects multiple channels of energy and
purpose flowing together as one. The gas pedal is all the way
down!
- (6:44) Nick had the vision, which was a start, but
recognizing and deflecting distractions over the course of 10 years
has been key to realizing BPN’s goals.
- (9:44) QUICK HITS: Wyatt has Nick give flash
responses to big concepts:
-
- Austin, Texas: Inviting. That
place where you can be whoever you want to be.
- America: Freedom, where you can
achieve the American dream, military, power.
- Freedom: Something that can be
lost and we have to fight to maintain.
- Purpose: Fulfillment.
- Passion: Necessary.
- Growth: A choice.
- 2590 Oakmont Drive: BPN’s first
warehouse, which was a stretch financially! Signing that lease in
2017 was the start of an incredible, passionate journey.
- (12:45) All about Plan B. In short: There was none.
Nick was “all-in” from the start and at all points throughout his
endeavor.
- (13:36) Nick had a degree in nutrition and some
vague ideas about jobs he could pursue once out of the Army, but he
was already onto another path.
- (17:27) BPN developed in some ways out of ignorance
– and a blind commitment to making the business work.
-
- No self-imposed limitations.
- No retreat from failure.
- Learning by doing.
- (18:30) Entrepreneurship is a buzzword these days,
something that sounds sexy and fun. But the reality, as Nick has
learned year over year, is entirely different. It’s grueling!
- (20:48) BPN’s turning point came when Nick finally
shut out all the noise, disregarded peer judgment and the
self-consciousness that come with curated social media (YouTube,
Insta). From that point on he disregarded haters. There was no
going back to 2012, when he let judgment and fear knock him off his
mission.
(23:30) Through the course of his military training,
Nick acquired a new sense of competence and confidence that
sharpened his focus. He learned that eliminating distraction was
key to prevailing, whatever the task. He spent all the money he had
on a new camera and that was it: His course was set.
- (25:09) Whenever he wasn’t on task for the Army,
Nick was filming vlogs in his neon yellow tights: exercise,
nutrition, recipes, workouts. And the platform started
growing.
- (28:28) When people in his military unit finally
got onto his YouTube channel and saw what he was doing, Nick was
apprehensive. But – surprise! People had too much stuff of their
own going on to sit around hating on his videos.
- (33:44) About light and dark: Nick explains his
philosophy about pursuing the beacon, the positive, either being or
following leaders with values, scruples, vision.
- (37:23) Nick reflects on the concept of balance and
the ongoing challenge to bring intentionality to priorities and
sacrifices. There are sprints and it’s up to you to communicate
with loved ones and resist the temptation to
overcommit.
- (40:40) Deep Work: Nick is a huge advocate of
putting the blinders on and turning off everything: chit chat,
texting, emails, social media. Eliminating distraction ensures
maximum productivity.
- (44:00) Going deep is what was required for Nick to
build his brand. He couldn’t have done it – and created all the
media buzz and product – without shutting out unnecessary
distractions.
- (48:05) MORE QUICK HITS:
-
- Morning Runs: Nick’s absolute
favorite!
- Saturday Morning Runs: Long, and
even more of a favorite!
- Consistency: The most powerful
thing Nick has ever learned to master.
- Motivation: Short-term,
short-lived.
- Perseverance: Essential to getting
where you want to be.
- Culture: It will make or break
you.
- The Bare Standard: A product that
came to life based on all the things Nick believes in.
- The “Go One More” Mindset: The
entire year of 2017 was about “Go One More” as Nick broke through
revenue targets to $1.7 million but had no cash flow and was
constantly juggling to keep the bills on his wholly owned company
paid.
- (55:06) Nick shares thoughts about the currency
that is time – and how intentionality is key to generating the
results you desire. Small talk is a wasted opportunity.
- (58:00) There’s being busy and there’s being
productive. It’s all specific to individuals and their purposes –
and being deliberate and setting expectations in all things.
- (1:01:38) There is tremendous power in having a
consistent morning routine. Nick offers his best tips and tricks
for creating a platform that sets the stage for the rest of his
day:
-
- Starts with coffee, and thoughts are already
percolating.
- Listens to an audiobook, just to further generate
sparks.
- Out running: The train of thought starts to flow
immediately and Nick finds himself coming up with ideas for
everything from go-to-market strategy to disruptive tactics
designed to drive the business forward.
- Nick’s #1 Action Item for jumpstarting your
morning: Write your day backwards, laying out the milestones at
every juncture mapping to your first hour of the day.
- (1:11:13) For Nick, morning is sacred because it’s
what establishes and protects his routine – and that consistency is
what undergirds everything going forward the rest of the day.
- (1:13:20) ONE MORE ROUND OF QUICK HITS:
-
- Responsibility: Everybody has
it.
- Commitment: Not many people have
it.
- Ketchup: Goes on everything!
- Eye contact: Lacking in this
world.
- Doing hard things: Doing them
every day!
- Failure: Expected.
- Army Ranger School: Training and
experience that were pivotal to Nick’s life.
- Entrepreneurship: Nick’s biggest
passion.
- (1:14:15) All about energy, which comes down to the
entire mix and the atmosphere around you. Nick brings discernment
to every scenario, looking at all the elements and choosing whether
to invest his time there. It’s time you can’t get back.
- (1:17:00) The BPN ethic exudes positivity, energy
and a self-reinforcing source of fuel that drives the whole team
forward and towards new heights day after day. Nick searches out
people and environments that fortify with optimism and avoids those
that are an energy suck.
- (1:20:42) NICK RECOMMENDS THREE IMMEDIATE ACTION
ITEMS:
- Be consistent. Being disciplined doesn’t just mean
making your bed or going to the gym. It means fulfilling your goals
day after day after day.
- Be responsible. Own that you have the choice as to
what you do with your time.
- Take stock of the people surrounding you. Are they
making the kind of impact you want? Do they share your sense of
intentionality?
- (1:23:30) WRAPPING UP: What does it really mean to
“Go One More” and how does Nick embody it? It’s not just going one
more mile or doing an extra rep at the gym or doing one more
project. It’s an ethic that transfuses everything you do at every
moment of your day, inspiring you to exceed whatever it is you
think you can do.
“Keep pushing the needle forward. Nothing stops me.
Nothing is going to hold me back. There may be some speed bumps,
but I’m going to find a way to get over, under, around or through
any of those speed bumps or obstacles. That’s the mindset you have
to have going into it.”
Further Contacts/Resources:
Bare Performance
Nutrition: www.bpnsupps.com
BPN's Instagram: www.instagram.com/bpnsupps
Nick Bare: www.nickbare.com
Nick's Instagram: www.instagram.com/nickbarefitness