Life Lessons from Marketing, Weightlifting, and Beyond
Hey, everyone! Damian Jay here from Master of One Marketing. Today, I want to talk about a concept that resonates deeply with me: being ready to listen and ready to learn.
This idea shows up in every part of my life—whether it’s in my career, my fitness journey, or even the simple day-to-day interactions that shape who I am. Let me share some stories and parallels that have taught me these lessons, and maybe they’ll spark something for you, too.
The Career Shift That Changed Everything
A few years ago, I made a midlife pivot. I went from being an electrician to going back to school and earning a marketing degree. I landed a great job, worked there for nearly five years, and then got laid off. While layoffs can be hard, for me, it was a blessing in disguise.
I learned a lot in that job, but not all lessons were positive. I carried with me a very Gen X mentality—work hard, go above and beyond, and you’ll get promoted. For a long time, I thought that was the right way to succeed. But in hindsight, that mindset made me vulnerable to being taken advantage of.
We worked tirelessly, convinced we were doing everything the “right way.” But as the company grew, cracks in our processes became obvious. Tasks weren’t scalable, delegation was practically nonexistent, and we operated under an unspoken rule that grinding harder was the solution to every problem. From the outside looking in, it might’ve seemed like gaslighting. But really, we were gaslighting ourselves—convincing ourselves that our methods were the best, even when they clearly weren’t.
When I made the leap from electrical work to marketing, I unknowingly brought that same Gen X mindset into my new role. I didn’t even realize I was being gaslit by the system because I was so used to that grind mentality. Many of the people around me were also in their first jobs like this. They believed in the same approach, just like I did. We were all figuring it out as we went, but looking back, it’s clear we were perpetuating a cycle that wasn’t sustainable.
It wasn’t until I joined a new company that I truly understood how inefficient my previous methods had been. At my current job, everything—teamwork, leadership, and processes—is streamlined. What took me months to see is that they weren’t just doing it differently—they were doing it better.
Sometimes, we’re so entrenched in our ways that we can’t recognize a simpler, smarter approach until we’re ready to accept it.
Lessons from the Barbell
The parallels between my work life and fitness journey are undeniable. Years ago, I transitioned from traditional weightlifting to CrossFit and eventually Olympic weightlifting. I now train with two Olympians—a privilege I don’t take lightly. But even with world-class coaches, I was stubborn.
They’d give me cues—like “catch it high, ride it down”—and I’d nod, thinking I understood. Truthfully, I didn’t. It took years of trial and error, tweaking my form, and hitting plateaus before the light bulb finally went off. One day, after countless reminders from my coach, something clicked. Suddenly, I got it.
The reality? I wasn’t ready to listen until I was. I had to let go of the pride I’d built as a former CrossFit coach and accept that I didn’t know everything. That’s a tough pill to swallow when you think you’re experienced.
It wasn’t just about technique, either. For years, I dismissed the importance of stretching. I thought warming up with lighter weights was enough. But after struggling with chronic shoulder pain for years, I finally committed to stretching regularly. Within months, the pain disappeared. Stretching—a basic thing everyone had told me to do—turned out to be the solution all along.
The Muscle-Up Moment
Before moving to Colorado, I was coaching my final CrossFit class when a member reminded me of a promise: “Damian, you said you’d teach me how to do a muscle-up.” It was my last chance to deliver, so I said, “Fair enough. Let’s do it.”
He was close—he had the strength and determination—but something was just slightly off. After watching his attempt, I decided to keep it simple:
“When you pull as high as you can, look up. Then look down.”
He looked skeptical but gave it a shot. And just like that, he nailed it—his first muscle-up. The excitement on his face said it all.
But this moment wasn’t about me giving the perfect cue. It was about timing and trust. He was ready to listen, and for whatever reason, I was the person he believed he needed to hear it from. That same advice might not have landed a week earlier or from someone else.
The lesson? Growth often depends not just on the right advice, but on being ready to hear it—and hearing it from the person you trust to guide you. That applies to fitness, work, and life.
The Takeaway
Life has a funny way of teaching us lessons only when we’re ready to learn them. Whether it’s realizing your parents were right, finding more efficient ways to work, or nailing your snatch technique, the truth remains: pride and stubbornness can blind us to better ways of doing things.
Here’s the key:
- Be ready to listen. Sometimes, we’re so stuck in our ways that we don’t even realize we’re resisting growth.
- Find the right people. Surround yourself with those who challenge and guide you.
Growth requires humility, openness, and the willingness to admit when you’re wrong. And trust me, the payoff is always worth it.
That’s all I’ve got for now. Thanks for sticking around. Stay curious, stay humble, and keep learning.