The Power of Discipline
Building Physical Foundation Through Daily Training
Fitness has been a part of my daily routine for years now. Numerous yoga studios and fitness classes, including Orange Theory Fitness, there's one workout I remember vividly. After a night of heavy drinking, as I'm running my ass off on the treadmill taking multiple breaks, my trainer comes up to me and says "You're never going to progress, you're never gonna get to the next level if you continue to drink like that."
That was a big shift and propelled me to change my relationship with alcohol, which gradually introduced me to increasing my efforts in the gym, working with personal trainers who have really encouraged the consistency of showing up.
Discipline is going to the gym when it's 20° outside at 6 AM in the morning.
Discipline is going to the gym even when I don't feel like it and I still show up and do as much as I can.
Discipline is pushing myself a little bit further and harder with each workout.
Through building discipline into my daily routine with physical activity, my strength and endurance increases. This allows me to have a better approach going into production days that are going to be really long and demanding. With every project I want to push myself - whether that’s the ability to get certain angles that may take a bit more flexibility or strength in order to get to a certain area or the sheer amount of steps and standing involved holding 15+ lbs of equipment for hours at a time.
Training the Mind Through Daily Meditation
Meditation is truly a foundational practice that grounds everything I do. Just like I show up to train my body, I show up every day to practice being still. This isn't about perfection - it's about using discipline as a way of showing up consistently to build the mental clarity needed to run a sustainable video production business.
The benefits of this have showed up in unexpected ways. One of the strongest impacts has been developing this intuitive awareness in my projects. I feel more connected to what's happening around me, which naturally leads to capturing better content. When I'm editing, ideas about which direction to take flow more freely. There's less second-guessing and more trusting my creative instincts.
The practice compounds over time. Everything is connected - when I'm more present during productions, I bring better footage into the edit. When I'm more centered during client meetings, I make clearer decisions about projects. When I'm more aware during pre-production, I see potential challenges before they become problems.
Discipline in meditation isn't about forcing yourself to sit still for hours. It's about showing up consistently, even when your mind feels scattered. It's about building a foundation of mental clarity that supports every aspect of creative work. Because in video production, your mind is as crucial a tool as your camera.
The Power of Rest: Transforming My Sleep Schedule
My 8pm to 4am sleep regimen did not come easy. There would be days where I'd have to wake up early for a job, and I'd be driving past a gym, seeing people going in and thinking "there's no fucking way that's ever going to be me."
Back then, my routine was somewhere between 12am until 9am. And that's not even counting the days that I was throwing down so many IPAs. I mean, I'd be up until 2am or 3am, sometimes 4am in the morning eating deluxe quarter pounders, chicken nuggets, tons of fries, and unsweet tea (balance right?) and then sleeping until 2pm or 3pm in the afternoon, having that day completely wiped from existence.
Discipline with sleep means being consistent, even when it's hard. The optimal time of day you are most efficient is unique to you. You have to find what works for you. But this 8pm to 4am schedule works for me quite well because I feel way more energized and connected. I get more done because it gives me time to work in the morning when the day typically "hasn't started." These early morning hours really allows me to harness my creative focus which is perfect for editing, planning shoots, or handling the business side of things without interruption.
Fueling Success Through Mindful Nutrition
It took a while for me to recognize how nutrition greatly influences how I feel and perform. As someone who has struggled with depression, I didn’t realize the type of food I eat can greatly affect my mood.
Your body is a vehicle - the type of oil you put in your system affects the type of performance you're going to get. If you're not maintaining this vehicle you're walking around in, you're not going to feel or perform your best.
I’ve worked with various nutritionists over the years and have learned so much. One approach I take currently is using MyFitnessPal to track macros and calories. This helps me have a better visual understanding of how much I eat and making more balanced, informed decisions. It’s also important to pay attention to how my body feels when I eat something and modifying from there. I've also completed a food sensitivity test, and the foods I've altered from that test have made a huge impact in how I feel and perform.
The Integration of Discipline
The combination of all these elements - physical training, mental clarity through meditation, proper rest, and mindful nutrition - creates a foundation for growing my business. When I'm physically strong, well-rested, properly nourished, and mentally focused, the quality of my video production work reaches new levels. Each element reinforces the others: better sleep supports better workouts, better nutrition fuels better mental clarity, better physical condition enables better rest, and mental discipline strengthens my commitment to each practice.
This isn't just about personal health - it's about building a sustainable business that can weather the demands of long production days, creative challenges, and client relationships. The discipline I apply to my physical and mental wellbeing directly translates to the discipline I bring to my craft. Having the mentality of wanting to do my best work means that I have to do the best work for myself first.