Constant Change: How to Embrace it and Adapt

< Full Episode

Transcript: Constant Change: How to Embrace it and Adapt

Season 8, Episode 1  | March 12, 2024

Jamie Martin
Welcome to Life Time Talks, the podcast that’s aimed at helping you achieve your health, fitness, and life goals. I’m Jamie Martin, editor-in-chief of Experience Life, Life Time’s whole life health and fitness magazine.

David Freeman
And I’m David Freeman, director of Alpha, one of Life Time’s signature group training programs. We’re all in different places along our health and fitness journey, but no matter what we’re working toward, there are some essential things we can do to keep moving in the direction of a healthy purpose-driven life. In each episode, we break down various elements of healthy living, including fitness and nutrition, mindset and community, and health issues. We’ll also share real, inspiring stories of transformation. And we’ll be talking to experts from Life Time and beyond who share their insights and knowledge so you’ll have the tools and information you need to take charge of your next steps. Here we go.

We’re back, another episode of Life Time Talks. We’re going into season eight. Jamie, how excited are you about jumping into this season?

Jamie Martin
I’m so excited and I can’t believe we’re starting our eighth season. I think we’ve kind of gotten on this path. We kicked off the podcast, it was in February of 2020, right before this huge event happened in our world. And the fact that we’ve done kind of two seasons per year since then, that’s pretty awesome. I’m so excited, how are you feeling?

David Freeman
I’m excited. It’s always great. Not that we need accolades or anything, but just to be recognized for a lot of the things that we are doing, but more importantly, what our team are doing behind the scenes. So we got an award last year, a few of them. I want to say, yeah, you remember that? Like, why don’t we share with the listeners a little bit about the awards that we were recognized for last year?

Jamie Martin
Yeah, we won the best consumer health and fitness podcast, um, in the folio awards, the folio is a national recognition program in the publishing industry. Um, so we took that award home, which was pretty exciting. You and I, David, we were in New York and able to accept that award, which was so fun, um, and to be able to kind of be in that space and celebrate, you know, the hundred plus episodes that we’ve put out there into the world. I mean, we did not, I don’t know that we thought we were going to do this many episodes when we started this back, you know, four years ago.

David Freeman
Look at her. Look at her y’all. Listeners, she is just being so humble. I like how, yes, we recognize the podcast, but I need to get some cheers because y’all also listening to the editor of the year. Can we get some cheers real quick?

[CLAPPING NOISE]

Jamie Martin
I mean, come on, right? I’m dying because we are using a new platform and recording this and there’s some really fun behind the scenes tools, like those little claps you just heard. And it’s funny that David, he prompted for that. Thank you for recognizing that award, David. That was pretty exciting and a huge honor, yes. But people may not know this about me, but I am not a big person on change or you know, I know that change is constantly happening, but I often am resistant to change. If you’ve done something one way and it’s been working, why mess with it? You know, why would we add hand claps to the podcast, David?

David Freeman
And I mean, this is the topic that we…

[CLAPPING NOISE]

Oh my god. I mean, you got to give a shout out Molly, Sarah behind the scenes on point. I love y’all for that. And you just said it like being able to navigate change, like we’re going to be different tomorrow. And guess what that that’s change. So we’re always evolving in this space. And this is a topic that I always preach a lot to, to a lot of my athletes, my family, like everybody that I come in contact with, because we’re always evolving, we’re always changing, regardless of we want to accept it or not. So when it is something new, you just said it like winning awards, we’re being recognized, like why change something that’s not broken? And the beauty of this is we always should continue to add to the toolbox and grow and learn. Because if you’re not, you start to become somewhat obsolete or irrelevant. And when you go to Darwin’s theory, like the survival of the fittest, most people were talking about, are you the strongest, are you the fastest? And it was the individuals or the animals that he was talking about that were being able to adapt to their environment that we’re able to survive. So that’s, that’s why it’s a big component of what it is that we should be doing is continue to change and always for the right reasons.

Jamie Martin
Absolutely. You know, I’m, I’m recording in not my usual location today because I’m back in my hometown area, um, to do an event tomorrow and I’m speaking at this event. And it’s funny that you talk about like the change and the constant evolving. One of the points that I want to make is, you know, there’s this, you know, the reasons that I’m doing what I’m doing. There’s a bunch of things that are tied into it. Like it’s my job gives me purpose, this role gives me purpose, I’m passionate about it. And I see the potential in it. And with potential, like I think potential is a promise of change. It’s a promise of things continuing to evolve and show opportunity for something that’s next. And you know, when we see potential, we can grow and change and adapt. And that’s where like I can be resistant to change when it comes to certain things, but when I see potential, that’s when I’m like, oh yeah, let’s go after that. So I’m gonna speak to that a little bit tomorrow and I’m excited about that. But it’s just one of those things where, you know, certain types of change are harder than others.

David Freeman
Yeah. Most people are resistant to change because it’s the fear of the unknown, right? And that’s that uncomfortable level of, I don’t wanna do it because I don’t know what’s gonna happen. But you gotta do it afraid sometimes. And what you learn from that experience is you gain the experience and nobody can ever take that away from you. So continue to evolve within the mindset in this space is what I always want to challenge, not only you, but you challenge me with. And from that we grow. So with that, when you think of change itself, I want to dive a little bit deeper because you got different ways we can change mentally, we change aesthetically, but I want to speak to the mindset. You know I’m passionate about the mindset. So when it comes to change the word itself, when we look at the year 2024, what are some things that you know that you need to change? What would you say on that?

Jamie Martin
I think I’ve probably talked about this on the podcast before, but I sometimes will hold myself back a little bit just out of like, again, because of the unknown, you know? So my word for this year actually though is expand. And that means being willing to step outside of my comfort zones and try different things. And that’s where change happens because we know that’s where change happens, right?

And so I think that’s why for this year, you know, one thing I’ve been considering and then yes, I’m going to speak it out loud is like, do I do a marathon? Like that’s really expanding my horizons and like pushing outside of my comfort zone and, and changing some big behaviors and habits in order to support something like that. So that’s one thing when I think about this year, it’s about expanding and with expanding, there’s change that has to happen.

David Freeman
If I had a word, it would probably be present. And in our day to day, we’re doing so much, responding to emails, text messages, making phone calls. And what we’re thinking is, since we’re having so many touch points, we’re being impactful. And the reality is, we’re probably not putting as much time and being present for whatever it may be. And you’re losing probably the value of what could be there because you’re moving on to the next thing.

So my objective or what I want to change for this year is just being more present. And I feel like being so much more intentional with the time when I am doing a thing can definitely elevate me in a lot of ways. So I’m gonna be way more present this year.

Jamie Martin
It’s so interesting, David, that that’s your word. As somebody who we don’t see each other in person a lot. So when we got to spend time in New York together for the awards, we were also there with two other colleagues with us.

And I don’t know if I ever told you this, but after we left, one of them said, David is amazing in how he can be, he’s looking ahead, he’s thoughtful, but he is also right present and he’s aware of everything that’s happening in this moment. So I think you are already so present in ways maybe you don’t realize, but I totally hear you because in our day-to-day life, it can feel like we’re being pulled in a hundred different directions. But I think you should know that like, that was an observation that one of our colleagues shared with us after that event because they’re like, it’s amazing. Like he’s right there, he’s right in it with you. But then, you know, he’s always got, he’s like thinking about that other thing as well and like how he can contribute to, like this conversation we’re having or this next thing that we’re doing together.

David Freeman
Yeah, the in-person piece is the gift set that I definitely know that I can connect with because it’s in person. And that’s the undivided attention I now know how to put the phone away and be present. So that’s the thing that I know that I can continue to champion. It is the other things of over committing, of trying to make sure I’m mentoring over here, responding to that email over here, recapping that email there, just to say, hey, I heard you, I saw you, because I understand the value. And I’m always thinking of how I’m receiving things. So I always wanna kind of help reciprocate a lot of that energy. And my mom always told me, it’s my gift and my curse. I try to please everybody. And she said, you’re not gonna be everybody’s cup of tea. So be you, right? Be you, be authentic, and do your best, is always what she used to say to me. So, and that’s the thing. I know that if I can be more intentional with being present with whatever it is that I’m doing, I think it will yield so much more.

Jamie Martin
David, it sounds like you, oh, how do I want to phrase this? Like maybe you need to figure out where the right place is to say no so that you can say yes to the right things. You know what I mean? I think, isn’t that like the whole idea of that Shonda Rhimes book from a few years ago, the year of yes, was like, it was really about saying yes, but then knowing what she had to say no to so she could say yes to the priority, right? And the things that we’re going to make the biggest difference.

David Freeman
Yeah, I call it the art of delegation, right? And the craziness of this is we’re afraid to delegate because we want to still be in control. And that’s the beautiful part about leadership. You’ve been pouring into so many different individuals and now it’s the trust of like, all right, now allow them to run with this and trust them to get it done versus I got to have my hand over here, hand over there. So that’s the power of team. You can’t do it all by yourself.

And when it comes to leadership, the things that you’re doing with these individuals, spending time with them day in and day out, that’s the opportunity now to show like, have they been retaining this information? Can they go and do this? And you got to, you got to allow them to go out there. And I like to say this and people take it as a bad thing, but allow people to fail. Why? Because they gain from that experience. And I’m not hoping that they do fail. But even if they do, they’re going to come back better than what they went in.

Jamie Martin
Yeah, there’s something always to be learned from a failure, right? Like what can we grow? What can I learn from this? How can I grow from this? Um, but I think to your point is like, it takes, we have to, you know, empower and trust the people around us when we delegate, you know, and know that it’s not going to be exactly how we would have done it. Um, I was thinking about this again recently, cause it’s been, gosh, I’m going on, I think I’ve been the editor in chief of Experience Life now for seven years, and I had this period of time where I was trying to kind of be somebody else in my job and I was failing.

Like I wasn’t failing like outwardly, right? But inwardly, I’m like, this isn’t working. And it wasn’t until I was able to like do it as me and empower my team with things that I didn’t need to own that it really felt like I was starting to succeed. And I think that’s where there’s some beauty and like opportunities for growth and not to try and do it all yourself, right? Like, or to try and do it like anybody else to your point. Like show up as you, be authentically you and see what happens.

David Freeman
For sure. Yeah, I think we also, as a society, we’ve become accustomed to becoming a title versus just creating the action and doing the things. I shared this with a lot of people that I have mentored. I wrote down back in 2016, see how many years were removed from that. But back in 2016, I ended up manifesting in my head what I wanted to become, director of Alpha. And it was only what, maybe a year or two ago that I became director of Alpha. So that was back in 2016. But I operated my mindset and everything as if I was that versus waiting on the title to now do the actions that would take me to become a director. So I think we got to operate in the things that we want to become versus waiting on the title to now do those things as well. So don’t get caught up in the title. Do the work, do the work.

Jamie Martin
And create the change, right, that you need to have to get you there, right? Like if you have this vision, if you’re manifesting something, there’s work that is gonna happen to get you there, which means things are gonna have to change. So back to kind of like where we started, this whole idea of navigating change, like yes, it can be scary, we can resist it, but the reality is no matter what we do, it’s gonna happen, you know? And you and I talked kind of offline the other day. It’s like, you know, things have changed for me since I turned 40 versus when I was 20. You know, it’s things about our physical fitness change or about our mental well-being change or all these things. Like at whatever age or stage we’re at in life, we’re dealing with change. And often I read this really interesting statistic. I think I wrote about it in EL one time, where it was like, if you asked me right now how much I’m going to change in the next 10 years, I would say not that much. I’m going to probably do the same kind of workouts. I’m going to have the same group of friends and listen to the same kind of music. But when you look back from right now to where I was 10 years ago, a lot has changed.

So, you know what I mean? So it’s like, no matter where you are, change is happening. And even if you’re like, eh, I’m gonna be just like I was, like we’re changing all the time.

David Freeman
That’s so funny. I would say the same thing in relation to being in the health and fitness industry, seeing so much over the years, being in five different markets. And I remember having a conversation with the lead general back in St. Louis Park in Minnesota. And at that point in time, I would consider like almost like prime.

And obviously now we can say, yeah, we’re in our prime now. We always keep saying prime now, right? Cause we keep, we keep getting better with what it is that we’re doing. But from just physically, as far as my strength, my recovery, the way I can probably not even do a warmup and get things done. And it was, I’m having a conversation today with an individual, I’m 40, this individual is 27. And we were talking about the workout. And she was asking, it’s like, why are you here 30 minutes early to warm up? I’m like, oh, if you only knew.

But back when I was 27, didn’t do those things. So it’s so relative, but the reality of just understanding that we have changed so much, but what we do is we get caught up in that experience of what was and think that we can still do. That’s why you see so many individuals, like they’re championing what the past was and it’s hard to let that go versus knowing what that was and now championing that message to the future.

So knowing how to navigate and say, hey, all right, I’m 40 now, not to say I can’t do a lot of, I can still do a lot of the things, but pour the energy into my son or his team or my daughter and giving them the hacks of life, if you will, to get them better in this space. So also knowing how to let go of certain things and just champion it in a different way as well.

Jamie Martin
Yeah, so we’re navigating change, we’re embracing change, we’re kind of becoming who we were kind of always meant to be at any given moment in time. And that’s going to change in the next tomorrow, the next year, whatever that ends up being. And I think that’s just a good way to kind of lead us, you know, into this next season of the podcast, you know, we know that when it comes to health and wellness and all the various facets of that is it’s like, it requires like habit and behavior change often a lot. And, you know, we want to be that resource for you, our listeners to know that like we’ve got some tips and tricks, but also like some proven research backed things that are going to really help you make meaningful progress in your, you know, toward whatever goal you’re working towards. So that’s always our goal with Life Time Talks. Um, often it’s complimented with content at Experience Life or at ExperienceLife.com, but you know, we want to be here for you as a go-to resource. And so we’re excited to have you tuning back in for another season. Um, David, anything you want to add before we sign off?

David Freeman
Yeah. Just saying, uh, piggybacking off what Jamie just said, like this, this podcast is a tool, it’s a resource. And this information that you’re consuming is great that you’re consuming it. But it’s the application of the items that we’re going over that the real change happens. So if you’re looking to become better with your health and fitness, yes, consume the information, but you got to be able to apply some of it to actually see the change. So be sure to not only consume, but start to apply to see how things are how your body responds to how you respond to it, mentally, so on and so forth. So application is power, we say knowledge is power, I say it’s the application of the knowledge that’s power.

Jamie Martin
Hmm, I love that. So on that note, we want you to know that if you ever have ideas for episodes, if there’s things you’re struggling with, you can absolutely reach out to us. You can submit content ideas and send your feedback. We want to know what you’re thinking and feeling and if there’s more that you want from us as you know, you’re fearless Life Time Talks podcast cohosts.

David Freeman
We’ll see y’all soon.

Thanks for joining us for this episode. As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts on our conversation today and how you approach this aspect of healthy living in your own life. What works for you? Where do you run into challenges? Where do you need help?

Jamie Martin
And if you have topics for future episodes, you can share those with us too. Email us @lttalks@lt.life, or reach out to us on Instagram @lifetime.life, @jamiemartinel and @freezy30 and use the hashtag #LifeTimeTalks. You can also learn more about the podcast at ExperienceLife.Lifetime.Life/podcasts.

David Freeman
And if you’re enjoying Life Time Talks, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. If you like what you’re hearing, we invite you to rate and review the podcast and share it on your social channels too.

Jamie Martin
Thanks for listening. We’ll talk to you next time on Life Time Talks. Life Time Talks is a production of Life Time, Healthy Way of Life.

It is produced by Molly Kopischke and Sarah Ellingsworth with audio engineering by Peter Perkins, video production and editing by Kevin Dixon, sound and video consulting by Coy Larson, and support from George Norman and the rest of the team at Life Time Motion. A big thank you to everyone who helps create each episode and provides feedback.