28) Art of Inspiration

When you see something on a regular basis, it sparks something inside you. It’s exactly why I have specific setups in the small studios I use every day. It’s all based around things that will spark creativity and inspiration.

Baseball Cards

One setup features some of my favorite baseball, football and basketball cards I collected as a kid. Obviously from being a card collector, I understood a couple of things about Babe Ruth. One, he's the greatest to ever do it, especially in his era. He didn't lift weights and he didn't have supplements. This dude was unapologetic, a party animal, a maniac, and did things in his own way.

Have you ever heard Babe Ruth’s famous quote about striking out? That’s one I keep up on the wall. “Never let the fear of striking out ever get in your way.” You never get the home runs if you don't strike out. "Every strike brings me closer to the next home run."

Collecting and trading cards brings back memories of excitement and hustle. I absolutely love it. These cards represent the early stages of hustling, understanding things of value, and making deals for me.

Nipsey Hussle

Nipsey has given me a lot of motivation. I didn’t consume his content when he was alive, but I started consuming his interviews after he passed away. I started going down the rabbit hole of understanding what he was really about. Then I got into his music and understood he didn't fit in the system and he was always creative. He was always doing his own things, his own brands, and was willing to put in the time and effort for what he really wanted to achieve, which he did right before he passed away. Having a piece of Nipsey artwork is a great reminder of what his content has done for me.

Pumping Iron

I’m one of the few people out there that have all three covers of Pumping Iron, each signed by the individual on the cover. It’s something that gives me inspiration every single day.

Pumping Iron is the old bodybuilding book that, in a way, started the whole industry.
When I first saw that movie, everything immediately changed for me. I finally got to see, in action and in color, all of the stuff I was reading about as a kid. The film showed how big these guys actually were, how much they trained, and brought to light how funny Arnold was, and started to give me an idea of what the lifestyle was really like in California at that time.

Franco Colombu

Then we have my Franco Colombu poster with him deadlifting 700 pounds with a Great Dane looking at him. Once again, representing the Golden Era. I was fortunate enough to spend some time with Franco from time to time when I was around Arnold. Our conversations blew me away because he had an unbelievable understanding of the body. Not only that, but he was also one of the first people that truly executed powerlifting, bodybuilding, and strongman at a high level. Inspiration flows when I see this iconic picture.

Giannamore’s Pizza

I would consider this in my Top Five moments in my career. This is the night Dustin Myers and I spoke at our 20-year commencement of our high school. No one thought in a million years that we would be the ones to come back to speak, but through our work we inspired many people. We went from being outcasts, to going back 20 years later to inspire the graduating class.

The Importance

Articles of inspiration are important to have around you at all times. If it’s out of sight, it’s out of mind. Take time to create a collection to keep around you. On the fridge, on the walls in your home gym, or on the backdrop of your phone. It doesn’t matter.
Find those things that you know are going to spark creativity. That are going to spark excitement. That are going to spark motivation. Then, keep them in front of you. You can change them over time, but always keep them in a position on purpose.