A Tribute to Elliott Hulse

November 2013 was the lowest of the low.

I had no money, I just went through a ridiculous break up, I was sick, my living situation wasn’t working out, and I was constantly quitting at everything hard.

Essentially, I had pretty much nothing left.
Rock bottom.
Drowning.
Whatever you want to call it.

I stayed in this sad state for a few weeks. Not really feeling anything, and just floating along, sinking deeper into depression with each passing week. It got to the point where I just didn’t even want to get out of bed, then eventually where I just wanted it all to stop.

Desperately looking for some kind of answers, I went to YouTube.

I had been subscribed to this guy, Elliott Hulse, for a while but none of his messages had really sunk in to my head yet.

One of his newly updated videos was in my feed, and I clicked on it. Then I clicked on the next one. Then the next one after that. I didn’t stop until I watched every single last one because something about these ideas resonated in my brain.

All of these new ideas were too much to absorb at once, so I just kept watching them over and over. For Christmas all I ordered were the books he recommended. I couldn’t get enough.

His first recommendation that hit me was to just simply pick one thing and stick with it so you could build the virtue of discipline. He swore that was one of the things that got him on the path to success. This simple idea seemed almost too simple, but I figured it couldn’t hurt.

I decided on finishing my work out program (Shortcut to Size) because after two embarrassing years, I never made it through all twelve weeks of the program. It was one of the biggest things that haunted me and reminded me how much I sucked. I never thought I’d make it past week seven (the point I always failed).

One of his biggest lessons is that it is not WHAT you get by doing things but instead who you become.

That lesson changed everything as I grew to understand it.

Now when I was at the gym every rep no longer stood for a better body, but it stood for building a better life. Changing my character structure. Making myself stronger as a person.

I learned that it mattered far less what it was that I did, and far more that I actually did the thing I said I was going to do.

This gave meaning to my work in the gym every single time I was in there. Even on the days where I accomplished absolutely nothing else, I made sure I went to the gym. Even if it was 11 pm and I was exhausted and craving my bed. Fitness become my lifeline and my hope to a better future because I knew if I could get past this hurdle, I could maybe create a better life.

As the weeks went on, I couldn’t believe how everything started changing so quickly.

The weeks, started piling on and I had no desire to quit. This consistency started drifting to other areas of my life without me trying so hard. I started to believe in myself again. I started slowly introducing some of his other ideas (like The Bow and bioenergetic releases), which you can find on his fitness channel: Strengthcamp.

Now, here I am. The farthest I have ever made it in this program and the end is just around the corner. I have never, ever made it this far. Outside of high school athletics, I never stuck with anything for nine straight weeks.

Through this journey, I can also finally hear my intuition that had been silenced after years of college and years of being told what I SHOULD be doing.

I woke up one day and felt like the negative feelings had finally left and I had once again regained clarity and purpose. That weaker side had been laid to rest and I can finally move on to bigger and better things. Things from my past have been left there and the weight off my shoulders is incredibly freeing.

I hear my inner calling; my Hero’s Journey, and with this realization comes a shift in how I will be living my life. I could not be more excited.

I also know I can finally finish the goals I set for myself. That I can start something and see it through. That I am finally on the path to becoming the strongest version of myself.

I am forever grateful that I discovered Elliott Hulse and his work. It saved my life.