As I write this my neck is sore. 

I recently started Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and some dude squeezed my head with his knees so hard I thought my head was going to explode. 

After about 5 classes this was the first class where I felt the reality of having no control. 

During my sabbatical, I read a book called Breath by James Nestor. 

This is a must read for every business owner and honestly any person that breathes.  

It basically tells you how destructive mouth breathing is and how healthy nose breathing is. 

I was a mouth breather. 

I am now a nose breather. 

While this dude was trying to crush my head with his knees, I initially went into panic mode. 

As the pressure increased, I realized using force was not going to work…so I went to my breathing. 

I used my nose and was able to stay calm and escape. 

As a BJJ newbie it was my first mini victory. 

Not because I escaped…because I stayed calm under pressure.  

I was so glad I went, it felt amazing. 

But I was very close to NOT going that night. 

I have a goal this year to attend 78 BJJ classes. 

That is exactly 1.5 classes per week.  

My low back has been sore and I started telling Vanessa (my wife) how I think I was going to give it a few more days to let my back heal. 

The look on her face was all I needed. 

She knew my goal of 78x and knew it was January 4th and I had not yet attended a class. 

The truth was…. not going that night would have put me behind the pace. 

She didn’t make me feel bad about it but it was a nice combination of.. 

“You should go” and “Don’t be such a baby”. 

My low back had been sore all day but when I got to class there was no pain. 

I went through the class totally fine and my back feels better than it did before. 

What a shame it would have been if I didn’t go. 

But now my neck hurts! 

Here’s the lesson. 

You need people in your corner that will tell you the truth. 

The truth was my back was fine and I was looking for an excuse. 

I knew that but it was my wonderful wife that gave me the little nudge I needed. 

One of my biggest roles as a business coach is to be a truth teller. 

I have the hard job of telling people things they don’t want to hear. 

While everyone around them is pumping them up and tiptoeing around them… 

…. I must stay true to what they need most and help them realize the…brutal facts they face in their business. 

Things like:  

• You need to raise your prices 
• You need to fire your best team member 
• You need to stop micromanaging and get out of the way 
• You need to stop procrastinating and open the second location already 

• You need to beef up your dangerously low cash cushion 

This is what Vanessa did for me. 

And this is what I’d love to do for you…for 12 months…totally free. 

https://2021.vincegabriele.com/ 

Vince Gabriele  

P.S. If you need someone to be real with you…consider filling out the application…. If you want someone to deliver fluffy motivation messages and tell you need to keep grinding…. this is NOT for you. 

Grinding is easy…making hard decisions is not…getting the courage to allow someone to be real with you is the hardest of them all   
 
https://2021.vincegabriele.com/