Meet Jake Platt

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jake Platt. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jake below.

Jake, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
I grew up in a small town in New Jersey, just thirty miles outside New York City. My childhood was marked by significant challenges, primarily due to my stepfather, a Vietnam veteran who suffered from PTSD. He worked as a water pump installer and would come home to unwind by consuming a case of Budweiser while watching sitcoms. From as early as the age of four, I experienced ridicule and physical threats from him, making me feel constantly on edge. Our small home made it nearly impossible to avoid him.

In contrast, my mother was quite the opposite. She owned her own franchise-type ice cream store called Carvel and dedicated long hours to her work, often coming home exhausted. While I had a good relationship with her, she was too preoccupied and fatigued to shield me from my stepfather’s abusive behavior. She also chose not to disrupt the status quo, preferring to go with the flow.

Over the years, I endured both physical and emotional abuse from my stepfather. However, I found solace and resilience in participating in sports through the PAL league in town. I excelled as one of the star athletes in my community, and during football and baseball seasons, I spent most of my time away from home.

As I entered my early teens, I began weightlifting and developed a reputation as a tough kid. I engaged in numerous street fights as a means of coping with the inner demons that had grown within me due to the abuse. Fighting became an outlet for my pent-up anger, to the extent that I would often go out seeking confrontation. By the time I turned 18, I estimated that I had been involved in at least a couple of dozen fights.

Following high school, I enlisted in the Marine Corps. Unfortunately, I sustained a lower back injury after six months of service, resulting in an honorable administrative discharge without any benefits. During my time in the Marines, I started studying Karate, which I found to be an excellent outlet for the anger I had harbored inside.

Upon my discharge, I returned home to live with my parents and tried various jobs, all of which seemed like dead ends. I even attempted to pursue modeling and acting in New York City, but I lacked the necessary resources to make it work. Throughout this period, I continued to study martial arts.

One day, I found myself in an argument with my stepfather. It had been years since he had verbally or physically abused me, largely because I believe he knew I would defend myself if he tried. During our argument, I realized that I was no longer intimidated by him; instead, I felt a sense of pity. In that moment, I let go of all the anger I had carried for so long. I decided to move to Seattle, Washington, where my older sister had been living for a couple of years. She provided me with a place to stay while I got back on my feet.

Throughout all these experiences, I continued to immerse myself in martial arts training. I dedicated two to four hours every day, honing my skills. Within a short span, I earned a black belt and started teaching classes under the guidance of Master Lee, an experienced Korean Taekwondo Master. In just two years, I achieved a 2nd-degree black belt, and Master Lee invited me to join him in opening a Taekwondo school. At the time, I was working at Nordstrom, selling women’s shoes, but I decided to leave my job, cashed in my 401k, and embarked on the journey of opening my own Taekwondo school.

I believe it was the dedication and discipline I developed through martial arts that cultivated my resilience. I had to transform my anger into something purposeful. Over the next decade, I advanced to a 4th-degree black belt, mentored over 200 students, became the head coach for the Air Force, and coached at the 2004 Olympic Trials. Additionally, I served as the assistant coach for the 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist, Steven Lopez. Together with Steven and his brother, who was the head coach for the USA team, we produced educational Taekwondo videos that contributed to the global expansion of the sport.

My journey has been one of transformation, resilience, and self-discovery, and I am proud of the positive impact I have been able to make through martial arts.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am happily married and the proud father of two sons: a 9-year-old and a 25-year-old with whom I continue to spend quality time each week. Currently, I am an online micro-influencer deeply passionate about health and fitness. My days are dedicated to coaching clients in their weight loss journeys, creating promotional TikTok videos for various brands, and pursuing my interests in modeling and aspiring acting.

In addition to these endeavors, I’ve been diligently working on a weight loss course set to launch in the New Year. This course is built upon my MORPH Method program, which I developed after the unfortunate closure of my gym business due to the Covid-19 shutdown. MORPH is an acronym: Mindful, Organized, Routines, Practiced, Honest, as it relates to six pillars of health: hydration, sleep, nutrition, exercise, breath work, and mindset.

My ultimate aim is to assist as many people as possible in overcoming their health challenges. Over the past decade, I have dedicated myself to researching and studying health and longevity, and I am eager to share not only my knowledge but also the valuable insights I have gained from coaching tens of thousands of individuals throughout my thirty-plus years in martial arts, health, fitness, and life.

As a certified Life Coach, I find great fulfillment in helping people navigate life’s challenges, whether it’s related to weight loss, divorce, career transitions, relationships, or any other aspect that may be holding them back from reaching their full potential. I am also actively involved in teaching the principles of a growth mindset within a men’s support group and lead a women’s weight loss support group.

For more information about me and my offerings, please visit my website at www.morphmethod.com. Feel free to reach out; I’m here to support and guide you on your journey to a healthier and happier life.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The three skills I believe were the most impactful is to open your mind, have faith in yourself and practice healing, loving and protecting yourself. My advice to others is to be patient, give yourself some grace and space to develop yourself. Commit each day to improving yourself, even if it’s only for five minutes.

Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
It’s hard not get overwhelmed by problems in today’s world. We all have problems, some bigger than others and some people deal with them better than others. However, the main goal for me is to always be solution based focused when times get tough. If you have a setback, think of a time in your life where you overcame a similar problem and see if you can find a solution from it. If not, seek help from a mentor, coach or counselor. We can’t expect to solve all our problems on our own. Reach out to friends, family and anyone who will listen. Just remember, everyone has an opinion, so if you are looking for real solutions, I always recommend a professional with an objective viewpoint.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Mcklyn Cole

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Leadership Development
Empathy Unlocked: Understanding how to Develop Emotional Intelligence

“Empathy is the starting point for creating a community and taking action. It’s the impetus

Productivity
Where do you get your work ethic from?

We’ve all heard the phrase “work hard, play hard,” but where does our work ethic

Productivity
Boosting Productivity Through Self-Care

When you have a never-ending to-do list it can feel irresponsible to engage in self-care,