Meryl Binder shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Meryl, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: Have you ever been glad you didn’t act fast?
There are times and places where acting fast is the best move, but there are also times when taking your time leads to better outcomes. In the grand scheme of health, fitness, and personal development in general, I embrace moving at a slower pace since I’ve learned that cool shit takes time, and the more time you allow yourself to have, the more successful you’ll be.
As a coach, I’ve moved from answering questions as soon as they’re asked to taking time so that I can ask a better, more thoughtful question. Better questions = better answers.
A major theme in taking time vs. acting fast is having the opportunity to move from a place of reactivity to responsiveness. Responsiveness will usually come from a place of alignment and integrity, whereas reactiveness tends to keep people stuck.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! I’m Meryl, and my main mission is to live a life filled with doing cool shit and help others do the same (whatever that means to them). A while back, I had this moment where I realized that I didn’t fear death; I was afraid that I’d die without ever really living. This wasn’t because I hadn’t gotten out into the world and done anything arguably cool; it was because I was holding myself back from truly experiencing it all.
I spent years uncomfortable in my own skin, constantly trying to shrink myself down, trapped in cycles of restriction and self-criticism that the fitness world loves to package as “progress.” I was working hard—really hard—but I was missing the deeper pieces that actually create lasting change. The mindset work. The values alignment. The psychology behind why we do what we do.
Here’s what I learned the hard way: you can’t hate yourself into a version of yourself you love. You can’t guilt your way to confidence. And you definitely can’t build genuine strength—physical or mental—from a place of people-pleasing and self-criticism.
The real shift happened when I stopped trying to follow everyone else’s blueprint and started getting curious about what actually worked for me. When I began aligning my actions with my values instead of chasing some impossible standard. When I realized that strength training wasn’t just about moving weight—it was about proving to myself what I could handle, in the gym and everywhere else.
That’s when the cool shit started happening and I started really to really LIVE… not because I found the “perfect” program, but because I finally understood that lasting change comes from building genuine self-trust and showing up for yourself consistently, especially when it’s uncomfortable.
My coaching company, Wicked Iron Strength, understands the desire to find purpose, value, and confidence through health and fitness. We also know that this comes from more than just numbers on a scale, in an app, or weights on a bar – it emerges from a profound connection between your physical practice and your mental approach. In a world obsessed with quick fixes and restrictive rules, we choose a different path. Because lasting change is built through self-trust and showing up for yourself every day. At Wicked Iron Strength, we don’t just hand you another program – we hand you the keys to understanding yourself. Through strength training, sustainable nutrition, and shifts in your mindset and behaviors, we help you build more than just a body you appreciate.
I also recently started the Do Cool Shit Podcast as another way to show what happens when you stop living in fear and start living on purpose, with purpose. The Do Cool Shit Podcast dives deep as I combine solo episodes packed with mindset shifts and behavioral insights with guest conversations that get real about growth and highlight how fitness, nutrition, and aspects of wellbeing support us doing cool shit. We’re talking about the psychology behind breakthrough moments – the self-sabotage patterns that tried to keep you stuck, the fear that whispered you weren’t ready, and the moment you chose aligned action anyway—the messy reality of building unshakeable self-trust one decision at a time. We explore what it actually looks like to navigate discomfort, embrace your inner badass, and do the work that creates lasting change. No surface-level inspiration, no quick fixes, no highlight reels. Just the unfiltered truth about what it takes to stop holding back and start showing up as your most empowered self. Because cool shit happens when you refuse to settle for ordinary and choose to live from a place of strength.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
I recently had a very freeing epiphany: most of my life I operated with one of my main drivers being that I wanted to make others proud…
Especially my parents.
They never pressured me to get all As, work to the extent that I did, play sports, or really do anything that I didn’t want to do…
But for some reason, I thought those things were the standard for making your parents proud. And I wasn’t ever going to get all A’s in school, but I guess I knew I could be one of the hardest workers in other aspects, like sports or work.
And it took me until just recently to realize that while my parents are proud of me for doing things like getting a full-time job with an NBA team before I graduated college, starting and running my own business, or deadlifting almost 400lbs, it was never about that…
It was about HOW I was showing up in all of those things (and more). It’s about WHAT characteristics and values I embody. It’s about WHO I am.
My parents have told me that they’re proud of me because of things like my courage and bravery. Because of my thoughtfulness and curiosity. Because I’m compassionate and driven. Because I’m someone who is thoughtful and loving. Because I’m humorous. Because they can trust me. Because of my strength, inside and out.
While the thought of achievement being the thing that would make my parents proud drove me to do incredible things, I now know that it’s my determination to do work for things that matter that was one of the things that made them proud and will continue to make them proud. At this point, I can drop achievements as my driver as it isn’t the thing that will serve me anymore. And I step into a place where I focus on continuing as ME.
SO, all that to say, I’m releasing being achievement driven and embracing being values driven.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Failing and missing are what teach us the most. It freaking sucks to be in those places, but when we let ourselves be in them instead of running away, numbing, or avoiding, we grow our capacity and capability. The feeling of suffering has taught me that I’m capable of withstanding things that I never knew I could, that I am stronger than I gave myself credit for, and it has helped me grow my resilience and self-trust.
Success doesn’t feel as good without knowing what the other end of the spectrum feels like, too.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. How do you differentiate between fads and real foundational shifts?
This is such a good question, especially in the health and fitness space.
Fads are one-sided, and they don’t leave room for adaptation or change. You can usually spot them by the language: black-or-white thinking with no in-between. Real foundational shifts allow for flexibility and can adapt based on different phases, stages, or situations in your life.
For example, the idea that you have to do (insert specific style of workout) or you’re wasting your time is a fad. It ignores that sustainable movement looks different for everyone and oversimplifies what “effective” means. A foundational shift is becoming someone who moves their body regularly because it aligns with their values. The shift is building movement into your identity based on what matters to you, not chasing whatever exercise trend promises the fastest results.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Are you tap dancing to work? Have you been that level of excited at any point in your career? If so, please tell us about those days.
There are many times that I’ve done happy dances within my work. Whenever one of my clients tells me about a win, I dance. Whenever one of my clients shares something they’ve learned, I dance. Whenever one of my clients shares something that they’re proud of that they did, I dance. Whenever one of my clients recognizes how far they’ve come, the deep changes they’ve made, and shares in some way that they know they’re never going backwards again, I dance.
I feel really grateful every week as I truly get to support people in doing the coolest shit. The work we do isn’t easy, AND it’s definitely life changing.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.wickedironstrength.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/merylcbc and www.instagram.com/wickedironstrength
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@wickedironstrength
- Other: Do Cool Shit Podcast and Real Talk Nutrition Podcast
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