Meet Tony Arreola

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tony Arreola a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Tony, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
It was Christmas of 1999 in South LA, California. I received the worst news ever, two days before my 21st birthday. My 19-year-old brother, Richard, was tragically killed in a car accident.

I hated life.

I gained over 50 pounds, battling the darkest days of my young life. As my life spiraled out of control, I made a remarkable discovery. I inherited my brother’s weight set. Luckily, I started working out. Something amazing happened. The workouts gave me strength, the strength gave me healing, and the healing gave me control.

My old life ended. My new life began.

Twenty years later, I continue with the same enthusiasm as day one.

I owe my life to fitness.

We don’t get any extra days in life, so let’s not waste a single one.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I’m a student at heart. Fitness is my calling.

I have dedicated my life to it’s power. It saved my life, and now I dedicate myself to sharing its power with others.

Whether it’d be through fitness books, coaching clients, empowering my fellow trainers, or racing triathlons around the world. Fitness runs through my veins.

It took 50,000+ sessions, 20 years of experience, 11 certifications, and 2 degrees to engineer fitness into what I lovingly call the Live Fit Formula™.

The Live Fit 365 Coaching Program is where I dedicate myself to the service of others. Helping re-engineer their life to maximize health and joy.

I’m a teacher at my core. I taught Calculus and Physics, but I know we learn best through stories. So, I decided to share my Live Fit Formula™ through the Fictional Stories Delivering Proven Results Series.

I want the world to be happy and healthy.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Three traits summarizing my success over the past 20 years have enhanced my life in every area.

Resiliency.
Look, you are going to get knocked
Life is so unfair.
But is it?
Life was never meant to be fair… so what?
Everyone has problems, everyone has issues, everyone has battles.
It’s called life.
And let me let you in on a little secret: no one gets out alive.
So … what?
No matter what life throws at you. Busy work schedule. Kids. Chaos. Family. Injuries. Sickness. Injuries.
Never let anyone or anything stop you from pursuing your dreams.

Tenacity.
No matter what you are chasing. The harder the challenge, the more rewarding the success.
So, no matter how big the obstacle.
It’s impossible to stop someone who never gives up.
But if you quit.
Failure is guaranteed.

Resourcefulness
How do you solve problems?
For most of my life, I refused to ask for help. The problem is that my inner thoughts are limited to my experience.
I can’t identify blind spots, and I can only go as far as what I know.
However, if I can leverage expertise in my areas of weakness, I can benefit from their wisdom.
Group thinking percolates, and the best idea wins.
One of the keys to unlocking high-performance.

What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
I learned this from watching my Mom, I wanted to share with you what happened.

I dragged my little Payless shoes to the liquor store. I didn’t want to go, but I was seven years old, and I didn’t get a vote. I crossed the street to avoid the 18th Street cholos gathering in the corner. My head is slumping down. Why me? I reached in my pocket, wishing for money. But my Mom gave me food stamps. I hated food stamps. I was so mad at my Mom. Why did she do this to me?

I saw my Mom work tirelessly—day in, day out. Despite the odds, she never missed work. She showed up with a strong attitude. She made me make my bed. Even though I argued, nobody would see it. She made me do my homework. She made me eat my vegetables, even green beans. Despite our humble and sometimes violent surroundings, my mother controlled what she could control.

And she never complained.

She did her best, regardless of the situation. I tried to do the same. I wanted a job, but people wouldn’t hire a kid, so I collected cans. My teachers told me to focus, so I focused on my studies. My Mom warned me about gangs, so I never joined.

But that day in South Los Angeles, with food stamps in my pocket, holding my six-year-old brother’s hand. I had enough. I didn’t know why I was so angry back then. But I know now.

My mother never did anything to me. Instead, her stoic behavior taught me to control what I can control. We kept our little apartment clean. We made our beds. We never missed school. We controlled what was controllable.

“Control what you can control.”

I yelled at my Mom when I returned with the milk. I told her I would never buy anything with food stamps again. She took the milk. All while nodding without judgment.
​

I regretted yelling at my Mom. Instead of yelling, I should’ve thanked her for teaching me such a crucial life lesson.

Life isn’t always going to go your way.

“Control what you can control.”

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