“Have to be healthy to be unhealthy.” - Joe Holder
That explains one aspect of how Joe Holder lives his life and why he’s a creative leader in modern health and wellness.
When our Zoom interview started and the image of Joe flickered into view, I knew I was dealing with the real deal. Immediately, his attitude and speech were relatable as he leaned over engaged, on his couch, and me on his coffee table. His mannerisms at the end of a long day told me that this guy pours his heart and soul into anything he touches.
Joe Holder, at age 33, has already quite a few accomplishments, having been cosigned by the blue chip companies early on. He’s worked with top brands, celebrities, influencers, and more to help with their health goals, writes as a GQ columnist, and been featured in VOGUE, Men's Health, Business Insider, ELLE, Runner's World, and The Today Show. He’s got a MasterClass in Teaching Health and Wellness that covers his wellness philosophy, The Ocho System. And he’s a Nike Master Trainer, where you can workout alongside him in the Nike Training App.
Yeah, Joe admits he’s got an atypical career.
“My life is chaotic, like a game, lots of unknown. I don’t always wake up early. [Sometimes life’s like] the NBA playoffs, when the bullets are flying, you’re not thinking about it has to be this way and that way in order to be successful.
You have a practice and a ritual, so when you are in practice, your baseline is high. But when things are chaotic, you can’t get caught up that if you can’t do certain things [that it means] you’re weak, you’re fragile, everything has to be preordained. If I didn’t have my ice bath, what am I gonna do?! No! C’mon, this is life!”
In those few lines of wisdom, Joe was keeping it real. I write and read about productivity and positivity all the time. It’s too easy to fall into the trap that if I don’t get to do all of my morning routine then the rest of my day is gonna be crap. Or if I don’t do my evening routine to wind down, then my sleep will be ruined. Joe reminds us that we have healthy habits in order to excel during the important moments in life. On those occasional days when you need to stay late at work with your coworkers to finish that career-defining project, or to wake up super early to get the family to the airport to start a long-overdue vacation, getting all the luggage and through TSA and to the gate on time… all with a smile. Or if you’re Joe, with style and not out of breath.
As profound of a reminder that may be for us, Joe’s onto the next level of thinking. Like the Matrix, he’s into the source code and looking for ways to bend it.
“Everything is malleable, all of this is fake. We didn’t consent into this, we were born into this, these rules are not rigid. The more you believe the rules are malleable and bend them for good, I think that’s how positive change happens. Human algorithm, social media… hacking the algorithm, do it in a way that’s not manipulative.”
That makes sense, right? If you want to make an impact, you need to understand what the social norms and construct are, and then you can bend them. In the workplace, the successful people who get promoted have hacked the system just enough to be noticed but not ostracized.
For Joe, a situational awareness of where he is and what he can alter is essential to playing the game.
“As long as I don't act too little, that’s the only thing that matters.” - Joe Holder
That’s what separates and elevates Joe from others. A deep, ingrained belief that his actions can and should be important and powerful. Some of us have internal self-talk that is limiting. We see others achieving big things, but then tell ourselves we could never do that. We see people living their best lives but resign ourselves to excuses like work and family obligations and the fake rules of society.
“You have to find those portions in the day, that it’s life or death, that if I don’t figure this out I’m gonna die. Allow yourself to go into overdrive but have those practices that then calm yourself down. Use that adrenaline for clarity.
If you are gonna create your own design system, you gotta take certain things so seriously, so you get the freedom to do things that won’t make sense for other people, or other people aren’t allowed to do.”
Can you hear the hunger in his voice?! That’s the everyday norm. I don’t see why we can’t be a bit more like that too.
Here at Venture Out, we’re all about productivity and positivity. To Joe, that means, not necessarily “have I done enough,” but rather, have I put myself on the right path.
Joe recounts a recent run he did. He woke up early to go running, and as part of his training for upcoming competitions, today’s training plan called for a 60-minute run. The first 15 minutes of the run sucked. He was hating it, questioning it, pretty much all the mental anguish you could imagine. But after 15 minutes, the run became more enjoyable and he got into a rhythm.
That morning run symbolizes a lot. We lead a healthy lifestyle because it allows us to deal with the chaos of life. We aren’t robots just checking things off the morning routine checklist. We should be enjoying it and feeling great.
“You’re allowed to get pleasure out of a wellness practice.” - Joe Holder
(be like Joe)
➩ How to Hide an Empire by Daniel Immerwahr. It inspired Joe to think really big about his life’s plan, so that’s got to be worth a read. I’m 10% into the book so far, and so far so great. Described as, “A pathbreaking history of the United States' overseas possessions and the true meaning of its empire.”
➩ MasterClass: Joe Holder Teaches Fitness and Wellness Fundamentals. Just a taste of what Joe brings to the table.
➩ Nike Training App. My fav way to workout with Joe, he’s got excellent classes waiting for you… for free.
➩ Donate to System of Service, a non-profit Joe started with Olivia Perez to inspire the community to selflessly exercise. It’s to be of service beyond just the dollar, not just as a moral responsibility, but as the ultimate human value.
(Joe’s practical tips)
➩ Don’t work out with music, because you’re blocking out the ability to listen to your body for feedback, especially running because you can’t hear your breath.
➩ Every morning, Joe identifies what needs to be done into 3 buckets:
1-2 important things that must get done today
5-10 urgent things, typically of an administrative nature, i.e. not time-consuming
Necessary things to feel decent, like eating right and calling a loved one
➩ Checking in with yourself, “just because you’re doing a lot doesn’t mean you’re moving the train forward. Am I consistently moving the train forward?”
➩ Checking in with your routine, “I caught myself being robotic. Just hold up, don’t be too regimented. Ask, do these things feel good? It’s simply living, existing, a natural pleasure that can come from allowing my body to do what it finds enjoyable.
“Yo, this shit will feel great. We need to bring humanity back to it.” Joe Holder
Interview with Fitness & Wellness Creative Leader, GQ Columnist, MasterClass Trainer Joe Holder