Crazy story alert: 13 years ago, I got on a plane and followed my girlfriend to Mexico City.
She had been offered a position at the Embassy of Canada to Mexico, and I decided to go with her. At the time, I was 26 years old. I did not speak a word of Spanish. I did not have a career path mapped out. I did not have a five year plan. I just knew I wanted to bet on us and see what would happen.
We ended up living there for three years andI proposed at the end of our time in Mexico City.
Those first eight months were humbling. I was the guy who could not order food properly. The guy nodding along in conversations hoping I understood enough. The guy trying to figure out what direction his life was supposed to go.
What I did know was this: I loved fitness and I competed in CrossFit at the time.
As I slowly learned Spanish, I started training heavily at the local CrossFit gym. The workouts became an anchor for me. They gave structure to my days when everything else felt uncertain. They gave me a community when I felt out of place. The members were very friendly and welcoming even though most couldn’t understand me. They gave me confidence when I did not yet have it in other areas of my life.
And then I decided to start something of my own.
I created a small outdoor fitness program called Park It Up that was geared towards embassy employees. We trained in the park just outside the embassy. Simple equipment. Simple workouts. Real people showing up consistently.
It was not glamorous. It was not polished. We got dirty doing burpees. It was not a 4 800 square foot facility.
It was just consistency.
During that time, I met a woman named Joanne who worked at the embassy. She came out to train from time to time. We built a coach client relationship like so many I have built since then.
Fast forward to last week.
Every Monday, I teach a fitness class at Export Development Canada, it’s a great way to meet new people. I saw a familiar face. I knew I knew her. I just could not place it.
It was Joanne.
In that moment, everything came full circle.
I was brought back to that uncertain 26 year old version of myself who did not know what he was going to do with his life. The guy training people in a park, hoping this fitness thing might turn into something meaningful.
Now I am 39 years old. I run a 4800 square foot facility. I lead a team of 11 coaches. We offer multiple programs. We have built a community that values consistency, accountability, and showing up even when it is hard.
The crazy part is not how much has changed.
The crazy part is how it happened.
It was not one big leap.
It was not one lucky break.
It was not one perfect decision.
It was showing up and doing something I loved.
It was coaching when there were three people in class.
It was learning from mistakes.
It was investing back into the business.
It was staying consistent when progress felt slow.
Time moves fast. 13 years disappears before you realize it.
But consistency compounds.
The workouts add up.
The relationships add up.
The small risks add up.
The uncomfortable seasons add up.
Looking back, I am grateful for that uncertain season in Mexico City. It forced me to build resilience. It forced me to communicate in a new language. It forced me to step completely out of my comfort zone.
And it laid the foundation for what would eventually become CrossFit Actus.
At our gym, we have three rules:
- Consistency is key.
- Something is better than nothing.
- Progress over perfection.
Those rules are not marketing slogans. They are how this business was built.
You do not need to have your whole life figured out.
You do not need perfect timing.
You do not need everything to be clear.
You just need to keep showing up.
Because one day, ten years later, you will look around and realize you built something meaningful simply by refusing to quit.
And that is what consistency can do.
If you’re curious on how we can help. Reach out here.