“What Would My 13-Year-Old Self Think of Me Right Now?”

That was the question I found myself asking a few weeks ago.

I’d just seen Metallica in Auckland, and the whole thing hit me like a brick of nostalgia. The show was unreal..loud, gritty, electric. A real rock spectacle.

It was Metallica’s newly released Black Album. Up until then, I was a child of Michael Jackson, Queen, Phil Collins, and all the legends of the 90s… but this? This was different. This had teeth.

Within months I had all the tapes, grew my hair out, bought a drum kit, picked up a guitar, and tried to convince everyone at school that I was definitely joining a band.

Fast-forward to 1995…Metallica were headlining Donnington in the UK. I thought, this is it, my moment…

Not according to Mum and Dad. (Thanks for that.)

Over the years I had a few chances to see them, but life always seemed to get in the way. So when I heard they were coming to NZ this year, I figured it was finally time to let 13-year-old me live his dream.

Even that wasn’t linear..missed tickets, fake-looking tickets, too many tickets… chaos. But I got there.

And afterwards, I found myself asking:

What would the 13-year-old me think of the man I’ve become?

I’d just come back from a bike ride when the answer landed.

I think he’d be pretty impressed.

I wasn’t a standout at school. I wasn’t the smartest, the most talented, or the most athletic. I was, at absolute best, a solid “average.” (Though I did once pass a Mensa test. Total fluke.)

Life hasn’t always been sunshine and rainbows either. I’ve had my seasons of joy, heartbreak, fear, loss, adventure, and everything in between. 

But honestly?…  It reads like a movie I’d want to watch.

27 Years Ago, I Found the Gym

I didn’t get into fitness because I was good at it. I got into it because I was struggling. I was soft. I was weak. I needed something to light a fire under me.

The gym did that. It changed everything..my confidence, my body, my self-belief. It gave me direction.

Personal training became my career, and somehow, after 27 years, I’ve managed to make it a success… even though the industry has a notoriously high failure rate. Most don’t last a year. Many don’t make it past five.

I’ve been fortunate to train some amazing humans:

Athletes to Actors, Musicians to Mountain climbers, CEOs to the Everyday Superheros
I have worked with..Britain’s Got Talent judges, A Spice Girl, Fashion icons, Models and many more but…My current crew? I genuinely love them. I’m very lucky.

Family Life

Again.. blessed.

I may or may not be eating chocolate waffles in this photo

A wife I love and who loves me. Shared values. Shared direction. A shared commitment to showing up for our kids.

And then there’s Milly (nearly 11) and Bear (8). No words explain the love. They’ve become my reasons.

So yeah, I think 13-year-old me would look at this life and say:

“Good job, mate. You did alright.”

The Fitness Part

Because this is a fitness newsletter…

Would 13-year-old me be proud of where I’m at physically?

Absolutely.

I’m not the fittest, fastest, strongest, or leanest guy around. But I can hold my own:

• Deadlift nearly 2× bodyweight …. Ill get that 2x one day  
• Squat 1.25× 
• Over 15 chin-ups 
• 30 push-ups (chest to floor) 
• A sub-7-minute 2k row 
• Can still win a race against my kids, beat them in push-ups, and definitely hold a better headstand

• I can hike mountains, bike across countries, and take on almost any challenge

This isn’t to gloat… It’s not to impress you.

It’s to impress upon you that if a regular “Captain Average” like me can do it…anyone can.

So Now Let Me Ask You…

Would your 13-year-old self be proud of who you are today?

Would they pat you on the back and say thank you?

Or would they look at you lying on the sofa, eating chippies, and think:

“…What happened?”

If you’ve drifted, if you’ve let yourself slide, if the person you once dreamed of being feels far away…

Do it for the 13-year-old you.

Christmas is coming. 2026 is around the corner. Now is the time to get back on the wagon…and make that kid proud.

Results Personal Training

PS:
If you made it through this nostalgia-filled ramble… Thank you. I appreciate you more than you know.