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My guest for Episode #249 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Sandy Joy Weston M.Ed. She is a keynote speaker, international podcaster, three times published author, and entrepreneur, who has owned and operated health and wellness companies over the past 30 years. 

Early in her career, she became the first female trainer for the Philadelphia Flyers and spent many years as a media personality and as Philadelphia NBC10's Fitness Expert. She created the nationally recognized Philly Street Line Dance to help combat Philly’s “fattest city” label. 

For the past five years, Sandy has been focusing on SJW Productions, an international company whose main mission is to highlight all the positive in the world. She does this through her international podcasts, her books, Train Your Head & Your Body Will Follow, My 30-Day Reset Journal and her programs and workshops. Sandy’s mission is to spread pure joy and inspire others to see their true power.

She’s also the host of her podcast, “Let’s Keep it Real,” and I'll be a guest there soon.

Sandy took her passion for fitness to a whole new level in 1993 by launching her club, Weston Fitness. Her fitness club was not just another establishment; it was designed to be cutting-edge and cater to fitness trends with unique classes like spin. Weston's focus was on the transformative power of fitness, where she aimed to offer not just exercise but entertainment and community building within her club’s walls.

In her approach to wellness, Sandy Weston didn’t shy away from ground-breaking methods to create a sense of community. Her innovation in this area can be seen in the introduction of the controversial but beloved “porno spin.” It was these kinds of decisions that marked Weston Fitness as more than a gym. Weston’s Club was, and still is, a space where camaraderie and joy are intertwined with health and physical fitness – a testament to Weston’s vision and innovation in the wellness industry.

And we'll hear Sandy's “favorite mistake” stories!

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Questions and Topics:

• What was it like being the FIRST female trainer for the Flyers?
• Was there any controversy about starting with the Flyers?
• What was it like working on TV — fear of mistakes in that work? How did you get into that?
• You rarely say “mistake” or “failure” — why? 
• We’re all busy and have goals… making time can be tough. 
• Move for a minute – baby steps
• Mark's podcasts with Robert Maurer
• “What keeps you up at night?”
• Language matters —“Dumb mistake”??

Scroll down to find:

• Video version of the episode
• How to subscribe
• Quotes
• Full transcript

Find Sandy on social media:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Facebook

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Episode Summary & Article

Sandy Weston: Pioneering Fitness Expert and Entrepreneur

Breaking Barriers in the Sports and Fitness Industry

Sandy Weston has left an indelible mark in the sports and fitness industry with her innovative approach and pioneering spirit. Her journey began as the first female trainer for the Philadelphia Flyers NHL hockey team, shattering glass ceilings and setting a precedent for women in a male-dominated arena. Her early career also shone brightly as a media personality and NBC10's fitness expert in Philadelphia, showcasing her dedication to health and wellness in the public eye.

The emphasis on gender equality and diversity in health and sports has been a key element in Weston's career. Her experiences underscore the importance of inclusivity in these sectors, highlighting her resolve to pave the way for women to make significant contributions to professional sports. Acts of courage such as these have had ripple effects, encouraging more women to join and contribute to these industries with confidence and expertise.

Embracing Media to Combat Health Labels

Weston's creativity and passion for public health initiatives led to the creation of the nationally recognized Philly Street Line Dance, an endeavor aimed at battling the negative stigma associated with Philadelphia's “fattest city” label. Through her innovative ideas and public engagement, Weston aimed to inspire a city to embrace change and break free from harmful stereotypes. This approach demonstrates the powerful role that public figures and media personalities can have in influencing perception and encouraging healthier lifestyles through local and accessible initiatives.

Moreover, as cities like Philadelphia and San Antonio grapple with health labels, figures like Weston stand as testaments to the idea that individual action can make a palpable difference. Whether it’s providing healthier alternatives or leveraging media platforms to raise awareness, such work challenges the notion that unhealthy eating habits are an indelible part of a city's culture.

Pushing the Envelope with Weston Fitness

In 1993, Weston took her expertise and zeal for fitness to new heights by opening Weston Fitness in the Philadelphia suburbs. It wasn’t just another health club; it was a trailblazing venture that aimed to be on the forefront of fitness trends. With cutting-edge classes like spin, which was introduced to eyebrow-raising but eventually became beloved, Weston Fitness set a new standard. This innovative spirit was driven by Weston's belief in the transformative power of fitness, a conviction that led to her club being a space where workouts were not just about physical exertion but also about entertainment and community building.

This dedication to innovation is what defined Weston's approach to fitness and entrepreneurship. Despite the potential skepticism surrounding new fitness trends, her instinct to constantly seek and implement the next big thing kept her clients engaged and her business thriving. Weston’s relentless pursuit of excellence and her commitment to providing an extraordinary experience for her members was emblematic of her larger mission in the wellness industry: to curate environments where health and joy are symbiotic.

Unconventional Approaches to Wellness and Community Building

It wasn’t just her expertise in fitness that made Weston a standout in her field, but also her unconventional approaches to cultivate community among her members. One anecdote that illustrates her willingness to push boundaries involved the introduction of “porno spin,” a cheeky take on the traditional spin class designed to inject a sense of fun and novelty into the routine. Despite initially sounding controversial, these classes were emblematic of her broader philosophy that the fitness experience should be joyful and engaging, highlighting how creativity can contribute to client satisfaction and retention in the fitness industry.

This story is a window into Weston's character and the ethos of her health club—pushing the envelope while maintaining a family-friendly atmosphere. It challenges the conventional wisdom of what a fitness class can entail and underscores Weston’s reputation as an innovator not only in fitness regimes but also in building communal experiences.

Overcoming Gender Barriers in Professional Sports Training

Weston's experiences as a trainer with the Philadelphia Flyers illuminate the broader gender dynamics within professional sports industries. Her narrative of being embraced by the team and her assertiveness in facing challenges and inappropriate behavior offers insights into what it takes for women to stand their ground and command respect in traditionally male arenas.

Weston's stories from her time with the Flyers, from handling locker room interactions to maintaining professionalism amidst players’ attempts to fluster her, provide a compelling study of her resilience and adaptability. These anecdotes reveal not just the reality but the necessity of women having to navigate complex professional environments with firmness and a sense of humor. Importantly, it reflects the progress and ongoing challenges within the world of sports in achieving gender equity.

SJW Productions: Spreading Positive Impact

Beyond her direct work in fitness, Weston has applied her entrepreneurial spirit through SJW Productions, an enterprise with a heartfelt mission: to shine a light on the positives of the world. This initiative is a testament to Weston’s commitment to holistic well-being, extending her influence beyond physical fitness and into the realm of mental and emotional positivity. Through podcasts, writing, programs, and workshops, she is actively working to spread a message of joy, as very much etched in her name, Sandy Joy Weston.

The narrative of SJW Productions seamlessly captures her life’s purpose in leveraging various platforms to uplift and inspire. As a communicator and motivator, Weston taps into the potential of media to act as a transformative medium to convey positivity and realness—values that are central to her podcast, “Let's Keep It Real.” In a world often overwhelmed by negativity, Weston's determination to emphasize the good serves as a beacon for audiences everywhere.

In the end, Sandy Weston’s mark on the world is characterized by her bold moves, revolutionary ideas, and an unwavering commitment to improving lives. Her story is a multifaceted reminder of the impact that one person can have in breaking molds, fostering communities, and advocating for a healthier, more joyful society.

Maximizing Impact with Limited Time: The One to Three Minute Philosophy

Sandy Weston's approach to personal development and goal setting significantly challenges our views on the time investment required for personal improvement. Her philosophy of dedicating just one to three minutes a day to influence significant change is a refreshing take on productivity and goal achievement. This concept, distilled from the habits of those individuals Weston identified as exuding joy and success, demonstrates that adopting a positive mindset can be attainable and sustainable even with the tightest of schedules.

Building Routines to Happen to Life

This narrative emphasizes the power of routine and the impact of having control over one's daily actions. The idea that one can “happen to life,” rather than life happening to them, is underscored by the crucial first step of establishing a daily routine. Routine can be as varied as the individuals practicing it, but the common denominator is the proactive stance taken each morning. The one to three minute philosophy is less about the duration and more about the consistency and intention behind the practice.

The Personal Power Morning Guidebook

Weston's collaborative effort with experts across various fields led to the creation of a guidebook designed to assist those without an established morning routine. This guidebook encapsulates the essence of empowering oneself to tackle the day ahead with a proactive mindset, ensuing that individuals start their day on the most positive note possible. Custom-tailored to one's unique needs and areas for growth, the guidebook offers flexibility while encouraging discipline and mindfulness in small, manageable increments of time.

Habit Formation and Goal Attainment Strategies

Consistent with her innovative and human-centered perspective on fitness and personal growth, Weston's approach to habit formation and goal achievement is refreshingly practical. Her advice would likely revolve around the idea that forming a new habit or striving toward a goal can start with simple, daily actions. The focus on dedicating a few intentional minutes each day towards a goal is not just about doing the task at hand, but also aligning oneself mentally and emotionally with the desired outcome.

A Broad View on Wellness Beyond Physical Fitness

Sandy Weston's multifaceted view of wellness encompasses not just physical fitness but also mental and emotional strength. Her methods and philosophies are designed to transcend traditional boundaries of health and address the individual as a whole. In understanding that the language we use and the goals we set speak volumes about our subconscious mind, Weston emphasizes incorporating positive words and laughter into daily practice as a way to rewire the brain towards more constructive thinking patterns.

Reflecting on the Philosophy of Mistakes and Failures

Lastly, revisiting Sandy Weston's aversion to the words “mistake” and “failure” reveals a much deeper philosophy about growth and progress. The perspective that every experience is a step towards a solution rather than a failure encourages a more resilient and adaptable approach to life. This outlook, rooted in optimism, has the potential to reshape how individuals perceive their challenges and interact with the world around them.

By recognizing the transformative power of small, consistent actions, adapting proactive routines, and reshaping our language and thoughts, Sandy Weston has laid out a roadmap for anyone wishing to foster positive change in their lives. This holistic approach aligns with her broader vision of wellness, echoing the importance of looking at the person as a complete ecosystem where physical health, mental clarity, and emotional well-being intertwine.

The Power of Incremental Progress in Wellness and Productivity

Sandy Weston's insights into incremental progress have far-reaching implications for wellness and productivity. As she has pointed out, the belief in the necessity of extreme changes can often be overwhelming and is a common obstacle to consistency. By promoting a gentle start—a minute of exercise every hour or a one to three minute daily reflection—Weston advocates for the accumulation of these small efforts over time. This gradual approach encourages a guilt-free, confidence-building pathway to change that can lead to substantial, long-term success.

Practical Applications in Everyday Life

In a world full of quick fixes and dramatic transformations, Weston's moderation stands out. Her methods can easily be adapted to various aspects of daily life. Want to eat healthier? Start by adding just one piece of fruit to your daily diet, instead of overhauling your entire eating routine. Struggling with productivity? Focus on tidying up your workspace for one minute before you begin your tasks. These small victories are psychologically reinforcing, thus laying the groundwork for more significant improvements.

Overcoming Mental Barriers

Weston's emphasis on meeting people “where they are” is an empathetic approach that honors individual starting points. It dismantles the mental barriers often constructed from unrealistic expectations and the all-or-nothing mindset. Redefining achievement as the ability to make even the smallest of steps counters the debilitating fear of inadequacy and fosters a more compassionate self-view that is conducive to growth.

Embracing the Journey and Celebrating the Steps

Weston's philosophy also shines a light on the journey itself, rather than just the destination. Celebrating the micro-achievements paves the way for a more joyful and sustainable progression towards one's goals. Encouragement plays a pivotal role in staying the course, and celebrating each minute spent working towards a goal can serve as the fuel to keep the momentum going.

Implementing Continuous Improvement Culture in Organizations

In the workplace, the principles Sandy Weston discusses can be transformative. The concept of psychological safety, for example, as highlighted by Amy Edmondson from Harvard Business School, becomes foundational in fostering an environment where employees feel confident to voice opinions, admit mistakes, or offer innovative ideas without fear of retribution. This type of culture, which resonates with Weston's aversion to shaming language when addressing mistakes, can result in a more dynamic, committed, and productive workforce.

Podcasts as a Medium for Change

Weston's early adoption of podcasting as a means to share and discuss her philosophy underscores the importance of accessible and continuous learning. Just as the medium of podcasting has evolved and expanded since 2006, so too have the ways in which individuals seek personal development and community. By engaging with audiences through this intimate and conversational format, experts like Weston provide ongoing support and inspiration that listeners can incorporate into their daily lives at their own pace, one episode—and one minute—at a time.

In essence, the strides made by focusing on the seemingly negligible increments each day points to a profound understanding of human nature and resistance to change. This acknowledgment and strategic harnessing of small, daily decisions hold the potential not just for individual reformation, but also for the collective enhancement of organizational structures and societal wellbeing.

Harnessing Positivity and Resilience in Personal Development

The evolution of Sandy Weston's podcast from “What Keeps You Up at Night?” to “Let's Keep It Real” mirrors a broader shift in the conversation about personal growth. It's indicative of a cultural movement that favors affirmative and proactive mental frameworks that address wellness and productivity problems. The recognition that emphasizing positive actions can have a transformative effect on individuals and communities is central to her approach.

Reframing Challenges as Opportunities

One of the key aspects of resilience is the ability to reframe setbacks and challenges as opportunities for learning and growth. Weston's transition to a more positive podcast framework suggests a deeper understanding of this perspective. Here are some way individuals can adopt this outlook:

• View mistakes with curiosity: Instead of allowing errors to lead to self-criticism, approach them as valuable feedback and a chance to refine strategies or skills.
• Celebrate resilience: When facing adversity, make a note of how you overcame the situation, and celebrate the creativity and perseverance demonstrated.
• Focus on solutions: Channel energy toward finding solutions and improving the situation rather than dwelling on the problems at hand.

The Transformative Power of Storytelling

Weston's podcast not only illuminates the power of incremental progress but also the importance of sharing stories. An individual's journey, with all its twists and turns, provides not just a roadmap but also inspiration for others. As shown by the depth of Sandy's conversations and the personal revelations enabled by the podcast's questions, storytelling can:

• Enhance connectivity and empathy.
• Strengthen memory and learning.
• Motivate action by providing relatable examples.

Organizations and leaders should note the impactful role of narratives in both personal and professional development. By crafting compelling stories around company culture, missions, and visions, leaders can deeply engage their teams and promote a cohesive, values-driven environment.

Continuous Learning through Accessible Resources

Weston's approach acknowledges the ongoing nature of learning and personal development. The availability of free resources, such as her ebook on brain resets, plays a crucial role in providing tools that support continuous improvement at an individual level. These resources exemplify the commitment to democratizing knowledge and offering practical, actionable guidance that individuals can implement immediately and consistently. This commitment is essential for fostering an environment of lifelong learning and adaptation.

Bringing Positivity into Practice

• Daily affirmations: Begin the day by affirming your intentions and focusing on positive affirmations to set the tone for your mindset and actions.
• Journaling: Regularly write down positive experiences, thoughts, and the progress made, however small, to reinforce a constructive outlook.
• Engage in positive media: Consume content that uplifts and educates, whether it's podcasts, books, or articles that encourage growth and positivity.

Embracing Weston's example of rebranding to a more positive framework, we too can reevaluate how we position our personal narratives, ensuring we are emphasizing the positive strides we make each day, rather than merely the challenges we face.

Automated Transcript (May Contain Mistakes)

Mark Graban:
Our guest today is Sandy Weston. She's a keynote speaker, podcaster, three times published author and entrepreneur. She's owned and operated health and wellness companies for over 30 years. Early in her career, Sandy became the first female trainer for the Philadelphia Flyers NHL hockey team. Of course, she spent many years as a media personality and as a Philadelphia NBC 10's fitness expert. She created the nationally recognize Philly street line dance to help combat Philly's. And this is, in quotes, Philadelphia's. It's not me saying this fattest city label. So before I tell you a little more about Sandy, welcome to the podcast.

Mark Graban:
How are you?

Sandy Weston:
You know, Mark, I'm great and I'm so excited to be here. And no one's ever read that bio about me. I'm like, whoa, I did those things. Yay.

Mark Graban:
Now you're doing a little dance. Was that the Gritty dance, the mascot, or was that something different? That was just your own dance.

Sandy Weston:
The dance that I created was a specific line dance just for the city.

Mark Graban:
Okay, well, you did a little dance just now. I didn't know if that, if you were channeling Gritty.

Sandy Weston:
I just danced.

Mark Graban:
And I'm not here to argue labels like Fattest City. When I lived in San Antonio, going back a decade ago, I think San Antonio had that designation. I don't know if they surpassed Philadelphia or. Depends on who's measuring, but I'm glad you were doing some things about that on tv.

Sandy Weston:
And, you know, life's a balance. We can't stop eating our know, we got good cheesesteaks and our restaurants are awesome. All of.

Mark Graban:
And, and I've been to Philadelphia and I have enjoyed those to get. I'm getting sidetracked. So maybe a mistake, but my primary care doctor, he gave me the welcome to San Antonio speech about people move here and they gain weight because there's lard in everything. If it tastes good like a tortilla, there's lard in it. Lesson learned.

Sandy Weston:
That sounds good to me.

Mark Graban:
But again, we're joined by Sandy Joy Weston. For the last five years, she's focused on her company, SJW Productions. The main mission is to highlight all of the positive in the world. So we'll move beyond fattest city talk into that are more positive. But she does that through podcasts, writing.

Mark Graban:
We'll talk about that programs and workshops, and she's trying to spread pure joy. It's writing your name, Sandy Joy.

Sandy Weston:
I was meant to do it.

Mark Graban:
And the podcast is called let's keep it real. We're going to keep it real here as well. Right, Sandy?

Sandy Weston:
Yes, we are. Yes, we are.

Mark Graban:
So part of keeping it real is asking the question we always start off with here. I'm really curious to hear what your answer is, but what would you say of all the different things you've done? Sandy, what's your favorite.

Sandy Weston:
Know? So I did a lot of pondering on this because there were a lot of really exciting ones, but this one sticks out. And I decided I was going to do this because of what you read in my bio. So the year is 1993, and I opened up my first health club called Weston Fitness in Ballad Kinwood, suburbs of Philadelphia. I had owned a private training company for about eight years called Specialty Fit.

Sandy Weston:
And because of all the amazing and wonderful people that I met in the Philadelphia area, I had the opportunity to raise some capital and open what I considered a club that was beyond its years because we were one of the first clubs that had the most amazing private trainers in the club. As well as the classes were just the bomb. We got every class you can imagine. I wanted it there first. So spin.

Sandy Weston:
When they thought I was cuckoo for Cocoa puffs, I brought spin and they're like, so you want us to bike in a dark room? I'm like, yeah, I saw it in California. It's going to be great. Or there were things that I just always wanted to be on the cutting edge. And being a female owner, I felt like I had to prove that I could make it in such a difficult industry.

Sandy Weston:
I wanted to be like the Disneyland of health club. So when you came in, Mark, it was an experience I went above and beyond. Not that only you had great workouts, but you were entertained. I would go to lengths to entertain you. And I also taught classes.

Sandy Weston:
So here we are. We brought Spin in. People end up freaking loving it. I only had ten bikes. I had to figure out a way to bring in five more.

Sandy Weston:
Small, dark room, atmosphere, mood lighting. I mean, it would sell out. But after a year of teaching spin and them coming five days a week, you had to come up with something else. I mean, you were always looking for that next thing to keep them excited. So one of my members had this brilliant idea that we were going to come up with porno spin.

Mark Graban:
What?

Sandy Weston:
Yes. Now hold on there, people.

Mark Graban:
I'm not trying to cut you off, I'm just surprised to hear it. Please go ahead.

Sandy Weston:
Porno spin. And this was not my biggest mistake. Porno spin was a class for people who were bored a little bit, needed a little excitement. And that one class once a week called porno spin, you would get your porno name so everyone who came in was like, what's my porno name? What's my porno name?

Sandy Weston:
It's your street. Whatever. And would say, oh, we have to pop your cherry. And it was just so fun. Well, it was 1994.

Sandy Weston:
Now and again the class is packed, waiting in line. Did anybody not show? Everybody wants a porno name. And I walk in and everyone growls, surprise. They had surprised me for my birthday and the room was pornoed out.

Sandy Weston:
I mean, like blow up, you name it, it was everywhere.

Mark Graban:
I was like, but maybe like a PG 13 version.

Sandy Weston:
Very family friendly. Okay, maybe blow up dolls, fun family, maybe not your kids, little kids. But it was all in good fun. All in good fun. Me in my extreme nature to always give them what they wanted and entertain.

Sandy Weston:
Here's the biggest mistake. I decided while they did this all for me, I'm going to stand on top of my handlebars with my towel and dance around. Like, woo. Like, what is. So I get up on my handlebars and everyone's cheering me on.

Sandy Weston:
I'm dancing, I'm feeling so excited. And then boom, down I come and I knock out my front teeth. Yeah.

Mark Graban:
Oh, no.

Sandy Weston:
Now what? I didn't tell you at the beginning of the story in this amazing life that I had owning a gym dream come true. I also, in the year of 1994, was given the opportunity to be one of the first females to train professional hockey team with the Philadelphia Flyers. Ed Snyder was one of my clients and mentors. And Pat Crochet was a huge part of my life.

Sandy Weston:
And a mentor had brought me in to work with seven of the guys who constantly got injured. So it was me and my seven guys and I got to work with Eric Lindross.

Mark Graban:
Oh, right.

Sandy Weston:
Yeah. So it was awesome. Well, the night of this spectacular event of my birthday party and not having two front teeth was the playoffs. And I was getting to sit in the owner's box and watch my team play. What am I going to do?

Sandy Weston:
I mean, these are the who's who affiliate. I have no front teeth. My friends call everywhere, know somebody that know the doctor, Dennis or Bruce Willis. But he couldn't get me into the next day.

Mark Graban:
Yeah.

Sandy Weston:
So I go, I go to the game, I go up at Snyder's box with my two front teeth. I'm like, hi. Hi, everyone. What's going on with you? And they're superstitious.

Sandy Weston:
You have to sit the same spot. You have to sit next to Ed because they won the last game. And I'm like, and he's like, what? And I'm like, well. And he goes, you got balls, girlfriend.

Sandy Weston:
You got balls. But the moral of the story is everyone thought that I had done it to go to extremes for the hockey team that I had planned that.

Mark Graban:
Right. Did they think you had like blacked out some teeth? Because it is a very hockey.

Sandy Weston:
And then when they came near me, they're like, you're a crazy person. And then I had to say, I didn't say exactly what to everyone in the box, but I was like, no, this is purely, I swear to you, but no one believed me that it was purely coincidental.

Mark Graban:
Yeah.

Sandy Weston:
So that was my favorite mistake that ended up working out for me. And then the next day I did go to Bruce Willis's dentist and he did a marvelous job.

Mark Graban:
Well, yeah, we can see that. We can see you smiling about that many. How many players on a given NHL team are missing a tooth or teeth at a given moment? Because a lot of them still don't wear mouth full face. That most, they wear an eye visor.

Sandy Weston:
Back in the day I was going to look up the stats on that, but back in the day almost everyone smiled. They didn't have their teeth. But it's a little better now. It's a little better now.

Mark Graban:
Or maybe they're better at getting that fixed. What a fun story. I mean, going back to the club for a minute and porno spin class. This is why I try to listen and not make assumptions. I thought the story was going into the direction of outraged people picketing outside and getting all.

Mark Graban:
It didn't cause an uproar that way.

Sandy Weston:
No. You know what? If you knew my personality, you would know it was family friendly. Like, it was all because they were just bored and their days were rough and they were just looking to have a little excitement. And when you take the same kind of spin class, no matter, I don't care what new song you're putting on.

Sandy Weston:
We had to come up with something. And so I came up with porno spin and it just took off. I kept it. And then I've opened up two other clubs after that and I got known of all the things. That was one of the things besides bringing kettlebells in before its day, I was known for porno spit.

Mark Graban:
Now that gives a new meaning. If the gym was adults only.

Sandy Weston:
No, it wasn't. No. We had childcare and we have kids programs and the whole bit, everything. Yeah, it was really family friendly.

Mark Graban:
I was going to ask you brought up being the first female trainer with the flyers. Did that include being in the locker room? Or training rooms. Was there any controversy about that with even some of the players, or to be in that space as a woman.

Sandy Weston:
They really did embrace me, but again, it was me and seven of my guy trainers, so I had my posse, but I really feel as if they all treated me with respect. Now, we only had seven guys because we had seven of them that kept getting injured, and they wanted to make sure they were doing the rehab once they got released from physical therapy so they could stay on the ice. But the players that we didn't train, we won't name names, thought they could do different things to shock me, and they would come up to the training room where I was, where people were working out, and a few of them may or may not have had clothes on.

Mark Graban:
Yeah.

Sandy Weston:
And they would train nude, like, just to see my reaction. And then if you don't let them see you sweat, I'm like, yeah, whatever. And then a couple of times, like, the guys, like someone you're stretching, they're, you know, my groin hurts, or whatever. I'd say, all right, Tommy Billy's groin hurts. And they're like, never mind, I'm good.

Sandy Weston:
And going into the locker room now. And then I would have to pull a player out because they were supposed to be up for training and they weren't. And I would just go in and go, yeah, you got five minutes. Just get up here. And I just walk out.

Sandy Weston:
And that was it. And then I would go, I guess it won't go, oh, my God. But I didn't let them see it.

Mark Graban:
Yeah, because I guess if they see that it bothers you, that just inspires more of whether it's teasing or inappropriate behavior or sexual harassment. There's a spectrum there, and at the.

Sandy Weston:
Time, I was so drawing that line that I just felt like they were teasing me, treating me like one of the boys. So I was very fortunate. I never, ever felt that way. I always felt safe and that they would protect me.

Mark Graban:
Okay, well, I'm glad to hear the behavior wasn't over. A bad.

Sandy Weston:
All great. All great memories.

Mark Graban:
Well, good. Well, I wanted to ask you about. So what was the timing, then, of working for the NBC station in Philadelphia? I can picture, like, you're doing reports on how to. On exercise tips, nutrition trips.

Mark Graban:
Tips. My mistake. How did you get onto that spot on tv? What was that experience like? Imagine I make mistakes here on the podcast.

Mark Graban:
I'd be even more terrified of making mistakes on live tv.

Sandy Weston:
They say, location, location, location. Well, my club was a few blocks from three of the major stations. Three, six and ten. And when they were short of story or they needed a filler, they'd come over and say, we need a story. And my manager at the time would say, oh, don't worry, she's got one.

Sandy Weston:
I go, I do. And he was a great. He would write something up. I'm like, okay, and I'm ready. I would go for it.

Sandy Weston:
And because they knew they could count on me back then, they did pay for people to come in as reporters, even though you weren't full time, and they said, would you like a job doing this part time? I'd say, yeah. And I have to tell you, some of the producers were really nice and kind and loving, and others yelled at me all the time, what the f is that? And then they go, you're live, happy. Okay.

Mark Graban:
It's hard not to be rattled if that happens, right?

Sandy Weston:
And they usually were the younger producers, and I did everything. So every week I would find some activity. I'd show how you would do it as a beginner and then in the middle and a professional. So I'd find a professional who was like, skydiving or kettlebells, it didn't matter. Or martial arts.

Sandy Weston:
But I also had to do it, too. And I was always the one goofing up. They would make fun of whatever, but there would be things like, I'd never been on a horse, and I was horseback riding. And I would say, the producer, I remember, I've never been on the horse. And she'd say, and she would scream, I don't know if they could do it nowadays, be like, okay, I'm getting on the horse.

Sandy Weston:
And I did that for about ten years, but some of it was recorded and some of it was live, but it really did teach me, don't wait to be perfect. It's not going to happen. And to really embrace, how do you want them to feel? Because if you flub your words. I wasn't the 11:00 news anchor.

Sandy Weston:
I was the fitness expert. But I didn't have time to prepare for some of the things. I just had to go, all right, here's your topic. And I wasn't reading script. There was no script because I was in the field and it prepared me for anything.

Sandy Weston:
And even now, when I teach people who are new to keynote speaking, yes, you want to practice, practice, practice. But when you get up there, they're not going to know that you missed a segment, you missed a line, and they don't care. Yeah, I know it sounds cliche, but they really will remember that. You evoked what emotion from them and what did you want to evoke from them.

Mark Graban:
Yeah, that's a great tip. And I wanted to ask you back to this idea of, like, not. I love how you say, don't wait to be perfect. Don't worry about that too much. When we did a pre call, you said something.

Mark Graban:
I think this is very philosophical. I was going to ask you to kind of expound upon this that you told me you rarely say the words mistake or failure. I'm glad you could come on the podcast and talk about mistakes, but tell me your philosophy around those words.

Sandy Weston:
So, I'm a very big believer in that words really matter. And I felt that since I was a kid, even before I knew the science behind it or it wasn't because of faith. I just knew that if I focused on a specific word every single day and then visualized where I wanted to go, it could change what was going on around me in my life. So I would use three things, movement, words, and laughter. I didn't call it that.

Sandy Weston:
Now I call it movement, words and laughter. My wonderful life system. But I would move around and dance like you see. And then I would focus in on a word, one specific how do I want to show up today? Joy.

Sandy Weston:
Peace. Calm, powerful ease and flow. And then I would say, what do I have to do to feel more like that? And it could be something so simple as writing in my journal, going out, hugging a tree, calling a friend. It was always so different.

Sandy Weston:
As years went on, I realized that I was at a very young age conditioning my brain to shift out of the negative chatter into the positive chatter and that even little things like jokingly saying, oh, I'm so stupid, it matters. And, oh, my God. And we know. But I can't believe I failed at that again. I conditioned myself to say, I never say the f word.

Sandy Weston:
I didn't figure it out yet. It got me closer, and maybe there's something I'm not ready for. And for example, the thing with the teeth. What was I thinking? I always went beyond.

Sandy Weston:
It was a lesson. I went above and beyond what I should do for my members. And it really did show me that, even though it ended up working out in the long run. But it doesn't have to be that difficult. I could have just blackened out my teeth.

Sandy Weston:
But I always think, okay, now what? I don't put myself down. I don't. Oh, my God. I was watching this.

Sandy Weston:
Inspirational. I can't remember the woman's last name. Do you remember the woman? Her first name is Diane, she swam at 64 from Cuba to Key west.

Mark Graban:
Oh, wow.

Sandy Weston:
There's a movie out on Netflix, and it's escaping me. Nida, maybe. And it's a true story. And this woman now is a motivational speaker at 74, but at 64, and she tried five times and almost lost her life. And then she comes out and saying, because she conditioned herself.

Sandy Weston:
Yeah. Who would expect her to? I mean, it's like a freaking hundred miles to do that, and you can't stop. But what she had is her mindset. She had her conditioning of her wisdom of what she didn't have at 28, when she tried it, and she kept trying it, she now, mentally was more prepared.

Sandy Weston:
And I thought that was awesome because it's not just one thing. It's not just youth.

Mark Graban:
Right? Yeah. I'd be curious your thoughts on this and that film. I haven't seen it, but it's Nayad Nyad. And from your history as a trainer, to me, I'm all for having a growth mindset of saying, okay, I can learn and grow and progress and develop myself, but at the same time, I think there are certain physical limits where I could try swimming from Cuba to Key west and know.

Mark Graban:
I don't know if I could ever do.

Sandy Weston:
Absolutely.

Mark Graban:
Absolutely, I could.

Sandy Weston:
No, you couldn't.

Mark Graban:
I thought you were trying to be positive. It's okay. You're keeping it real, Sandy.

Sandy Weston:
Well, okay. You are right. Here's the answer. You are absolutely right. You can't say today, I want to be a professional quarterback.

Mark Graban:
Right.

Sandy Weston:
But she had been swimming since she was a child, so she already was a professional swimmer. Right. So she already had that in her body. And then she last tried when she was 28, but there was a 30 year gap, so there was a lot of training. But she already knew that she genetically.

Sandy Weston:
And also the training she had done for years and years and years. And she said it was like riding a bike came right back to her. So that is true. There are certain limitations. Like, I'm not going to be a professional hockey player.

Sandy Weston:
It's just not happening. But there is a lot in between. Know, there's a lot of things you can do. And I do feel, even to this day, knowing all we know, we put limitations on ourselves, especially mentally. And I hear it every single day, Mark.

Sandy Weston:
Well, that's just the way I'm wired. That's how I grew, not, I can't change that baloney now. They know you can. Right? Now they know you can rewire your brain and you can change those thoughts and things that they never thought was possible with certain different people and disabilities and mental health issues.

Sandy Weston:
I mean, people have come a long way. I don't know. I know it's good to understand your brain and put certain labels on it so you can be treated, but also I don't want you to stay in there.

Mark Graban:
Yeah. That helps us transition to your books about goals and progress. And let's say if somebody like, there are, there are more. I'm going to use the word achievable goals. If somebody listening is thinking, I'd like to host a podcast, but I can't do that, I'd say, well, of course you can.

Mark Graban:
You could practice, you could learn, you could growth, mindset your way into. You could do it. Might not be the best in the world, I'm not the best in the world, but I'm trying to get better. And then there's realistic achievable health and fitness goals. Let's say I want to bring down my a one c.

Mark Graban:
I want to lose ten pounds. I know I can do that and I know what to do, but it's a matter sometimes then of habits and motivation. And so that's why I wanted to pick your brain. So one of Sandy's books is titled train your head and your body will follow. Reach any goal in three minutes a day.

Mark Graban:
Let's say if it's okay, I'm going to make it. About some of my individual personal fitness goals, I'm sure shared by others. What have you learned about what would some of your advice be for habits? And what should I spend those three minutes a day on to more likely hit those important goals?

Sandy Weston:
So I want to tell you why it is one to three minutes a day. All it takes, my logan has been, all it takes is one to three minutes a day to change your body, your life, in a positive, powerful way. This is science based. I took a year and a half to study people that I believed exuded pure joy and were able to reach the goals in a fun way, in the way they wanted to do it. And I wanted to see if there was something that they had in common.

Sandy Weston:
So I would bribe my members and I'd say, listen, do you mind if I interview you? And I want to see is there something that is transferable? And it was almost a year and I was like, okay, never mind. You guys are screwed. Kumara.

Sandy Weston:
These people just born this way. But then I saw something mark. Every single one of them got up and felt like they were happening to life. They had a routine that they did every single day, every single day, to get them in a positive, powerful headspace. They were not going to let life happen to them.

Sandy Weston:
They were going to happen to life. Now, the routines were all different. They were everything from bacon muffins to journaling to working out to petting your dog. And the time was all different. It was everything from a few minutes to a few hours.

Sandy Weston:
So I thought, okay, this is transferable. I can help people. So then I gathered together, because one of my clubs, I was right near a lot of the universities, what I called the powers that be, and I got about twelve people, like the twelve apostles. I had neuroscientists, positive psychologists, gurus, exercise physiologists, nutritionists, and I told them my theory. So I said, why don't we create a guidebook, a journal for people that don't already have their morning routine to get into that routine.

Sandy Weston:
So we created one, and it took five minutes a day. And I would have very successful people fill it out and say, pick one area of your life that's not quite where you want to be. So if your workout life, if your body and your health is where it want to be, which most of the people are, then pick money or relationships. Well, after another year, it failed. One person did it.

Sandy Weston:
Nobody was going to take five minutes a day to improve their life, even though I said, just do it for 30 minutes. So I go back to my professors and I was like, what the heck? And the one guy says, well, Sandy, of course they did it. No one's going to spend five minutes that they don't already have, that belief system. You have to make it one to three minutes a day.

Sandy Weston:
And I go, why didn't you tell me a year ago? He goes, you needed you to find out. I'm like, okay, great. So then I go back and make the journal, the guidebook, the prompter, one to three minutes a day. And it worked.

Mark Graban:
Yeah.

Sandy Weston:
So why I'm saying it takes one to three minutes a day is because there is nothing more important than how you choose to start your morning. I don't care what time you get up, but how you choose to show up in the world, and it doesn't take long, even if you take a few seconds, which I recommend before your feet touch the floor and say, how do you want to show up today? And pick one word. It might be powerful, it might be fun, it might be passionate, whatever it is, come downstairs, write the word quickly, write a statement or your goal that you're going after doesn't take but a minute, and then reflect upon it throughout the day. If it's working out, then say that.

Sandy Weston:
All right, well, I haven't done anything for seven years, so I'm not going to start working out for an hour a day. That's just not happening. I can tell you that from owning health clubs for over 30 years. So maybe what I'm going to do and see success is I'm going to move for a minute every hour. I can do that.

Sandy Weston:
And then you build on it. And you're building on it in a way, Mark, that's fun for you. Like, if it's working out, you'll find a way that's not, oh, my God, I have to work out. It might be a minute every hour. It might be that you end up finding a class that works.

Sandy Weston:
It might be working out at home. It might only be five minutes, but you're going to look forward to it. And it comes from that conditioning of every day, just a few minutes looking, which I recommend, writing it down at a guidebook of what you want and what you're going after.

Mark Graban:
There's something so powerful about starting with a minute. Baby steps. There's a psychologist at UCLA who I've interviewed a couple of times in a different podcast series, Robert Moore, who's written books. Okay, yeah, I'm glad you know about him. But he talked about advising patients if you need to start exercising, he would tell them your realistic scenario, right?

Mark Graban:
You're sitting on the couch, you're watching tv. A commercial comes on. Now, maybe with streaming, you have to use different advice. But he's like, get up and walk in place for 30 seconds. Well, you're not going to transform your health walking for 30 seconds, but you get started and then it becomes two commercials.

Mark Graban:
It becomes the whole commercial break. Now you're going outside for a walk, and I think there's something powerful of getting the ball rolling. And I think this applies in a lot of workplace settings. If the leap is too big, it's easier to just get scared and say, well, no, I can't. But when that starting point is really small, it's scary.

Sandy Weston:
And I think for the people that I work, especially, I bet 90% of them are all or none and they're so successful in one portion of their life and they can't accept, no, I can't do it that way. So I look at them and go, okay, so how's your method working out for you? You work out for two to three weeks and then you quit. So let's just try it a different way. And build upon it.

Sandy Weston:
And really now there is the science behind it, because what you're doing is making that body mind connection and spiritual connection of the habit, and you're forming it. And like, okay, we're doing this just like brushing our teeth for a minute, and now we're doing it for two minutes. And now, before you know it, I just had a woman. I wasn't sure I was going to cracker, one of my clients, who, for her 30 seconds of working out, she's been doing it for years. She was like, oh, I already have my routine, Sandy.

Sandy Weston:
But then she went to the doctors, and the doctor says, if you don't change what you're doing, you're going to die. Like, literally everything was so bad. So she said, but I have a routine. And so I went over it. It was 30 seconds, and she was exhausted.

Sandy Weston:
I was like, okay. So I didn't say anything. I met her where she was. We did a minute. I gave her a minute routine.

Sandy Weston:
Waited a couple of weeks. I know it sounds crazy. She could have been dead in the meantime, but was hoping she wasn't. Then we went to a minute 15 within, I think it's been two months, she went and joined a freaking gym. I'm like, oh, my God.

Sandy Weston:
And she's going from somebody that didn't even want to do 30 seconds because there was no guilt, no feeling bad, finding her way, meeting her where she was. And now I'm just excited she's going to live.

Mark Graban:
Yeah, that's great outcome. And speaks to the power of kind of taking some different approaches, of not just doing what we've always done. And so our guest today, Sandy joy Weston. I appreciate the joy and the energy that you bring to this episode and some of that positivity, I think, around language. I want to come back to one of the thing you talked about with language and negative self talk.

Mark Graban:
And one thing I've tried to be a lot more mindful of is language around labeling a mistake as like, oh, that was a dumb mistake, or, that was a stupid mistake. When I'm like, no, it might have been a mistake, but it's probably not a matter of intelligence. We could have made a bad assumption, or there could be other causes. But I try to encourage, even if I hear this language in a workplace, it's like, well, let's be careful whether we're labeling our own mistake or especially labeling someone else's mistake as dumb. I think that's kind of like unhelpful shaming.

Mark Graban:
We want people to be open about mistakes. And I think labeling them as dumb doesn't help there. What are your thoughts?

Sandy Weston:
I so agree with you. If you could change any of that culture, that people really do feel safe in admitting that, hey, I made a mistake, and now what? We would save a lot of time and energy and make more money. I can tell you a time where I was helping one of my favorite people, a doctor, build a health spa, medical spa, and he was overspending his money and just kept changing the plans for what he wanted. And he was driving everyone crazy.

Sandy Weston:
Like this color, that color. Now I want this. And all the people that worked, from the architects, the engineers, were like, santi, he's driving us nuts. You have to say anything. I'm like, why don't you say anything?

Sandy Weston:
Well, they didn't want to get fired. So I'm in a meeting with all of them, and Doc says, listen, I'm thinking of changing this again. I don't like the way the floorboard is. What do you think, Sandy? And I said, no, you know what, doc?

Sandy Weston:
This is you and your team. This is not my area. You go, no, no, I value your opinion. What do you think? Should I change it?

Sandy Weston:
It's going to cost this much. Much. I'm like, doc three times. You don't want to talk to your team. This is not my specialty.

Sandy Weston:
Yeah, because I want to hear what you have to say. I go, okay, well, I think you're very creative. I think you have a lot of ideas, but this place is never going to get built, and you're overspending money. I think we just have to go with what we have. It looks great.

Sandy Weston:
And I was so positive, and he looked at me in front of the whole meeting and went like this with his arms closed, and he goes, well, I don't appreciate that. I said, but you asked me for my opinion, right? And he said, well, your opinion is stupid. Well, now, well, I go, okay, well, that worked out. And all the guys, and they're sitting there at the meetings with their phones, and I go, bail me out.

Sandy Weston:
Bail me out. Guys stick up. I go, what do you guys, you know, he's got to do what he has to do. And I'm like, you mother. They left.

Sandy Weston:
They get in their car, they're like, we're sorry, Weston, but we need our jobs. And blah, blah, blah, blah. I'm like, okay. Well, I got up, I said, listen, don't ever speak to me that way again. And I'm out.

Sandy Weston:
Yeah, well, this is the good news, because he is a good human being. But no one ever corrected this guy. No one ever said anything. And because he begged me to, and look at the response because he was hoping I would agree with him. He really didn't want to hear what I had to say.

Sandy Weston:
He called me the next day and he says, I am so sorry.

Mark Graban:
That's good.

Sandy Weston:
I am so sorry that I did that to you. You are the only person that really has my back and truly cares about me. That's rare to me.

Mark Graban:
It is. It's good that he would reflect on that and come back and be big enough to apologize.

Sandy Weston:
Huge.

Mark Graban:
Yeah.

Sandy Weston:
But you see, now I know why people are afraid of admitting that they made a mistake and I just had.

Mark Graban:
It, or just disagreeing with the boss. People are afraid to do that because, look, what gets punished isn't going to happen again.

Sandy Weston:
I was just doing another deal just two weeks ago, and the guy thought I went over his head to get a deal and it wasn't me. And I go, what are you talking about? And without even thinking, and this is a big CEO, in 30 seconds, he emailed all the bosses of the bosses of the bosses in the organization. I don't think I really appreciate Sandy going over my head and now doing another deal within the company that's not from my funding, and it wasn't me. I get him on the phone, I go, what are you doing?

Sandy Weston:
Don't you want to take a beat? And he goes, I can't believe you're trying to backstab. I go, it's not me. And he started looking through, goes, oh, my God. I go, you better make this right and tell those people, guess what?

Sandy Weston:
He threw me under the bus. He said, sandy. And I realized that she now understands and I'm not going to work with them. But you see what I mean? Why can't we just go?

Sandy Weston:
We're not perfect. I mean, I have like nine, six a day. I'm thinking, crap. I shouldn't have done it that way. I shouldn't have said it that know.

Sandy Weston:
Try it again. I don't get it, Mark. I really don't. That really bothered me. I have to tell you.

Sandy Weston:
I didn't expect to be thrown under like that.

Mark Graban:
No, I understand. And that's why what a lot of people call psychological safety is so important. Not punishing people for speaking up and disagreeing or challenging.

Sandy Weston:
Oh, I never heard it that way. It's called psychological.

Mark Graban:
Psychological safety.

Sandy Weston:
Yeah.

Mark Graban:
And I recently had a chance to talk to one of the world experts on this, Amy Edmondson from Harvard Business School. So invite people to go check out that episode. And she's a great person to learn about creating this kind of workplace culture where people feel safe to speak up. It doesn't mean we're always going to agree. And that's the thing.

Mark Graban:
It's okay to disagree. Let's be respectful with people and not yell at them and not label their opinions stupid. We'll be better off. Well, Sandy also wanted to mention before we go, one thing we have in common is that we both started podcasts in the year 2006, and a lot of people are surprised they didn't know. That was part of the problem back then, people didn't know podcasts were a thing.

Mark Graban:
Now, this series started in 2020, but my Lean blog interviews podcast started in 2006. So Sandy's podcast again now is called let's keep it real. Tell everyone what the original name and what the concept was. I think this is Kevin.

Sandy Weston:
So originally I was called what keeps you up at night? And my whole idea is I wanted to talk to professionals around the world that were looking at, well, being in a different way and were on the cutting edge. And that was my way to get interviews and find out about the latest things for the mind, body and spirit. And I was just fascinated by it. But then I realized what keeps you up at night?

Sandy Weston:
It was really taking a shift on more about the positive things people were doing in the world and how they got to do them. And so I changed the title to let's keep it real. Yeah.

Mark Graban:
A little more positive framing of things, we could talk. Um, well, this has been great. I encourage listener to visit Sandy's website. It's Sandy Weston. You can find a link in the show notes.

Mark Graban:
Got a free ebook I noticed on the website, brain resets.

Sandy Weston:
Yep.

Mark Graban:
Good thing for people to check out. Check out Sandy's podcast, her books. There will be links to all of that in the show notes. So, Sandy, this has been a lot of fun. Thank you for sharing your story and stories and reflections from the different things you've done.

Mark Graban:
This has been great.

Sandy Weston:
Mark, thank you for having me on because I have never told some of those stories and had the opportunity. I mean, I do a lot of different things, but the way you framed your podcast about your favorite mistake, I started writing down so many different things that I haven't thought about in a while. So I really appreciate that you changed my mindset on your favorite mistake.

Mark Graban:
Well, I'm happy to. And thank you for helping all of us as we work on that ourselves. So, thanks again.

Sandy Weston:
Toodles. Bye.