Virtus Performance Blog

Growth doesn't happen all at once

Sun, 15 Mar 2026 23:35:54 GMT

How did i end up here?

For a long time, I was waiting for a moment. A ball to drop. A big, grand change. An exciting "before and after" transformation.

Time and time again, I felt frustrated…there was no perfect routine and the goal posts kept moving at a pace that made me feel like I couldn't sit long enough to make the "big transformation" happen.

Then one day something shifted, but not in the way I expected.

I was reflecting on a difficult conversation I had to have at work and noticed something small but significant…the way I responded was different to how I would have responded 12 months ago. I wasn't reactive, I didn't take things personally. Instead, I looked for a solution to the problem.

I felt proud. Proud that I had the capacity to respond calmly. Proud that I could step back from my emotion and focus on what actually mattered in that moment.

Somewhere along the way…I had changed.

That reflection led me to think about the way I have viewed my training and body.

Coming from a health and sport background, I always battled with the logical arguments. "Size doesn't matter." "Training isn't just about aesthetics." "How sad would it be looking back on my younger years knowing I spent so much time hating how I looked." Logically I understood all of this, but knowing something and feeling it are very different things, which constantly left me conflicted.

For a long time, I told myself that when things finally settled down, when study was over, when work slowed down, that would be the moment I would "lock in".

But little did I know, day by day, I was already changing.

I changed my environment, and with that came a shift in how I viewed training. It was no longer a chore or something I tired to how I should look. It became something I genuinely enjoyed doing again, which I hadn't even realised I lost.

With all this positive change, in the back of my mind, I still believed my big transformation was yet to come.

What I didn't realise was that I was already in the middle of it…

Because transformation, as it turns out, rarely looks like an 8-week challenge. It's not a short course, or a dramatic reveal. It's showing up again and again, especially when you fall off. It's doing the things you genuinely love and surrounding yourself with people who inspire you to be better. It's being willing to walk into rooms where you're not the best person there and leaving your ego at the door long enough to realise how much you still have to learn.

Maybe it's just life experience, but slowly, day by day, conversation by conversation, experience by experience, I started to see the shift in myself that I had once placed on a pedestal, believing it would arrive suddenly.

I used to think success meant the perfect morning routine. The perfect diet. Training as hard as possible every session. Handling every hard conversation with perfect articulation.

That was the standard I measured myself against…but now I see something different.

Overtime, I simply got better. Not perfect. Never perfect. But a little better.

And when I look back on the past 12 months, as a person and a professional, I can say with absolute certainty I have transformed.

Just not in the way I expected.

It didn't come with confetti or likes on Instagram. It came through hard conversations. Through challenging my own beliefs. Through putting myself in discomfort and surrounding myself with people who made me want to grow.

So when did we end up here?

Not through a quick fix. Not through a grand moment. Just months and years of showing up with the promise to try be a little better than the day before. A promise to myself that growth will forever be at the very core of my being and how I choose to move through the world.

Jac.

Challenging what you (think you) know

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 00:32:10 GMT

We love disconfirming information

At Virtus we talk a lot about getting better every day. (it's on the wall so it must be important)

But improvement doesn’t come from doing the same things and thinking the same thoughts over and over again. It comes from being willing to challenge the story you currently believe about yourself, your training, and the world around you.

Most people look for information that proves they’re already right.

We search for things that confirm what we believe. We ignore the things that challenge it.

That’s human nature. That's why your social media feed is built for you, based on what you search and watch.

But it’s also one of the biggest barriers to becoming the best version of yourself.

High performers do the opposite.

They deliberately seek out ideas, perspectives and feedback that challenge their assumptions. Not because they enjoy being wrong. But because they understand something important:

Growth lives on the other side of discomfort.

When you expose your beliefs to scrutiny a few things happen:

* You uncover blind spots

* You identify weak assumptions

* You see alternative paths

* You reduce the chance of making poor decisions

* You expand what you thought was possible

Sometimes this process will show you that your current thinking isn’t serving you.

Other times you’ll come out the other side with even greater conviction that you’re on the right path.

Either way, you win.

Because your beliefs have now been tested, not just assumed.

And things that survive honest scrutiny tend to be far stronger.

At Virtus we believe that agency and personal responsibility sit at the centre of high performance.

You are responsible for your actions, your standards, and the way you respond to the world around you.

Part of that responsibility is being willing to question your own thinking.

To ask:

* What if I’m wrong?

* What am I not seeing?

* What would someone who disagrees with me say?

* Is there a better way?

These questions aren’t signs of weakness.

They’re signs of someone committed to growth .

The athletes, coaches and humans who continue to evolve are the ones who stay curious.

They seek feedback.

They welcome challenge.

They refine their beliefs as they learn.

Because every time you challenge a limiting belief, you expand your current capacity.

And expanded capacity is what allows you to:

* Perform at a higher level

* Handle more responsibility

* Solve bigger problems

* Become a better teammate, parent, partner and leader

That’s the real goal.

Not being right.

But becoming better.

So if you want to grow, here’s a simple rule:

Actively seek information that challenges you.

If your thinking survives that test, your conviction will be stronger.

If it doesn’t, you’ve just found the next step in your evolution.

Either way you move forward. That’s the game. Just don’t forget to have fun doing it.

For me, this is what makes this space & community special

Better every day. ��

Lachie

Writing is a superpower

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 01:03:31 GMT

This is a blog post about awareness, perfectionism, taking action and being kind to yourself

Most of you will know Jacqui Coughlan. She's our head coach here at Virtus and one of the more capable humans you'll ever meet. She also has outrageously high standards in pretty much every aspect of her life, a standard that she does her best to hold herself to, but by design is almost unreachable. This is one of her superpowers, but it can also be an impediment for progress, growth and self belief systems when she feels she may be continually falling short of unrealistic expectations.

After a chat last week, I challenged Jac to a simple task. Write 1 page per day in a physical journal, to help build awareness and context for where you're at and what you need right now. Regardless of whether she filled a page every day or not, how she thought/felt/behaved would shine a light on exactly where the value might lie. Anyone who knows me would know that I have long been a strong proponent of journaling. I've written many blogs on the topic, but here's a simple one for some context .

Being such a high functioning individual, Jac (and many of us) tend to fall into the all or nothing approach...'well if I don't do it perfectly there's no point doing it' which is an incredibly human perspective to take. This perspective also gives us an out, because you can choose to do the nothing. But here's the secret, quite often the cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek. When you face the resistance that bubbles to the surface, give yourself permission to fail and do the thing, magic starts to happen.

Do it often enough and the person staring back to you on day 30 or 50 or 100 is a more capable, more aware, more authentic version of you.

Anyway, back to the point.

We are a week on from that conversation, Jac hasn't ticked off 7 days of journaling, however, she took a massive step forward on Monday and she finished a page. Her reflections were simple "I journaled. It was a slay" . I won't put words in her mouth, but in summary, game changer.

So here's my challenge to you, and a tool to help you execute it.

Take 5 minutes out of your day to write some shit down. It can be in a physical journal or online. The tool that I'd suggest you use if you do it online is The Most Dangerous Writing Prompt Generator - It’s a high-pressure writing tool that deletes your work if you stop typing for too long usually around 5 seconds. It’s designed to help you overcome perfectionism, self-doubt, and writer’s block by forcing you to keep writing without hesitation.

I used it this morning, it actually gave me the idea to write this blog. Give it a crack, here's what I wrote in 5 minutes this morning...
Be amazing.
Lachie

This is a pretty cool concept, it's super easy to get stuck in your head and not actually be able to exhale and write something down, the inner voice screaming about the quality of the content, when in reality the juice comes from the squeeze of the doing. So here's five minutes of my thoughts, imperfect, yet valuable in it's own way.

As Ferris once said 'Life moves pretty fast, best you stop and look around once in a while'... Did I butcher that quote? Absolutely, but every first draft is shit, so here we are. Let's take that quote a little further, 'your thoughts move pretty fast, best you step back and examine them once in a while'

When we have the awareness / capacity to zoom out and actually observe the flow of cognisnace (is tnat how you spell it?) rushing through our mind, we gain a superpower. That observation gives us space, to continue to let our stream of consciousness drag us down the river, OR, to slow down, assess, be proactive with our response rather than reactive. Which in itself has the capacity to change, enhance, enrich our existence, or at least our perspective on our existence.

From there, we can make better choices, reflect on our emotions, cultivate a level of awareness simply not available to us if we spend our whole lives swimming in the river. Fighting with or going with the stream of consciousness.

What an empowering realisation, you are not your thoughts, you are an observer of them, and when you shift your perspective you now have the ability to choose your response, to do the thing, or to let the thought simply float away before it does any harm.

This was fun. Onwards.

Human First, Athlete Second

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 01:39:20 GMT

Here’s the truth most gyms and coaches miss.

You can’t build a high performing athlete o top of a stressed, overwhelmed, burnt out human. You can try. You might even get a few good weeks out of them. But it won’t last. It never does and longevity is the game.

Here’s something worth remembering. Everyone is an athlete in their own way. Every single person who walks through our doors is juggling physical, mental, emotional and social loads. Training is just one part of a much bigger picture.

At Virtus, we start with that bigger picture. We start with the person. We meet you where your at. We talk about your world. Your responsibilities. Your sleep. Your headspace. Your joys and their messiness. Because when you understand the human, the training becomes clearer. When you support the human, the athlete feels safe enough to come out and play.

Most people walk around thinking their training problem is a training problem. It rarely is. It’s usually a human problem. Too much noise, not enough support. Too many expectations, not enough grounding. Too many friction, not enough awareness.

So we flip it.

We meet the person first. We listen. We connect. We build trust. Then we train with purpose instead of pressure. This thing we get to do is a privilege. This shift is when people start doing things they never believed they could. That’s when longevity gets built. That’s when training becomes a part of a life well lived.

It's outrageously simple, we begin to take care of themselves when we feel seen and understand intimately what we need most.

For Virty Members, this time of the year can be chaotic, this is why it is the perfect time to align on what matters most. Book a goal review. Or if you want a deeper dive, book a private session or a Nutrition and Lifestyle chat with one of our coaches. Give yourself the space to focus on the human first, so we can help the athlete (whatever your sport looks like) thrive.

If you're not currently frequenting Virtus, and you want to train somewhere that actually cares about the person in front of them, book your intro or jump on a call with me (o401850474) We’ll start with you, not just your goals.

5 questions we use to help this process....

- What do you need that you don't have right now?

- What does winning look like?

- What do we need to be good or better at?

- What do we need to do?

- How will we know....

Big love.

Lachie

With self awareness comes great potential.

Don't have to, Get to.

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 01:25:48 GMT

A mindset shift that will change how you live

Beautiful people,

Happy Wednesday.

A quick one from me. I’m in Perth this week, spending time with my business coach (yes, my belief in coaching extends well beyond the gym) and catching up with a great mate who runs a world class facility called Athlete X.

Athlete X is about as Virtus as a place can be without the blue turf and a V plastered on every wall. Mel and the team live and breathe growth, community and the idea of building lifelong athletes. I’ve admired them from afar for a long time, and it’s a privilege to spend time inside their community (even though I’m missing ours).

One of their mantras resonates heavily

‘Don’t have to, get to.’

A simple shift in perspective, but it changes everything. How you show up for a session. How you change your kid’s nappy. How you pay your bills. How you move through your life.

Perspective matters. We get to choose how we respond, whether the moment is good, challenging, or somewhere in between.

Life gets pretty wonderful when we notice everything we already have, instead of focusing on what we don’t.

As the immortal David Lynch says: focus on the donut, not the hole.

Today, take a moment to think about something you might be dreading. Shift the mindset from ‘have to’ to ‘get to’ and see how your nervous system responds.

Onwards.

Wallace

PS. If you’re not part of Virtus yet, or have been thinking about coming back, now’s a great time to jump in. Email me lachie@virtusperformance.com before the week’s out and I’ll line you up with something special to help you get the wheels turning.

How to Access Mental Health Support (and Why It’s Easier Than You Think)

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 09:51:50 GMT

we should all have a Mental Health Care Plan...

At Virtus, we believe that looking after your mind is just as important as looking after your body. Whether you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, anxious, or simply want someone to talk to, getting support shouldn’t feel complicated.

Watch this video of Nina walking you through the process!

That’s where a Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) comes in.

What is a Mental Health Care Plan?

A Mental Health Care Plan is something you and your GP create together to help identify any mental health concerns and outline a path forward. This often includes access to a psychologist, where you can receive Medicare rebates for up to 10 individual sessions per year, making professional support more affordable.

Depending on your psychologist’s fees, there might be a small gap to pay, but the rebate significantly reduces the cost.

How to Get a Mental Health Care Plan (Step by Step)

1. Book an appointment with your GP

When you book, let the receptionist know you’d like to discuss your mental health. Some clinics will ask you to book a longer consultation so your GP has enough time to listen and complete the plan with you.

2. Work with your GP to create the plan

During the appointment, your GP will talk with you about what’s been happening, how you’ve been feeling, and whether you’re eligible.

If so, they’ll complete your Mental Health Care Plan, which gives you 6 initial sessions with a psychologist.

3. Choose your psychologist

You can choose a psychologist that suits you, someone you feel comfortable talking to. Your GP can recommend options, or you can ask them to send your plan directly to the psychologist you’ve chosen.

To receive the Medicare rebate, your plan must be dated on or before your first appointment.

4. Continue your care after your first 6 sessions

Once you’ve completed your initial sessions, your psychologist will send a short progress report to your GP. You can then review your plan together and, if ongoing support is helpful, get a referral for up to 4 more sessions that year.

Meet Nina: Here for Everyone

Our psychologist Nina, brings warmth, understanding, and over a decade of experience helping people navigate life’s challenges.

While Virtus is known for performance and training, Nina isn’t just for athletes . She helps people from all walks of life, including parents, students, professionals, couples, and anyone looking to improve their mental wellbeing.

Her approach is compassionate and evidence-based, using tools like mindfulness, CBT, and EMDR to help you find clarity, calm, and confidence in yourself again.

Take the First Step

If you’ve been thinking about getting support but haven’t known where to start, booking that first GP appointment might be the most important step you take this year.

Once you have your Mental Health Care Plan, you can book your first session with Nina here:

�� Book with Nina

Because you don’t have to do it alone, and you don’t have to wait until things get bad to start feeling better.

Lachie

The Power of Negative Space: Why Growth Happens in the Quiet Moments

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 23:10:45 GMT

The Power of Negative Space: Why Growth Happens in the Quiet Moments

TL;DR: Training and stress create the stimulus for growth, but rest, recovery, and reflection—the negative space—are where adaptation happens. The goal is not endless effort, but finding the rhythm between work and rest that builds strength, resilience, and joy.

Progress often feels like something that happens through action: the grind, the sets, the sweat. But the real growth occurs between those moments. In art, negative space gives depth and meaning to the image. In training and life, it’s recovery and regeneration. It isn’t the lifting or working that makes us stronger, but what follows after .

The science of stress is captured in Hans Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome. First comes the Alarm Stage, when the body recognises stress and reacts with a surge of cortisol, adrenaline, and inflammation. Next is the Resistance Stage , when adaptation happens. The body rebuilds stronger to handle future stress. Without recovery, we hit the Exhaustion Stage , where fatigue, injury, and burnout take hold.

This is why negative space matters. The stimulus, the training and the effort, it is only half the process. Without time to recover and integrate, there is no adaptation. Sleep, sunlight, good food, stillness, and connection are not luxuries; they are essential. The body grows stronger after training, not during it. Your nervous system builds resilience when it feels safe, not when it’s overloaded. Recovery is not a break from work; it is where the work becomes valuable.

At Virtus, we live by a belief system of growth. We are here to evolve, not to smash ourselves endlessly. Growth moves in cycles of stress, rest, and adaptation. We learn through challenge, but we change through restoration . The dance between effort and ease is where joy lives. The goal is rhythm, not constant acceleration. For me, this is the good stuff.

Think of your life as the creation of art. The effort and training are your brushstrokes, but the negative space, the quiet, the stillness, the pause, gives it meaning. Without contrast, everything blurs. Without rest, progress fades. The more you value the quiet, the more your effort counts.

At Virtus, we believe in playing the long game. We train hard, recover harder, and aim to be better every day, in and out of the gym. True strength is not how much you can do, but how well you can recover and return ready for more. Repeatability is about the best capacity you can have. Being able to show up, put in the work, then rest and return again the next day. Growth lives in the balance between push and pause, between sound and silence, between action and reflection. Between go and stop.

If you’re ready to explore this rhythm for yourself, join us at Virtus.

Our training is about progression, presence, and the simple joy of becoming better every day. Learning when to push, when to pause, and how to make the space between the reps work for you.

Real growth happens in those quiet moments of recovery and regeneration.

More isn't better. Better is better.

Better every day.
I'm here for it.

Lachie

BDNF: Brain Food for your...Brain

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 21:53:46 GMT

Brain fertiliser - The good kind...

I was seeing Greg for treatment the other day, and like most sessions with him, I left with some brain food.

This time though, the brain food was quite literal.

We got talking about something called BDNF, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor.

Never heard of her? Me neither. But here we are.

The Phys has this way of casually dropping knowledge bombs that make you rethink everything you thought you knew about performance and recovery. He’s part physio, part philosopher, part nerd who clearly spends too much time reading PubMed.

He was explaining how BDNF works, and I found myself fascinated. The way he described it was simple:

BDNF is like fertiliser for your brain.

It helps your neurons grow, repair, and connect better, the same way a good strength program helps your muscles adapt. It’s the reason why exercise sharpens your mind, why learning new skills sticks faster, and why sleep and sunlight feel like magic for your body and soul.

So yes, Greg is a nerd. A very smart, loveable nerd.

What does BDNF actually do? Here’s the straightforward version that my little brain can understand...

BDNF is a protein that lives in your brain and central nervous system. Its job is to help your brain grow and adapt.
Every time you train, learn, move, rest, or eat well, you give your brain a dose of this stuff.

It improves:

Memory and learning
Mood and motivation
Recovery and resilience
Long-term brain health

It’s the reason people who train regularly tend to think clearer, feel better, and stay sharper as they age. It’s not just the exercise, it’s what the exercise does to the brain.

Here’s the good news: you don’t need a lab coat or a neuroscience degree to boost your BDNF.

You just need to live like a human was meant to live. Do these 6 things often...

Move – Strength, conditioning, play, walk. The more you move, the more your brain adapts.
Sleep – Seven to nine hours is your brain’s growth window. Don’t skip it.
Eat real food – Omega-3s, colourful veggies, berries, and good fats all feed your brain.
Get sunlight – 15–30 minutes outside each day does wonders for mood and BDNF.
Learn new things – A new skill, language, sport, or even a random hobby keeps your neurons firing.
Connect – Deep conversations, laughter, and gratitude all improve brain health (and make life better).

At Virtus, we talk a lot about being Better Every Day.

That’s not just a feel-good motto, it’s a biological reality.

Every rep, every breath, every night of decent sleep literally changes your brain.

BDNF is proof that the habits you build don’t just make you stronger, they make you smarter, calmer, and more adaptable.

So next time Greg is elbow-deep in your hamstring talking about brain fertiliser, remember: the real lesson might not be about your muscles.

It might be about growing your mind.

And maybe thank the Phys for being a beautiful nerd who keeps us all feeling better, and fixed , body and brain.

Keep being wonderful

Lachie

The Voice Inside Your Head

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 21:39:48 GMT

There's a conversation happening inside your mind

The quiet voice that talks you through a session, a meeting, or a moment of doubt. Sometimes it pushes. Sometimes it criticises.

Either way, it shapes how you perform. How you progress. How you stagnate

And science says it also shapes how your brain works.

A 2021 study by Kim and colleagues (PMID: 34290300) found that self-talk, whether positive or negative, changes how brain networks communicate .

Positive self-talk strengthens the connections between areas that drive motivation, focus, and self-control. Negative self-talk weakens them.

In short, the words you say to yourself can rewire your brain. So stop being a di** to yourself.

Positive self-talk isn’t about empty optimism. It’s about respect. It's about building a belief system. It’s a reminder that belief, focus, and self-awareness grow first from the way we speak to ourselves. Then from what we do. The study showed that people who used self-respect phrases didn’t just feel better, they performed better too.

Criticism might still drive you for a while, but it’s like running on fumes. It creates tension instead of flow, stress instead of focus.

Over time, that pattern wears you down and becomes an impediment to growth.

Treat your inner voice like your best friend.
Like your grandma.
Like the 8 year old version of you.

Be kind. Challenge it, don’t let it tear you apart.

Next time you’re struggling in a session, or at work, or doubting yourself, step back (metaphorically) and listen to your own commentary.

Is it helping you or holding you back? Serving you, or sabotaging?

Your brain doesn’t know the difference between real and rehearsed, it believes what you repeat.

So speak to yourself like someone you love and care for.

Because your brain is listening & it's taking notes.

Food for thought. #clever

Lachie

Welcoming Nina Keller - Psychology available at Virtus from October 20th

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 03:59:31 GMT

Psychology & Virtus - A match made in heaven

We’re excited to announce a big step forward for Virtus.

From October 20th , we’ll be offering Psychology services as part of our holistic approach to health, performance, and wellbeing.

Joining the team is Nina Keller , an AHPRA-registered psychologist and founder of Mind Haus Psychology

Nina has worked across both public and private sectors and brings a wealth of experience supporting individuals, couples, and groups through life’s challenges.

Her approach is compassionate, collaborative, and client-centred. She creates a confidential and supportive space where people feel comfortable to explore what’s really going on beneath the surface. Through a mix of psychoeducation, awareness, and strategy development, Nina helps clients build the tools to manage their mental health beyond the counselling room.

Nina draws on a range of evidence-based methods including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), mindfulness, solution-focused interventions, EMDR, exposure therapy, and relationship counselling. Her goal is simple: to help people understand themselves better and navigate life with greater clarity, calm, and confidence.

This is an important moment for Virtus. For years, we’ve focused on building stronger, more capable humans through movement, education, and community. Now, by integrating psychology, we can support our members even more deeply: mind, body, and everything in between.

Before Nina’s first day, we’d love your input . Please take a moment to share your thoughts and help us shape how psychology and mental health education can best serve our community.

�� Exploring Psychology & Mental Health Support at Virtus

You can learn more about Nina and her work at mindhauspsychology.com.au

Nina will be available on Mondays at Virtus from the 20th of October.
If you want to see her on other day/times, send her an email at nina@mindhauspsychology.com.au

You can book in via this booking link!

What a time to be alive!

ps. Nina is a star. You'll love her.

Better Every Day!
Lachie & t he Virtus Team

Don't chase goals, build a way of life

Sat, 27 Sep 2025 00:33:00 GMT

Don't chase goals, build a way of life.

Don’t Chase Goals. Build a Way of Life.

At Virtus, we often talk about goals. Lose weight. Get stronger. Build muscle. Run faster. Compete harder. These are all worthwhile, but Hunter S. Thompson once wrote something that cuts deeper: goals are only temporary markers. They change, they blur, they fade. What matters more is the way of life you choose to live.

In 1958, Thompson wrote a letter to a friend wrestling with life’s big question: What am I here for? His answer was not about outcomes or titles. It was about being yourself. Fully. Deliberately.

At Virtus, this is central to how we operate. We do not measure only by kilos lifted, kilometres run, or percentages improved. We measure by the life we are building. Training is a vessel, not the destination. Community reflects who we are, not a scoreboard. Education is a tool, not a certificate.

To choose a way of life is to step into something bigger than goals. It is to ask:

• What kind of person do I want to be?

• What kind of environment do I want to exist in?

• What kind of example do I want to set for my kids, my teammates, my community?

From that foundation, performance takes care of itself. When you train to embody strength, resilience and vitality, you create a way of life that sustains you through setbacks and seasons.

First, Choose Who You Want to Be

Epictetus said:

“First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.”

This is the essence of Thompson’s letter, and it is the essence of what we do at Virtus. Decide on your way of life, then align your training, habits and environment to make it real.

Turning Philosophy into Practice

At Virtus, we give this philosophy structure through our Goal Review Framework. Every member sits down with a coach to create clarity, direction and action. It is about aligning training and lifestyle with the life you want to live.

Here is the framework we use:

1. What are the 2–3 things you want to leave this session with?

2. What does winning look like?

3. What do we need to be good or better at?

4. What do we need to do?

5. How will we know?

The aim is simple: you leave with clarity and practical steps that move the needle in training and in life.

The Virtus Reflection Guide

After reading Thompson’s words, ask yourself:

1. What do I want my way of life to look like?

2. What abilities and desires can I lean into?

3. What small step can I take today to bring my training and choices closer to that life?

Your Next Step

If you are ready to go deeper, talk to one of our coaches. We will take this philosophy, apply our framework and give you clarity and action to build a life worth living.

Enjoy

LW

The Letter – Hunter S. Thompson to Hume Logan (1958)

“Every person is the sum total of their reactions to experience. As your experiences differ and multiply, you become a different person, and hence your perspective changes. This goes on and on. Every reaction is a learning process; every significant experience alters your perspective.

So it would seem foolish, would it not, to adjust our lives to the demands of a goal we see from a different angle every day? How could we ever hope to accomplish anything other than galloping neurosis?

The answer, then, must not deal with goals at all, or not with tangible goals, anyway. To put our faith in tangible goals would seem to be, at best, unwise. We do not strive to be firemen, we do not strive to be bankers, nor policemen, nor doctors. We strive to be ourselves.

But do not misunderstand me. I do not mean that we cannot be firemen, bankers, or doctors, but that we must make the goal conform to the individual rather than make the individual conform to the goal. In every person, heredity and environment have combined to produce a creature of certain abilities and desires, including a deeply ingrained need to function in such a way that their life will be meaningful. A person has to be something; they have to matter.

As I see it then, the formula runs like this: a man must choose a path which will let his abilities function at maximum efficiency toward the gratification of his desires.

In doing this, he is fulfilling a need (giving himself identity), he avoids frustrating his potential (choosing a path which puts no limit on his self-development), and he avoids the terror of seeing his goal wilt or lose its charm as he draws closer to it (rather than bending himself to meet the demands of that which he seeks, he has bent his goal to conform to his own abilities and desires).

In short, he has not dedicated his life to reaching a pre-defined goal, but he has rather chosen a way of life he knows he will enjoy. The goal is absolutely secondary: it is the functioning toward the goal which is important. And it seems almost ridiculous to say that a man must function in a pattern of his own choosing, for to let another man define your own goals is to give up one of the most meaningful aspects of life, the definitive act of will which makes a man an individual.

A man who procrastinates in his choosing will inevitably have his choice made for him by circumstance. So if you now number yourself among the disenchanted, then you have no choice but to accept things as they are, or to seriously seek something else. But beware of looking for goals: look for a way of life. Decide how you want to live and then see what you can do to make a living within that way of life. But you say, ‘I do not know where to look; I do not know what to look for.’

And there is the crux. Is it worth giving up what I have to look for something better? I do not know. Who can make that decision but you? But even by deciding to look, you go a long way toward making the choice.

I am not trying to send you out ‘on the road’ in search of Valhalla, but merely pointing out that it is not necessary to accept the choices handed down to you by life as you know it. There is more to it than that. No one has to do something they do not want to do for the rest of their lives.”

Strength Training & Menopause: A Natural Way to Thrive

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 22:50:11 GMT

Strength Training & Menopause:
A Natural Way to Thrive

Hi, I’m Maddy ��

On October 6th, I’ll be kicking off our Women’s Strength Program at Virtus, and I wanted to share with you why this matters so much, not just to me as a coach, but to you as women who deserve to feel strong, capable, and confident at every stage of life.

Why Strength Training Matters in Menopause

Menopause can be tough. Hot flushes, sleep disruptions, bone loss, mood swings, changes in energy and body composition can feel overwhelming.

But here’s the exciting part. A recent systematic review of 12 clinical trials, involving over 800 women, found that strength training can significantly reduce many of these symptoms

It’s not a quick fix, but it’s one of the most powerful, natural ways to support your body through this chapter.

What the Research Tells Us

Strength training has been shown to:

✅ Improve muscle strength and function so you feel more capable in daily life

✅ Protect your bones and reduce the risk of osteoporosis

✅ Balance hormones and metabolism, lowering blood pressure, cholesterol, and body fat

✅ Reduce hot flushes and support cardiovascular health

✅ Boost energy and confidence so you feel more like yourself again

The bottom line? Strong women thrive through menopause.

What Works Best

From the studies, the sweet spot looks like this:

�� 2–3 sessions per week

��️ Moderate to heavy weights, progressed over time

�� Big compound movements (squats, deadlifts, presses, pulls)

�� Consistency over months, not just weeks

And it doesn’t matter if you’re brand new or experienced. The benefits come from starting where you are and sticking with it.

Why I’m Running This Program

I’ve spoken with so many women who want to train but feel unsure about where to start, worried about injury, or intimidated by gym culture.

That’s why I created the Women’s Strength Program at Virtus. It’s not just about sets and reps. It’s about creating a safe, supportive, and empowering space for you to:

✨ Learn the fundamentals of strength training with expert guidance

✨ Train alongside other women who get it

✨ Build confidence that carries into every part of your life

We kick off October 6th with an 8-week program designed to help you get stronger, support your health, and thrive through menopause and beyond.

If you’ve been waiting for a sign, this is it.

Come train with us. Let’s get strong together. Spots are limited, so lock yours in today.

Squats Will Make You Swim Faster... Maybe...

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 02:09:51 GMT

LIFE IS A PARADOX...

I love a good paradox. There’s something playful and mind-bending about holding two seemingly opposite truths in your head at once and realising… both are right.

A paradox isn’t a problem to be solved, it’s a perspective to sit with. It asks you to zoom out, tilt your head, and see that the world is rarely neat, rarely simple, it ain't black and white (unless you're a pies supporter). And that’s what makes it fun.

One of my favourites? Adaptation is task-specific. AND adaptation is transferable.

Specificity rules

In training, your body adapts precisely to the demands you place upon it.

Sprint to get faster at sprinting.
Squat heavy to get stronger at squatting.
Swim to improve swimming.

The central nervous system, muscles, tendons, even your psychology, all of it sharpens for the task at hand. This is why athletes rehearse their sport again and again. If you want to be good at X, you must train X. Repetition, repetition, repetition.

But transfer is real

Here’s the kicker: those same adaptations don’t stay locked in their box. They spill over.

Build leg strength in the gym and suddenly you’re jumping higher on the court.
Ride the bike for endurance and you find yourself running further without gassing out.
Learn discipline with your training and it shows up in your work, your parenting, your relationships.

The body (and mind) are marvellous contraptions. General qualities: strength, endurance, resilience, don’t just stick to one lane. They travel.

Micro and macro

So which is it specific or transferable? The answer is both, just at different levels.

Micro level: ruthlessly specific. The exact pattern, speed, angle, movement or skill you train is the one you get better at.
Macro level: beautifully transferable. The qualities you build: capacity, grit, adaptability, spread across sports, careers, and life.

Building your capacities is for me, what life is all about.

More than training

Zoom out again, and it’s not just about sets and reps. It’s life itself.

Patience learned rehabbing an injury makes you a calmer parent. Courage built in a hard conversation makes you braver under pressure. Philosophy or maths sharpen your ability to think clearly in… pretty much everything.

The Stoics had this figured out: practice in one area to grow in all areas. Shoutout to my boy Marcus Aurelius and his book of meditations.

The art of holding both

Ignore specificity, and you drift without progress.
Ignore transfer, and you become narrow and brittle.

The art is holding both truths: training for the task in front of you while recognising that every rep, every challenge, every small win is shaping you far beyond the gym.

Adaptation is task-specific. Adaptation is transferable.
That’s the paradox. That’s the point.

Get your head around the duality of our existence, this is the good stuff, this is where growth happens.

The Virtus lens

This is why we train the way we do at Virtus. Our programs are built to give you the specific stimulus you need for your goals, while also building the broad physical and mental qualities that make you better at life. Stronger in the gym. More capable on the field. More resilient at work. More present at home. More capable of (insert any worthy pursuit here)

We don’t just want you to win at one thing. We want you to become the kind of person who carries those wins into everything.

Every rep is shaping more than your body. It’s shaping your life. Let’s get started .

Onwards.
Lachie

Good, Better, Best: The Secret to Consistent Progress

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 03:33:09 GMT

Tiers of opportunity - How to Stay Consistent

At Virtus, we know the hardest part of training isn’t the session itself, it’s showing up consistently.

We all say it at some point: “I don’t have time. Now isn’t a good time. Life feels too full.” And that’s real. Life is busy. But here’s the truth: the problem isn’t time or location. It’s how we think about consistency.

Waiting for the perfect 60 minute slot in the gym is the fastest way to keep missing sessions.

Most people fall into the trap of believing training has to look a certain way: one full hour in the gym, no interruptions, perfect energy levels.

The reality is life rarely lines up like that. Instead of missing workouts altogether, we flip the script at Virtus. Consistency is built on adaptability, not perfection, and that’s where the Tiers of Opportunity come in.

Think of it like this: your best case scenario might be a full Virtus session at 6am. That’s the gold standard. But what if life gets in the way?

You still have other options. Maybe it’s a half session later in the morning. Maybe it’s a run or walk in the afternoon. Maybe it’s 15 minutes of home mobility at night. Every option still moves the needle forward. The only truly bad option is doing nothing at all.

We’ve seen it work countless times in our community. A parent squeezes in a 30-minute home workout between school drop-off and work. One of our footy boys hits a quick 15-minute speed block before training. Another member fits in push-ups, squats, and a jog before dinner. These aren’t perfect sessions, but they’re powerful because they keep the chain unbroken & move the needle towards the person they want to become.

This system works because it stops the cycle of starting and stopping. No more feeling like you’re back at square one. Adaptability is what keeps you consistent, and that’s how training habits stick, even during the busiest seasons of life. Consistency doesn’t come from perfect routines, it comes from using the time you do have and leaning on the Virtus community and coaching team to back you up along the way.

Training with us means you’re never doing this alone. We’ll help you find your Plan A and build your week around it. We’ll make sure you’ve got Plans B, C, and D ready so you don’t fall off track. And we’ll keep you accountable through coaching, check-ins, and the community around you.

At Virtus, consistency is built into the system.

So here’s the takeaway: it’s not about being perfect, it’s about finding ways to move the needle, even slightly, every day. Fifteen minutes beats zero. Imperfect sessions compound into powerful results. Adaptability keeps you consistent. Consistency gets you stronger, leaner, and more capable. And consistency, over time, is what makes the difference between wishing for progress and living it.

At Virtus, we’ll help you build the systems that keep you training no matter how busy life gets.

Want to learn more ? Book a Free Intro.

Be amazing.

Lachie

Enjoyment. Consistency. Progress. The Foundations of Virtus

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 23:05:55 GMT

The simplicity of our programming and coaching

At Virtus Performance, everything we do, from our coaching to our programming, is built on three key foundations: Enjoyment, Consistency, and Progress. Combined with built-in feedback loops, these principles ensure constant evolution, athlete buy-in, and results that last.

Humans are complex, adaptive systems, always changing and responding to our environment. At the same time, we are also simple beings. We repeat the things we enjoy and the things that help us improve. That is why these three factors sit at the heart of Virtus coaching.

1. Enjoyment: Training You Actually Want to Do

If training feels like punishment, you will eventually stop. Willpower can only carry you so far. That is why at Virtus, we design world-class strength and conditioning programs that are challenging, but also fun, rewarding, and engaging.

Enjoyment is fuelled by our community. You will connect with others, laugh, and celebrate wins along the way. Training becomes more than just another task. It becomes one of the best parts of your week.

2. Consistency: The Secret to Real Change

The people who achieve their goals are not always the most talented. They are the ones who keep showing up. Consistency is the real secret sauce in strength and conditioning.

At Virtus, we do not just coach. We educate. You will learn why the work matters, how to fit training into a busy life, and how to build habits that stick. Through accountability and support, we help you keep turning up week after week, so results compound over time.

3. Progress: Becoming More Capable

Progress fuels motivation. When you can see and feel change, you want to keep going. Whether it is lifting heavier, moving better, running faster, or simply feeling stronger and more capable in your own skin, progress is what drives long-term commitment.

That is why our coaching emphasises performance. With structured programs, regular testing weeks, and goal reviews, we ensure you are not just training. You are evolving.

At Virtus, we believe in continual improvement. Every program includes feedback loops: testing, reflection, and goal setting that ensure your training adapts as you do. This process creates genuine athlete buy-in because you see and feel the results of your work.

Our philosophy is simple. Training should help you do more of the things you love, in a stronger and more capable way. By combining Enjoyment, Consistency, and Progress with our pillars of Community, Education, and Performance, Virtus coaching sets the foundation for long-term success.

That is Virtus. That is Better Every Day.

Ready to dive in and experience Virtus?

If you are ready to enjoy your training, build consistency, and make real progress, come and see what Virtus Performance can do for you.

Book a free intro session!

Virtus: More Than a Gym. Your New Home for High Performance in Mornington.

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 16:40:20 GMT

At Virtus Performance , we?re not just another gym in Mornington . We?re a community-driven training space designed to be your third home . A place beyond home and work where you can train, connect, and grow , both physically and mentally.

Since 2015 , we?ve been fostering improvement and excellence on Torca Terrace , building a space where people come to push their limits, build resilience, and become the best version of themselves .

We believe that true high performance extends beyond the gym floor. It?s about thriving in all aspects of life . From your career to your relationships. From your mindset to your movement. Whether you're here to get stronger, move better, build resilience, or push your limits , we?re here to support you every step of the way.

Why Virtus?

Expert Coaching & Individualised Programming . No cookie-cutter workouts. Just the best strength & conditioning coaching tailored to you.
Athletic Development for All Levels . Whether you?re an athlete looking to optimise performance or just want to move and feel better, our approach ensures progress.
A Supportive, Like-Minded Community . Train alongside people who challenge and uplift you.
More Than Just Fitness . We focus on education, mindset, recovery, and lifestyle habits to help you perform at your best.
A Place to Belong . Virtus is a space where you?ll want to stay, not just a gym you pass through.

At Virtus, we don?t just help you train harder . We help you live better . If you?re looking for a gym in Mornington that focuses on athletic development, strength, and high performance . In training and in life. Then Virtus is for you .

Ready to experience it for yourself?

Book a Free Intro

Book your free intro session today and discover why Virtus is the gym you?ve been looking for.

Better Every Day.

How to Choose the Right Gym in Mornington for You

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 16:40:20 GMT

Choosing the right gym isn?t just about picking the one closest to home or the cheapest membership.

It?s about finding a space that aligns with your goals, values, and lifestyle. The right gym can inspire you to stay consistent, achieve your goals faster, and actually enjoy the process. Whether you?re aiming to get stronger, lose weight, or improve your athletic performance, here?s a simple guide to help you find the perfect gym for you .

1. What Are Your Fitness Goals?

Before you sign up for a gym membership, get crystal clear on your goals. Are you looking to build muscle, gain strength, improve your fitness, or just feel healthier? Your fitness goals will help you decide which gym is the best fit. If you?re after structured, effective training with a focus on strength, conditioning, and long-term results, Virtus Performance might be exactly what you need. We?re passionate about helping our members achieve real, lasting results while enjoying the journey.

2. What Type of Training Do You Enjoy?

Consistency is key in any fitness journey, and you?re far more likely to stick with a routine if you enjoy the type of training you?re doing. Do you love lifting heavy weights? Are you motivated by group classes, or do you prefer personalised coaching? Whatever your style, make sure the gym you choose offers it. At Virtus, we offer semi-private coaching?a perfect blend of personalised attention and a supportive community environment. This approach keeps you engaged, motivated, and progressing toward your goals.

3. Expertise and Qualifications of Coaches

The coaches at a gym can make or break your experience. Look for a gym where the coaches are not only passionate but also highly qualified. At Virtus, our coaching team holds tertiary degrees in health, performance, and exercise science, ensuring you get expert guidance rooted in the latest research and best practices. We don?t believe in one-size-fits-all programs?our coaching is tailored to your unique needs and goals. With over a decade of experience helping hundreds of members succeed, you can trust that you?re in good hands.

4. Community and Gym Culture

The atmosphere of a gym matters more than you might think. Do you feel welcomed when you walk in? Are the members supportive and encouraging? A strong, positive community can make your fitness journey more enjoyable and help you stay accountable. At Virtus, we?re more than just a gym?we?re a family. Our community is built on connection, support, and shared goals. You?ll find people here who will cheer you on, celebrate your wins, and inspire you to keep pushing forward.

5. Flexibility and Commitment Options

Think about how often you want to train and whether the gym?s schedule and membership options fit your lifestyle. Are there flexible training times? Can you train at your own pace, or is it all structured classes? Life can get busy, and your gym should accommodate that. At Virtus, we understand that flexibility is key. Our coaching model is designed to fit into your life, offering structure and guidance without rigid schedules. Whether you?re training before work, during lunch, or after hours, we?ve got you covered.

Ready to Find Your Fit?

At the end of the day, the right gym is one where you feel supported, challenged, and excited to show up. It?s a place where your goals matter, where expert coaches care about your progress, and where the community lifts you up. At Virtus Performance, we?re dedicated to helping you become the best version of yourself?not just through training, but through connection, education, and a focus on long-term growth.

Book Your Free Intro Session Today!

If you?re looking for a gym in Mornington, that?s more than just a place to work out, come experience the Virtus difference. Book your Free Intro Session today to meet our team, explore our facilities, and see how we can help you achieve your goals. There?s no pressure, just an opportunity to find out if we?re the right fit for you.

And hey, it might sound silly, but if Virtus doesn?t seem like the best fit for you, reach out and we can suggest other gyms that do great things and will suit you. Because at the end of the day, we just want to see you succeed?wherever that may be.

What's really important?

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Wallace's Weekly Wrap

Happy Friday you wonderful humans.

It's been a tough week for our family this week so I'm going to keep today's email short and sweet.

When we go through tough periods in our lives, (and we all go through them) we are intimately reminded of what is important, and what isn't.

The material posessions, the pile of work on your desk, the daily frustrations, the washing, your instagram feed, the show you're binging on Netflix, the emails sitting in your inbox. These are many of the things that occupy a significant part of your week, yet they pale in insignificance when you're faced by circumstance to look at the three things that are the most important.

Love , freedom and time .

The people that you love, the people who love you and those who you would do anything for. That is what it's all about. To love and to be loved, that's what makes all the heartache and pain worth it.

The freedom that comes with being of able body and able mind. If you have the capacity to walk, skip, jump, read, write, ruminate and converse, you're incredibly fortunate. Embrace it, use your capacities, they won't last forever.

Life is the longest thing you'll ever do. But, In the scheme of things it's an incredibly insignificant period of time. Time is a finite resource, don't waste it by spending time doing things that don't set your soul on fire. Kiss the girl, go on the adventure and take the leap.

If you're going through a tough time at the moment, know that it will pass. Surround yourself with people and be kind to everyone you come in contact with. Feel how you need to feel, cry, laugh, and find time to just be. When things start to improve, do your best to smile, when you smile, the whole world smiles back at you.

Wallace

P.S If you're lucky enough to still have your grandparents and parents in your life, give them a call, or pay them a visit. They'll appreciate it more than you'll know.

Are you a role model?

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

When we are younger, we all have people we look up to.

In the middle of 2013 , I was sitting underneath the grandstand at Victoria Park, preparing to run out and play a game of football for the team I grew up following. It would have been about my 20th VFL game for Collingwood when our coach, Dale Tapping, said something that has stuck with me since. "Hard work has a funny way of paying you back" Taps was certainly someone I looked up to and these 10 words have served me well over the past 7 years.

When we are younger, we all have people we look up to.

Sports stars, Movie Heroes, Astronauts and our parents. Just to name a few.

We see them on the sporting field, the big screen, we place them on a pedestal because their success stirs something inside us. To us, they are perfect, they are our heroes, our role models. We believe that they can do no wrong. They are who we aspire to be.

As we move through the different chapters of our life, from infancy to childhood to adolesence to adulthood to parenthood to being an elder, the curtain is pulled back on our heroes as we realise that they are just regular humans doing good things. They are fallible but they are doing their best, just as we are.

As we grow older, Heroes are replaced with mentors, but even the most interesting mentors will only serve us for one or two chapters of our life.

The individuals we look up to will change as we change, we will strive to emulate those who have tread the path that we wish to journey along.

When Virtus first opened, I tried to seek out mentors, people who were a chapter or two ahead of me who I could lean on and learn from.

Now as I move into the parenthood stage, I endeavour to be the best parent I can be to little Lucy.
KP and I are very new at this and we know we can't do it alone, we need role models to look up to as we continue to be faced with new and exciting challenges.

Rather than looking to the sporting field or the big screen as I may of when I was younger, I now look around me to the people I admire in my own life, parents who I can now watch and learn as they interact with each other and their children to raise kind, resilient and capable humans.

My own parents have been and continue to be incredible role models to my sisters and I, My Aunty Shelby is rasing a little legend Archie and doing a magnificent job, and most of you will know the Johnsons, Brooke and Rhys and how incredible they are with their wonderful children Rye, Jed and Bowie.

These people are just a few of the incredible role models we have in our community. If I can be half the parent these people are, I know Lucy will be in good hands.

A good role model will you teach you two things.

1. The importance of consistency and persistence. They will highlight the value of the small wins, the daily contributions, the impact that long term thinking can have on the person you want to be.
2. They will walk the walk. They take action, they turn knowledge into knowing because they do the work themselves. They share wisdom, sometimes with words, sometimes through action, but they impart something in a way that will stick with you forever.

Either way, acknowledge your role models, thank them, I'm sure they'd appreciate it.

I hope that I can be a good role model to all of you, and to Lucy as she grows up.

But as one of my role models (The Phys) says 'Hope ain't a tactic' It will take action to be that person, and I think I'm up to the task.

Wallace

I'm going streaking

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Last night at 10pm, once the girls had gone off to bed, I didn't do the same. I made a decision to do something else. A decision that was made a few weeks ago, by a different version of myself. Let's call him past Wallace.

In October 2019, I signed up for the Two bays trail run. A 28km cross country run from Dromana, over Arthurs Seat across to Cape Schanck. Not easy by any stretch of the imagination, and although I'm in decent nick day to day, I needed to bank some serious training to not only survive the run, but to do it well.

Early November, I realised that I needed something to support my training, so I purchased a Garmin watch, that could track my running distance, sleep, heart rate and daily step count. Logging, tracking and accumulating activity over the next few months prior to the race became that little bit easier, I could see the numbers growing and I was able to measure each contribution towards two bays.

Fortunately, a glorious by product of this race prep, was the contribution I was making towards my capacity, which would help prepare me for the upcoming football season.

Two bays came and went as all events do, but the consistency that I had built into my training continued. Everything I had done, and would continue to do, is contributing to the person I want to become, to future.

Every gym session, run, journal entry, podcast, weekly wrap, every book I read and conversation I have... Everything I do, or decide not to, has an impact on the future version of me, future Wallace.

Since November 3rd, when I first started tracking my daily activity on the Garmin watch, I've taken 1,066,624 steps. Each day, my target is to hit 10,000. I do pretty well with that most days, and over the last few months I've regularly hit streaks of 10-15 days in a row, before I have a lazy day, miss my target and restart the streak at 0.

I realised, because I was measuring my output, that every now and again, a lazy weekend, or an admin day during the week, would be responsible for this streak ending. A few weeks ago the guy I spoke about before , 'past Wallace' made a decision to hit a 50 day streak of 10,000 steps or more.

Back to the reason why I didn't go to bed earlier last night. At 10pm, I had ticked over a little more than 7000 steps, which left me well short of my goal, and in danger of ending my current streak at 24 days. I didn't want to, but I knew I had to, so I laced up my shoes, put my headphones on, and went for a 20 minute walk. Reaching my goal, and ticking off day 25.

To quote the uber consistent Seth Godin,

"Streaks are their own reward.

Streaks create internal pressure that keeps streaks going.

Streaks require commitment at first, but then the commitment turns into a practice, and the practice into a habit.

Habits are much easier to maintain than commitments"

Every habit you create, starts with a streak. Every goal you want to reach, will only come into fruition if the habits you create align with your vision. Start with an action, turn it into a streak and stay consistent.

When I woke up this morning my step count was at 0, as it will be tomorrow. Hitting 10,000 steps yesterday does not guarantee that I'll hit 10,000 steps today, but the momentum I've built will undoubtedly contribute to my total at the end of the day.

Today could be the beginning of your streak, good luck, get to work.

Wallace

P.S My boy Simon Cooper is on a delicious daily email streak. Subscribe via his website! Get around him.

The Secrets of Enthusiasm

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Wallace's Weekly Wrap

Happy Friday you wonderful humans.

When you hear the word enthusiastic , where does your mind go?

The first thing I see in my mind is a smile, an excited individual with a skip in their step, with seemingly boundless energy because they are happy. They are doing what they love and sharing their enthusiasm with the world. They have a balance of inputs and outputs and they are doing both what needs to be done, and what they want to do.

Enthusiasm is powered by purpose, gratitude, happiness and excitement. All of the ingredients that when stirred together result in a life of meaning, a life worth living, a life that (I think) we all want to be living.

I nerded out a little during the week and looked up the origin of the word 'enthusiasm' and what I found was perfect. It is derived from the word 'Enthusiasmous: The root of enthusiasm' Which quite literally means 'Filled with Theos' or god, or quality, or soul, or excellence, or whatever word you have to describe the ultimate unknown.

To be filled with Theos means that you are not sitting, waiting and wishing for a better existence. You are taking control of your life, chasing what sets your soul on fire, looking for love and challenge and experience and embracing it when it comes.

Life is short. It feels like only yesterday that I was at school, or playing my first senior game of football, or running our first session at Virtus. But it wasn't. I graduated in 2009, played my first game of football in the same year and coached my first session at Virtus in 2015. Those milestones were 11 and 5 years ago respectively. So much for yesterday.

"I didn't realise it, but the days came along one after another, and then two years were gone, and everything was gone, and I was gone" //F. Scott Fitzgerald

The point I'm trying to make is that life move's pretty fast, too fast to not live a life fuelled by enthusiasm.

Are you enthusiastic about what you do? Or are you just getting by? Surviving? Waiting and wishing for a better future which may or may not come into existence?

If your answer is yes, fantastic, it is your responsibility (and opportunity) to spread your enthusiasm. To infect everyone you come across to bring it out in them, to show the world what a magnificent life it can be if we love what we do.

If you answered no, then the time is now to make a change. To shift your direction towards the life you want to live. To do the things that you love, that you're good at, and the things that the world needs.

When we are young, we play. We chase the things that we love. My childhood memories are filled with kicking the footy, climbing trees, playing pokemon. I didn't do those things because I had to, I did them because I wanted to, because they brought me joy. What are your memories filled with? I can assume that they were filled with fun, not bills, deadlines and expectations.

But somewhere along the line, these things fade into memories. Whether it's due to those expectations (our own or imagined), the structure of society, or simply the pressure of being an 'adult' we stop, Play ceases, as does fun, as does enthusiasm. as we age we stop playing, and start working.

"If the process is more important than the result, you play. If the result is more important than the process, you work" // Khe Hy

Maybe the secret to being enthusiastic is about finding our play. Or maybe the way to find our play is to do the things we are enthusiastic about. Either way, if you can find the things in your life that feel like play and perform these things with a level of consistency and commitment to them, you can create a life full of enthusiasm. A life which brings with it a sense of fun, meaning and fulfilment

Enthusiasm is supported by doing the basics well. The simple things that you know you should. Those daily targets that take discipline, but will afford you the ultimate freedom and fuel your enthusiasm. Think 8 Hours Sleep, 3 Litres of Water, 10,000 Steps, 3 good quality meals, 20 minutes of reading, and a strength & conditioning session. Tick these boxes and I can bet you'll find yourself with more energy, more excitement and more enthusiasm about the life you are lucky enough to lead.

Wallace

P.S Last week I sat down in front of the podcast mic solo and riffed on journalling and routine. I think it'll add value.
Hit this link to give it a listen and let me know what you think.

Below: Queen Mich ticking the legs over on the bike, next to some artwork on the wall at Virtus. I'm proud of all of our humans, this one especially.

The ultimate freedom

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Wallace's Weekly Wrap

Happy Friday you wonderful humans.

The ultimate freedom is to know intimately who you are and what you need at this very moment

"Some people need more focus
Others need to broaden their perspective.

Some people need to try harder
Others need to stress less

Some people need to care more
Others need to let it go

The secret is that you are both people.
You need to know which one you are in the moment" // James Clear

Humans are complex individuals, we are also incredibly hard on ourselves and at times blissfully unaware of what it is that we are feeling. This is a recipe for frustration, misunderstandings and can often lead to dissonance, both within ourselves, and with others, we care about.

No doubt you've all been in situations, as I have, where you feel that something is off. You can't quite comprehend what is wrong. But that anxious feeling arises, communication becomes difficult and you find yourself unable to work through what it is that is bothering you. You're doing your best, but today your best seems to be falling short.
Something is missing and you can't quite put your finger on what that something is.

That something is awareness.

Awareness is the lens through which we perceive and understand the world around us. It is knowing. Knowing the what and the why and the how. To be conscious of how we are feeling, acting and interpreting the events of our lives.

If we are more aware, we become more placid and more able to navigate the chaotic nature of our existence. We can learn to process information in a way that is future proof. We observe and act, rather than react. Shifting our mindset from a haze of frustration and reactivity to one of calmness and acceptance.

Increasing our awareness is not an easy thing to do, but it is a challenge that when undertaken will bear many fruits.

Each of us will be different in how we observe and foster our awareness. We will each have things that help cultivate this understanding, here are 5 things which I think may help.

1. Sleep : Hitting 8-10 hours regularly will give you superpowers. You'll think clearer, feel better, and have more capacity to learn and grow and give.
2. Journalling : I've been an advocate for this practice for a while now and one that I tick off daily. It's been a slog at times but when I finish my daily page I feel lighter and more capable. You can never write faster than you can think and this habit will force you to slow down and observe your thoughts.
3. Time by yourself is almost non-existent in this day and age. But even an hour without phones and any human interaction will give you the space to breathe, to think, and to expand. Going for a walk is a fantastic way to explore the inner workings of your mind, without the flurry of inputs when have become accustomed to.
4. Conversation : Long-form, distraction-free conversation. It is an art, and if you have people in your life you can go on a deep dive with hang onto them. Explore each other, and learn more about yourself in the process.
5. Meditation : Whether it's for an hour or a single breath, meditation is about awareness. Anchoring yourself in the moment can bring both relief from the outside world and an understanding of your inner world.

Don't take my word for it, explore your awareness. Realise that you are both right and wrong, and work on adding tools to your toolbox to better understand and express who and what you are.
The ultimate freedom is to know intimately who you are and what you need at this very moment

Wallace

Below: Last week I sat down in front of the podcast mic solo and riffed on a few things. I think it'll add value.
Hit this link to give it a listen and let me know what you think.

What are you entitled to?

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Wallace's Weekly Wrap

Happy Friday you wonderful humans.

"You are only entitled to the action, never to it's fruits" // Bhagavad Gita

Today is January the 31st, the year is 2020, and the time is 7:30am.

Today I am sending you my 100th weekly email, and once I hit send I'll be writing in my daily journal for the 500th time.

Two years ago, in late January I made the decision to cultivate two habits.

1. A weekly correspondance to the Virtus Family in the form of an email. Created with the intention of connecting, educating, and exploring many of the topics that we don't spend enough time discussing.

2. A daily journalling habit. The intention was to cultivate more self awareness, to give me an outlet to figure out what is going on in my own head. The format was unknown initially, which is why today is day 500, and not day 730, but we will get to that.

Sitting here today over a magic and some corn fritters, I am very appreciative of the time and commitment it has taken to accumulate this body of work. 100 emails and 500 journal entries (along with 101 Podcasts). I'm proud of myself, but the point of this email isn't to ask for a pat on the back, the point of this email is this.

"You are only entitled to the action, never to it's fruits"

Just by writing this email, I can't guarantee people will read it. I can't guarantee that I will achieve my intentions and connect, educate and open discussion for thoughts and ideas.

Just by writing a daily journal entry, I can't guarantee any sort of enlightenment or self awareness.

Just by recording a podcast, I can't guarantee that people will listen, enjoy, share and subscribe.

All I can guarantee is that I will take the action. Put these things out there, and continue to do so.

Nothing is guaranteed, except for the fact that time will pass, and in two years time we will all be able to look back with pride on the actions we have taken, or dissapointment at the things we said we would do, but didn't.

The person you are is a manifestation of the actions you have taken, or not taken.

It's your call whether or not you do what you know you should.

Oh, and the journalling thing, It took from January to September of 2018, 9 months of trial and error to work out a system and format that worked for me, one I could find and maintain both consistency and persevere with. One I have continued over 500 days of entries.

Whatever habits you want to cultivate, persevere and be patient. Good things will come.

Wallace

Below: On the First Monday of each Month, 7pm VAD/VGT will be replaced with Principles of Performance .
This is an education series designed to give you all the WHY, behind the WHAT. It's free for members, and only $20 for non members! You can book your spot here . I'll be there, will you?

28 Things I (Think I) Know To Be True

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Wallace's Weekly Wrap

Happy Friday you wonderful humans.

Today is my 28th Birthday.

I'm going to carry on the tradition and write a birthday list, 28 Things I (think I) know to be true.

If you'd like to read last years list of 27, you can click here . Or for 2018s list of 26, you can click here .

I find it interesting that each year, as we get older, we tend to celebrate birthdays less and less. In reality, I think it should be the opposite. We have another opportunity to stop and appreciate all we have in our lives, to bookmark and celebrate a milestone. I'm stoked to be 28 and incredibly grateful for all of the people who have contributed to my development over the past 28 years. It's been a hell of a ride and I can't wait to continue it one magnificent day at a time.

1. Becoming a parent is all it's cracked up to be. KP is a wonderful mum.

2. Sincerity, Kindness, Integrity, Love & Gumption. Are the big 5 personality traits I admire in others.

3. You can become the person you want to be, but you'll have to prove it to yourself daily by doing the things that person would do.

4. Work and rest are synergistically linked

5. Before pressing go on your business ventures make sure it'll bring ROI and JOY.

6. Daily Journalling = Life improving.

7. Solitude is independence. Use this superpower to navigate your way through the craziness of the attention grabbing culture we live in.

8. Simplicity is an art form.

9. Most of life?s problems aren?t technical. We know what we need to do, we just decide not to do it. Make the harder choice, change your story. Do the thing.

10. Before you start something. Know what winning looks like.

11. Do hard things. Sign up for the marathon, start the business, commit to your thing. Then figure out how to execute.

12. All great questions in life are paradoxes.

13. Apple, Samsung, etc, get your shit together and create universal cables. The world does not need more adaptors.

14. You can both be dissatisfied with life, and love yourself. Improvement does not need to come from self loathing.

15. Leadership is hard.

16. Life is chaos, you're responsible for building meaning and structure into it.

17. Everything worth having is going to take much longer to acquire than you'd like it to.

18. Hit your 10000 steps per day. It'll make you a better person.

19. Listening > Talking.Life is hard.

20. Know that bad things will happen, prepare for them, especially during the good times.

21. Today is the best day of the week. This mindset will drastically improve your life, and how you approach each day.

22. Never underestimate the benefits of a moment or two of quiet self reflection.

23. Be reliable. Be consistent.

24. You will never regret committing the time to understand how something works.

25. Trust and Willingness are imperative for any group progress.

26. Find things in life that are a means within themselves.

27. I am an incredibly biased individual. Actually, I think we all are.

28 Lists are fun.

I appreciate you all. Thank you for your attention. Have a magnificent Friday.

Wallace

Below: Our team photo with Rye man from last weeks Disabled Surfers Association event. An incredible day with wonderful people. Very humbling to be involved.

Big Rocks

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Wallace's Weekly Wrap

Happy Friday you wonderful humans.

Today's wrap is a little story that most of you would have heard before. If you haven't then you're in for a treat. If you have, then I'm sure you'll remember it fondly. Both for it's simplicity and it's value.

Before I start, it'd be remiss of me to forget to remind you of a few events happening this weekend. Tomorrow mornings 8am VGT at Fishermans Beach . The sun will be out, come for a fun sesh and a splash. Afterwards a bunch of us will be heading down to Pt Leo for the Disabled Surfers Association Event . Where our very own Rye Man will be jumping on a board. It's an incredibly rewarding event and if you can get there to volunteer I'd reccommend it highly. On Sunday at 4pm we will be running a Goal Setting Workshop at Virtus . Come on down to solidify your good intentions for 2020 and beyond into an actionable, strategic plan.

Time for a little narrative to kick off your day.

'A philosophy professor once stood up before his class with a large empty jar. He filled the jar to the top with large rocks and asked his students if the jar was full.

The students said that yes, the jar was indeed full.

He then added small pebbles to the jar, and gave the jar a bit of a shake so the pebbles could disperse themselves among the larger rocks. Then he asked again, "Is the jar full now?"

The students agreed that the jar was still full.

The professor then poured sand into the jar to fill up any remaining empty space. The students then agreed that the jar was completely full.

Finally, the professor pulled out a couple of beers. Tipping them into the jar, watching as the liquid filled the empty space inside the jar.

The rocks, the pebbles, the sand, and the beer all represent different parts of our life.

The big rocks represent the most important parts of your life. Your family, community, friends and your health.
The pebbles represent the things in your life that are important, but you could live without. These are certainly things that give your life meaning, (like your job, your house, your car and your hobbies)But they are not critical for a meaningful life. These things come and go, and are not essential to a life of meaning.

The sand represents the fillers in your life, the material posessions. These are the little things that take up your time, that you could do without. Running errands, watching TV, browsing social media. These things don't offer much to your life, and can serve as a distraction from the more important parts.

Since I first heard this story, I have resonated with how it illustrates what is truly important in our lives. Too often we are distracted by the sand, making small decisions to substitute the big rocks and important pebbles for things that don't add any value. Later rueing the missed opportunities and wasted time.

We all want to be successful, to find meaning, to feel fulfilled, and to be happy. We will all have different definitions for each of those things. But what is universal, is that they are all found first with the big rocks, and secondly at the pebbles.

Every decision you make is either taking you towards, or away from the life you want to live. Identify, and focus on the big rocks, the important things. You won't regret it.

Be amazing. Have an incredible weekend, I hope to see you at VGT, DSA or the Goal Setting Workshop.

Oh, and the two beers. It doesn't matter how full life seems, there is always time to stop, and enjoy a drink with a friend.

On Sunday we will talk little rocks, pebbles, habits and identity. And after we will done, we will head to Commonfolk for a beer together, while we celebrate Tyler Boon and Nathan Roberts performing their hearts out!

Wallace

Below: A photo of myself, and the Wizard of Aus, before Virtus was Virtus. Look back at and appreciate what you've achieved with the people you love. It's a good feeling.

New Year, Same Me

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Wallace's Weekly Wrap

Happy Friday you wonderful humans.

It's the beginning of a new year and an opportune time to stop and reflect on your current position in the universe. I've never been one of the 'New Year, New Me' advocates. You shouldn't need the page of a calendar to motivate you to get your shit together, but I am certainly a proponent to use this (or any) time of the year to assess and organise your life to cultivate a year and a life of meaning.

It doesn't matter which time of the year you decide to sit down and plan out your world domination, but when you do your focus should be on creating the life that you want to live. The life that truly brings you joy. The life that absolutely sets your soul on fire. If you are settling for anything less than this, you are doing your present self, your future self, and the world a disservice. The knowledge that some of us allow the resistance to win, to dim our fire, is the reason why this email exists, the reason why Virtus exists, and the reason why I was put on this earth. The world around you is an infinitely better place when you are at your best. Any way I can assist you in helping you reach that best, I will.

Your goals should not bring meaning to your life, Your life should bring meaning to your goals.

There are many reasons why we reach the goals we set for ourselves, or don't. However the conversation about success and failure is not dependent on whether or not we achieve what we set out to. If we invest in and embrace the process, we can create joy and meaning regardless of whether the goal is achieved or not.

I've always loved hiking. A truly human powered endevour. Plan out your journey, throw a pack on your back and allow yourself to become lost (metaphorically hopefully) in the natural environment, and the inside of your mind.

Setting a goal is much like hiking up a mountain. Initially when we set out, the summit is the aim. But when we are standing at the top, enjoying the view, we realise that it is 1% of the journey. At the summit, we can understand that the majority of the challenge, the growth, the enjoyment, the appreciation, the stuff that life is all about, was found not at the top, but on the way up, on the sides of the mountain.

Life doesn't happen at the top. It happens on the sides of the mountain, and at the bottom in the valley between mountains. Setting and achieving your goals is only as worthwhile as the enjoyment and challenges you can experience on the way up.

It's not about the thing. Its about what achieving the thing will challenge you to become. It's about living our life exploring the sides of a mountain, embracing every minute along the way.

When you sit down and assess your place in the universe, when you plan out what you want to achieve during your next 1/3/5 years of existence, be mindful of the mountain. Set a crazy, audacious summit to climb, but remember to improve yourself for tomorrow. Each day we should move the needle. Each day we should grow our capacity. As James Clear, author of Automic Habits puts it 'Save to be a little richer tomorrow, Exercise to be a little fitter tomorrow, Read to be a little smarter tomorrow' You don't need to look any further ahead than that.

If we live a life true to ourselves, the way up and around the mountain is more enjoyable than the summit.

On the 19th of January, we are running a Goal Setting workshop at Virtus. We would love for you to come, hit this link for more information . We won't be talking about this from the top of the mountain either. We are on the hike with you. Exploring the sides of the mountain, embracing the journey and learning, just a little more each day, on how to enjoy every step.

Be amazing.

Wallace

Wallace's Yearly Wrap

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Wallace's Yearly Wrap

Happy Tuesday you wonderful humans.
[Coffee Traders, Mornington]

The year, and decade is coming to an end, and no doubt you have all been bombarded with holiday survival guides and new years resolution posts.

Fortunately, this isn't another one of those.

My opinion has been, and remains that an arbitrary date won't provide the necessary catalyst to change our behaviour. I wrote a thing about it last year if you'd like to have look . It includes a beautifully made graph courtesy of Pulse.

Yes today is the 31st of December. Yes tomorrow is just another day. But the end of a decade gives the opportunity to pause and reflect, even if it's for a moment. A chance to look back and appreciate all that you've been through to get you to this moment. All of the highs, all of the lows and all of the monotonous moments in between.

I look back at the year and personally, it has been the biggest year of my life for so many reasons. I (finally) got engaged to my dream girl after 10 years. Virtus turned 4. We sold our house in Tyabb and moved to Mount Martha and of course, we welcomed our daughter Lucy Jayne Wallace into the world.

Amongst all of the wins, there were plenty of low moments. Many doubts, frustrations and roadblocks. All obstacles which at first glance were in the way, and upon reflection were the way. Many lessons which have challenged my deep-seated beliefs and (i think) given me a more rounded view of the world. Talking is slowly being replaced with more listening, strong opinions are softening and understanding is flooding in. Black and white is shifting to more and more shades of grey.

As far as the Virtus Family goes, I could not be more proud of all you guys have achieved. New jobs, completed degrees, big life changes, engagements, weddings, sporting achievements, life changing adventures, new business ventures, additions to families and a whole lot more. We overestimate what we can achieve in a day or a week, but grossly underestimate what we can achieve in a year. Those of you who set your sights on big things, and show up every day, the proof is, and will continue to be in the pudding.

As a business, we have made our biggest changes to date. The introduction of VAD to VGT has not been without it's challenges. But 6 months in, these two coaching streams provide us with the best platform for us to help make the world, your world, a better place to be. To help each of you be a thriving, contributing part of our community, whilst continuing to learn how to reach your goals and perform at your best.

As 2020 approaches, remember that nothing is guaranteed. Take the plunge, do something that is scary and exciting, hug your friends, call your family, practice gratitude and appreciate every moment. Especially the small stuff. That is where you'll find the magic, all you have to do is look.

I appreciate all of you more than you know.

See you next year. #DadJokes

Wallace

Below: Two highlights. Virtus Turns 4, and We get engaged, finally.

No ordinary moments

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Wallace's Weekly Wrap

Happy Friday you wonderful humans.

There are no ordinary moments.

The following dialogue, and that previous quote are from one of my favourite books. 'The Way of the Peaceful Warrior' by Dan Millman

Socrates :Where are you? Dan Millman : Here. Socrates : What time is it? Dan Millman : Now. Socrates : What are you? Dan Millman : This moment.
All that truly is, exists within the present moment. At times, we all become anxious about the unknown of the future and saddened by the happenings of the past. But as we know, because we have all been there, this is a difficult place to live. It's a restless mindset and it doesn't serve us for long. I believe that one of the 'secrets' to a joyful, fulfilling life, is the ability to be present. To have complete and total awareness of where you are and what is going on around you.

When magical things happen, we feel every part of it. Our senses heighten, our emotions flood through and we feel truly alive.

On Monday of this week, at 11:41am, I became a Dad. Little Lucy Jayne Wallace came into the world and changed the course of our lives forever. This was truly a magical moment and each day that has followed has been filled with more and more of these moments. KP has done a magical job over the last 9 months, and if the first week is anything to go by, she is going to be a wonderful Mum.
There was a moment, pictured below, when KP was having a well deserved nap, and Lucy had fallen asleep on my chest. I thought to myself how wonderful the world can be when we appreciate all we have, and all that we are.

Every moment can be ordinary if you let it. Sometimes it takes something external to ourselves to show us the magic. A bird chirping, a wonderful sunset, an act of kindness, or the birth of a child. These things can be few and far between if you aren't paying attention, but if you really do open your awareness, every moment can be extroadinary.

As you rise with the morning Sun, Think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love. - Marcus Aurelius

Enjoy your ordinary moments. I know I will. They are all extraordinary if we allow them to be.

Wallace

Something wonderful

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Wallace's Weekly Wrap

Happy Friday you wonderful humans.

We overestimate what we can achieve in a week, but severly underestimate what we can achieve in a year, let alone a lifetime.

We all want to achieve wonderful things. At work, with business, our family, community, on the sporting field, in every area of our lives. The desire to achieve something wonderful, and the achieving of that thing comes down to one thing. A desire to create a better future, and the ability to follow through on that desire.

In May 1953, two men set out to achieve something wonderful. To do something that had never been done before. A world first, and the epitome of success, adventure and achievement. They achieved this feat after over two decades of preparation, planning and dreaming. Another one of those overnight success stories, one that really, under the surface, took a lifetime to accomplish.

It is remarkable what you can do when daily consistency is coupled with a long period of time. (I say long, but it never really takes as long as we think) 2019 has flown by, safe to say 2020 will do the same. In 12 months time, I'll be sending out an email much like this one, imagine what could be achieved in that timeframe... almost anything.

The following quote is pulled directly from the afterword of Robert Pirsig's ' Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance'

'Who really can face the future? All you can do is project from the past, even when the past shows that such projections are often wrong. And who really can forget the past? What else is there to know?

There is so much else to know, we must know that we all can build a better future for ourselves and those around us, all it takes is a commitment, and a shift in how we look at what could be possible.

All it will take is the commitment to change, and the courage to follow through with daily action. You could have/be/do any of the following things, and almost anything else.

Build the body of your dreams.
Create a business that supports you and your family.
Develop the knowledge to become an expert in almost any area.
Foster relationships that allow you to love and be loved.

I've always been fascinated by time and how we view it. Especially when it comes to matching up our dreams and desires with specific time frames. All of our preconceptions of the future are based on our past experiences.

On the 29 May 1953, two men, Edmund Hillary and Nepalese Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers to have reached the summit of Mount Everest. Not a small feat by any stretch of the imagination. And one built on a lifetime of daily consistency, perseverance, and commitment to the 'unachievable dream'.

You don't have to climb to the top of a mountain, but what wonderful thing are you going to set in motion over the next 12 months?

Start the thing, create the change, manifest the life you want to lead.

Do something wonderful.

It's on you.

Wallace

Why are you working so hard?

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Wallace's Weekly Wrap

Happy Friday you wonderful humans.

I've always considered myself a hard worker. I'm sure all of you would put yourselves in the same category. Teachers, students, coaches, tradies, emergency services, stay at home parents, business owners, managers, employees, it doesn't matter. Some of us work outdoors, some at a desk, others at the wheel of the car. Some spend their days moving whilst others sit. Some use their hands whilst others use their minds.

Each day we get up, go to work, contribute to our environment and the people in it, we do our best to make a difference, to show up and to get the work done. Outside of work we train, we clean, we cook. We manage friendships and relationships. Some of you raise children. Others contribute to a team or a club. We all do different things.

What we all have in common though, is that we are all working hard. There is no shortage of work to be done and once it's done, there will undoubtedly always be more to do.

When we realise this, certainly when I realised this, it dawned on me that hard workers are not rare. It does not make us special. What is rare, is the ability to contribute without the need to get something back in return. What is rare is the ability to have a clear understanding of who you are, and why you are working so hard in the first place.

When I was younger, around the first year or so of Virtus, I walked around feeling that the world owed me something because I worked so hard to get into the position I was. I thought I was special because I would regularly decide to forego sleep and rest for work. Long hours, early mornings, late nights, missed meals and very little sleep. Sure I was working hard, but why was I working hard? What was it for?

Was it a means to an end or a means within itself?

That sense of entitlement didn't get me very far, and I'm grateful that mindset shifted pretty quickly. I'm very fortunate that I had some hard times that showed me how the universe really works. Times that are horrible to go through at the time but when you look back at them you realise that they were just what you needed and the best thing that could have happened.

These were times when I had to follow rule #5 and put my ego on the hook. To ask for help and to lean on those around me. We all have tough times. When we are faced with hard times we are presented with an opportunity to look at our life, how it is designed, and ask ourself if this is what we really want? Are we working hard for the sake of it, or are we moving somewhere.

What are you actually working for? It's a tough question to ask. One that has taken a long time for me to be able to answer honestly, and fully.

Is it to accumulate wealth?
Is it to contribute to a cause?
Is it to increase your social standing, to be noticed?
Is it to change the world, or change the world of those around you?
Is it to support your family?
Is it because it is expected of us?
Or do you want to create something that you can be proud of?
Is it another reason that I didn't think of whilst brainstorming over my morning coffee?

Whatever it is, the truth remains. We all work hard. We all suffer and it helps to know this.
Cultivating awareness about why you show up to work every day is important. It gives us context. Is the juice really worth the squeeze? If it is, great, carry on. If not, maybe it is time to change course.

If we intimately understand our reason for working hard, we can more tactfully manage our resources. We can balance our work and rest because we know where we are headed. The synergistic relationship between work and rest is fascinating. The harder we work, the more we need rest. The more we rest, the harder we are able to work. Get the balance wrong and nothing will change. You'll either burn out because you're working too hard, or lose all discipline because all you do is rest. Get the balance right, and your capacity will grow more than you thought possible.

Spend some time thinking about what you're working for, why you work so hard. If you're burning the candle at both ends, give yourself time to rest. It'll give you a greater capacity for work, and ensure that you're moving the needle.

Be amazing.

Wallace

Below: Tomorrow is the first Saturday of the month, Which means Free VGT.
If you'd like to come in and get a taste of our community, reply to this email and I'll send you the details.

Wallace's list of goodness

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Wallace's Weekly Wrap

Happy Friday you wonderful humans.

Let me begin this weeks correspondence by expressing my extreme gratitude, appreciation and respect for Jarryd Palser. aka Moo, aka Pulse, aka Koo Wee Rup's resident hipster.

If you missed it, Pulse took over the email last week and he hit it out of the park.

A raw, honest, powerful discussion into mental health. He showed immense courage and vulnerability and if the stream of appreciation from all of you was anything to go by, said exactly what was needed to be said.

It's certainly a hard act to follow. Each week when I sit down to write this email, I ponder the lessons and ideas that have been themes throughout the week.

I choose the one which I believe can add the most value, and then I write.

Well today I've got nothing. So what I'll do instead is to put together a list.

Lets call it 'Wallace's list of goodness' : Principles that I believe we should all do our best to live our lives by, things that we won't always get right, but if we can get close, we will at least be content with who we are, and how the world works.

Find people like Jarryd Palser, and cherish them.
We already have more than we need to be happy, that late night internet purchase won't change anything.
Sing your favourite songs. Belt them out.
Find a community, it just might save your life.
Contribute to your community, you might just save someone else's.
Your current situation is a reflection of your previous habits. Sure you are what you eat, and you are what you do.
If you're not happy, change something. Take the plunge. Life is too short to be miserable.Y
eah it's hard to change something, and yes, you have what it takes.
If you want to get better at something, you'll need two things. Reps + deliberate practice.
Look after the bees. The world needs them.
It's meant to be fun. Then it will be hard. But it will eventually be fun again.
Celebrate your wins, but don't go over the top.
Be kind to yourself. Own your mistakes, but be kind to yourself.
Hope ain't a tactic. You'll need to plan, and do the work.
Melancholy is the wise alternative to wild hope and catastrophic despair.
You'll never regret putting in extra time to get to know how something, or how someone works.
Be sure to know what winning looks like.
Rely on those closest to you, share their burdens and let them share yours.
Solitude is an attainable superpower.
Tie your shoelaces in double knots. You're not a child.
Find solace in stillness and silence. The world is chaos, but your world doesn't have to be.
Know that you will die, and life is meaningness.
Just because you'll die, and life is meaningless, doesn't mean you can't create your own meaning and do something remarkable.
Don't be cynical, be hopeful that things will and can get better. But remember #14.
A clear mind leads to a better mind which leads to a better outcome.
Do hard things. Future you will thank you for it.
Share your successes with others. There is no such thing as a self made man. But there is such thing as rich, 'successful', lonely old men.
Yes you're getting older, things are changing. But old is earned, embrace it.
Spend more time listening than you do talking. You have two ears and one mouth, use them accordingly.
Noone is responsible for your life but you. Start acting like it
.If your food needs a knife and fork, don't put it in a bowl. It belongs on a plate.
Search for your blind spots, we all have them.
If you really want something, focus. You can't chase two rabbits at once.
The big secret is that there isn't one. Noone really knows what they are doing. What a world we live in.
Keep your fluids up. Brush your teeth. Put sunscreen on. Wear your seatbelt.
Hug tightly, often.
Journal, or write down your thoughts, it'll change your life.
Know the difference between what you want, and what you need.
Read books. You can learn in 400 pages what it took someone a lifetime to put together.
Read poetry. 10 lines can change the way you see yourself, and how you see the world.
You don't have to be in incredible shape. But you need to be in credible shape to get the most out of each day
.If you have more than 3 tabs open on your browser, fix it.
Things are not good or bad, they just are. You can decide the meaning you prescribe to each moment.
There is adventure in everyday life, you just need to look for it.
When others talk, listen completely.
Know that you're probably wrong about most things.
Don't trust anyone that writes long lists. Figure shit out for yourself.

If one, or more of these resonated with you, i'd love to know which ones.

Much Love
Wallace

Ps. The number 47 holds no meaning, it's just a number, and I was ignoring my friends.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

What do you want to do when you grow up?

I don't remember wanting to be an astronaut or a fireman. I don't think I had aspirations to be a policeman either. My folks might say something different but the first thing I ever remember wanting to do when I was older was to play football. I loved sport. Football and Athletics were my jam. In part because I was good at it. It gave me a sense of achievement and the self-confidence that I probably wouldn't have found anywhere else. It gave me a purpose. I loved playing and competing. Showing up week in week out and doing your best. I revelled in the competition and hard work that was required to improve and perform every game or race.

Fast forward to university, and unfortunately, I never made AFL. Back then if you asked me why my answer would have been along the lines of 'I'm too small, I never got a chance to show how good I was, I was just unlucky'. But, honestly, the long and the short of it was that I wasn't good enough. I could never have admitted that then, probably because I was still holding on to the dream of making it.

Reality looked something like this. I was 21 and In the third year of my undergraduate degree.
I'd avoided any deep dives during the rest of my 'career' discussions at high school and university because as far as I was concerned I was going to play footy. But by that time things were starting to get real. I needed to figure out what I was going to do with the rest of my life, and soon I'd be a university graduate with no real plans for when he was finished. At the time I was PT'ing at home and working at Rebel sport. I certainly didn't see either of these as real career options. So I chose the most logical next option. Enrol in a Masters Degree. Why make a decision now when I can postpone it by studying for another two years.

I didn't make it the two years. At the end of year one, I was done. I'd realised at 8 am on a Monday night during a lecture on chronic diseases that I was in the wrong room. I didn't want to be doing this course and I didn't want to be an Exercise Physiologist.

To say I didn't know what my next step would be was an understatement, but I knew that It wasn't finishing the course, so I dropped out knowing (hoping) that it would work itself out.

That was November 2014.

It's now November 2019 and this week Virtus celebrates its 4th birthday. To be honest, at 27 I still don't know what I want to do when I grow up. But I do know what I want to be.

I want to be happy. I want to be challenged. I want to be useful. I want to feel fulfilled. I want to be surrounded by people I love and admire. I want to have fun. I want to be appreciated. I want to have freedom. I want to be capable. I want to be healthy. I want to contribute to my community. I want to love and be loved.

Virtus allows me to do all of these things and more. Virtus allows us to do all of these things.

On Sunday at 6pm we celebrate Virtus. Our community and what it allows us to be.

The Virtus Family Dinner is a reminder that it's ok to not know where you're going, as long as you can find joy and challenge where you are, spend time with people you love and appreciate the little things, you're going to be ok.

Find a direction, and start walking. Who knows what you may find along the way.

I appreciate you all.

Wallace

Good things take time. Great things take a lifetime.

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Happy Friday you wonderful humans.

Good things take time. Great things take a lifetime.

Let me paint you a word picture.

It's mid-November in Paris, the year is 1840 and on the fourth floor of an apartment building in the middle of the city, a child is born. This child's name is Oscar. There is nothing overly important about his birth, or his family. His father is a grocer and ship chandler (Today I learnt what a ship chandler was) and his mother is a singer.

During his childhood, potentially due to his mothers singing career, little Oscar was drawn to art. He grew up painting charcoal caricatures for his community. This love for art led him to meet a number of artists who all left their mark on Oscar's ability as an artist. Unfortunately, in 1857 his mother passed away and he moved to live with his Aunt.

Oscar spent the next few decades of his life painting and moving around Europe. Spending time in France, England, the Netherlands, he even served for 7 years in the military in Algeria. His father had the option of paying to have Oscar exempted, but declined when Oscar would not give up painting.
During his time in the military, he fell ill, and after briefly going absent without leave, his Aunt removed him from the army when he agreed to complete a course at an art school. As time passed he started a family, travelled and painted and eventually purchased a home and gardens in northern France.

Oscar and his family worked tirelessly to build and improve the gardens. By the early 1890s he began to gain acclaim within the art community, with his paintings becoming more popular each year. Oscar continued to grow his gardens, and at times had up to 7 different gardeners, but he remained the architect of the project, continuing to shape his vision for this landscape. As he became wealthier due to the success of his paintings, he purchased more land, eventually acquiring a water meadow in 1893. He utilised this new space by including lily ponds that would become the subjects of his best-known works

If you haven't guessed by now, Oscar's full name is Oscar-Claude Monet. One of the most decorated artists in history and has been labelled the 'driving force behind impressionism'.

This is a cool story sure. But what does this have to do with me?

I hear you, and I'm getting to it.

Earlier this week I was introduced to the construct of Infinite and Finite games.

A finite game is one which is played for the purpose of winning. There is a full stop, a finish line. There are clear rules, objectives and boundaries in which the teams (or individuals) decide to abide by. Football is a perfect example. 120 minutes, 2 teams, 44 players, and a specific set of rules. In life, think of a project that you're working on, a training session you're about to execute, or a hike you're about to embark on.

An infinite game is one played for the purpose of continuing the play. This is our life. The pursuit of excellence. If you're playing the infinite game, there are no backwards steps, there is only progress, learning and growth.

A finite game is about victory, An infinite game is about fulfilment.

"A signpost stands at a fork in the road. Pointing in one direction, the sign says Victory. Pointing in another direction, the sign says Fulfillment. We must pick a direction. Which one will we choose?

If we choose the path to Victory, the goal is to win. We will experience the thrill of competition as we rush toward the finish line. Crowds gather to cheer for us. And then it?s over. And everyone goes home. (Hopefully, we can do it again).

If we choose the path to Fulfillment, The journey will be long. There will be times in which we must watch our step There will be times we can stop to enjoy the view we keep going. we keep going. Crowds gather to join us on the journey.

And when our lives are over, those who joined us on the path to Fulfillment will keep going without us and inspire others to join them too".

Simon Sinek 'The Infinite game'

Our mate Oscar was playing an infinite game. His art was not a means to an end, it was an end within itself.

He spent a lifetime sharpening the sword, cultivating his craft. He painted to create, to express himself and to bring his ideas to life. His painting was a source of fulfilment.

It would have been easier to sit back and let his gardeners do the work, but he had a vision, he pursued it and created pieces that will stand the test of time.

Regardless of what your thing is, even if you don?t yet have a thing, shift your attention to the infinite game that you?re playing.

Fulfilment awaits.

Art takes time
Monet grew his gardens
Before he painted them
[Atticus]

Have an amazing day.

LW

Below: One of Monet's paintings from his Water Lily Series.

A case study for human decision making and habit creation.

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

???? Living with yourself ????

A case study for human decision making and habit creation.

TLDR: Your decisions will determine who and what you become

Hands up if you've watched the new Netflix series 'Living with yourself' ????????

If you have, great. If you haven't, great. Keep reading regardless, I'll do my best to keep spoilers to a minimum.

Long story short, the main character Miles Elliot (Played superbly by paul rudd) undergoes an experimental treatment and manages to clone himself. Creating a 'new' improved version of himself which is better in every single way.

The part I found fascinating was the emphasis placed on the impact that even the most simple daily decisions can have.

As the original Miles begins to realise, that the basis of this 'better and improved' miles' is built upon the choices he makes.

What he drinks, eats, how he communicates, his lifestyle, financial and social habits all contribute to create a quite literal better version of himself.

This is something we all intrinsically understand. We know those good decisions = improved quality of life.

However, it is not often reflected in our actions. We tend to miss the forest for the trees and forget about the long term benefits/hindrance of our decisions.

We make decisions based on want rather than need, we make decisions to serve the current version of ourselves rather than the person who we want to become.

We are pleasure monkeys hard-wired to do things that make us feel good, but we ignore the long term effects of these choices we make. Sacrificing our future to feel good now.

It's simple. Make your choices wisely, or suffer the consequences down the track.

?Someone once told me the definition of hell; on your last day on earth, the person you could have become will meet the person you became.?

What decisions are you making?

Who are you becoming?

If you haven't seen it, give it a watch. If you have, pay attention to the decisions you're making today, they'll affect who you are tomorrow.

Be amazing.

I'm retiring

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Happy Friday you wonderful humans.

I have a bit of an announcement.

I've decided it's time. Time to put myself out to pasture. It's been a good run but... I'm retiring.

Retirement.

What's the first thing that comes to mind when you read that word?

Rightly or wrongly, I think of a slightly-balding, greying 65 year old man who has worked most of his life with this moment in mind. He's worked himself to the bone since his first job at 20. He's dreamt of this day and now he has the gold watch around his wrist. Now that he's 'retired' he can do all of the things he wanted to do when he was younger. Travel, read, write, paint. It doesn't matter what the particulars are, he can now live the life the way he wants it. He's free.

There's only one problem.

He's 65.

He's still in decent shape but isn't able to do all of the things he has been dreaming of. Working hard for the past 45 years has taken its toll. He is tired, sore and has more doctors appointments than he can count. He remembers when he was strong, fit and able to conquer any challenge he wanted. Ah to be young again...

Say he lives to 80. He has about 18% of his life left. 15 years. Unfortunately, no longer in his prime, he will enjoy them the best he can.

I can guess that your vision of retirement is something similar.

The way I see it, we've got it all wrong. It's backwards. Our version of retirement that has been perpetuated in our society is so far off the mark from the way we should be living. We sacrifice our wants and desires for a future that is anything but certain. We dismiss our capacity to enjoy today, to appreciate the moment and give all we are to the present because we are hoping that things will be better down the road.

I've certainly been guilty of this. In regards to Virtus, I've always wanted to help more people. Early on that meant bigger, better, more. Over the last few years, I've slowly begun to realise that we have more than enough already. More members would be incredible. But our focus needs to be on appreciating and doing our very best for the people we are lucky enough to connect with each day.

A simple quote from Naval Ravikant sums this topic up perfectly for me.

"Retirement: When you stop sacrificing today for some imaginary tomorrow. When today is complete, in and of itself, you're retired"

The happiest and longest-living societies in the world (the residents of the Japanese island of Okinawa for example) don't retire. They continue to live fulfilled lives, 'working' and contributing to their community long into their golden years. If we find a place, and people, and a 'job' that allows us the luxury of belonging to a tribe, contributing to our community whilst simultaneously challenging us to grow our capacity. We can learn (yes this is a teachable skill) to appreciate all we do have, to be grateful and to stop sacrificing today for that imaginary tomorrow.

I've spoken about it many times but true love and fulfilment of life comes when we are able to achieve
When we are able to take the 'What is the meaning of life?' question, and answer it with our own 'because'.

When we decide the meaning we assign to it, we can live life the way we want to live. When we use other people's metrics of success, we are doomed to a life of wanting more than we have.

So yes, I'm retiring. I am committing to appreciating today for what it is. The ups and the downs. The victories and challenges.

I'm fortunate to be surrounded by incredible people. If the imaginary tomorrow never comes, I'm content and appreciative of the journey I'm on, the life I lead, and those I am lucky enough to share it with.

I hope that you can all say the same.

To quote a passage from Max Erhman's Desiderata

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Be patient. Show up and put in the work. But don't forget to appreciate all you have.

I appreciate you all,

Wallace

BELOW

During the week I caught up with this beautiful man Todd Jarrat. I appreciate this guy a whole lot. The journey he has been on over the past few years between these photos has been immense. I'm proud of him and proud to call him a friend. Every single human on this planet could learn something from this episode.

Hit this link to listen to the latest episode of the Virtus Podcast.

Photo 1 2015
Photo 2 2019

You're Human

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Happy Friday you wonderful humans.

Every now and again I get into a conversation with someone about what I do, and my own training and health and fitness. And the sentiment flows something along the lines of 'It must be nice having a gym, being able to train whenever you want, you must be super fit.'

I and the other coaches at Virtus wish this were the case, but unfortunately, we can find ourselves in a similar situation to these scenarios.

- The Chef who eats food from the microwave because she is too tired to cook for herself.

- The builder who has been doing renovations on his own home for years because she puts other jobs ahead of his own.

- The massage therapist who has forgotten what it feels like to be on the receiving end.

- The teacher who spends most of her free time developing lesson plans and marking her students work instead of putting her feet up and winding down at the end of a long hard week.

- The coach that spends most of his waking hours on others. Coaching, programming, troubleshooting and giving advice. Leaving him void of energy and desire to train herself.

I have no doubt you all have a version of this that is inherently linked with your own life and profession. We tell ourselves it's ok because it's our job. But when it begins to impact our quality of life and capacity to others, we need to reassess both our priorities and for us, our health and wellbeing.

Fortunately, if you're in the same position that I've been in, you are more than qualified to do something about it. Most people get into my industry because they love to train, I know I certainly did. But over the past 10 years, my love for training has certainly waned. To a point where (apart from football) it has been nonexistent for much of 2019.

At the end of the football season, I said enough is enough. I had a decent year, but we fell a few weeks short of where I want to be. For us to reach the ultimate and get back to winning a premiership, I can't be leaving my performance up to chance by not being as physically fit and healthy as possible. Plus, at the end of the year, KP and I will be parents, and the threat of a dad bod is looming. Best I get on the front foot and ensure that I'm strong and healthy for all of the things I want to be able to do over the next 60 years.

Over the past month, I have been slowly getting back into the groove, fast forward to today, the 18th of October and I am enjoying training and accumulating sessions like I used to. In the scheme of things, a month is a very short period of time, but I know that every session is a building block towards the health and fitness levels that I need to have to have the capacity to give to all of those around me and create an anti-fragile body that thrives when things get tough.

Here is the framework I'm using to help me get my mojo back, so far, a month in, it's working a treat. Fortunately, this framework already existed, it's the same one we use at Virtus for the Virtus family, I guess I just had to take some of my own advice.

1. Know where you're headed. Set a few clear outcomes that are based on your desires, and supported by those around you. Vocalise your goals and ambitions, there's something concrete in telling the world what you're going to do. It's much harder to let someone else down than it is yourself.

2. Get a clear understanding of where you are starting from . If you know where you're going, and know where you are, then you can follow step #3 completely aware.

3. Set a plan in place, and execute. Understand that 'life happens' you'll have to adjust, but stay on the path and keep ticking the little boxes along the way. Lots of small wins pretty quickly turn into big wins.

4. Track your progress. Train Heroic has been a wonderful tool for me to see each rep, set and session accumulate. Adding in a little competitive element with Coop has reminded me to turn up even when I don't feel like training.

5. Celebrate your success in an environment that supports you on your journey. Some days you'll crush it, some days you'll barely get there. But if you show up, the battle is one. When you do, pat yourself on the back. And if you fall, stand up, dust yourself off, and carry on.

A healthy body does not come easy, you can't buy it, it must be earned.

Show up, do the work, repeat.

That's what I'll be doing, and although I know I won't enjoy every session, I'm excited to be a better version of me. If you see me slacking off, you know what to do.

LW

Psyche and The Self

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Happy Friday you wonderful humans.

Earlier this week I stumbled upon this image. Carl Jung's Model of the Psyche. To be honest, it hurt my brain. I ended up going down a bit of a rabbit hole. Much like Alice when she dove down her rabbit hole to wonderland, I became 'curiouser and curiouser' the further I went.

I find this stuff fascinating. If we can better understand who we are and why we desire and (to) do the things we do, it can give (gives) us a (slightly) better understanding of the universe and our place in it. Not to mention how we and others behave and feel day to day.

Maybe we will never know how the universe works, but we owe it to ourselves to delve into how we work.

Here is my oversimplified summary of the diagram.

The Psyche, as I understand, is the amalgamation of our conscious and unconscious being. The 'totality of the human mind'. Some would say it's quite important. That field of study we know as psychology.

Our Persona is the mask we wear when we are around others. The exaggerated version of ourselves that we portray when we are at work or out amongst a group of friends. This has been called the 'packaging of the ego' and has a function in our everyday existence. A high functioning persona allows us to fit in regardless of the situation and if adaptable can allow us to thrive socially. Issues can arise when we become too identified with our persona that we lose all sense of self. Think the social media 'influencer' epidemic. Seeking external validation to no end, whilst self-sacrificing our own wants and needs solely for the purpose of fitting in and promoting the 'perfect version' of ourselves.

The Ego is part of who we are. It is a conscious awareness of our existence, determined by our levels of extroversion or introversion. Our ego can shape how we see the world around us, and how we utilise our thoughts, feelings and intuition. This perception of the world and the level of introversion, extroversion can determine how we link the inner and outer worlds together. Influencing how we react and connect with that which is external to our self.

The shadow is part of ourselves that we ignore. Everything that the ego refuses to associate with the self. These are the things that we dislike about who we are, that we notice in other people. Unconsciously becoming frustrated at these traits of others because we subconsciously know that within ourselves that we do the same. The shadow is the emotional nemesis of ego. Highlighting things like carelessness, laziness, selfishness, ignorance, arrogance or a lack of ambition. If we observe this resentment that we feel, we can understand somewhat consciously these frustrations are merely a part of who we are, giving us the opportunity to acknowledge and improve them.

The Anima/Animus is the personification of the tendencies of the opposing gender. The anima (man) and animus (woman) are built from the masculine and feminine interactions and experiences that we have with ourselves and each other. Much like the shadow, these archetypes are projected unconsciously. They both contribute to how we see ourselves, and others, especially those we become romantically engaged with.

The Self is who we are now. This does not eliminate who we once were but serves to transcend and include each previous version of ourselves. As we mature and learn and evolve, we move towards a point of self-actualisation. I have mentioned Maslow's hierarchy of needs a few times in these emails. The self is responsible for the innate desire to move towards this self-realisation, to grow and evolve through an endless journey of self-discovery. By expressing the self, we are the truest, strongest version of who we are, both subconsciously and consciously, now and who we can potentially become.

These archetypes if nothing else should open the door as we explore what it means to be human.
I am forever enthralled by the human condition and the lens at which we view the world. This rabbit hole was enjoyable and scary at the same time, now if you don't mind its time for my fortnightly existential life crisis.

I have a little task for you this week. Think of a topic or area of study that you find interesting, and go down a rabbit hole on youtube or google. Who knows where you'll end up.

Be amazing

Wallace

Below: An excerpt from Simon Sinek's picture book, Better Together. 11/10 would recommend.

"At present, we educate people only up to the point where they can earn a living and marry; then education ceases altogether, as though a complete mental outfit has been acquired.
The solution of all the remaining complicated problems of life is left to the discretion,
and ignorance, of the individual.
Innumerable ill-advised and unhappy marriages, innumerable professional disappointments, are due solely to this lack of adult education.
Vast numbers of men and women thus spend their entire lives in complete ignorance of the most important things...
The adult is educable, and can respond gratefully to the art of individual education..."
----------

// Carl Jung //

The Pareto Principle

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

You may have noticed that I didn't send out my regular correspondence last week. Nothing happened, to be honest, I forgot. With Friday being a public holiday, I slept in and went about my day without the usual routine. It wasn't until I eased into bed that night when I realised. Fortunately, the world didn't burn down and the sun still came up on Saturday morning. I can imagine there's probably a lesson here somewhere...

This week I want to talk about the Pareto Principle . Also known as the 80/20 rule.

There's no doubt you've heard of it somewhere along the journey. I'm not going to spend too long explaining it. If you want to know more about it you can hit this link and enjoy plenty of wiki goodness.

Basically, this principle states that for many events, roughly 80% of the results will come from 20% of the effort. On the flip side, the last 20% of results, will consume 80% of the effort.

I find this fascinating. As someone who is always trying to do more with less, and help others do the same, being able to truly utilise the golden 20% to build a bigger container is a path worth journeying down.

We are fundamentally taught that the more effort we put in, the more benefits we will reap. Yet if we understand the unequal distribution of the Pareto Principle, we can quickly see that that effort may be better spent on the areas of our lives which will yield the greatest results.

A quick google search can point you in the direction of all of the business and economic examples of the 80/20 rule. But what about in daily life? How does the Pareto Principle show itself day-to-day?

Here are a couple of examples I came up with:

I frequent approximately 5 coffee shops regularly - Flock, VMM, Coffee Traders, Ol'Mate and Commonfolk. But I spend the majority of my time at Commonfolk.

Of the 10 pairs of shoes that I can count at our front door, in my office and in the car, there are 2 pairs which I have been wearing for the last few months.

A regular week at Virtus sees me coaching approx 20-25% of my week, with the rest of the time spent trying to grow and improve our business, and of course drinking coffee. I have no doubt that I would waste 80% of this 'non-coaching' time piss farting around and putting the important things off.

When I socialise, the majority of the time it is spent with the same people. This group of people would make up approximately 20% of the people I would consider close friends, but I spend most of my social time with them.

A quick look into my iPhone app usage shows that approximately 80% of my time, is spent on 20% of my apps. (Mail, Medium, Netflix, Facebook and Instagram)

Of all the games of Fifa I play at Virtus, I would win 80% of them... easy. (edit: Coop wins 5%, Mitch 5% and the Phys 10%).

Now that you're convinced the 80/20 Rule is actually a thing, I've had a stab at how you can utilise this principle to improve certain areas of your life.

If you are looking to make a change to your health and fitness... What are the actions you can take to give you the best chance at success? Is it looking after your sleep, optimising your training, or tipping into your diet? I can guess that you probably don't need to be spending more time training. Give yourself the extra sleep, nail 80% of your nutrition, and ensure that your training is actually moving you forward.

What about work? If you own a business or work in one... Do you think that If you took a stocktake as to how you spend your 168 hours each week, you may find some wasted time? By utilising the 80/20 rule you could write a list of all of the actions you take each week, highlight the ones that truly move the needle and focus on them.

For those of us in a relationship, we can use the Pareto Principle to appreciate all we love about our partner. No one is perfect, and I bet if you stop and think about it, the person that you choose to spend your time with is probably about 80% perfect for you. Focus on the 80 and don't waste your time fretting over the 20% that may cause you to fight and bump heads. (Side note: the 20% difference could be a good thing).

If you are a parent or a leader in a team environment, what are the actions or activities which garner real connection and companionship? Rather than focus on what doesn't work, hone in on the things that make you feel connected.

If you're looking for your thing or trying to find your place in this world, identify the things you love to do, and become aware of those that do not bring you joy.

Regardless of who you are, and what you do, you have a finite amount of time on this earth and energy to give. Stop peeking over the fence and believing that the grass is greener elsewhere. Focus 20% of your energy on watering the grass beneath your feet, and utilise the other 80% to chase the things that you love.

Wallace.

Below: Last week was our second annual Barbells and Beers. A big bravo to all that attended, it was a ripper afternoon and the PB bell was given a serious workout! For access to the photos click here.

You either win, or you learn.

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Happy Friday you wonderful humans.

You either win, or you learn.

Have you ever wondered why some people are able to go through immense hardship and disappointment yet still be able to bounce back and go about their business day without a peep or complaint, while others struggle to get through a day without screaming woe is me?

This facet of life fascinates me. Is it simply a mindset or attitude adjustment? Or is it something more fixed. Much of who we are is outside of our control. Who our ancestors are, where we are born, what we are born into and who our parents are.

Let's skip the free will or determinism discussion for today and agree on one thing. If there is even the slightest % of our psyche and the human condition that is up to us, then there is no discussion to be had.

Who we are and who we want to be is ultimately determined or shaped by the lens through which we decide to view the world. Seemingly we are all wired slightly differently yet ultimately we have the same level of control over our perception of the world. Perception control is like a muscle, it adapts through stimulus and trial and error. The more it is exercised, the larger its capacity becomes.

Life can be fantastic one day, and rubbish the next. Each day we experience lots of little wins and lots of little defeats, some are bigger than others, some hurt, and some take longer to recover from. Whether it's in sport or business, we are quite often presented with learning opportunities disguised as heavy defeats and disappointments.

One thing we are not guaranteed is a second chance. Life is a competition. And in competition you have two outcomes. Of those two options, defeat is not one of them. You either win, or you learn.

Any successful team knows that you do not accept in victory, that which you would not accept in defeat. Winning can paper over cracks, and we must remain vigilant in our pursuit of excellence.

At the end of the day, you win some and you lose some. You just want to win more than you lose.

When you do lose, make sure you learn.

Love Wallace
[Edited by Steph]
Podcast #91

On Wednesday this week, I sat down with Mel Maizels. Business owner, Professional Soccer Player and Virtus Athlete. This is a must-listen for anyone chasing a dream, any young athlete, or anyone who loves hearing the stories of cool humans.

Time flies...

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Happy Friday you wonderful humans.

TLDR: Hit this button to listen to Episode #90 of the Virtus Performance Podcast.

At the end of March this year, I sat down and recorded episode #89 of the Virtus Performance Podcast. I'd spent the previous 89 weeks recording, producing and uploading these episodes of long-form conversation.

I'd created a chain of episodes, each linking in with the one before it. An online, audible, monument of commitment and perseverance to this 'thing' that I set out to do. It was a great feeling of accomplishment knowing that I had created, along with my distinguished guests, a body of work that could potentially be around longer than I am. Something that I could look back on and hear from the person I was, something that I could share with my children when they are old enough to give a shit about growth and development and all of that good stuff.

Fast forward 6 months or so and on Wednesday morning of this week, we were still at episode #89 .

That chain had well and truly stopped getting longer, in fact, it was getting rusty, left in neglect. Not for any other reason than the fact that it had fallen off my priority list. Life was happening, as it so often does, and the victim of this was the podcast train that ground to a halt.

The podcast wasn't dead and buried, but it certainly needed to be rejuvenated. Every now and again, we would chat about getting it back up and running, but it didn't happen. Not because we didn't want it to, but because with everything going on, we/I didn't have the capacity to give it what we believe it deserved.

Stop for a moment, and think back to a time you've let your commitment to something that is important to you drop away. It might have been your work, your training, that nutrition protocol you were following, a relationship or even something as simple as a book that you promised yourself you would finish. No doubt with any of these things you begin with the best intentions, but 'life happens' and all of a sudden you're 6 months down the track, and nothing has changed, or in my case, you're still stuck on episode #89 .

Change is hard, I've spoken about it often, and long sustained attendance/commitment to a goal or ideal is harder. My commitment levels waned and where the podcast was concerned, and at the time it wasn't important enough for me to hang onto.

The most important facet to achieving any goal is showing up . The guy or girl who rocks up 300 days a year will improve more than the guy or girl that rocks up 100 days. No matter what you're doing, you'll know this to be true. However, the underlying driver that leads to attendance, is your progress towards a larger goal, a bigger reason, the search for fulfilment. My initial goal for the podcast was 52 episodes. 1 per week, for a year. I was so committed to that goal, that nothing was going to let me miss a week. Once I had surpassed it, I felt fulfilled and I enjoyed that feeling, but I didn't have another target to aim for. Slowly but surely, my commitment waned, and eventually, it ran out at.

When you have a clear goal in mind, you can prepare a plan to get there. With that plan, you can focus on the next step in front of you. One thing that we tend to forget, is that when we achieve that goal, we need to stop, regroup, reflect and set ourselves up for the next one, otherwise the chain stops getting longer. It begins to rust, and you forget the amount of work you put into the thing. Suddenly, you end up where you started, the only difference being the voice in the back of your head wishing that you had kept going.

Long story short, I missed the hell out of the podcast. I missed connecting with people and sharing it with our community, so on Wednesday, Simon Cooper and I sat down and recorded episode 90, the first of 11 episodes that will be recorded to finish off a massive 2019, and allow us to reach our new goal of 100 episodes. After that, who knows, but there'll be some serious thought put into how we can add value with this or another project.

In the episode, we had a chat about the year so far, what's going on at Virtus and in our lives and how we feel about the next 6 months and beyond. You can listen to it here.

Be amazing, commit to your thing.

Love Wallace

Self awareness is like great sex...

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

The great puzzle of life is the pursuit of meaning and understanding.
I feel that I'm constantly searching for rhyme or reason as to our existence, to how the universe works and where we fit in the whole charade.
I can imagine that many of you feel the same.
I think it's the natural human condition to feel this way sometimes.

We are fortunate enough to have the intelligence to be able to question what is our reality, however we are not lucky enough to have the capacity to understand the inherent meaning of it all.

Life is wonderful, or it's not, how you feel about it is determined by the lens through which you choose to view the world.

Much like how Alice escaped down the rabbit hole to Wonderland, I feel as though in the last few years, I've been climbing down the rabbit hole that is self-awareness and self-discovery. Attempting to assign meaning and understanding of the things that happen in this crazy chaotic world.
Not to mention the things that I decide to do and the things that I decide not to.

Reading, writing and listening to some of the worlds greatest thinkers, and consuming information from a wide range of sources has shown me that pretty much everyone is winging it, the answers to the biggest questions are all conceptual and the more we learn, the more we realise we don't know anything.... the Dunning-Kruger effect is strong with this one.

This quote by Mark Manson sums it up pretty well;

"Self-awareness is like great sex: everyone thinks they have a ton of it, but in reality, no one knows what the fuck they?re doing"

Hands up if you're self-aware enough to know you're not as self-aware as you think you are...

What can you do to become more self-aware? I'm definitely not the authority on this topic, I'm not sure if anyone is. We are all incredibly biased and caught up in our own perceptions of this world.
Regardless, here is some unsolicited advice about things you can do to improve your awareness.

Journal
Daily, weekly, monthly, it doesn't matter. Find some time to put pen to paper. You can never write faster than you can think. Each day I write 1 page of consciousness. No agenda, I just fill the page with an idea or a stream of thoughts. Today I hit #350 in a row, and this has helped how I feel and think more than almost anything else.

Seek Disconfirming Information
You're a biased motherf***er, we all are. Ask how you might be wrong. If you're lucky enough to have mature, trustworthy people around you, ask them what your biases may be and how they think that you can improve.

Listen and Observe
We all have patterns, behaviours and habits that we don't realise we do autonomously. Listen to yourself, and those you trust to give yourself some feedback and to try to understand what is happening.

Feel
Give yourself space and time to feel how you need to feel. Embrace uncomfortable feelings like jealousy and frustration. Soak it up when you're feeling ecstatic and joyous. Good or bad, how we feel can open the door to what we really think and believe.

Take yourself less seriously
Life is short, meaningless (you must create your own) and in the grand scheme of things, unimportant. Take a breath, have some fun, make mistakes and enjoy the hell out of the ride.

Life is a rabbit hole.

A journey that is increasingly complicated, strange, difficult, chaotic and complex, that seemingly becomes more difficult the further we travel. It ends when we do. All we can do is embrace the chaos, make meaning when we can, and enjoy every second of this wonderful journey.

You're doing a great job.

Lachie

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste.

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Happy Friday you wonderful humans.
[Virtus Performance, Mornington]

"Never underestimate the value of doing nothing, of just going along, listening to all of the things you can't hear, and not bothering" //Winnie the Pooh

For the last few years basically, since I finished school in 2009, I've valued 'hustle' over most things. Head down, bum up, work hard and get things done. With football, work, coaching, growing a business and creating a life I want to live almost everything has been centred around progression. Not just embracing this progression, but hunting it. Finding ways to move forward at the expense of all else, there's no doubt that at times my health and wellbeing have suffered because of this. If you asked me what was important, progress would have been close to #1.

I sit here today and think about what would be at the top of the list, words like connection, family, freedom and compassion come to mind. Growth, development, and consistent improvement is still important, but lately, I can feel a shift in myself and how I look at the world. These things are great, they'll always be a part of my life, but they don't hold the same weight that they used to. In moments of quiet reflection, I'm beginning to appreciate the effort and elegance in silence and ones ability to hold space and to listen as Pooh Bear mentioned above, to all the things you can't hear.

"The day you stop racing is the day you win the race" // Bob Marley

As each year rolls by, everything is happening faster, it feels like the earth spins quicker every year. We want it all and we want it now. We get better at juggling, we put more and more balls in the air. So many that we stop focusing on what is happening around us. We are slowly losing the ability to stop, to breathe and to take it all in. We want things immediately. Patience is no longer a virtue, and it's causing a shift away from the present moment. Peace and stillness are not found in busy times, they are found in moments of idleness, in times of quiet contemplation.

We want to work, and we want to work hard. But before you do, be mindful of how you're spending your time. Meditation can be as short as a breath, or as long as you desire.

To quote Max Erhmann from desiderata "Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence"

My task for you.

Take a moment. A moment for yourself. Stop and close your eyes. Focus on breath and go inwards. Let your mind wander. Experience, feel, think, or don't. Just be. Forget that time exists, just let yourself be.

Lachie

If you want things to be better, make it so.

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Happy Friday you wonderful humans.

[Virtus Performance, Mornington]

We live in an extraordinary time. A time with a growing capacity of unprecedented human connection. The capacity to form relationships with individuals and groups far exceeds that which has come before us.
When I hit send on this email, it will connect me with more humans with one click of a mouse than our ancestors could have hoped to meet in a lifetime.

The world is changing. There are no real kings or queens anymore. Oligarchs, Monarchs, Aristocrats and Dictators have no place in our future societies. The power that one dude (or dudette) has over millions of others is diminishing as the rumble of people power calls for change. Real issues are brewing and pockets of the world are beginning to stand up on mass to protest towards the changes that need to take place.

Just this week Iceland held a 'funeral' for the first glacier killed by climate change. (Plaque pictured below) Protestors again filled the centre of Hong Kong fighting for democracy and the Amazon rainforest is burning at an unprecedented rate. The time to take charge of our future is upon us.

The platform for a model of decentralised command, a platform for true democracy is the way forward to ensure the long term viability and prosperity of the human race. Our ability to connect, to come together and to force the hand of policymakers to make real change is the strongest it has been.

Real change takes courage. It takes a group of individuals to truly believe and commit to a movement to make real, lasting change and to move us forward into new eras. Take movements such as Abolitionism (anti-slavery), Women's Rights and the Anti-Apartheid movement as examples to show the changes we can make when we fight for what is right.

We all in 2019 have the capacity to become a leader. To be a vessel for change. To create or join a movement, to facilitate the growth of a tribe, a group of people who share a belief system that things could be better.

A belief system which is powered by an ability to take action. Don't be the guy or girl on the sidelines complaining about how it could be better. Be the one in the game, fighting to make it so.

We all want growth and connection. I implore you to find your tribe, to be a leader and build something that grows stronger with each passing day, to contribute to something bigger than yourself. You can create change.

"Great leaders are able to reflect the light on their teams, their tribes. Great leaders dont want attention, but they use it. They use it to unite the tribe and reinforce their sense of purpose" // Seth Godin

Be the leader.

Lachie

I need a holiday'

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Happy Friday you wonderful humans.

[Commonfolk Coffee, Progress St, Mornington]

? I need a holiday ?

I've always disliked this phrase. A somewhat public declaration of overwhelm. A reminder that somewhere something little is broken, or at the very least not working as it should. If you say you need a holiday, then maybe you need to reassess your day to day, your expectations and your mindset. I don't like this phrase, but this time last week for me, it was true, I needed a holiday.

There was (is) plenty happening in our world. Virtus is coming out the other side of some big changes, Drops of Juniper is moving along, Footy finals are just around the corner, We are selling our house and preparing to become parents. Managing my own and others expectations had slowly built up to the point where I wasn't present as I needed to be. Lots was happening and I was spending more time looking at the future than I was being in the moment. Fast forward a week, and those things are all still happening, but I feel different, and I'm going to try to illustrate why.

A few months ago past Wallace had the foresight to book a quick trip. A four day adventure to Queenstown, NZ with two of my best mates. The car was booked, AirBNB sorted, flights organised and bags packed. All we had to do was get on the plane. Once we boarded all of the stressors and worries from the last few months dissipated into nothingness. What followed was four days of snowboarding, relaxing, laughing, a few beers and connection with great people and a wonderful part of the world.

At the end of the trip on our way back to the airport, we decided to find a little viewpoint to finish a couple of beers we had left and put a full stop on what had been a short but memorable escape. Standing there, overlooking the incredible views of Queenstown and the Remarkables, I thought about what it was that made this trip so special. Why I felt that it had given me exactly what I needed. Here is what I came up with.

We as humans seek happiness. We desire belonging, connection and an overwhelming sense of joy. We search for this happiness every day of our lives, believing that it can be bought or found. For me, happiness comes from experience. From forgetting about the past or the future, and experiencing the moment. When we shift our thinking from what may be, to what is we can appreciate all we have, rather than rue all that we don't. Happiness is not dependant on what you have, how much you make, where you live or what you do. It is dependant on appreciating all that is, embracing the present and enjoying the moment with the people you love, or by yourself.

"A human mind is a wandering mind, and a wandering mind is an unhappy mind"

I said I needed a holiday, but what I really needed was a reminder to be present. To stay mindful, enjoy the moment and seek adventure and excitement from each day as it comes. There are no ordinary moments and sometimes it takes an excursion from your bubble to remember that. If we can find the balance between forward planning and embracing each moment as it comes, we can create a life worth living.

The next time you find yourself in need of a holiday, take a deep breath and bring yourself back to the present moment. Allow yourself to explore inward, to embrace the moment and enjoy where you are. None of it matters too much, so we may as well live the life we want to live.

Be present.

Wallace

Willingness to change

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Last Sunday, Simon Cooper hosted a workshop at Virtus called The Power of Change. He took 20 courageous humans on a two-hour deep dive into fear and the mechanisms of change. I (along with the rest of the group) left with some powerful information and an important reminder of the opportunities and responsibility we all have to create the life we want to live.

The paradox of change fascinates me. We are inherently resistant to change, however, in order to grow and expand our current capabilities, change must take place. If you're anything like me, you have an innate desire to develop, to transform and transcend your current capabilities. But, we must understand change is hard.

In the days following Coop's workshop, I spent some time thinking about change, and why some of us are able to make important changes to our behaviour, our mindset and beliefs whilst some of us are seemingly incapable. As a coach, my job is to empower others to change, to move the needle, to perform and create the life they want to live. Virtus exists to foster and embody the positive change we are searching for, and understanding the mechanisms of this is potentially more important than we realise.

After some thought and about 15 coffees, I came up with three important words which I believe hold the key to eliciting positive change in ourselves and others.

Change begins with a willingness to change. For this to happen, you must be ready and willing to be uncomfortable. Adaptation is simple, apply the right amount of stress, allow sufficient rest or recovery to allow change to occur, repeat. But simple does not mean easy, change is hard, and if you are not willing, you are not likely to move the needle.

Our path must be shaped by our desires. As I've mentioned, change is no walk in the park. To overcome the arduous demands of change we must have a deep burning desire to guide us through the hard stuff. If you truly desire something and understand the why behind it, the shit you have to wade through to get there becomes bearable... and in a sadistic kind of way, almost enjoyable.

Fear is a feeling induced by perceived danger or threat and can be the very thing to drive us to change. The parent that stops smoking out of fear of missing out on their childrens lives. The man who embarks on a healthy lifestyle to reduce his risk factors of cardiovascular diseases (and the rest). Fear can be a powerful and healthy factor in change. The cost of inaction can be insurmountable, when we understand what we have to lose, words like motivation don't seem so important. We must be inspired to change and fear can be a driving factor.

"Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself" Leo Tolstoy

If you've gotten this far, I have no doubt you have at least some desire to change. It's not easy, but like anything worthwhile, it starts with small things. Make your bed, clean your teeth, make sure your world is in order before you criticise everybody else. Be the change you want to see in the world. Have the willingness to lead by example, pursue your desires and embrace fear as a tool to help you on your journey.

If nothing changes, nothing will change.

Be amazing.

LW

Ps. the quote below could not be more spot on. Read it, underline it, highlight it and remember it.

PPS. Edited by Steph

PPPS Big congratulations to the great man Charlie Robbins who took out the Australian Ninja Warrior Grand Final. What a result. Big pats on the back for all the hard work!

Take the pebble out of your shoe

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Happy Friday you wonderful humans.

[Virtus Performance, Mornington]

"Often it isn't the mountains ahead that wear you out, it's the little pebble in your shoe." // Muhammad Ali

This is my yearly 'fill your cup' musings. Let's call it a check-in to see if you're looking after yourself and if you're not, to remind you that it's important. You have a finite amount of energy, and if you're directing it all outwards, into work or others, eventually you'll come up empty. When that happens, you're no use to anyone. (Says the guy who has spent all week in bed sick) Yeah, the man flu got me good.

It's the middle of winter, its cold, the days are short, and many of us are just getting by. This is the perfect time of year, if there is one, to check in on your energy balance to ensure you're putting in as much as you're putting out. At Virtus, we use the Holistic Wellness scale to take a snapshot at 10 different aspects of your life, to (albeit subjectively) assess where you're doing well, and where there is room for improvement.

The 10 areas are as follows.
Training & Movement
Food & Nutrition
Hydration
Stress
Sleep Quality
Sleep Quantity
Working In
Time Management
Relationships
Energy levels

Give yourself a rating /10 for each of the above. 10 being perfect, 1 being rubbish anything under a 7, spend some time formulating a plan to improve it.

Taking some time to go inwards and see what you need, is a sure fire way to getting you where you need to be. The journey is long, you will stumble, just know that when you need it, there are people around you to help you on your way.

Before you embark on your journey today, take that pebble out of your shoe.

LW

" "You must be prepared to work always without applause."
----------
// Ernest Hemingway //

Who do you want to be?

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Happy Friday you wonderful humans.

[Virtus Performance, Mornington]

Are you living the life you want to live? This is a simple enough question, but not so easy to answer.

If the answer is yes, you're nailing it. Things will still be hard, you'll still experience heartache, frustration, disappointment, you'll be sad and angry and upset. But, as Mo Gawdat explains in his book Solve for happy

"The gravity of the battle means nothing for those at peace"

If you can answer yes to that question you're one of the few. One of the few who are truly happy. At peace. With yourself, and with the world. Keep doing what you're doing, and help others do the same.

If you answered no, I can promise you you're not alone. Researchers refer to happiness as "Subjective well-being" and a 2017 study has shown a consistent decline in happiness in the US over the past decade. Today's email isn't a dive into happiness, that's a topic for another day. This is a call to action. An open invitation to dive into your dissatisfaction and do something about it.

"The moment of descent and discovery begins at the moment you consciously become dissatisfied with life"

It's an oxymoron, but I believe you can be simultaneously happy and dissatisfied at the same time.

What do you want to do, who do you want to do it with, who do you want to be, what do you want your days to look like? Ultimately...

How do you want to live?

This is the question that we should be asking of ourselves and each other as we grow up and descend into adulthood. Creating a life by design. This is the ultimate call to action and reason for being. Take the plunge. Identifying wherein lies your dissatisfaction, and doing something about it, is the ultimate power move. If you're not living the life you believe you should be, let's take a step towards becoming that person.

I'm not here to tell you what to do, I'm here to (hopefully) empower you to make a choice. A choice to step up and do something about that thing (or things) that you feel are holding you back.

This is an adaptive challenge, meaning that you must evolve, from the person you are now, to become the person you want to be.

Here is a two-step process (as shown in Atomic Habits: James Clear ) that I think is the best way to move forward in any area of your life.

1. Decide the person you want to be
2. Prove it to yourself by with small wins.

Each little win will is another brick in the wall to prove to yourself that you can become the person you can look up to, that you can become the hero of your own story.

If you want to be healthy, at each point of decision making ask yourself "What would a healthy person do?"

If you want to be strong at each point of decision making ask yourself "What would a strong person do?"
?
If you want to be wealthy, at each point of decision making ask yourself "What would a wealthy person do?"
?
If you want to be happy, at each point of decision making ask yourself "What would a happy person do?"

?You don?t say I?m going to build a wall, you say I?m going to lay this brick as perfectly as a brick can be laid and I?m going to do that every single day, soon enough I?ll have a wall? // Will Smith

We become who and what we believe we deserve. You deserve the world. But you need to believe it.

Be amazing. Do the thing.

Wallace

p.s If this resonates with you, send it on to someone who it may help.

As always, if you need anything, you can contact me via lachlanwallace@virtusperformance.com

Suicide and Mental Health, A conversation that needs to be had

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

One of the reasons why Virtus is Virtus is because we want to know the person behind the exercise. The training, the physical and mental development, is all part of the bigger picture. An excuse for a deeper conversation.

I want to ensure that we are looking at the whole puzzle, not just a few pieces, so it would be amiss of me to just focus on talking about the sets, reps and exercises.

There is a whole lot more to health and happiness than that. We want to make the world a better place and creating an environment where the Virtus Family can thrive is of utmost importance.

Creating an environment that fosters conversation and connection is more important than we realise.

This is why:

In Australia, it's estimated that 45% of people will experience a mental health condition in their lifetime.
In any one year, around 1 million Australian adults have depression , and over 2 million have anxiety .
In 2019, 65,000 people in Australia will attempt suicide
Each day, 6 Men will die by suicide
It is the number one killer of men aged 18-44 and affects every corner of our society

Earlier this week Triple-M released a subtitled video to promote their No Talk Day . On Monday, July 1st there will be no shows, no ads, no news, or no traffic reports.

Instead, you will hear from people with lived experience and important messages from Beyond Blue about how to have a safe conversation about suicide, how to support a mate and where to seek support.
I applaud Triple-M and Beyond Blue for making this happen and offering their platform for the things that are really important.

This is something we have to get behind. It's too important not to.

On Monday, July 1, we are opening our doors to anyone who needs it (we hope you know that they are always open). Whether it be for a chat, a lift, or just somewhere to hang out with people who care. For our regulars, we want to use this as an opportunity to have a conversation.

To peel back a few layers and go deeper than you usually would. To not just speak but to listen, with intent. When you ask someone how they are, give them time to give you an honest, genuine answer.

It might be a little uncomfortable, or difficult in the beginning, but know that as scary as it is, one conversation can save a life.

I have been impacted by suicide and every day we feel the effect of mental health issues on those around us. Those we love and care for so deeply. This is an opportunity to bring these things out in the open, not so they can be fixed, but so they can be understood.

I don't want one of you to be a statistic. Honestly, it scares the s**t out of me. We need to make sure we do everything possible to be there for each other.

This Monday, July 1st and every other day of the year, we are here for you.

Much love,

Wallace

When your eyes are tired, the whole world looks tired

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

"When your eyes are tired, the whole world looks tired" David Whyte

Perception is everything. How we perceive the world around us ultimately determines what we do, how we feel, and who we are.

If we are happy and upbeat, the world seems brighter, people smile longer, and the difficult things don't seem as tough.

If we are tired, stressed, grumpy and overworked, the world doesn't seem as bright, we are confronted with frowns and every little issue can be blown out of proportion.

These observations might not be accidents.

I've always resonated with the saying 'If you run into an asshole in the morning, you ran into an asshole. If you run into assholes all day, you're the asshole."

Some days, you'll be the asshole.

We all have the capacity to be a miserable, grumpy, frustrated individual - aka the asshole.

Life happens.

To all of us, all of the time. It's hard, and usually, it doesn't play out like the story you told yourself.

But this does not mean you are an asshole. You are more than your thoughts, you are more than your beliefs, and you are more than you're actions... to a point.

Noone wants to be the asshole, but we are creatures of habit, and if ignore how we feel and the impact we have on those around us, we will ultimately become the asshole.

Ignoring is the key word, and awareness comes next. A simple awareness play can change our whole outlook on life. All it can take is one long deep breath, and if that doesn't work, ask yourself these 4 questions.

How am I feeling? | Why am I feeling this way | What can I do about it? | What am I grateful for?

If you truly understand yourself and your flaws and love yourself anyway, you can quickly accept that everybody around you.

There is more to the game than what you're seeing. Like ogres and onions, there are layers to this, and an innate understanding of our own asshole tendencies can bring upon both an empathetic awareness for those around us, and self love and care to appreciate who we are, not who we are not.

The next time you run into a bunch of assholes throughout the day, find yourself some time, fill your cup, and ask yourself those four questions.

If someone else is the asshole, be cool, be kind and show them some love. They probably need it.

Wallace

Make the right decisions

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

It is human nature to do what is easy.

To sleep in instead of getting up early to meditate or train.

To eat quick and easy take away rather than meal prepping at the start of the week.

To watch Netflix instead of doing the work you need to do.

To drink litres of coffee or energy drinks rather than getting your eight hours sleep.

To leave the shower nice and warm rather than embracing the chill of a cold one.

To ignore confrontational conversations, instead of discussing what is wrong and how you feel.

All of these situations involve a choice.

And that choice is a simple one. Hard choice vs Easy choice.

Just like water flowing down a hill, give us the opportunity and we will find the path of least resistance. It's in our nature.

Like it or not, we all want a quick fix. The instant gratification, the quick cash, the immediate solution, the hail mary.

There is a difference between being aware of this innate desire, and succumbing to it.

That difference will ultimately determine our self-worth, happiness, and level of satisfaction.

Our life can be whatever we want it to be. But for that freedom, we need to pay a price.

That price is determined by the life you want to live, and what you're willing to sacrifice for it.

Nothing in this world comes easy or free. You must give before you can take.

"Hard Decisions, Easy life.

Easy Decisions, Hard Life"

(Jerzy Gregorek)

The powerful simplicity of this quote haunts me.

Most of the time we know the right answer, what is lacking is the action we must take.

My task for you, next time you have a choice, ask yourself, which one would future me thank me for?

Decide, and move on.

Make the right decisions.

Lachie

Below: Me with my mate Cam before Virtus had doors, or barbells.

Experience Overlap

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Person 1: "How are you?

Person 2: "Busy, You?"

Person 1: "Yeah same, there's always so much to do"

Person 2: "You're not wrong"

End scene.

This is a 'conversation' that most of us have multiple times per day. There is no real intention or connection, just an easy, surface level exchange, failing to result in anything worthwhile.

This may technically count as 'interaction' but exchanges such as these have become the norm and unfortunately so. Bypassing our intrinsic psychological needs for belonging and connection.

" When people talk, listen completely.
Don't be thinking about what you're going to say. Most people never listen.
Nor do they observe. You should be able to go into a room and when you come out,
know everything that you saw there and not only that.
If that room gave you any feeling you should know exactly what it was that gave you that feeling.
Try that for practice."
----------
// Ernest Hemingway

This quote sums these conversations up perfectly. I believe that a big reason that we 'miss things' and forget what people say is that we are so focused on the future and what might happen next, that we leave ourselves on auto-pilot. Barely existing as the promise of what's to come, somehow outweighs the actuality of what is.

We must not be so quick to abandon what we have, for what we think we may have. We must create an overlap in our moments to listen and love and feel all of the wonderful things around and inside of us.

My challenge to you is to take the time out of your day to have a real conversation with someone, to connect and to listen. Or, stop for a moment and observe everything that is around you. The people, the things the sounds, the smells.

Experience your conversations and environments and embrace all that is in the moment.

Have a wonderful day.

Lachie

Trees, Elections and Game of Thrones

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Long term growth vs short term victories.

Every day we have the opportunity to make the most of the day ahead. Whether we wake up bleary-eyed or jump out of bed, the day is there for the taking.

We can choose to act however we like. Of course, within the framework of our personality, genetics, predispositions and the rules of the society we find ourselves within. We can either choose to do what is expected, what is easy or to go against the grain and do something remarkable.

Each day we decide to either plant seeds for the future or to consume the fruit from the trees planted by those who came before us.

"A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in"

It has been an interesting week in the wake of the latest election, there has been much dissent coming from my circles (or echo chambers) about the dissatisfaction about the result. Which was, somewhat of a surprise to many voters on the losing side. It turns out Sportsbet paid a few million to those who backed labour, a few days prior to the election.

??But, as we were reminded, nothing is guaranteed. The only certainty is uncertainty, and if the political landscape is anything to go by, crazy shit can happen, think Trump, Brexit and now Scomo.

Last weekend we chose what kind of country we want to be for the next few years. I say we because as a country that is upheld by a democracy (mostly) it is the collective opinion that has decided the outcome. We can sit here and argue that certain states or certain age groups 'swung the result' But it is not our place to do so. Nor will it change anything, so best we accept it, and move on.

Complaining never contributed anything worthwhile, that shit is contagious, we don't need it.

Same goes for the ending of Game of Thrones, bad luck if you didn't like it. As George R.R Martin said 'Art is not a democracy, people don't get to vote on how it ends'. Let's appreciate what is, rather than what we want it to be.

I'm in it for the long haul, we all should be. The long haul, as we well know, is made up by millions of short hauls. Each day, each moment is an opportunity to contribute to the world you want to live in, and a world you want your children to grow up in.

Take it upon yourself to plant a tree you won't sit under the shade of. Take it upon yourself to contribute. Hopefully, our, politicians decide to do the same.

As always, if you'd like to connect, you know where to find me.

Lachie

Below: We are opening our doors on Saturday Mornings to our community.
Over the next few weeks, our 8 am Saturday Group Training sesh will be FREE!
If you have a friend or family member you've been trying to convince to give Virtus a go, this is their chance to meet us, obligation free!

The numbers are capped, and you'll have multiple coaches looking after you.Hit the link to register or send it to someone you love ????????Cheers to you all

Percieve vs Observe

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

When was the last time you gave a friend or someone close to you some advice?

I could imagine that it probably wasn't too long ago. We all love dishing advice.

This is, of course, coming from a guy who writes a weekly email, filled with thoughts and my own personal learnings.

I like to think that this is a medium in which I can put out my struggles and discuss the weekly peaks and troughs of life in 2019. But a part of it is undoubtedly giving you (somewhat) unsolicited advice.

The way I look at it, if one of you gain a greater understanding of the world or yourself from my ramblings, we all win. We grow our capacity to give and be the best part of ourselves.

Anyway, that's not the point of today's wrap, so let me continue...

We love to give advice, but when it comes to following our own, very rarely do we follow the same way of thinking.

We are much more inclined, to give advice than we are to recieve it, I find it interesting that we are so readily available to dish out the required information when it is going to a friend, family member, or colleague. Yet when the shoe is on the other foot, we shirk away from the situation.

I think I know the reason why, it's a simple explanation, one that can be easily understood in theory, yet incredibly difficult to live in practice.

When someone needs advice, we are able to observe and respond objectively to the situation that may be presented. We can look at the facts, and elicit a response determined from our observations and rational thought processes.

On the other hand, If we need to follow our own advice, we tend to be too close to the thing to make the 'correct' decisions. We perceive what our best option is and react emotionally. Allowing our subjectivity to get the best of us.

Respond vs React. Objective vs Subjective. Observe vs Percieve.

These become choices when we are able to raise our awareness, learn from our mistakes, and become self-actualised individuals.

Like I said, easy vs simple. It's never both at the same time.

As always, if you'd like to connect, you know where to find me.

Lachie
(TLW)

Below: We are opening our doors on Saturday Mornings to our community.
Over the next few weeks, our 8 am Saturday Group Training sesh will be FREE!
If you have a friend or family member you've been trying to convince to give Virtus a go, this is their chance to meet us, obligation free!

The numbers are capped, and you'll have multiple coaches looking after you.Hit the link to register or send it to someone you love ????????Cheers to you all

What stands in the way, becomes the way.

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

A book that has been on my 'To read' list for a long time is 'The Obstacle is the Way' by Ryan Holiday. After listening to one of his other books 'The Ego is the Enemy' a month or so ago, it shot towards the top of my list.

After coming across the below Marcus Aurelius Quote, and having somewhat of a rough week, I decided that now was the best time to dive into the audiobook. (At time of writing I'm about 28 minutes in)

" Our actions may be impeded... But there can be no impeding our intentions or dispositions. Because we can accommodate adapt. The mind adapts and converts to its own purposes the obstacles to our acting. The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way"// Marcus Aurelius
This idea/thought process hits me square in the chest. Sitting here reading it over and again forces an intense level of reflection and acceptance that what is, is. In 48 words (yes I counted) which are almost 2000 years old, this philosophising emperor has put into words something that we must all comprehend and adopt.

We all struggle. We all suffer. We all are faced with obstacles. We are not alone in our suffering & we must be able to understand that. Many people are worse off but this suffering is relative.

To learn to work through our these frustrations and the obstacles these bring. Is to transcend the need to react to 'bad' situations, and instead look at them as opportunities to grow, and learn. Avoidance and running away won't solve anything. I'm sure you can all agree with me on that.

" What stands in the way becomes the way"

Perception and Perspective are two words in which through these struggles we can find solace and some aspect of comfort.

Understanding perception is a simple reminder of the subjectivity of being human. We are a result of our subjective experiences, and failure to recognise this creates a 'reality' in which the world around us and the events which take place can only be perceived in a single way. As we all (should) be acutely aware of, we all perceive our realities differently, from the food we eat to the movies we watch to the arguments we think we have.

Perspective is just as if not more important. Understanding where we place as humans on the 'cosmic calendar' Realising our insignificance on universal proportions, whilst raising awareness of our place in the world. We can come to understand how a bad day in the scheme of things is an insignificant period of time across a month or year, let alone an entire lifetime.

At the end of the day, things happen because of us and for us, they don't happen too us, this is something I believe with all that I am. How we respond to these challenges determines the kind of person we want to be, and will become.

??" What stands in the way becomes the way"

Take on the challenges, learn from them, fail and fuck up (often), I won't be far behind you.

As always, if you'd like to connect, you know where to find me. ?????

Lachie?

Below - Cracking some gags (probably) at our engagement party last month. Couldn't wish for a better human to spend the rest of my life with.

Change & Uncertainty

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Very few things are guaranteed in this world, yet there are two constants. Uncertainty and change.

To be successful in almost any aspect of life you must be capable of accepting and dealing with both of these factors, alternatively, our inability to accept and overcome these constants can result in heightened anxiety and frustration.

That success we are all searching for in various ways can be all but guaranteed by focusing on the process, and purpose, rather than searching for short term results. I may sound like a broken record, but there is no way around it. The most effective way of manifesting the results you desire is to focus not on the outcome, but on the steps you must take to get there. Those steps must be built upon a strong foundation.

That strong foundation is built upon consistency, vulnerability, failure, learning, experience and hard work. All of the barely talked about attributes are the main reasons winners keep winning. That consistency we are looking for allows you to tip in day after day, whilst keeping an eye on the bigger picture.

"The standards you walk past are the standards you accept" // David Hurley.

Once your foundation is built, you must set your standards, and hold yourself to them. If you say you'll do something, do it. It's not fancy, or extravagant, it's simple. Simple shit that gets the job done.

Change is inevitable, we can agree on that. One of our most effective ways of dealing with change is observation. When we observe and respond, rather than ignore and react, we set ourselves up to deal with each situation as it comes, on its merits.

I firmly believe that our role as humans, as evolutionary hunters, is to adapt. To grow and transcend our current capacities.

It is not the strongest of the species that survives , nor the most intelligent that survives . It is the one that is most adaptable to change. // Charles Darwin

If you're resisting change, you're resisting success, happiness and all of the good stuff that comes with growth.

Wallace????

Open Loops

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

The Open Loop

A few years ago I was introduced to a concept through a conversation with a mentor.

To be honest, I haven't thought much about it since then. It was applicable and pertinent at the time, but as many concepts do, it reverted into the ether of my subconscious.

This morning, during a conversation with one of our Mentorship students from VHQ, the concept came up. It is called the open loop. This concept offers a slight shift of perspective with the ways in which we look at tasks, conversations and projects.

When we start a task, or a conversation, or a project, we open a loop. This loop remains open until that task, r conversation, or project has been completed. Until the box is ticked, we are left with an open loop.

That open loop by itself is harmless, add 10-15 of them and overwhelm soon begins to set in. An open loop is like a tab on google chrome. Chewing up computer/brainpower until we feel like we are running on empty.

Unresolved tasks, conversations or projects can pile up. When they do our capacity to move forward is diminished, we cease to be productive, we lose our purpose and feel like we have the weight of the world on our shoulders when the littlest things are asked of us.

The solution

Let's start with Tasks.
Write a list, use the 4 quadrant system to determine which ones are the most important/urgent. And simply tick the boxes.

In terms of conversations, this is where most of our uncertainty can lie. When two people are involved in a loop, the variables more than double, we all have wants, needs and desires and can leave a conversation with two different stories about what was covered and whether or not the loop is closed. Perspective is important, as well as communication. Spend the time closing the loops with the people you love and value.

Projects take a little more work than tasks. When you have an objective to complete, it can only be reached by setting a process, planning your milestones, and executing your plan. The loop will close when you do the work, not before.

Closing loops are difficult, which is why we all live with so many left open. Working on closing a few loops for each one I open is my focus for the next few months and beyond.

What loops do you need to close?

Lachie

Choice

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

I resisted the urge to skip my weekly email this week. Long weekend, time to myself, maybe I won't do the thing I said I would because I deserve a break. I've been working hard right? I need some rest. One less commitment to worry about won't make much of a difference right? Honestly, probably not. You could say it could start a torrent of shortcuts. But I don't think that would have been the case.

It's one of those things that is easy to do, and easy not to do.

We get many of these choices each day.

I decided to choose to do.

Over the next few days, you will all be presented with a raft of choices. For most of you, you'll have four days off. Some have 10. Some will continue to work through the weekend. I have one piece of advice for you to carry through the next week or two. This is the advice that I'll be doing my best to follow over the next few days.

What do you need most right now?
If its chocolate, treat yourself.

If it's family time, make it happen.

if it's time outdoors, grab the dog, put your shoes on, and head outside.

If it's to get stuck into the work that's been piling up, pull up your sleeves and get to work.

Whatever that thing is that will help you feel, act or be better, do it.

Public holidays and these weekends can be a time which will go by in a flash. Whether you need rest or to chip in and do the work. Don't let it go to waste. I certainly won't

Have a wonderful Easter! Whether you're spending time with your friends, families, or yourself. Stay safe, drive slightly slower than usual, and look after your mates.

Lachie

Authenticity

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

It is human nature to seek out that which is authentic, it?s the same reason we try clothes on before we buy, look at the ethical implications for supporting a certain brand or go on a first and second date before we commit our lives to someone. We do this, because we want to know what we are getting ourselves into, we want to be aware of what?s behind the curtain to protect ourselves from disappointment or pain.

Being authentic in the simplest sense for me means that you are being the purest version of yourself. You?re living your life the way you truly desire. You are true to yourself.

Inauthenticity is anything but. It is living your life on someone else?s value or belief system, or by the demands society places on us to ?fit in? or to ?be normal?. Basically all of the things that we are told to do at school. Youtuber Casey Neistat said it best ? Keep your head down. Follow the rules. Do as you're told. Play it safe. Wait your turn. Ask permission. Learn to compromise. This is terrible advice?

We naturally push back against this advice, at least we do for a while.

When I was younger, I always wondered why ?adults? would get a ?normal job? why they would go and work for the man, spend 50 hours of their week at a desk, going through the motions, slowly sapping themselves of energy until they lose the will to live. This youtube video ?happiness? sums it up pretty well.

It?s funny, 10 years or so later, I completely understand why we naturally go that way. Being your authentic self, running your own race, and standing up for what you believe in is hard. Incredibly hard. The universe is designed for you to succeed and chase your wildest dreams, yet seemingly, society is not. We chastise others for doing well, we talk down about people who are ?different? and we throw pot shots at those around us having a crack.

We support celebrities in their new ventures, we buy in bulk, we decide on chains and franchises before we support our friends having a go. Sure we may save a little bit of money off the top, but the real cost is something much more devastating.

The result is an individual giving up on their dream, a local business closing their doors, young professionals, believing those who said they can't, optimistic go getters throwing in the towel and joining the rat race like the video above because their resilience was unable to cope with the constant barrage of frustration and negativity.

I?ve felt it, I?ve come close and I?ve thought that maybe it would be easier to work for someone else, to play it safe, and to turn left and take the road well travelled. The simple way out, one in which I don?t do what I love with incredible people.

I don?t say this for sympathy, or for a ?you?re doing a great job? inherently I know this. Through the hard times I know that things will get better. I?m saying this because we all have the opportunity to make daily decisions to support those who are having a crack. Better yet, we have the opportunity to do it ourselves. To put our faith in the universe instead of our society.

Authenticity, is the absence of a hidden agenda. Something I find near impossible to have (it is hard enough having an open agenda) All i?ve ever tried to do is to be authentic. To do the very best with what I have in any given circumstance. To do all I can to do what I love with who I love and to grow that which supports these endeavours.

Sometimes this can rub people the wrong way. Sometimes I probably talk about Virtus too much. But for good reason.

If you ever feel that my brand hustle for Virtus is too much. Take a second to look behind the curtain and think about why it's happening in the first place.

A bunch of people quite literally rely on this place to put food on their table and pays their bills.
I want Virtus to be around for the long haul, to do so it must grow and become anti-fragile.
Mostly, I don?t know what I?m doing. Each day I gain a little more insight into what works and what doesn?t.
We are doing our best, to make the world around us a better place through movement and developmental coaching.
To become the very best coaching experience on the planet, we must dive into the development of the individuals who occupy our space.

If you?re still reading, thanks for taking the time out of your day to dive into these words. I appreciate you more than you know. I hope that this gave you a little insight and helps you chase the shit you love to do and support those who are doing the same.

Be wonderful & Be Authentic.

Wallace.

You are far less fragile than you think

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Our job as a human being is to adapt and evolve our current capabilities and capacities. Of all the things I believe to be true this is the most set in stone. If you disagree, prove me wrong, please.

If this is the case, then everything we do (or don?t do) should be geared towards transcending our current self, to do so, we must be antifragile. In mind, body and spirit.

To understand antifragility, we must understand the differences between Fragile, Resilient and Antifragile.

If an object or individual is Fragile , it is easily broken or damaged. It is vulnerable to a change in the environment

For example: If you were to knock a glass off a table by accident, a fragile glass would shatter when it hits the ground, ceasing to exist in its current state.

Resilience is the ability to recover or withstand difficult conditions or a change in environment without breaking. We can use the synonyms of strong, robust and tough when we are discussing resilience.

For example: If you were to knock that same glass off a table by accident, a resilient glass would not break, it would bounce, and land on the ground in the same condition it was prior to being knocked off the table.

A resilient object or individual can return to its baseline when stressed, an antifragile one improves on that baseline.

An antifragile organism is able to thrive and evolve when exposed to randomness, volatility, disorder, love, adventure, risk and uncertainty. This is the exact opposite of fragility.

The human organism is antifragile.

You are antifragile.

The problem I see, is that we don?t treat ourselves as such.

We shy away from disorder, and chaos. Yet as an antifragile organism, we have the ability to grow from these experiences. To make the most of this, we need to shift our mindset. We must understand that in the right dose, discomfort is the best possible thing for us.

Stress - adaptation - response (repeat) We understand this in a gym/performance training sense. But what we forget is that it is true for all areas of our life. Our career, relationships, problem solving and decision making abilities all thrive off the right amount of stress.

The only two certainties in this world are change and uncertainty. The only remedy is an awareness and introspection in regards to our ability to be antifragile.

? The biggest problem we run into is going ?This is who I am, this is what I?m like, this is how I function? while failing to notice that you don?t do that anymore? // Neil Gaiman

Embrace the suck, work through the chaos, you?ll come out the other side a higher functioning, more capable version of yourself.

As always be amazing, and if you think I?m full of shit, tell me why :)

Lachie

Have you had 'One of those Weeks'?

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

It?s been one of those weeks. Everybody seems to be struggling with something. It may be the weather, the dark mornings, the full moon, the alignment of your chakras or, it could just be that all of us go through things that knock us around, and go through them often, sometimes multiple things at a time.

When we realise this, that we are not alone in our pain, we are able to take a breath and support those around us. I wrote a few words about this on our Virtus Family facebook group. If you?re not in the group or haven?t given it a read, do so. If you have, read it again or potentially pass it on to someone you think may need it.

Complaining, wallowing in self pity, blaming others, and becoming upset will not get you where you want to go. Supporting those around you, focusing on the good and on taking action will help you move in the right direction.

Purpose, fulfillment, commitment, meaning and achievement are all big words with their own connotations.

The path to these begins with showing up. For mine, showing up is better together. If you want to go far, we need to lean on each other.

Wallace

In Pursuit

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

I think often about fulfilment. Mine mostly, but I look at others and wonder about theirs.

I've spoken about purpose, values, development and challenge. All of these things lead us toward fulfilment.

Being unfulfilled is one of the great tragedies of life. In this modern world, with all of the expectations, we at times have the weight of the universe on our shoulders,

This expectation can impede our ability to seek out fulfilment.

Am I fulfilled? Am I taking enough risks? Or am I playing small because it's comfortable? Am I utilising my time, working on high priority actions? Or am I filling my days with low priority distractions? Who am I? Why are we here? Who am I becoming?

The answers to these questions, like life, are fluid. I can feel the ebb and flow between the 'Yes I'm living my best life' and the 'No, I need to sort my shit out and get my life together, think bigger and have more of a crack'

There is no right answer, just a 'close enough for now' completely dependent on a million variables. Day, Time, Weather, Mood, Recent coffee consumption etc. It is dependent on both the long and short term mindset.

Do I know where I'm headed? What I'm doing? and What I need to do daily to get there? Am I enjoying every day and doing the things I want to do?

If I can at least work on getting close to a yes to these questions, that fulfilment isn't far off.

Living a fulfilling life does not come cheap or easy. It comes with responsibility. We must show up (daily), we must conquer our resistance, we must take action, we must be in pursuit of something more.

A rich, curious, difficult pursuit.

What are you In Pursuit of? I'd love to hear about it.

Lachie

Below: An idiot feeling fulfilled. Facing the sun, surrounded by incredible people.

True North

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

We do not have an information problem.

It's 2019, and we are deep in the information age. A good book, blog post, video or even a university course are all at our fingertips. Accessible at the touch or swipe of a couple of buttons.

We are chock full of technical information.

What we have is an adaptation problem.

We don't know what we want OR We are unable to take action on the things we want.

Why is it that so many people struggle with not achieving what they set out to?
Or why do so many of us unable to find that 'thing' to set out towards?

We all need to have the thing that sets our soul on fire. Our True North.

The knowledge that some people hate going to work, frustrated by the way they spend their day, living for the weekend tears me up inside.

Yes, we all suffer.
We all go through hard times, experience doubt and anxiety, and frustrations accompany us throughout our lives. We need to work hard, put our blood, sweat and tears into our thing.

But.

All of that bad shit should be buoyed by an underlying purpose. The thing that gets you out of bed in the morning.

I'm setting out to do something about it.

My True North, is to help others Discover, Cultivate and Evolve theirs.

Nothing energises me more than seeing others find their purpose.

I have a question for you.

Who do you want to be?

True North is a mentoring program designed to help you answer that question.

This isn?t about reaching the finish line, it doesn?t exist. This is about the person you become along the way.

When you discover, cultivate and evolve your True North, you are deeply present and energised towards all aspects of your life.

Discover | Why do you get out of bed in the morning? What is your mission? If you don?t know the answer to this question, I want to help you seek it out. We all seek fulfilment, and that comes when we discover our true purpose, our gift, that thing that sets our soul on fire and inspires us to take on the world.

Cultivate | If your life's purpose has been uncovered, it must be developed. Development occurs through cultivating intent, purpose and ?deliberate practice?. You can?t share your gift with the world from the comfort of your living room.

Evolve | Our responsibility as humans is to evolve. To transcend and include our current capacities and capabilities. We all want more. In some way, we are all dissatisfied. We owe it to our future self and all of those we serve to continue our evolution.

If you need the tools and accountability to get from where you are now to where you want to be.

If you are looking to level up, to grow your capacity personally or professionally.

You are in the right place.

If you want to Discover | Cultivate | Evolve your true north, hit the button to book in a call.

Maslow's Hierarchy of needs outlines what we truly need as human beings.

First we must have our basic physiological needs met.
Air, water, food, shelter, clothing etc.

Secondly we must be safe.
Personal security, employment, resources, a roof over our head.

Thirdly we must feel love and belonging.
Friendship, intimacy, family and a sense of connection

Then we must have a level of esteem.
Respect, self love, recognition, freedom.

At the top, we have Self-Actualisation. Your True North.
Desire to become the absolute most that one can be.

We all have that in us. It's not as out of reach as it may seem.

Even a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

To your journey.

Lachie

Energy & Values

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

One of the first exercises we complete with a new Virtus Family member during their 3 session induction is what we call the ' Holistic Wellness Scale ' 10 Areas of their health and wellbeing that they can rate on a scale from 1-10. It's subjective, but it's a start. These areas are: Movement, Food & Nutrition, Hydration, Sleep Quality, Sleep Quantity, Relaxation, Stress, Relationships, Time Management and Energy Levels

The last dot point on this scale is Energy Levels.

It's at the bottom for a reason, because poor energy levels are usually a by-product of the other 9 areas.

But I realised something during the week, I was wrong. (That's not new, I am often wrong) well, at least I was half wrong.
I was looking at one side of the energy coin.

We get our energy from inputs such as our nutrition and hydration. But for those of you lucky enough to be filled with boundless energy, you'll probably be able to agree that most of your energy comes from doing things that you truly love to do. It stems from living your highest values. Not from doing things that you 'should do' but really don't want to.

Think back to the last time you had boundless energy. Were you doing or had you just finished with an activity that truly sets your soul on fire? I'm guessing your answer is yes. We get our energy from acting out our highest values. Its when we feel truly alive.

We should all know our values. The things that make us want to jump out of bed in the morning. The things that make up our True North . Our Purpose. Our Dharma. Our fuel.

My highest values are as follows
Connection.
Teaching.
Learning.
Business/Virtus.
Writing.

Let's dive into an example.

I have been really struggling to find my training groove lately.
I have realised this week that it because it does not currently match up with any of my highest values.
Therefore I feel as though I should be doing it and it saps me of energy, rather than the alternative.
My challenge is to link it up with one of these values.
The easy answer - Connection. If I can find training buddies / The VGT crew / Footy Teammates, then I'll be much more likely to get excited about it and make it happen.

Alternatively, each time this week I've been bursting with energy, I've been incredibly mindful as to why. What have I been doing, what have I been talking about or working on.
The shortlist is as follows: Talking about purpose and growth, teaching students, On Coaching calls, getting home early enough to have some KP time, recording podcasts, talking shit over coffee or gin, talking about coffee or gin, reading, writing or working on the business.

All of these things are giving me purpose, they match up to my values and help me fuel my day. Sure we need to eat, drink, sleep and hydrate. But when we can create energy from within and live our True North in the meantime.

Life doesn't get much better.

Here's the deal, I'm running a seminar on Values at the end of March ( Monday 25th ) If you'd like to take part and identify your energy creating values and actions. If you're interested, shoot me an email and I'll give you the details.

p.s If you tell yourself you're tired, and you repeat it over and over, you'll be tired. Those self-fulfilling prophecy vibes (i wrote a thing. How you think will reflect on how you feel.

To your energy

Wallace

Below: Why do Coffee and Gin. give me energy (apart from the obvious)
Because it aligns with my highest value: Connection.

Life By Design

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

There are an incredible amount of uncontrollable aspects of our lives. Where we are born, the level of prosperity or poverty we are born into, the current economic climate, other people?s perceptions and actions, the weather, acts of god and pretty much everything that happens to us.

What we can control however, are our behaviours, attitudes and responses to all of the above. If you get cut off in traffic today, you can decide to react and respond with an outburst or frustration, or you can take a breath and realise that the other person is probably having a rough day, and needs to be cut some slack.

Here is where I contradict myself: We are completely in control of our lives. As long as we choose to focus on the things we can influence. Life will happen, but how we respond to that will determine our outcomes. In the Determinism vs Free Will debate I definitely lean towards the former but that?s a conversation for another day.

I had a couple of epiphanies this week one while talking to a couple of our young coaches on a podcast (Shoutout to Jas and Tessa) and one while driving back from Healesville.

They were both during discussions about the lives we choose to live, how we can create opportunities, and decide exactly how we spend our day. I?m not naive enough to think that we can blow off all responsibilities and live completely carefree, but I definitely think that we can get much close to this than we are led to believe.

I call this Life By Design

Let me use my life as an example. I?ve always been pretty ambitious and excited to achieve and succeed. But i never really saw myself working 9-5 or being under the thumb of someone who cared more about profit and the bottom line than they did about making the world a better place. In 2013 I was at a loss as to what I was going to do for the rest of my life.

Throughout 2014, I explored, I asked questions, I tried things, I failed and I learnt a lot about myself and about the world. The most important lesson that I wasn?t able to articulate at the time, was that you can create the life you want to live. Simple as that. As the great Tom Hafey used to say ?If it is to be, it is up to me?. The important realisation that must come quickly after this, is that it can take a long time, a lot of hard work, blood, sweat and tears to be able to live the life you want to live. Unfortunately, you can?t just quit your job, sit on the couch and expect things to happen. You need to get your hands dirty, and for a long period of time.

I?m telling you this because earlier this week, I had a couple of conversations which highlighted how much of my life is by design. I?m by no means at the finish line, I struggle and fail and suffer like everyone else, but the majority of my working week I am fortunate enough to be able to create the life I want to live.

For example this week I have: Recorded 4 podcasts with incredible people. I ran 20 humans through a Goal Setting and Behaviour change workshop. I have Coached Groups and Individuals at Virtus. Attended the start of our first Drops of Juniper Gin Distillation (Batch #001). I have spent time writing. Reading and watching content which allows me to hold more space and grow my capacities. I have connected and collaborated with incredible people. I have spent a little bit of time kicking the footy and I even snuck in a nap a few days ago. There?s plenty I want to change, but I understand that this is a process and good shit takes time. I need more sleep. I need to look after my health, and I want to spend more time with KP. But at the end of the day, those things are within my control.

The way I look at it, is that I am lucky enough to get to do this each week. But it didn?t happen by accident, It?s not without struggle, and hardship (some days I feel more lost than ever) but when we realise how little we need to be happy, and how grateful we should be for what we have, life isn?t half bad.

I love asking people the following question. Because it opens up a whole plethora of opportunities for the future. Opportunities that are waiting if you commit, be patient and do the work.

Here are 5 things I?m incredibly excited for.

Batch #001 of Drops of Juniper GIN . Is on it?s way. You can Pre-Order HERE. I?m excited for this because it?s been a process, a long time coming, a lot of work has gone into this but most of all I?m excited because it?s Six local guys doing their best to do chase their dreams and do good things.
Our business Virtus Performance is growing and impacting peoples lives for the better both within our team and amongst our incredible community.
I?m a few weeks away from launching a new mentorship and education program called True Nort h . This is centred around helping people Discover | Cultivate | Evolve their purpose and meaning. Their why. Their true north.
Next week we welcome a new coach to the fold at Virtus HQ. Jasmine Birch who has been one of the most committed, dedicated and hardworking young human?s I?ve had the pleasure of meeting and teaching.
To spend the rest of my life with my wonderful Fiance.

What are you excited for?

If you don?t have anything, buy some Gin :)

Be amazing. Live a life by design.

Wallace.

True North & Transferable Skills

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Today's topic is something I probably don't give myself enough credit for. In an attempt to avoid the arrogant/self-absorbed tag it is something I don't talk about much. To be honest, I baulked at answering questions about it for a long time.

In reality, its a part of my life I'm incredibly proud of and appreciative for. Upon reflection, it played a bigger part in my development than I realised. It is in a large part responsible for who I am and what I have today.

I was fortunate enough to play a high level of football for 6 years. I played 60 odd games of VFL at Collingwood Football Club. The club I grew up obsessing over, barracking for, and dreaming of playing for. During that time I also represented Victoria 3 x and won 4 Premierships with Frankston YCW.

I learnt a lot over this time. About my self, about others, about winning and losing, about failure and achievement. I had incredible coaches, the worlds best teammates, a bunch of lessons and memories which will last a lifetime.

Here's the thing. I learnt more than I realised over those 6 years. (Not to mention the 12 years of football I played before starting at the pies). I was fortunate that a sport I loved taught me many transferrable skills I am now able to apply at work with my team. Self-direction and learning in business, and coaching. And with my friendships, relationships, goals, failures and achievements.

When we take up a skill or start something new. Very rarely do we think about the universal uses of the lessons we learn. When we learn the piano we don't think that maybe it will help us write a book in 20 years.

When we spend a few months labouring after school finishes we don't realise how it can shape our work ethic for the rest of our life.

Everything we do can teach us not only how to transfer the skill to other areas of life, but how it can improve who we are, and our capacity as a human being. *Deliberate practice is the most important part of this improvement, but I'll get into that in another blog.

One of my coaches at Collingwood, Dale Tapping, said something to me in my second season that has stuck with me ever since.

"Hard work has a funny way of paying you back"

Now, this is pretty simple information. But in its simplicity, and the delivery, I realised the universal application of this piece of advice. The more work you put in, the more you'll get in return. It may not be today, it may not be next week, but one day you'll be rewarded.

I never made AFL. I was never good enough. I never won a VFL Premiership, but what I gained was more beneficial for my life. I gained an understanding of the importance of skills such as Discipline, commitment, leadership, communication, process orientation and deliberate practice. Just to name a few.

The funny thing is, all of these are teachable skills. So if I need to improve or teach someone else, the capacity to do so is there. Leaders aren?t born, they are made, and we all have the opportunity to be a leader.

These all serve me daily in my current roles, that 6 year period has become the foundation for what I'm trying to do in this gym, in our community, and in the world.

Funnily enough, that hard work is paying me back, just in different ways to how I first anticipated.

When Virtus first opened. I wanted to make the world a better place through health and fitness. Through teaching and empowering our clients and athletes how to be better versions of themselves.

I'm starting to realise that Performance Training, S&C and coaching is just a vehicle for this. It's an excuse to have a bigger conversation around transcendence and evolution. It's an opportunity to talk about how we can find our purpose and meaning.

My phrase for Purpose, Meaning and Growth is True North.

True North has three pillars.

Discover | Cultivate | Evolve

My goalposts are shifting. As a Coach, I love to help people get from where they are now, to where they want to be. In a health and fitness setting, where I've spent most of my working life. I've seen some incredible physiological and psychological transformations over the past eight years.

What I'm starting to realise, is that the conversation needs to shift past squats, deadlifts, HIIT and Keto. And move towards how we can develop our edges to be more capable versions of ourselves, outside the four walls of a gym or workplace.

My True North, is helping others discover, cultivate and evolve theirs. In conjunction with the incredible work that is happening at Torca Terrace, I'll be launching True North over the next few weeks.

A personal and professional evolution program to help you become the person you are destined to be.

I won't be giving too much more away now.

?But this will be one of the hardest things I've done, and I'm incredibly excited for the challenges and growth that lay ahead.

How crazy and exciting and scary is life.

Be amazing.

Watch this space

Wallace

(Below: A bloody Wallace after probably (not) courageously going back with the flight to stop a certain goal or take a hanger, circa 2013)

Let my Hindsight be your Foresight

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

I want you to do something before you dive into the following pile of words.

Stop for a minute, and think about the last 5 years. The big events. The wins. The losses. The in between.

?. I believe that we will always underestimate how far we have come and how many wins we have had. We focus on the losses and the failures instead. This is a great tool for reflection. Only if you learn from the mistakes you?ve made, and do your utmost to ensure you don?t repeat them over and over.

When we look back at the past, our mistakes are highlighted, and underlined with a big red asterisk on them. We tend to remember the times we f**ked over the times we succeeded (or at least i do)

My usual responses tend to be along the lines of: ?that never should have happened? ?what was i thinking?? ?I can?t believe I did/didn?t do that?

What I know, but need to be reminded of; Is that it did happen. I probably wasn?t thinking and even I should believe that I?m stupid enough do silly things.

Fortunately, each mistake is an opportunity to learn. Each one gives us an increased capacity to grow, and I assume, opens the door to allow us to make bigger mistakes along the way.

When we understand that mistakes = learning. We can shift the negative self talk across to a more positive outlook on the bigger problems of our lives.

We are all human, we all make mistakes. Everyone you have ever met, especially those who we deem as successful, have made more mistakes than they could count.

I?ve spent the last few weeks beating myself up for a few things I didn?t do when we opened the business, things that are coming back to bite me now. I have no control over it now, but it doesn?t make it any easier to face or deal with.

These are things I could have potentially avoided, If I?d asked for more help in a few areas.

This is a hard thing to realise back then of course. Hindsight as we know is 20:20. But If i?d asked the right person for help, I could have been saved time and the money and the frustrations.

We don?t know what we don?t know. However, I know I but there is a part of me rueing not asking more questions.

Why make the same mistakes others have made all over again? Wouldn?t it be preferable to learn from them how to potentially avoid it?

Of course it bloody would.

Let?s push past the business example, and have a look at different areas of your life where you could ask for help, learn from someone who has been there before, and save yourself potentially years of trial and error.

Seek out the people doing good things. Those achieving the feats you look at in awe. Ask them for help. If there is someone in the position you want, they will have insight that will help you get to where you want to be.

By all means make your own mistakes. But when possible, let others hindsight be your foresight.

Maybe I?ve been through something you?re going through. Or can point you in the direction of someone who has. If I could change anything, I?d still make the same mistakes, only faster.

We are all just doing our best, and (almost) everyone will help if you ask.

Be kind to yourself.

Lean on others. You?re not in this alone.

Wallace

Positive pressure

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

A couple of years ago I was introduced to the concept of positive pressure.

Simply put, you make a commitment to something, put a timeframe on it and you?re set. This commitment might be something simple like booking a holiday, paying a coach or buying a book or it could be something bigger like quitting your job to start your dream business, buying a house, or setting a date for a wedding you haven?t started planning.

For example. In September 2017 I booked a 7 week trip to South America. My main motivation for doing so was that I had found myself unable to delegate effectively in my business. This trip caused a wave of positive pressure which forced me to empower my staff and put them in positions where they could grow, learn and evolve. Fast forward 18 months and although there have been ups and downs and positives and negatives from this experience. I can look back now and identify that this was one of my biggest growth periods, both individually and for Virtus.

Once your task is set, there are now three potential outcomes.

#1 You do what you said you would do, embrace the process, become the person you need to be to succeed, and enjoy the fruits of your effort. Able to look back proud of what you?ve achieved.

#2 You have a crack, you fall short, but you learn plenty about yourself and you live to fight another day

#3 You fail. But you fail because you didn?t even try. Either the ?thing? that you set wasn?t as important to you as you thought, or you played small, stayed frozen in your comfort zone,

I believe that you should always be employing positive pressure, identifying a stretch goal, and going for it.

For the last 143 days, I?ve been keeping a daily journal, this in itself was a stretch goal (which I?m proud to say I now couldn?t live without) My intention was two fold. 1. Improve my writing 2. Hold space for my thoughts, ideas, struggles and wins. For me, this was and will continue to be, positive pressure.

One day I want to write a book. One that empowers others to set and chase their wildest dreams and desires. One that enables you to find that thing that sets your soul on fire and chase it with everything you have. I am not currently capable to do this, or do it justice. But I will be?

Writing consistently is going to be a big part of that. Which is where my newest positive pressure project has come from.

The journal is great, but (mostly) i?m the only one who reads it. I needed a medium where I could put ideas out there, to be criticised, to be shot down, be improved, to a point where others could read, and apply the lessons and thoughts that I?m diving into. Sometimes I feel that it?s not even me who is writing, but a subconscious, higher thinking version of me.

The Virtus Daily blog will be just that, a daily blog. 365 posts a year, all centred around evolution. The best part, it won?t just be me, our whole team will be contributing their thoughts, ideas and expertise to grow their capacities, and to help you grow yours.

You can read blog #1 - Welcome. By clicking on this link, or you can find the blog on our new website at

VirtusPerformance.com

For me, its creating consistent, valuable content which I know can help spread and strengthen our message and help everyone who reads it in one way or another.

It?s not about the blogs. It?s not even about creating content or whatever . It?s about the person I will become by placing my trust and focus in the process, in the journey and I truly believe that positive pressure is the best way to do this.

What are of your life can you employ positive pressure to?

The time to start is now.

Be wonderful

Wallace.

The beauty of the In Between.

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

I've always been a fast walker.
Doing my best to get from point A (where I am) to point B (where I need/want to be) as quickly and efficiently as possible.
I don?t take enough notice of the in between, to be honest for a few years there, I probably didn't even know there was an in between if I did, I paid it minimal attention.

I think I'm figuring out how to notice it often, I'll get to that.

If I want something, I'll do my very best to make it happen as quickly as possible. This has been a fantastic attribute when it comes to improving a chosen discipline, adapting to change, or starting a business.

However, when it comes to my peace of mind, health and sanity, fantastic probably wouldn't be the word I'd use.

For a few years, I practically lived by the saying "An imperfect plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan, executed next week"

This was great, it got shit done, but it created a lot of internal conflict I'm still unpacking.

The thing is, you need balance. At times you need to be a bull at a gate, others, not so much, patience is what you need.
I guess my point here is you need to be able to have the tact to stop at any time of your life and be able to discern between the need to go fast or to slow down.

My need for patience and stillness has become more and more important for me over the last few years. As my responsibilities grow (staff, clients, fiance, friendships, family) my decisions affect significantly more than just me.

All of those adult responsibilities that they try to tell us about but we don't listen until they all hit at once.

"If it is right, it happens. The main thing is not to hurry. Nothing good gets away." // John Steinbeck

I find it easy to go fast, I'm working on learning to slow down. I think I'm making progress.

Walking (slowly), writing, training, discussions and meditation all help. But one tool, in particular, does it better than the rest.

My secret weapon for slowing my brain down, for making better decisions and improving awareness of myself and a given situation...

One breath.

One intentional, quality inhale and long exhale is all it takes to completely change your physiology (and mindset)

Good shit takes time. Don't rush. It took me 10 years to get engaged and there'll be potentially (doubtful) 10 years until the wedding.

My point.

Spend time in the in-between, embrace it, enjoy it. That's where most of this beautiful thing we call life happens .

Be amazing.

Wallace

27 things I believe

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Yesterday I turned 27. In light of this auspicious occasion I wrote a list.

Over my 27 years of existence I have realised that the way you view the world directly influences how you experience it.

Below are 27 things I currently* believe.

(*subject to change)

Being engaged to my dream girl is pretty darn amazing.
We need to be kinder to each other. We all suffer, and it helps to know that. Everyone is going through something you know nothing about.
Gratitude and challenge is the key to happiness.
Your time is the most valuable asset you own.
We underestimate the value of silence.
Vulnerability > Ego.
Journalling will improve your quality of life.
A relentless pursuit of wisdom can postpone the possession of it.
Everything costs about twice as much and takes about twice as long as you?d expect.
There is nothing fixed about who you are. If you want more, or want to be better, it is up to you to make a change.
Nobody realises than some people expend a tremendous amount of energy just to be ?normal?
The way you experience me, is different from the way I experience me.
If you don?t have a plan for it, it probably won?t happen.
You don?t find books, books find you. If someone suggests a read, listen to it.
Talent doesn?t exist, just hard work.
If you?re stuck in your head, write. You can never write faster than you can think.
Risk takers never complain, they do.
Books are the best mentors money can buy. Just make sure you listen
A habit can make or break you.
We should work harder on ourselves than on anything else.
Don?t promise yourself a life that you?re not willing to pay the price for
The lessons of the past can solve the problems of the future
There is no path, the path is made by walking.
Everybody wants to help where they can, all you have to do is ask.
There is real wisdom in not saying a thing
The world does not hand meaning to you on a silver platter. You have to make it meaningful.
If nothing else, I?m a work in progress, and I?m ok with that.

Funnily enough, I wrote a similar list this time last year: 26 things I know to be true. It?s nice to see how I?ve changed over 12 months.

That?s me. 27 years old and only slightly more enlightened than I was at 26. Who knows what else I?ll realise I don?t know when I turn 28.

Be amazing.

Wallace

Shoshin - The Beginners Mind

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

I have a little black book I carry around with me at all times.

This 256-page leather bound A5 lined notebook holds all of my thoughts, lessons, musings, ideas and favourite quotes amongst its pages. Safe to say it is probably my most prized possession. I hope to be carrying one of these around with me for the rest of my life. It'll be ace to see a wall of these journals documenting my life in 20 years.

Each time I start a new one of these journals. I nominate a theme/intention for the following 256 pages. This can be something simple like an expectation. It can be a long term desire. Or it can be a habit I'd like to cultivate in the next few months.

When I started this one, it was nearing the end of 2018, I had spent some time reflecting on the year that was, whilst firmly looking towards 2019. You guys have read about my last 12-18 months thanks to my journal and these weekly emails.
(So you don't need a recap)

My intention that I chose for the next few months (and beyond) was Shoshin.

Shoshin ( ?? ) is a word from Zen Buddhism meaning " beginner's mind. "
It refers to having an attitude of openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions when studying a subject, even when studying at an advanced level, just as a beginner would.

I was introduced to Shoshin from The Sisu Way - An epic Podcast about Grit, Character, Gratitude and Service (You should check it out)

The more I read, listen and learn, the more I realise how much it is I don't know. If I decide to go into new situations and challenges thinking I know everything (an experts mind) then there is one of two outcomes.
1. I look stupid (Not a hard feat for me)
2. I bullshit my way through, learn nothing and remain the same.

Not anymore (as much as I can help it).
I want to face the challenges that are to come with Shoshin front of mind. Whether it be at work growing our team and our culture, coaching superstar humans to be better, playing football or fostering and cultivating my current and new relationships or simply just reading a new article.

I've spent the majority of this week learning how to snowboard. I am very much a beginner.
Over the years I've probably spent less than two weeks strapped into a board. Early into my career, I was going down a run and my capabilities were no match for my ego. Long story short, I lost control and hurt my knee. I blasted way past my edges and ended up injured. It took me a couple of years to get back on the board after that. Fortunately, I spent a week in Japan last Feb, had a few trips to Hotham last year and am now coming to the end of my second trip to Myoko, Japan.

I'm telling you this because I have been doing my best to approach each day, each run with humility. I'm still learning, and that's ok. I'm getting better, I am improving each day. I truly believe that it is mostly because rather than blasting past my edges, I'm doing everything I can to find the edge and spend time dancing on it. Ensuring that I can continue to improve each time I strap myself in.
I'm asking questions, paying close attention to how the board is feeling and moving. Spending more time in lower gears until I can feel improvement with the harder stuff. This allows me to push it and chase the steeper harder runs through the trees without completely fucking it up.

I don't need to pretend to know things I don't or do things I can't, I don't want to remain ignorantly putting my head in the sand when something comes up that I know nothing about. I want to be able to say 'I don't know' 'I was wrong' and 'Can you please teach me'.

So that's what I'll do. Shoshin. The beginner's mind. Where there are many possibilities.

Which parts of your life do you need to employ Shoshin?

Be a beginner.

Have an open mind.

Wallace

This one is for you

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

To the dreamers, the mavericks, the visionaries. To those of you who believe that your life is completely in your own hands. To all of you who believe that you can change the world, This is for you.

To the business owners striving and struggling day in and day out to make a difference. (and to make ends meet)

To the courageous souls, the peaceful warriors, fighting their battles with their heartache, struggles, frustrations and doubt front of mind, because you can see a better future for us all.

To those entrenched in selfless careers. The nurses, paramedics, teachers, OTs, coaches, emergency personnel.

To anyone struggling to carve out their own place in this world. For those trying to make a dent in the universe. To create something that?s never been done before.

It may not seem like it most days. But you are making a difference. You're doing your bit to make the world a better place. Even when it makes your world a harder place to be. You?re responsible for sharing your gift to the world, never take that responsibility lightly. Remember that whatever you get will pay you back ten fold, just be patient, and ride the lows and highs with the same passion and determination that you had when you took that first leap of faith.

The journey we have chosen (or that's chosen us) it's a lonely place. I can?t count the amount of times I?ve felt alone and incapable of climbing the mountain. But the one thing I do my best to never forget is that the pain, the struggle, the lonely nights, will help to build resilience and strengthen our armour. It?s not about having nothing to overcome. It?s overcoming and overcoming and overcoming until there is no mountain you can?t climb or barrier you can?t break through.

Just like Frodo, Harry, Neo, Marvin & Dory, Dorothy, Tyler Durden, Bill and Ted and Simba. You are all heroes in your own right, on your own Hero?s journeys. You don?t need to deal with Dementors or the fires of Mount Doom or be swimming to 42 Wallaby Way Sydney, to go through trials and tribulations. You can be raising smaller versions of yourself, chasing new experiences, running a business or trying to build a community (or whatever else sets your soul on fire).

Whatever that calling is, the universe is right here by your side, as am I, willing you to succeed. I?m here to support you in whichever ways I can.

?What makes you a hero is not your triumphs over adversity, but your ability to transform the minds and hearts of others as a result? // Marcia Reynolds

Max Erhmann?s Desiderata remains one of the most influential pieces of writing i have read, this excerpt fits perfectly for me. ?And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labours and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy?

If you?re yet to find your calling, if you?re not living the life you want to live, spend some time with your eyes closed, picturing what a life worth lived looks like, imagine what you will experience, who you will meet, the connections you can make, and the smiles and laughs you can have. Never, ever underestimate the difference you can make. In your life and others.

There is more pain in this world than you can poke a stick at. The trick is, shift your focus to what you can do about it. Not what you cant.

To quote P.T Barnum from ?The Greatest Showman?: ?Men suffer more from imagining too little, than too much?

Imagine that world you want to live in, and head on out and build it? Be a visionary. Be the change. Be the example, and most importantly, be you. Unapologetically, unequivocally, indubitably you.

?Keep showing up. Keep doing the work. And never forget, you don't have to listen to anyone. Because in this new world, no one knows anything? // Casey Neistat

Be amazing.

Wallace

You're in charge of your life, act like it.

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

If you don't like the contents of this post, if you're a little offended, that's ok. That means it's probably written for you. My suggestion, read it a few times. Then follow the advice in the last line of the email.

At this time of the year, a few of us make promises to ourselves that we rarely keep. New Year New You, New Years Resolutions, I get it, as the year comes to a close it is the perfect time for reflection. That reflection is usually followed by a projection of what we want the next year to look like, we set our resolutions and stop there. Fast forward 6 months and we are in the same place doing the same shit as we were late December. I know because I have these conversations all too often with new humans at Virtus.

Fortunately, Virtus isn't the kind of gym where we get flooded with well-intentioned yet set up for failure New Years resolutioners. We attract the kind of people who commit, stick at it and get results, I'm proud of that. I know our induction process has a part to play in that, but that's for another email.

We don't fail due to a lack of desire. Desire comes first and foremost. You need to know what you want. We fall down because we don't give adequate time to stop and prepare for the trials and tribulations that lay ahead.

Change is hard, and if you don't go into it with a well thought out plan, you're bound to get lost along the way. We miss the forest for the trees, instead, we need to begin with the end in mind and understand that you'll fail a lot along the way. Whether on not you break through those failures is completely and totally your responsibility.

This much I know is true, you are completely responsible for your life . If you think that you have any less than ultimate control over your life you've already lost. It's up to you. Not your mum or brother or partner or boss, you. As soon as you put the locus of control in something external to you (ie Keto Diet or online program with no coach) it's all too easy to pass the blame when things don't go as planned. When it's on you, there's nobody to blame but yourself.

Sometimes you can't control what happens to you in life, we know this.
However, you can control how you feel about it and of course, what you do about it.

The victim mentality, the poor me, the life happens to be instead of because of me mindset, is all too common. Nobody wins if you're the victim. Nobody really cares if you complain and whinge and whine. Take responsibility for what you're achieving, or what your'e not.

If you really want to succeed here's a little list of boxes to tick.

1. Practice Daily Gratitude
2. Take Responsibility for your life
3. Create a plan
4. Set goals shaped by your desires
5. Enlist the support of your allies
6. Write lists, revel in ticking them off

As soon as your focus turns from negativity (poor me) to gratitude (appreciation for what you have) your whole world changes. Studies have shown that daily gratitude can increase happiness by 25% in 10 weeks. If you're happy, and you have something to work towards, you're winning, achieving, successful. All of those things. Right now, all of us have and are more than we need.

The Ray Dalio quote below is spot on

Enlist the support of your allies, but enlist wisely. We live in a society where the tall poppy syndrome is all too common. I can't count the number of times where I've heard complaining about successful businesses being 'too busy' or hearing off the cuff comments about how easy it must be. Shut the fuck up.

Dear Complainers, do something about it. Yours sincerely, Contributors.

If you choose the right allies, you can't fail. Because even when you do fail, they pick you up, teach you something and help you get moving again.

This topic gets me so fired up because I see and talk to so many different people who are stuck in a life they don't love.
It is your responsibility to create a life worth living. If you settle for less that's on you. Blame can't exist.

To quote from the great Jim Rohn ' Your life, my life, the life of all of us, will either serve as a warning or an example.
A warning of the consequences of neglect, self-pity, a lack of ambition or direction.'
OR
An example of talent put to use, of discipline self-imposed and of objectives clearly perceived and intensely pursued.

Take control of your life. Chase your dreams that are fuelled by your desires, enlist the support of your allies, they want to see you succeed (mostly) and remember that whatever happens or doesn't happen, it's your responsibility.

Onwards and upwards.

Wallace

Ps. The graph below designed by the great J Pulse. Enjoy

2018, A year in review

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Holy shit that one was insane. What a crazy, wonderful, intense year.

The last 12 months has been a whole heap of up and down and everything in between. Here?s a few of the numbers. With a little over a week left. These are all ?So far? numbers, but you get the gist.

101 Official Meditation Sessions
7 New countries visited (Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Japan)
79 Books Read or Listened to (Click here for the list)
93* Stream of Consciousness Journal Entries (*the streak continues)
58 Podcasts recorded
1 Poorly grown, overly fluffy beard
I?ve been interviewed on 2 podcasts
4 Interstate trips (Sydney x 2 , Tasmania, Byron)
12 Games of Football
176 beers (mostly courtesy of Jetty Road Brewery)
1 New business venture
1 New Website
50+ Journal Articles
Countless new friends, and a million worthwhile moments and experiences.

I?ve learnt a lot. I?ve fucked up more than I?d like to admit, but I wouldn?t change a thing? why? Because each mistake, each challenge, each failure and each victory have brought me to this point. Putting this together. Reflecting on a wonderful year.

Regardless of all of the above, I?m only human, I?m doing my best. Sometimes things work out and sometimes they don?t. Pain and suffering are important parts of life. Embrace them, they are always the biggest areas of growth.

Over the past 12 months I feel I?ve learnt how to slow down, the importance of reflection and how powerful a single breath can be. I?ve had so many conversations and consumed so much information that I continue to realise how little I know. I?ll never have the answers, and thats ok. I know that if I?m one step ahead of you in certain areas that I can add value to your life. Just like you can add value to mine. It is so important to look back to go forward. I?m proud of myself for the year I?ve had.

Here are my 6 big lessons from the last 12 months.

We should experience more
Self doubt can rock you, but it is also imperative for growth.
You should always walk slower.
Good Habits + Consistency = Progress (That progress never looks how you think it will)
Reading is a gift, it is something to be cherished.
When you look outwards at how you can help others, your world becomes better than ever.

Here is 3 questions I have been asking on The Virtus Podcast lately and I have been loving the answers. Give yourself some time to honestly answer them. If you feel like sharing. I?d love to hear your answers.

What are you proud of?
What are you most confident about?
What are you excited for?

Be good.

Wallace

What are you becoming?

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

That?s not a rhetorical question.

Your habits, actions, decisions and mindset will all impact where you end up and how much you enjoy the journey along the way.

Find yourself some time, grab a pen and paper and answer the question?

What are you becoming?

Is it something you are going to be proud of?

Or will you regret missed opportunities?

Your results. Good or bad. Are completely your responsibility. No exceptions.

I?d love to hear your answers / thought process.

Be amazing.
Wallace

Wallace's 2018 reading list.

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Late 2017 I identified that the #1 activity I wanted to dedicate myself to in 2018 was learning.

One of the ways I wanted to do this was to reconnect with reading. Below is the list of all of the books/audiobooks I have consumed in 2018.

I set the goal of 36.5 books. (One every 10 days) Turns out I was shooting a little low. In reality, I went silly and ran through that number in June.

Most of my notes from these books are in my journals, If you?d like to know some key take aways or recommendations, leave a comment below!

My top 12 are in bold

BOOKS READ/LISTENED TO IN 2018

5 people you meet in heaven - Mitch Albom
Tuesdays with Morrie - Mitch Albom
Proof of Heaven - Eben Alexander
Understanding Women - Alison Armstrong
Leadership and self deception - Arbinger Institute
Meditations - Marcus Aurelius
Conscious coaching - Brett Bartholomew
Don?t die with the music in you - Wayne Bennett
Losing my virginity - Richard Branson
Finding my virginity - Richard Branson
A short history of nearly everything - bill bryson
How to win friends and influence people - Dale Carnegie
The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
The 5 love languages - Gary Chapman
The Richest Man in Babylon - George S Clason
Principles - Ray Dalio
Enchiridion - Epictetus
Tribe of mentors - Tim Ferris?s
Tools of titans - Tim Ferris
Man's search for meaning - Victor Frankyl
Ikigai - Hector garcia
Outliers - Malcolm Gladwell
We are all weird - Seth Godin
Can't hurt me - David Goggins
The Halbert Copywriting method - Bond Halbert
Sapiens - Yuval Noah Harari
Homo deus - Yuval Noah Harari
Free Will - Sam Harris
The old man and the sea - Ernest Hemingway
Siddhartha - Herman Hesse
Think and grow rich - Napoleon Hill
God is not great - Christopher Hitchens
The hard thing about hard things - Ben Horowitz
Thrive - Ariana Huffington*
Tribe- Sebastian junger
Milk and Honey - Rupi Kapaur
The Personal MBA - Josh Kaufman
An Everyone culture - Robert Kegan, Lisa Lahey
The One thing - Gary Keller
Shoe Dog - Phil Knight
Carpe Diem Regained - Roman Krznaric
Beyond Religion - Dalai Lama
The biology of belief - Bruce Lipton
The code of the extraordinary mind - Viehrn Lakhiani
The subtle art of not giving a fuck - mark Manson
Own the day, own your life: Aubrey Marcus
Anatomy - Franks Martin
CEO strength coach - Ron Mckeefery
The way of the peaceful warrior - Dan Millman
1984 - George Orwell
Animal farm - George Orwell
Disruptive Leadership - Sharon Pearson
Oversubscribed - Daniel Priestley
Confessions of an economic hitman - John Perkins
Shapeshifting - John Perkins
12 rules for lif: An antidote to chaos - Jordan Peterson
How to change your mind - Michael Pollan
Peak - Robert Pool
Living an incredible life - Jim Rohn
Seasons of life - Jim Rohn
The 4 agreements - Don Miguel Ruiz
The Celestine prophecy - James Redfield
Finding Ultra - Rich Roll
Shantaram - Gregory David Roberts
The power of now - eckhart tolle
The monk who sold his Ferrari - Robin Sharma
Together is better - Simon Sinek
Start with why - Simon Sinek
Leaders eat last - Simon Sinek
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - Hunter S Thompson
Astrophysics for people in a hurry - Neil degrasse Tyson
The art of war - Sun Tzu
Tao Te Ching - Lao Tzu
Marching Powder - Rusty Young
Crushing it: Gary Vaynerchuk
Elon Musk - Ashlee Vance
A bone of fact - David Walsh
Extreme Ownership - Jocko Willink, Leif Babin
Discipline Equals Freedom - Jocko Willink, Leif Babin

There is still a couple of days left, I?m expecting to update this again.

Lachie

Embrace the grey

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

The world isn't black and white.

I've been told, on multiple occasions, by many people, that I'm an all or nothing kind of person.
I won't read one book, I'll want to read 100. I was introduced to GIN . And it became an obsession.
Safe to say I've killed a few songs in my time.

Feel Good Inc. Hooked On a Feeling. My Step... RIP. (that list is far from complete)

I like to live my life in black and white. I want to know the answer to everything. I want everything to be linear, for the outcome and the path to be clear. But, the universe doesn't work that way. I've had to learn to accept that, to enjoy it, to take solace and have fun with the chaos.

The truth of the matter is that I'm still learning, still reminding myself daily to embrace the grey (every single shade) and allow myself to spend more time in observation and contemplation than I spend sprinting towards that one thing i'm obsessing over.

I've begun to realise the importance of being able to hold two contradictory beliefs at the same time. This is called cognitive dissonance. However I don't feel as though a feeling of stress or discomfort needs to be partnered with both of these beliefs. What I'm trying to say is that none of us know what the fuck is going on (mostly) and if we are not asking ourselves 'how might I be wrong about this' then we are missing the point.

We all get that feeling on the back of our neck when we are told we are wrong, or realise that we have fucked up, when our beliefs are challenged. Thats normal. However, when they we feel like this, we need to take a breath, and look at things from the other side of the coin and assess objectively (to the edge of our current ability to perceive)

We get stuck on a side too often.
??
Left vs Right
Apple vs Android
Vegan vs Omnivore
Black vs White
Parma vs Parmy
Flat vs Round Earth*

*lol

We all have our preferences, our beliefs, we all love taking sides and belonging to a group. We all love having an identity.
Don't let that identity be so steadfast that nothing will change your mind.
Don't be neutral either. Have your opinions and beliefs, but have the humility to stop and look at other points of view, and put your ego on the hook long enough to be able to change your point of view if presented with necessary evidence.

The us vs them mentality is bullshit and it is creating a world that is so hung up on our differences that we forget that we are all in fact human, and that we all have our own story and that if you look hard enough you can find similarities with anyone. Hating each other because they use a different phone or originate from a different part of the world isn't the way to go. As far as I'm concerned, there is no one you can't learn to love once they've taken you to the depths of their story.

My points, enjoy the grey areas of life, look at things objectively, it's ok to change your mind and shift your direction, learn more about others and embrace the weird differences we all have.

If we can be at peace with two conflicting beliefs, we can be at peace with anyone and most of all be at peace with ourselves.

And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Be wonderful. Be in the grey.

Wallace

Time to plant a tree...and listen to Buble

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

It's December, which means unequivocally that it is the most wonderful time of the year... at least according to Michael Buble.

Unfortunately for us in the health and performance space, the new year's resolution crew are coming. I don't mean that in a negative way. I just believe that if you wait until next week /next month /next year or tomorrow to start something new or to take care of yourself, you're setting yourself up to fail.

That little 'I'll do it tomorrow' voice is in all of us. Those who succeed just don't seem to listen to it as often

I'm going to use an analogy that's perfect for health and fitness (or any goal you want to achieve)

When is the best time to plant a tree?

20 Years Ago .

When is the second best time to plant a tree?
Today

I believe that if you're not currently working towards achieving your goals and improving multiple areas of your life. Then December the 7th is the best possible time to start your journey.

Here is a 3 step process to employ if you're preparing yourself to make a change. To create a life worth living and do that thing you told yourself you'd do next year. If you wait forwhen it is convenient, you'll wait forever.

1. Get incredibly clear on what winning looks like. Don't go into it with a head full of steam and no plan. You need to know what you're aiming for.

2. Do your best. Day after day. Enjoy the vulnerability that comes with putting yourself out there, showing up, failing, and doing it over and over again. This is where the strength and resilience are made.

3. Celebrate each win along the way, recalibrate each time you fail or succeed. As you move the needle, the goalposts might move too.

The months of December and January are easy to let fly by, without any real intention or actions. There's approximately 8% of the year left. Make the most of it.

As always, Be Amazing

Wallace

Just Show Up

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

I was having a conversation during the week about what it takes to be successful. Words like passion, mission and persistence came up, amongst others.
But one consisted theme emerged, and has continued to emerge through all of the books, podcasts, conversations and content that I have consumed this year (its been a lot) The best part, this theme is something we can all do, every day.

Just show up.

Through all the failures , all of the heartbreak, all of the blood, sweat and tears, negative self talk, frustrations and of course all of the little wins along the way. All you need to do is be vulnerable enough to put the ego on the hook and...

Just show up.

Brene Brown said it pretty well.. "Vulnerability is about showing up and being seen. It's tough to do that when you're terrified about what people might see or think'

It's easy to put your dream off a few more days, it's even easier to hit the snooze button for the third time or shut up about that issue that you believe in. Its easy to not do the things you tell yourself that you're going to do. But we don't like easy. Easy isn't the thing that sets our soul on fire.

It takes a great deal of courage and sacrifice to show up, consistently, fortunately the reward at the end is well worth it.
Plus you'll have the discipline to choose the life you want to live and as Buckminster Fuller once said (probably) "the minute you choose to do what you really want to do, it's a different kind of life'

Be Wonderful, set your intention and Show Up.

Wallace

Where have I been showing up? As a coach, my training tends to be put after everybody else?s, 4 weeks ago I said enough is enough. Prior to work, every day, I've been showing up, getting it done and I feel better than I have in a long time!

You don't know what you want...

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Your goals should be shaped by your desires, and supported by your allies.

I live in the service industry. I'm lucky enough to facilitate achievement in others on some level every day.

Whether it be a group training or a 1 on 1 client, or one of our mentees in our mentorship programs, or one of our staff, or even someone who has asked for advice or direction over a coffee or a message.

I read a stat the other day that only 20% of people set goals, and of that 20, only 30% actually come close to achieving them... now I'm not great at maths but I think that leaves us with only about 6% of people getting what they want...

That's insane... what are the other 94% of us stuck in a place where we don't achieve what we set out to, or even worse, don't actually set out in the first place. The problem...

Most of us, don't actually know what we want.

I discuss goals and achievement with all of those people I listed above, and I talk with all new Virtus enquiries about what they want, and if we get that far, why they want it.

The one thing that continually sticks out is that same issue. Most of us, don't actually know what we want.
If we do know what we want, most of the time we are too busy getting in our own way to actually get it.

Even if we get to the stage of writing our desires down, very few people can tell me why they want something.
The goal isn't coming from a deep burning desire, it's usually driven from what others tell us we want, or our ego clouding our judgement.

Heres the solution... or a solution at least... I don't know what everyone wants, but I can tell you what most people want.
We are basically pleasure monkeys... we do things because they make us feel good. Whether it be having friends over for dinner, running that 10k, eating that whole block of chocolate, or binging on the 10th Netflix episode for the day.

Feel good pleasure monkeys

The trick, I believe, is to chase the things that give us a long lasting sense of pleasure and achievement.

We want to be happy
We want to have freedom
We want to be at peace
We want to be challenged
We want to have balance
We want to fee fulfilled
We want to feel confident
We want stability
We want to be passionate
We want to love and be loved

What do you really want? What do you actually desire?
And are you on track to get it?

I'd love to hear from you, one way or another. Maybe I can help you get there...

Be Amazing.

Wallace

What do I want? That list above are my desires, plus I want to live moments like the one in the photo as often as possible.

Time: Protect or lose

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

How well do you protect your time? Are you making the most of every minute? Is day filled with intent, or are you just floating through?

These are three questions I try to ask myself weekly

In each of those weeks, we are gifted 168 hours. 168 hours which we can utilise or squander. The "I don't have time" excuse doesn't hold water?.Think of the most successful person you know ... they too receive 168 hours.

What you do/ dont do in that time will determine the quality of your life. Including your health, your relationships, your finances, and about every single quantifiable part of your life.

My point?

What you don't do, is more important than what you do. Protecting your time should be one of your most important priorities Have you gotten to Wednesday or Thursday arvo and wondered why you haven't achieved anything? Have you wondered where the days have gone?

I know I sure have

These are the weeks when I dont protect my time. I let low priority distractions pull me away from my high priority actions. The best way to protect your time?.Its to look at your calendar at the start of the week

Fill in all of the most important things. For me, the following 5 things need to start becoming priorities.

1. KP Time
2. Training/Movement
3. Meditation/Reading
4. Eating and Hydrating
5. Friends + Family Social Time (Coffee)

All of the things that will fill my cup. All of the work and 'extras' come next. If I dont look after 1-5, 6-10 won't matter.

What are your 5 things?

Wallace.

Why I write...

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

I have always been a reader. Early on I remember being engrossed in books like the Fantastic Five and the Magic Faraway tree. That passion has certainly ebbed and flowed over the last 20 years, but over the past 12-18 months, I feel I have rediscovered my love for reading.

Writers/Authors enrich our lives through storytelling and fact-finding, expressing the way the world works in ways most of us can only dream of. I've always been amazed at the ways some people can utilise the English language with a certain understanding of the world and their perception of it.

This makes me want to write, so I started writing. Now I write things. Every single day. Whether it's a stream of consciousness in my diary, a quote that has impacted me, a weekly email or a blog post. This is a new habit I am working on forming. When I think about it, I write for two main reasons.

Reason 1.
It makes me feel good. I love the fact that I can never write faster than I can think. When I allow myself to stop and disengage from the world for a few minutes, I can engage with myself, with my thoughts, and I feel patience, calm and understanding. Almost like I'm stepping back and subjectively observing who I am and the world I'm living in. Self-awareness, self-discipline, writing develops these things, daily.

Reason 2.
I want to be useful.
I write to help myself and others think and live better. If I can share my struggles, triumphs and learnings and that helps others use my hindsight, then that's a win. If my ideas and learnings can inspire positive behaviour change, amplify understanding or spark a discussion, then I'm contributing to the body of work of all those who write. Empowerment comes from education and if the things I'm thinking can help others make better decisions, I'm all for it.

I'm well aware my writing needs work, a whole lot of it. Good shit takes time. That daily expectation to write is still fairly new, I'm a little over two months in, but through consistency will come improvement.

Who knows, maybe one day I'll write a book. That would be incredible. That is if I feel I have something worth saying.

Have a wonderful day.

Wallace??

Overwhelm

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

I have a short sharp one for you this week

Partly because I don't want to waffle

Mostly because It is a topic you shouldn't overthink

Overwhelm

I believe when you focus on the result, rather than the process,
overwhelm will smack you in the face

If you're so attached to an outcome that it is all you think about

You'll lose the ability to appreciate and enjoy the process

Happiness isn't about killing yourself for an outcome.

Happiness is about embracing the little steps along the way, stopping to smell the roses so to speak

If you focus on the outcome you'll be overwhelmed, if you focus on the little things, you'll make progress.

So two things I want you to think about

What is the outcome I am looking for?

What are the tasks I need to accomplish for that to happen?

Once we know your outcome, detach from it
Once we focus on the tasks, we can enjoy the journey and tackle each task as it comes

If you need help with either step, ask for help.

Life is just us doing a heap of cool shit before we die,
don't waste it being overwhelmed.

Lachie
(Below) How cool are cool people? Eliza just laughing at a hilarious thing I said (probably)

Be where your feet are

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

My lesson from the week came from a midnight ted talk.

Let?s skip the part where I should have been asleep.

I?m working on that part.

But during this late night YouTube session, I watched a Ted talk by Alan Stein (Link below)

The moral of the talk - Be where your feet are.

One more time.

Be where your feet are.

This simple thought had a profound effect on me.

The importance of being present is something I?m acutely aware of.

It?s also something I struggle with at times.

If I can give more of myself to the present moment, the place I am, the people I?m with, the task at hand,

I?ll be a better human - exponentially.

I will connect with those I love on a deeper level.

I?ll be more effective with tasks at work.

I?ll enjoy just being, on a whole other level.

This is one of those simple things with a profound effect.

Something we innately know and understand but bad habits can take over.

Those bad habits are what is holding us back from what I think is pure joy.

Presence + gratitude + connection.

Be where your feet are.
Lachie

Belonging: The importance of tribe

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

"If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together"

We as humans have basic needs.... we must breathe, eat, shit, sleep etc. We need to be safe, healthy and have a roof over our heads. That's obvious.

What comes next is our need to belong. Our desire to love and be loved, be a part of something greater than ourselves, is one of the primal drives to being human.

This is a precursor to self-esteem, confidence and our pursuit of more .

It's part of the puzzle. And I believe that it is the missing piece in large chunks of society today.

We live in a world where we are more connected than ever before, yet many of us are isolated and alone.

Our ability to communicate with humans on the other side of the world, unfortunately, does not guarantee connection, and certainly doesn't promise a sense of belonging.

That needs to come from a community, a tribe, a family.

When we started Virtus Performance 3 years ago (almost to the day) and one of our goals and ambitions was to create a family. The tribe we are all seeking. I'm proud to say that we have achieved and continue to achieve that ideal.

We are just one of many local businesses whose mission is based around connection, love and growing their community. Commonfolk Coffee and Jetty Road Brewery are two who are doing this better than most, I'm proud to be a part of not only our community but the tribe of local businesses leading the charge.

Change doesn't happen overnight, it takes time to build. But if the world needs anything right now, Its a sense of belonging.

Those feelings of isolation, loneliness and a lack of belonging and the rise in mental health-related issues, can be partly remedied by the induction to a family of people, a family who will cheer loudly when you win and lend an ear or a shoulder when things aren't going so well.

I'm a big believer that (almost) everybody wants to contribute to their community. Everyone wants a platform to help and to give to others.

We love being able to provide that platform.

Each year, on our birthday, Virtus throws a party. Yes, we are celebrating a milestone, but the reason for the party is much, more important.

We have an opportunity to do good things for good people. So we do just that. The Virtus Family and wider community rallies together to raise funds for this little legend and his family.

Rye Johnson is a 7-year-old kid who has been through more in his last 7 years than most of us will go through in a lifetime. Unfortunately, Rye had a stroke early on, and has been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. Rye man has been regressing and we want to do all we can to help this legend and his family in any way that we can.

You can follow the little man's journey here

Tomorrow night, If you find yourself with a few hours spare, come on down to Virtus HQ for a night filled with auctions, trivia, raffles, prizes and shenanigans. If you can't make it, you can hit here to donate , or stick your head into the gym before tomorrow night.

Wallace.

Habits

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

"First we form habits, then they form us.
Conquer your bad habits, or they'll eventually conquer you"

Last week I was fortunate enough to spend 3 days in beautiful Byron Bay, surrounded by a few of my mentors.

Plus a couple of epic humans, who on a similar path to me, doing their best to make the world a better place.

I'm still unpacking the wealth of knowledge shared across those few days.

The connection, the lessons and the ah ha moments came thick and fast.
Unsurprising, considering the company I was keeping.

At the end of the weekend, (after writing copious notes) I wrote two phrases in my diary.

Success Leaves Clues

and

Planning is only step one. Those who execute, win.

I'm the kind of person who loves an idea. I'm great at starting, but I'm not great at finishing.

One of my holes is trying to juggle too many balls at once.

This weekend, and those two phrases, reminded me that if I want to move the needle, and be successful.
(whatever the hell that word means)

Then I need to cultivate habits that help me fill my holes. Whilst removing the habits that exacerbate them.

First we form habits, then they form us.
Conquer your bad habits, or they'll eventually conquer you

This won't be easy. But i know that If i want to challenge myself.

If i want to grow and adapt to become the friend, leader, teammate and person I want to be.

Then there are a few simple habits that I know will help me with that.

And there are a few others that I must say goodbye to.

What are your habits? Good and bad, and what are you doing about them?

3 years of Virtus

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

https://www.lachiewallace.com/journal/2018/3/3/success-and-failure-13-months-as-sole-director-at-virtus-performance

Intention + Action = Winning

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

When you?re running towards your goals. Intention and Action are two things you should pay attention to.

You can certainly have one without the other, but if you focus on just 1, you won?t get you where you want to be!

These two bad boys go together like pizza and pineapple, gin and tonic, or Turk and JD.

So many people set goals, important tasks, have ambitions to do wonderful things, but fail to follow through.

Personally, I don?t necessarily think that we fail because of a lack of commitment or desire, we fail because we set ourselves up to. Unintentionally of course, you don?t fail by accident, but when you only look at half the puzzle, you can?t come out on top.

Yep you guessed it. that puzzle consists of two main pieces. Intention and Action.

Intention

When this is the sole focus you?ll find yourself in an endless loop of planning, thinking, planning and thinking. Forever in the habit of not actually changing behaviour. Doubt and confusion grows, you lose confidence in your ability to execute and achieve what you set out to. Paralysis by analysis is a perfect descriptor of intention only thinking.

Action

Alternatively if your go to is a shoot from the hip approach (guilty), you?ll make decisions and take action at the drop of a hat. This is fantastic for short term gain, to go fast, but for how long? Sure you might be full of beans for a month or two but just as quickly as you started, life inevitably smacks you in the face. You end up burnt out, with no energy left to do anything about it.

Neither of these approaches are best in class, a focus on either one will leave you with disappointment and regret. Both together however, is a whole different ball game.

Intention + Action = Winning

First let me define Winning. For me, it?s progress. Constantly learning, growing, adapting and moving forward. Growth can be external, or it can come from within. Whether you?re in contraction or expansion, winning means you?re moving forward, even if you are crawling.

It all starts with meaning. Intention is just that, giving something we do meaning. We as humans can?t live in prosperity without it. Meaning allows us to set goals, with smaller targets along the way. This way, it?s more than a means to an end. Proper meaning (ie Making the world a better place) is a means within itself.

Pair that up with action and you?re in flow. Take the leap, make the move, and ensure each action you take has an outcome, tasks and accountability and you?re well on your way to make an assault towards the goals and desires you have set for yourself.

Simply put, every intention, should come with a new set of actions. Next time you have something you want to achieve, check in and make sure you?re ticking both boxes.

To quote the great Ray Dalio ?Evolving is life?s greatest accomplishment, and it?s biggest reward?

Which do you lean towards, Action or Intention?

Spend some time on the other, or find someone else who specialises and let the magic happen.

To your evolution.

Wallace.

Success: What does it mean? Who am i meant to be?

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Last week I attended my first session with a Psychologist.
Last night I watch the biographical epic Bohemian Rhapsody.

Now, these two events may not seem to have much in common, but both of them have in their own way helped me work through some doubt and uncertainty that has been rolling around in my head for a few months.

(I'll do my best to articulate these thoughts, it's still very much a work in progress)

In my session with the psych, one of the topics that came up multiple times was Success . More so my relationship with it, and how much I struggle with the word.
I squirm when someone says that I'm successful. So diving into what that word actually means, and what it really looks like for me to be successful is a tough task.

Well over the past week I've been struggling with that task. Fighting to put together a genuine answer, an answer I can be at peace with, an answer that allows me to be a little kinder to myself, whilst also looking for more to achieve.

After last night, and the incredible biopic about Freddie Mercury and Queen, I think I'm moving closer to being able to articulate an answer I can accept.
??
But first, a little bit of backstory. I'm 26, so I well and truly missed the Queen juggernaut. Fortunately for me, Dad had a couple of Queen CDs on rotation in his car for the best part of my childhood. This has led to a love for their music which takes me straight back to the front seat of his car, belting out the lyrics to 'Can't stop me now', 'Killer Queen' and of course 'We are the Champions' These songs remind me what it's like to feel 10 years old again.

Freddie Mercury lived in a time where being who and what you are wasn't the easiest thing to do. His struggles to fit into societal norms of the time are well documented. However. When he was on stage, or recording an album, he was every single part of who he was.

For me, that's success.
Being you. Unapologetically, unequivocally, indubitably you.
Finding that thing that you were born to do & doing it with such passion, drive, commitment and love that it sets your soul on fire.

If that just so happens to transcend you as an individual and change the world like Queen's music did, well that's a nice little bonus that comes with it.

This passage from American Psychologist Abraham Maslow sums it up pretty well.

A musician must make music,
an artist must paint, a poet must write,
if he is to be ultimately at peace with yourself.
What a man can be, he must be.
This need we call self-actualisation...
It refers to man's desire for self-fulfilment,
namely to the tendency for him to become actually
in what he is potentially:
to become everything one is capable of becoming.

Am I successful?
Well, I'm doing something I love, I can feel my soul smouldering as I do it, that thing that sets my soul on fire, I'm still searching for it, but I feel that it's not far away.

This week Virtus turns 3. I'm pretty damn proud of that too.

Have a bloody ace long weekend... make sure you see the movie.

Wallace.

Meditation

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

When I am asked to articulate my ?why? I tend to give an answer along the following lines

?To grow my capacity to make the world a better place, first for myself and then for all those I come in contact with?

Nothing has opened the doors and given me more scope to explore my ?Why? than meditation.

There are many forms of meditation, many different teachings. Humans from every corner of the globe, have been exploring their subconscious for thousands of years.

I?m not going to touch on them all here, I?m no expert by any means. I am still new to meditation, it has only become a daily practice for me throughout the last 12 months.

The intention of this article is to delve into the benefits I?ve found. From the simple art of stopping, sitting and coming back to the breath.

One thing I need to address, and that?s what meditation is not.

Meditation is not switching off completely. You will not silence every thought by sitting in complete external and internal silence for an extended period of time. Your brain isn?t a fridge. You can?t just turn it off and on as you wish.

Meditation is an opportunity for introspection, for self-care. To reign in some of those thought processes, that you haven't given yourself the time during the week to unravel.

Meditation is a chance for observation. To observe the levels of thought process that your subconscious and conscious minds are having. To quote Eckhart Tolle, The most decisive event in your life is when you discover you are not your thoughts or emotions. Instead, you can be present as the awareness behind the thoughts or emotions?

We are not what we feel or what we think, our ability to understand this is powerful

I look at my time meditating like pulling on a piece of string. If I have a thought, I?ll follow it, pull on the string and see where it goes. If I find myself drifting off into nothingness, I?ll eventually catch myself and come back to my breath.

The way we interpret our lives and the world we live in is a product of our experiences.

Each experience is processed one morsel of information at a time. We have so much data coming in each second of every day, that it is impossible for us to consume all important information that comes our way. I find meditation can be the filter to all of the rubbish, and allow us to dive back to what is really important.

If you feel like your brain is going a million miles an hour. If you overthink, feel anxious, or get stuck in your own head. Then meditation is a tool to help you slow down and gain a greater understanding of your given reality.

If you are none of these things, then meditation will help you become more introspective and give you the time you need to reflect breathe and reset your mindset.

When it comes to executing and actually experiencing the benefits of meditating. The hardest part is getting started.

Where:

You can meditate anywhere, I would suggest finding somewhere silent, especially early on, find a comfortable place where you can sit upright, with your back supported

When:

If you don?t feel like meditating, this is probably the best time to do it. I tend to feel the best when I meditate in the morning, but lately, I?ve been giving myself time to do multiple sessions a day.
How:

I prefer guided meditation, I currently use the 'Calm' app. 10-20 minutes at a time and since becoming a daily habit I don't know how I ever lived without it.
Whether you meditate or don?t, whether you?ll start now or not, it doesn?t really matter. We are all on our own journey.

If we can find tools which can give us a greater capacity to make the world a better place. First for ourselves and then for all those we come in contact with, then lets do it.

Be amazing. Be mindful.

Wallace

Environment

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

We have all heard the phrase 'You are a product of your environment'.

Well, it's true. But what we sometimes forget, is that we are also in command of it.

Where you live, work and eat.

The people you spend time with.

The bed you sleep in, the car you drive in and the places you go.

It is all up to you. You are in complete control.

A week ago, after doing a little activity to check-in on all areas of my life.

I realised that I was not taking ownership of my environment.

I was letting little things slip.

The car was getting messy, a pile of clothes were accumulating on the floor and my office was not well organised.

Not good enough.
The way we do one thing is the way we do everything. If this slipped, who knows what else I'd drop the ball with.

Cue the montage of cleaning and Bunnings visits.

I decided (an easy choice) to take action and change my behaviour.

In the process, I completely overhauled those environments.

It took much less effort than you would think.

Cleaning was simple enough.

Throwing out stuff I dont need/use anymore was easy.

Even the organising (not my strong suit) done and done.

The next step, I asked myself a question.

What can I add or take away from these environments to ensure I uphold my standards and maintain each space?

Cue the indoor plants.

A Peace lily here, a Ficus there, a Palm in the corner and a couple of Sansevieria trifasciata's over there.

Bam. These spaces now look completely different, the air quality is now improved.

Plus I'm excited and proud to maintain and improve each space.

Please note: No pot plants are still in my car.

A change of scenery can do wonders, and connecting with nature is always a good idea. Even if you have to bring it indoors to you.

Take 5 minutes to check in with your environment... How can you make it a better place to be.

Wallace out.

What do you believe in?

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Last Sunday I did something I haven't done for a long, long time. I spent the whole day on the couch.
I'm the kind of person who likes to be doing, thinking, moving. But I was pretty cactus, so I decided that getting stuck back into Sons of Anarchy was a good decision.

And it was.

The best part. I didn't feel guilty at all (this tends to happen from time to time). Rather than worrying about what I wasn't doing, I made sure I was present, just for the day. Its funny how refreshed and ready to get stuck back in I was when Monday morning rolled around. A good learning experience, but not the sole purpose of this email.

I think we can learn a lot from the Sons of Anarchy.
(If you haven't seen the series, I highly recommend it)

Let's forget for a second that they are an outlaw motorcycle club & look at what they stand for.
They believe in something so much that they are willing to fight and die for those ideals.
What they will do for their brotherhood, their family, their community knows no bounds - the loyalty they show for each other is incredible.

They push these ideas to the edge, and often straight over it. Regardless, I think there are lessons we can take from this for our own lives. We live in a world where few people live on or near that edge. We don't push the boundaries of what we know or think.

We have become increasingly apathetic and unmotivated about many parts of our life. We wake up, go to work (often to a job we dislike), get home, see friends without any real meaningful connection, without any passion, love and excitement.

I believe it's because we have grown so comfortable with our surroundings that our safety is guaranteed, we know where our next meal comes from, mindless entertainment is only a few buttons away and we don't really yearn for anything. We have much much more than we need.

That's not enough... Well for me it certainly isn't.

Do you believe in anything so much that you'd be willing to die for it? Or at the very least, fight for it?
What is it that really sets your soul on fire?
Of course, we don't need to live these ultimatums, but it's an interesting thought...

Wallace.

Why I ran a Marathon with no training & 10 Things I learnt from it

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

First of all, let me preface this blog by saying that I in no way endorse running 42.195km without training. I definitely believe that (almost) anyone could do it.

Mantra

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Last week I talked about goals

I spoke about the importance of knowing where you are and knowing where you want to be.

I have more to add.

You also need to know that there will be 1000 little steps in between.

It will never be one big jump.

If you try to make it all happen at once

You?re just setting yourself up to fail.

The first couple of times you'll dust yourself off, pick yourself up and keep moving forward.

But eventually, the failure starts to get to you.

How do I know this? Because this is what I?ve done.

It?s one of my patterns

I start progressing, moving forward and then try to push the envelope by expecting too much of myself.

Then I feel rubbish for not hitting my targets.

Consistently failing without reprieve will bring the strongest most driven and resilient humans to their knees.

The best thing about understanding my own patterns.

I am aware enough to stop the cycle. Before it really gets me down.

My first step has been to reassess my targets.

This isn?t me lowering my standards, this is me bringing the steps closer together.

1000s of little wins are much more beneficial than 10 big failures.

My second step, revisiting my mantra.

For the last 6 months, it?s been the following.

Show up, smile and make a difference.

I?m subbing that out for the following two words

Transcend yesterday.

It?s simple. But it should keep me on track to set myself up to succeed. Little by little. Day by day.

These two words won't change me, but they will remind me why I want to improve.

Mantras dont do the work for you, but they sure do help.

What?s your mantra?

Wallace.

Achievement

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Before you achieve anything noteworthy or worthwhile

You must know two things

#1 You need to know exactly where you are now.

#2 You must identify where you want to be

For a lot of us, we struggle with both of these.

I've certainly been there. Some days I go straight back

Not spending the time accurately assessing exactly where I am.

Fortunately, objective data doesn't lie.

You can't hide from the numbers.

Once you know where you're at, you can figure out where you are going.

But you might not know where that is, and that's ok.

You can have all of the ambition in the world without a direction to channel it through.

Eventually, you'll need to find a way forward.

I'm lucky enough to be able to have sat down with hundreds of people over the past few years

To discuss goal setting.

To talk about achievement.

To dive into meaning and purpose

To talk about how to bridge the gap between where someone is, to where they want to be.

I've learnt a few things over those conversations and I truly believe that if you tick these boxes, you'll get where you want to be.

Your goals must be shaped by your desires

You must ask for help from your allies

You must find a way to help others.

You must know the small achievements you need to reach to hit your big fat audacious goals.

Focus on little things you can do each and every day to move towards your target.

Having a purpose that is bigger than you, ensures that you can always come back to your 'why' even when the times get tough.

A quote I love. Paints this picture for me.

"Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance.
Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him"

Success brings success. Spend time and energy working on what you desire and funnily enough you tend to receive it.

Be amazing.

Wallace.

The only 10 quotes you'll ever need

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

After a discussion the other day about the efficacy of ?inspirational' quotes. It got me thinking about Why some of us cannot stand

For me it is all about context.

Quotes of course are subjective

Silence

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

I'm the kind of person that never has a quiet moment.?
I'm either coaching other humans, meeting/talking/conversing with other humans, listening to a podcast, watching youtube, reading a book or making phone calls.?

Very rarely do I stop and let myself think.?

About the only time I am in silence is during meditation, or whilst reading.?

I've been so caught up with letting information in.?

I've forgotten how much value silence has to offer.?

My focus for this week has been just that, get excited about silence.?

After a few conversations with one of my mentors (Jayden) and one of my good pals (Coop)?
I set myself two tasks for this week.?

1. A? daily walk,? out in nature by myself, phone on aeroplane mode, just? thinking.

2. I write one page of a? stream of consciousness? in my journal each day.?
No aim or intention, just writing down the things in my head.?
Basically finding a piece of string, and ?tugging on it .?

I've learnt two things.?

Stillness doesn't find us, we need to seek it out.?

And the more time I spend in silence, the more creative I feel and the more silence I yearn for.

You Time /Me Time /Wallace Time is what I call it. So often I use this time to? take information in,?
but I have found so much value this week in using this time to? stop the inflow of information ?and
just think . ?

Do you value silence? How does it bring you joy?

Cheers to you all

Wallace

Below - Probably my favourite 30 minutes of silence for 2018 - atop Machu Picchu

Suicide

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

"It seems the more places I see and experience, the bigger I realise the world to be.

The more I become aware of, the more

I realise how relatively little I know of it...

Maybe that's enlightenment enough - to know that there is no final resting place of the mind, no moment of smug clarity.

Perhaps wisdom, at least for me, means realizing how small I am, and unwise, and how far I have yet to go"

Anthony Bourdain

Suicide ?is not the lightest of topics for a Friday post

But as I thought back to the events of the last 7 days.

Hearing of Anthony Bourdain's ?passing a week ago rocked me.?

I'm not even going to begin to try to understand the ' why'? behind it.?

I don't think that It is mine or anyone's place to assume they know what happened ?or why it happened.

But here is what I do know. ?

This was a man who I looked up to as someone who 'just got it' and who I resonated ?with on many levels.?

The ?first ?(and only) cookbook I purchased was his.?

One of my favourite TV shows was his.?

Some of the best quotes ?I have saved on my phone came from his mind.?

Its hard to stop yourself from thinking along the lines of "He had it all" ?"He was so successful"

The unfortunate part of this is that mental health doesn't discriminate.?

Suicide isn't selfish. Suicide isn't cowardly. Suicide is just sad.?

Sad because the individual feels as though that is the only way out.?

"Suicide doesn't eliminate the chances of life getting worse, it ends the possibility of it ever getting any better"

If you are going through anything that you feel as though you cant climb your way out of the hole.?

Please seek help.?

Lifeline 13 11 14

Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636

At the very least find ?someone to talk to.?

At the very least talk to me.

I'm always here to listen.

Over the last week. I've been writing daily about what I am grateful for.?

3 things, that make me whole.?

The Virtus Family (I have watched the Video below 100 times, it makes me remember what we have)
My Friends: Morning coffee, games of FIFA, pointless phone calls. There is always someone there.
My family. KP, Mum, Dad, Jess, Sarah and Bec. 6 of the best humans in the world.

What are you grateful for?

Pats on the back

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Time to talk about achievement.

We need to start giving ourselves pats on the back.?

When ?they are deserved.

We need to celebrate the little wins.?

Our own, and those of the people around us.?

I?m a big believer that those close to you should want to celebrate your achievements ?more than you sometimes.?

I?m ?fortunate ?to have those people in my life.?

I?m proud to say I?m on the other side of the fence, ?I love getting around others achievements.?

This week I achieved a big goal. ?

I?m proud to say I achieved it.?

The reason I achieved this.?

I lent in. Hard .?I set a big goal.?

And I achieved it by ticking off little goals.?

One week at a time.

I asked for help and ?I was supported by my allies.?

12 months worth of podcasts may not seem like much.?

But this time last year it seemed a long long way away.

52 boxes ticked. 52 Episodes that each changed me and my life for the better.?

Achievement unlocked. Now onto the next mountain.?

My task for you...?

Identify one thing you?re proud of.?

Give yourself a pat on the back.?

Celebrate the win.?

And if you?d like.?

Email me back and let me know what you?re proud of.?

When it is deserved, ?self-praise can be incredibly fulfilling.?

Be good to yourself,? like you?re good to others.?

And if you're still climbing the mountain.

Stop and take a look around.

Enjoy the view from half way up.

Find happiness in the process.?

And you'll never feel that you are not 'enough'

?You have to be happy today, whilst striving for more tomorrow? (Drew Slater)
Wallace out.

Lots going on, not a lot of progress.

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

I didn't know what to write about this week.

Not because I don't have things to share and talk about.

Moreso because I couldn't choose which topic was resonating with me the most.

Lots going on, not a lot of progress.

Right now that's a pretty accurate reflection of my life.

I feel like I'm spinning my wheels.

Doing a lot , working hard, tipping in, showing up.

But not getting anywhere fast.

Part of me is frustrated at the lack of progress.

Part of me knows that to get to the top of the mountain It will feel this way sometimes.

I can feel the tyres gripping.

I can feel the momentum building.

I know the tipping point will come.

Whether it is next week, next month, or next year.

It will come.

Whilst teaching some up and coming coaches this week.

I reminded myself of a few things.

Talking about my journey over the past 10 years, answering questions on each step, each failure, each tough time.

I realised that my focus is well placed.

That focus is on 3 things.

Remember Why I started
Know Where we are headed
Enjoy the little wins and keep tipping in.

The achiever and entrepreneur in me are frustrated by the slow progress.

But I know deep down I'm doing the right thing.

A wonderful friend sent me a message during the week.

He threw me some wisdom, and finished with the Lionel Sanders quote "Be Patient, Be Wise, Be Ruthless"

That's just what I'll be.

FUN

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

"If you're not having fun, whats the point"

Fun.

I dont think we have enough of it.

I know we dont have enough of it.

As we get older , it seems we stop having fun.

At least the amount of fun we have drops significantly.

I'm not entirely sure why that it is.

But added responsibilities, being an 'adult' and the pressure to comply with 'social norms' have sucked the fun out of life for a lot of people.

This sucks, but it doesn't have to be this way.

I have certainly been a victim of the 'fun police'

Putting myself under so much pressure that I forget why I go show up to work in the first place.

Now we can't have fun all the time.

We still need to do the hard things, show up, and put in the work.

But here is my challenge to you.

Try and find the fun in every day.

Its there and most days, you dont have to look very hard.

Every time you laugh, every time a giant smile spreads across your face, you're winning.

You get extra points if you make someone else smile too.

Life is fun. How much so is up to you.

The best way to have fun I find is to pattern interrupt your day.

It doesn't matter what it is, just get out of the routine with something you love.

Have an amazing day, I'm off to play some Virtus Ball...

(Below: Having fun in the best way with my little mate)

Emotions

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Highs and lows.

We all have them, yet we don't act like it.

When things aren't going well.

We put on a charade, making it seem as though things are ok, that we are doing 'fine'.

When things are going well

We keep the lid on, out of fear of seeming arrogant or egotistical.

There is an entire spectrum of emotions.

As a society, I believe we need to allow ourselves to genuinely feel these emotions.

When we win. Fucking celebrate.

When we lose. Be disappointed.

When we are somewhere in the middle. Be neutral.

Just BE.

It's good for you.

Life will throw highs and lows at you and everything in between.

Emotional intelligence + pain + reflection is a recipe for divine existence.

Be amazing.

Lachie

(Below) I featured on a podcast last week, it was fun.

This was a win, and I'm fucking celebrating
Good from me. Pats on the back. Good from you if you have the time to listen.
You'll find the episode link here

Episode #24 Conscious Podcast - Lachlan Wallace

What are you chasing?

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

When asked what surprised him most about humanity.

The Dalia Lama delivered this zinger.

"Man.
Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived."

This quote has been on my mind all week.

Being in the 'Health and Fitness industry' It has been a constant fixture for the past 8 years.

But for some reason, it resonated a little bit more this week.

I did spend Saturday night in the hospital with concussion, so health was front of mind.
But thats a story for another email.

In my 'job' I'm fortunate enough to work with hundreds of people each year.

Through my own coaching or through our groups, other coaches and other services.

The older I get (currently at the ripe old age of 26) the more I begin to notice patterns.

I see people 10, 20, 30 years older than me struggle with their health more and more as they age.

Passing the point of no return without realising.

They put money and work ahead of health.

Usually, its for unselfish reasons. Supporting their family, or partner.

Or its because they feel as though they don't have any other choice.

The cost of living has backed them into a corner so tightly that chasing money is (seemingly) the only focus.

When they come to the realisation that life ends quicker than they thought.
Or the ability to function they way they want to disappears.

It's too late. Hence the above quote.

So here is another quote for today.

"All men seek happiness. Whatever different means they employ, they all tend to this end. It is without exception."

When I'm asked in 20 years how I chased my happiness, whether I chose health or money first.

I hope I'll be able to say that I chased fulfilment, connection and cultivated my environment.

What are you chasing?

Lachie

The 10 ways to get the most out of your training sessions

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

When it comes to training, not all sessions are created equal. There is a simple yet incredible difference between simply showing up, and actually moving the needle.

We have all been there, the early morning session when we would rather be in bed, the late afternoon session when we would rather be snoozing on the couch. The late night run when you tell yourself that it would be easier to put it off, and maybe do it tomorrow.

We all know that it would be easier to sleep in, skip the gym or postpone it until later, but when we can no longer rely on our willpower, then we remind ourselves that our discipline needs to take over, because the sessions you don?t feel like doing, tend to be the ones that give us the most bang for our buck. These are the sessions which goals and achievement are built upon. These are the sessions that give our consistency and effort meaning, especially as they tend to come when we most need the reminder.

I?ve put together a list of the 10 ways to get the most out of your sessions, the easy ones and the hard ones. Let me know what you think.

Get there early: My mantra is simple: Show up, Smile, And Make a difference. The showing up is the most important part, If you can show up, earlier than expected, then you?re already ahead of the game, the 10-15 minutes can give you the time needed to adequately prepare for your session, both physically and mentally.
Set your intention: Don?t just train for the sake of it, come in knowing what you intend to achieve. ?If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favourable?
Be mindfully aware of how you are feeling. Some days you need to blast, others you need to caress, be blissfully aware of the difference, and what you need at the time.
Be Present: Each Rep, Set, Rest Period, is equally important. Leave your baggage at the door, check in mentally, and get lost in your session. Remember, not every rep is created equally, check your intention, and slow down (probably)
Model yourself on someone you look up to. In a group environment this may be another member, in an individual environment it may be a coach or another member, who knows, it might be the Rock or Cam Hanes, regardless, when times get tough, ask yourself what they would do.
Ask questions: If you don?t know, ask, if you are not sure, ask.
Buddy Up: This one is obvious, hold each other accountable, work together and find that extra 10%. ?If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together?
Manage your resources, and don?t quit. This one is simple, know where you?re at. Work hard, recover, and go again tomorrow.
To steal one from Joe Rogan ? Conquer your inner bitch ? I love this. Because it?s simple. We all have the voice in our head telling us to stop when it gets hard, but if your intention is to improve your work capacity, then conquer that voice and carry on.
Recover: Its simple, but often overlooked. Stop, breathe, hydrate, refuel and give yourself some time to return to a parasympathetic state, as this is where you will recover, grow and adapt.

There they are, nothing groundbreaking, just simple shit done savagely well.

Be good.

Lachie

Doing less, to achieve more.

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

As a business owner and coach.

I hunt progression and growth.

For myself, my staff and my clients.

I always want to be improving, learning and being better.

I?m willing to do almost anything to get from where I am now, to where I want to be.

Sometimes I work too hard, take on more than I should, try to do everything at once.

Whatever it takes, blood, sweat, tears, late nights, early mornings, sacrifice after sacrifice.

It doesn?t matter, I?ll have a crack.

The effort has never been a problem for me.

It?s hard. Showing up trying to do my best, to make a difference, day after day.

Here?s the thing. Things need to change.

I need to work less and look after myself more.

If I fall in a heap, I?m no good to anyone.

Do less to do more , is a simple way of looking at it.

Earlier this week I made a promise to myself.

I will start to look after myself more.

There are 6 measure I will use to do this.

We call them daily minimums.

6 simple daily targets, to get me to where I want to be, without killing myself in the process.
?

1. Minimum 7 Hours Sleep

2. 3 High quality meals

3. 20 Minutes of daily Meditation

4. 30 Minutes of training or movement

5. Create or consume 1 piece of new content (Blog/Podcast/Book)

6. Drink 3 Litres of water

I enlisted the help of two legendary humans.

Together, we will hold each other accountable, daily, to hit these targets.

When we fall, $5 will go into our minimums jar, and we will pick each other up, and do better the next day.

If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

Life is hard, especially when you face your struggles, challenges and problems alone.

Time to start looking after yourself.

Time to ask for help.

Time to move towards the life you want , and away from the life you don?t.

If you need help, I?m always here to listen.

Welcome to Virtus

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

On October 30, 2015 we opened the doors to the Virtus Family.

Two and a half years on, plenty has changed, yet much has stayed the same.

Virtus was created to raise the standards across the industry.

To empower , to educate , to make excellence the norm.

We wanted to create a multi-faceted health, function and performance centre with one goal.

Helping you to achieve yours.

If you want a quick fix, we are not the gym for you.

If you want to train for entertainment , we are not the gym for you.

If you want long-lasting, sustainable change.

All whilst supported by our team and the entire Virtus Family.

If you want an environment which fosters growth and cares about you , the individual.

Then Virtus is for you.

Yes, We have high standards, this sets the benchmark for everyone who walks through our doors.

Yes, We have an induction process all new family members must take part in.

These things exist for one reason.

To help you get from where you are now, to where you want to be.

Our mission is simple.

We want to make the world a better place.

One person at a time.

We want to make your world a better place.

One day, one session, one step at a time.

No, we are not your conventional gym.

We are Virtus Performance.

Social Media: Is it the devil we make it out to be?

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Ok, I?ll be the first to admit, that if utilised poorly, social media can be a detriment to our quality of life, relationships, productivity and attention span.

Yes, it?s a time-killing, attention-grabbing, narcissism enhancing blight on society.

However.

Like most things, if you stop and assess the pros and cons, there are just as many positives as there are negatives.

Everything is a poison, what matters is the dose.

Social media is no different.

Social media has given us the opportunity to connect ourselves to almost every corner of the earth.

We are able to communicate with friends, family, and colleagues almost instantly.

Via video, audio or text message, our ability to communicate is getting easier and easier.

We are able to share our thoughts our passions our wins and our losses, free to anyone who wants to listen, read or watch.

As a business owner, social media is integral to our mission of making the world a better place.

Whether it be connecting with our incredible community ?The Virtus Family? via our Facebook group, or communicating with the wider community on our Facebook page.

We are regularly connecting with the world leaders in our field and many others via Instagram stories, direct messaging and content.

Social media has allowed Virtus to spread our message, grow our vision and share content such as the ?Virtus Performance Podcast? to listeners all around the world.

Chances are you?re reading this on a social media platform...

At the end of the day, the way you approach social media will determine your experience.

The positives are there, so I don?t think going cold turkey is the answer ?? ????

If you find yourself stuck scrolling, here are my 6 tips to cutting down on your social media time .

1. Grayscale

Most of us jump onto Instagram or Facebook to see the pretty photos, videos, and that little red notification circle. By changing your phone's settings to Grayscale, all of the pretty colours no longer exist, changing the way your brain experiences each post.

2. Remove all notifications

This is a simple one. No vibration, no red circle, no beep beep. You actually have to seek out your little hits of dopamine.

3. Limit your platforms

If you?re on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, Periscope, WhatsApp, Tinder and Linked in, all at once, your chances of disconnecting are almost nil. Identify what is important to you, and eliminate the noise.

4. Set your intention

Before you unlock your phone and start scrolling, ask yourself ?What is my intention? is it to check notifications? To send messages? To write a post? To upload a photo? Once you?ve identified what your intent is, be mindful of completing the task and then putting the phone on.

5. Move the apps

A simple way to stay mindful is to move your most used apps every few weeks. Put them on the last page, deep into a folder, creating a need to be mindful of what you are doing as you swipe to find them.

6. Be disciplined

Being disciplined is giving yourself a command, and following through with what you said you would do. ?I?m just checking my notifications? ?I?ll give myself 5 minutes? ?I?ll leave my phone in my car? ? I?ll turn on aeroplane mode for the afternoon? whatever you say you will do, do it, regardless of the temptations.

Social media, good, bad or both. Let me know what you think.

Let?s stop the pessimism when it comes to social media, that doesn?t make anything or anyone better.

Virtus Daily Blog #89 - Setbacks

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Get up strong, is a line from one of my favourite podcasters (Scott Mcgee, The Sisu Way)

Get up strong.

In life, it is inevitable we will fall. We will trip, we will stumble. We will find ourselves on our hands and knees wondering if it is worth carrying on.

Business, family, friendships, injuries, responsibilities and commitments.

All of these can factor in to create setback after setback.

You will fall. You will trip. You will stumble.

When that happens. Know that you?ll be better for the experience.

Pick your self up, dust yourself off, and carry on.

It?s not what happens to you, it?s how you respond to it that matters.

Get up strong.

Wallace

Virtus Daily Blog #88 - In the end

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Virtus Daily Blog #90 - What do you believe?

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

What you believe ultimately determines who you are, and where you are going. The stories we tell ourselves are about the most important thing we can understand and have control over.

One tact, could be to try to avoid these stories we are telling ourselves, but let me tell you something you already know. You can?t escape the monologue going on in your head. With this fact being clearer than day, you may as well find out how to understand yourself, and shape your beliefs to cultivate your desires.

Mahatma Ghandi, one of the worlds greatest leaders of the 20th century said it best.

Many things in our world are out of our controllable, actually most things are. One of the few that remain within our locus of control is our ability to alter our internal narrative. The stories we tell ourselves. To do this we must understand that we are not our thoughts. Our consciousness (and subconscious) are far more intricate than the stream of thoughts that cross our mind every minute of every day. Control this, control your beliefs and control your destiny.

Wallace

Virtus Daily Blog #90 - What the world needs.

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

If you?re anything like me, one of your major motivators for showing up every day and putting in the work is to make the world a better place. This is a worthy ideal, one of the highest order, and if successful, an important contribution to those around you.

The pursuit, that supported by a desire to make the world a better place, is inherently flawed. Not flawed in intent, but flawed in practicality. It is here a caveat exists. That being that you can do all the good in the world, you can give and give and give but if it leaves you with an empty cup, and makes you miserable then you should be doing something else. Regardless of the affect you?re having on the world around you.

When you chase the things that set your soul on fire, which make you come alive, then the world as a whole is going to be better off. Imagine a world wherein every single one of us chased down what we loved with such ferocity that motivation would be deemed superfluous.

That is the world i want to live in.

Wallace

Virtus Daily Blog #92 - Being a good teammate

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

I believe that one of our highest orders as a human being is to contribute to something bigger than ourselves.

To give to a collective. To have a hand in a process, outcome or result that we could not have achieved on our own.

To be a vital cog in the machine, you must know your role, or identify the gaps that need filling. You must be willing to sacrifice your resources for the greater good. You must be willing to lead from the front, from behind, from any position imaginary.

Leadership is taking ownership of a result that is outside your locus of control.

Sacrificing for the team is leadership & leadership is contribution.

Contribution is at the heart of true fulfillment, true happiness, and true belonging.

It is not what you are given, but what you give, that makes a life worth living.

I would rather fail and learn all over again in a team environment than succeed by myself*

Wallace

*Individual success does not exist, it is always the product of much assistance along the way.

Virtus Daily Blog #94 - I Believe

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

I believe that you should spend your time loving what you do.

We should be chasing the things that both scare and excite us at the same time.

We should be running towards the things we truly desire.

When it comes to health, function and performance, nothing changes.

If you don?t love going to the gym, you might be at the wrong one.

We believe that the journey, is always more important than the destination.

We are a holistic facility with one focus, you.

I believe that if you?re not having fun, and not creating relationships, what?s the point?

Being a part of a community that is bigger than you is an incredible feeling.

The Virtus Family is an incredible support network.

Surrounding yourself with others, who want to achieve and improve, is the best way to get you from where you are now, to where you want to be.

There is no better feeling than setting a goal, putting in the work and achieving it.

I want to empower you to take your training, health and performance to another level.

I want you to feel how I feel, to truly love getting out of bed every morning.

We believe in being that little bit better, each and every day.

Wallace

** I wrote this almost 18 months ago. Much has changed, many of my beliefs have changed, but I still agree with all of the above. Its a nice way to look back as i look forward.

Virtus Daily Blog #91 - The badge of busy.

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

It?s a common response to the just as common ?How is everything going? question.

The response that you tend to say before you even realise you?re saying it.

We, as a society have glorified ?busy? over the last few decades. Perpetuating the hustle culture that has only been fuelled by the rise of social media and a desire to have it all.

Many of us, me included at times. Get caught in the current of busy and get pulled under before we realise what is happening. Before we can ask ourselves the big question.

If you don?t have a good answer for that question, it may be time to rethink your priorities.

To reinvent your day. To give time to the things that really matter.

The crux of the ?busy? trap is that you?re in charge.

We get to decide how busy we want to be. When you decide, do it for the right reasons.

As far as i am concerned, the badge of busy isn?t something I yearn for. I want to make a difference, I want to move the needle. But not at the expense of the things that are most important.

Wallace

Virtus Daily Blog #93 - What is the Functional Movement Screen (FMS)

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Just for a moment I?d like you to pretend your body is a race car.

A finely tuned machine honed for performance.

Now, I can bet that (for most of us) the car you have at home is not a finely tuned race car.

It?s probably a run of the mill, A to B machine.

Now, how often do you service this car? How often do you have a full systems check?

Every 3 months? Every 10,000 kilometres?

Regardless of the frequency, I?d like to think that you do it often, multiple times a year.

My question to you is this. How often do you look after your body and movement?

Yearly? Not at all?

If you answered, never, then we have a problem.

Much like a car, our bodies have handbrakes, flat tyres, and oil leaks.

It makes sense to identify and fix these issues.

Cue the FMS.

The Functional Movement Screen, is process which allows a coach or practitioner to objectively and critically analyse your movement competency.

7 Movements.

Scored in a way which determines your ability to produce, control and express movement.

Safely and efficiently.

If there is an issue, with your mobility, motor control, or stability, we identify the issue, and take steps to improve and overcome.

Take your handbrake off, pump your tires, fix the oil leak.

Move well and move often.

Wallace

Virtus daily blog #95 - Its all made up

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

?Relax, your battle with the world is a fiction in your head?

Everything we do, from the time we wake up, to the path we take to work, to the job we have and the rules we follow along the way, it's all made up.

Our collective fiction of the universe and our societies within it. Everything is merely our perception of how it should be.

If this is the case, and I'm not completely full of shit (there's a good chance I am) then it doesn't pay to play small, and to hide under a rock, waiting for life to pass us by.

It pays to take ourselves, and everyone else a little less seriously, to take risks, to chase the things that set our soul on fire, to tell those around us we love them and to do our best to be our best.

Those who believe they can make a dent in the universe usually do. That can't be some kind of happy accident.

Wallace

Virtus Daily Blog #96 - Blog Hiatus

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Over the past 96 days we have been bringing you daily writings to both educate and give you an insight into our struggles and triumphs. It has been the ultimate personal challenge and I have loved being able to consistently reach to the edges of my comfort zone to help you all on your journeys as you help me on mine.

That being said, I?m going to be taking a small hiatus from daily online writing. My daily habit of journaling will continue, at 242 days straight it would be a shame to stop now. But my online musings will be limited to a weekly email which you can sign up to here

My focus will shift to a few things that we have bubbling away behind the scenes. We are changing at Virtus. Changing for the better. Changing to allow more highlights, results and progress for all of the Virtus Family.

Exciting times.

As always, if you want to reach out, you know where to find me.

See you very soon.

Lachie.

Virtus Family Member Spotlight: May

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

We want to celebrate the little wins.

Our member spotlight will celebrate the success and progress of one superstar from the Virtus Family each month. These answers will be featured on the Virtus Blog each month. Giving you a virtual pat on the back from the entire Virtus Family. Plus, if you're lucky, you'll also receive an actual pat on the back from a Virtus Team Member of your choosing.

Name:

Briony Johnson

First of all, congratulations, bravo!

How has your decision to join Virtus improved your life?

Not only has Virtus helped me to move better physically, it has more so become a place where i have gained some special relationships, a gym thats a home.

What do you enjoy most about your training at Virtus?

Because you feel as though you matter, they take care of you, become invested not only in your training but your life outside the gym. I really enjoy being at Virtus because i know i can come in and expect to laugh, sweat and feel as though i have accomplished something good for myself in just a sort hour. It?s the whole package.

What are the habits that you have adopted since joining Virtus?

To keep trying to be better version of myself, and i don't just mean doing 61 squats. Being at Virtus has taught me how to focus on the small things as well, not just doing an exercise "well" or exhausting myself every session, but instead adapting to moving with quality and intention. Its helped me learn listen to myself and my body, a lesson in which i really needed.

What helps keep you on track with your goals?

Writing them down. Ticking off the minor weekly goals, staying motivated to show up, but also having that support from the regular faces you get to see in the gym each day, they all play a huge role in keeping me moving forward.

What is one thing you have learnt since joining Virtus that has changed your life?

That a gym is never just a gym, or never should be. Ive been a member of one ever since i was old enough, but since coming to Virtus i haven't stepped foot into a commercial gym, and probably never will. I learnt that training or exercising shouldn't be a thing i have to do each day, but instead something that i really want to do everyday because it makes me feel awesome, and when i used to go to the local "Goodlife" i went because i thought i had to or should. Thats different now and, its definitely changed my life.

What was your first impression of Virtus Performance?

Mmmm, This place is a cult! No but seriously, one you want to be apart of because the people who work and train there are the sort of people you want in your life. It was more the passion for the job that i remember being super impressed with, the love and dedication that the coaches had for training their clients.

What are you most excited about achieving in the next few months?

I am extremely excited about pushing myself out of my comfort zone and testing my strength and fitness before heading back into another winter in the snow. I have been working really hard to gain what feels like some proper strength back for myself and i cant wait to see how that hard work has paid off when i return.

What advice would you have for someone thinking of joining the Virtus Family?

Step outside the normality. This isn't just a Gym, but an extended family, and a place where you will actually want to come to.

Any extra comments/jokes/memes or quotes?

Does this make me the better Johnson?

Virtus Family Member Spotlight - June

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

We want to celebrate the little wins. Our member spotlight will celebrate the success and progress of one superstar from the Virtus Family each month. Fortunately, this month we have two humans who have been doing wonderful things inside and outside the gym.

Meet Steph and Tyler!

First of all, congratulations, bravo, any words for the camera?

Steph: Thanks for picking me!! I feel so honored!! And congrats to Tyler also who I have the privilege of sharing this with!

Tyler: There?s a camera?

How has your decision to join Virtus improved your life?

Steph: Every aspect of my life has been ramped up to 100 l. It?s like the whole ?don?t know what you?ve been missing until you have it? that?s Virtus for me

Tyler: It?s helped me translate the hard work and accountability i put into my training into other areas of my life outside of the gym

What do you enjoy most about your training? *

Steph: The community and family. And bants. And the daily news. And continually being pushed to become the best possible version of myself.

Tyler: The environment, the people I train with and coaches that coach me. I could be having the worst day ever but the moment I walk through the door at virtus it?s impossible for me to leave without a smile on my face

What are the habits that you have adopted that have helped you continue to improve? *

Steph: Consistency, progress isn?t linear and don?t avoid the stuff you suck at, because you?ll always suck at it

Tyler : I think the more I started to develop consistency with my training the more I started to develop consistency with everything outside of the gym, applying the standard I set with my training to areas like my job, work and my studies

What helps keep you on track with your goals? *

Steph: The coaches for sure. Everyone knows where I am with my progress, my injuries, they know when to push and when to let me just be. It?s awesome. I know I?m a top priority

Tyler: The people I surround myself with, family, friends, and training with my best mate helps me stay on track when I start to lose it a bit

What is one thing you have learnt since joining Virtus that has changed your life? *

Steph: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

Tyler: As awesome as lifting heavy things and being around great people is the biggest change virtus has had on my life is the realisation of how much of a positive effect training can have on your life as a whole, so much so that it?s made me decide to become a personal trainer to help people who have been through the same struggles I have

What was your first impression of Virtus Performance? *

Steph: Is this a cult? Why does the owner have such weird hair?

Tyler: Welcoming and encouraging

What are you most excited about achieving in the next few months? *

Steph: Hitting more PB?s, continue to work on consistency

Tyler: Maybe trying to do another run as a virtus intern ????

What advice would you have for someone thinking of joining the Virtus Family? *

Steph: It?s not like any other gym. It?s a family that happens to work out together. Family love each other no matter what. We don?t compete. We encourage and you always feel at home

Tyler: Forget what you think you know about going to the gym and just go in with a blank slate and open mind and be ready to learn how to do awesome things while having an Incredibly fun time

Any extra comments/jokes/memes or quotes?

Steph: Why can?t you hear a pterodactyl go to the bathroom? Because the P is silent! (Sorry, I?ll leave now!)

Tyler: Stay for the training, but mainly come for Rhys Johnson?s morning news reports

Two legends! Get around them!

How to Enjoy Our Onboarding Sessions

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

People tend to believe that gym ?induction? sessions are complex and intimidating experiences. At Virtus, nothing could be further from the truth.

Our intro sessions are a pivotal first step on your journey with us. It is a way for us to get to know you, what you want to get out of your training and where you are currently at!

Here are a few ways to get the most out of your first sessions with us:

Don't be afraid of being new? even the pros need a refresher! Everyone has to start somewhere. We have designed the sessions to make you as comfortable as possible and so that you will enjoy the process.

Be prepared. Ensure that you are dressed appropriately, eat a meal before the session and bring a water bottle. Set yourself up for success to get the most out of the session.

Come in with a beginners mind. We love questions. The sessions are an opportunity for us to get to know you, but we also want you to get to know us. If there?s anything that you are not sure or curious about, we are here to help.

If you are interested to learn more about what the process looks like and what we do, send us a message or email info@virtusperformance.com

3 FAQs of Newcomers

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

What are the benefits of training with a coach?

Having a qualified expert to keep an eye on you, correct any mistakes you make and keep you accountable will improve your performance. Having a coach ensures that the training is specific to your needs and abilities. It also helps to have that extra motivation when you need it!

Should I see the Phys (Greg, our sports physiotherapist)?

Absolutely, yes. If you are in pain, have a little niggle or would just like a tune up, Greg is the man to see. Sometimes, we put off addressing any pain or soreness in the hope that it will just ?come good?. But something left unchecked, may result in further dysfunction and pain down the line. Its a good idea to see the best in the business and let him work his magic.

Why am I not losing weight?

In order to lose weight, we need balance. We need to follow a balanced healthy diet, follow a consistent training program and foster a positive relationship with ourselves. It?s not as simple as just being in a calorie deficit; we must also think about stress levels, sleep quality and quantity, hydration and the quality of food we are eating.

Virtus Family Member Spotlight - Rhys Baillie

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Name

Hello, my birth name is Rhys Baillie but I also go by: Bone Machine, Bone Daddy, Butters, Cups, The Butter-man, 2001 BP Oil Spill & so on....

First of all, congratulations, bravo, any words for the camera?

Hello

What do you enjoy most about your training? *

Simple? Justin Hanna. Now apart from the obvious I would say that I am a gumby and uncoordinated at most things that I do in my life, however since training I have learnt that I am not bad at everything and that I am a motivational doer because if I can do something than anyone can. Yes I?m necessary, you?re welcome.

What are the habits that you have adopted that have helped you continue to improve? *

Patience is a virtue. With training there are no shortcuts, the iron never lies, you must have journey before destination, go through a few fives before you get to a ten. The only person accountable for how I am going is me and to remain consistent is key, this is helped with good training partners and coaches which has helped me to keep being the ten that I am.

What helps keep you on track with your goals? *

What helps me a lot is the time in which I spend stepping away from training, whether it be travelling or last year becoming a mononucleosis survivor (Glandular Fever). This has always given me a good indication of where I was at with my training and also happy with whatever progress was made, so when I do come back I know where I can be and also knowing I will be able to get back to that point faster each time around.

What is one thing you have learnt since joining Virtus that has changed your life? *

Glutes on, back tight, you know the drill!! After dealing with back pain for a big part of my time on flat earth, I have now been equipped with the knowledge to protect my back and get in better positions to not put myself at risk or grave danger. With this I will be able to take these methods to my last days and hopefully be pain free.

What was your first impression of Virtus Performance? *

My first impression is very different to most others that go here, I started out training in a shed in Lachlan?s backyard, so if anything I was one of the first to see an idea grow. I got lucky that Paul Wintle had told me about Virtus as I had asked him to suggest me someone that could help me with injuries that I had sustained from snowboarding over the years. I also learnt back then that training didn?t have to be a chore, that it could be fun and enjoyable so I have Lachlan, Paul & Jesse Coghlan to thank for that.

What are you most excited about achieving in the next few months? *

Being the best Bone Machine that I can be, because you never know when a European summer is going to start calling out your name or flailing around on a stage with a microphone. Jah Bless

What advice would you have for someone thinking of joining the Virtus Family? *

I am by no means a Jock, Captain of the high school football team or Prom Queen? but simply a delicate wallflower. I have always had a certain idea of what I thought a gym was, but this place erases any of those negative thoughts that I once had. There is no ?Bro Culture? or mirrors for people to stare through their own transparency, just a group of people all there for similar reasons of getting fit, healthy and correcting any injuries or niggles that they may have.

Any extra comments/jokes/memes or quotes?

At the end of the day we are all just a number, a collection of data and statistics. Life is the longest thing as humans that we will ever do, so you may as well enjoy where your number will end up because you can only contribute to whichever column once. So within reason don?t endure the shitty job or comfortable relationship (Find someone that appreciates your flaws or you will find that they were never flaws at all). I understand that we are not all dealt with the same hand, but its not about where you start?. but where you finish and for me I like to finish on top. So from the one, the only & never a phony Bone Machine Official. Thank you for gifting me with your time.

Five Mistakes People Make When Training

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Broadly speaking, most people go to the gym for two main reasons: health or performance. Going to the gym and following a training program is an important choice that positively impacts your life.

Some people think that it is just about showing up and lifting the weight. Sure it?s part of it, but the training and physical conditioning is preceded by our nutrition and mindset with which you arrive at the gym.

So, avoid these mistakes and make your time in the gym more effective:

Not eating anything before training: No matter when you workout, your stomach doesn't have to be empty. If you feel bloated when you eat before training, try eating a piece of fruit yogurt or smoothie instead.
Start without warming up: Spend a minimum 10-15 minutes to prepare yourself for training. It's the time you need to get in the right state before increasing the intensity. Include some corrective exercises, dynamic stretching and activations to prevent injuries, improve posture and get your nervous system firing.
Always doing the same thing: Variation is key. If you are doing the same thing day in and day out, you will quickly either get bored or your results will plateau. Add some variation in your training to add different stimulus, challenge yourself and keep it exciting.
Going too heavy: Many athletes arrive at the gym pumped and ready to lift the heaviest weights possible. However, if you jump in before you are ready, you increase the risk of injury. You must follow the correct progressions and build up to a weight that you can lift safely.
Not allowing proper recovery time: When you train, especially with heavy strength training, your experience muscular and neurological fatigue. Thus, you must give yourself adequate time to rest and recover. Focus on eating well, hydrating, catching some vitamin D by going for a walk outside, do some yoga or just breathe. The point is, give yourself some space and chill out to get back to 100%.

Virtus Family Member Spotlight - Kathryn Swanborough

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Name

Kathryn Swanborough

First of all, congratulations, bravo, any words for the camera?

Thank you for choosing me and a BIG thank you to all the amazing coaches at Virtus who have encouraged me along the way.

How has your decision to join Virtus improved your life?

Joining Virtus has really opened my eyes to what holistic and sustainable training is all about. When I started I was a complete gym/weight lifting newbie and could barely lift the 10kg plate. The positive changes I?ve noticed in my self-esteem and attitude as well as my overall strength and confidence both physically and mentally have been the most rewarding things so far. Huge thankyou to both Cam and Mitch who have played a big role in teaching me the basics and helping me come out of my shell.

What do you enjoy most about your training? *

Virtus feels like a second home, where I am supported, accepted and encouraged each time I walk in the door. I love learning new things and working towards small goals and progressing each week. Being surrounded by passionate, knowledgeable people who are all working towards improving themselves always inspires me. It?s always great to train alongside other people who are committed to achieving their goals.

What are the habits that you have adopted that have helped you continue to improve? *

I?ve been more consistent with my training, hitting my ?minimums? and following a routine each week. I?ve never been so motivated or excited to train and have noticed big changes to my mindset heading into each day. In the past, my mindset and purpose for training was quite different. It?s no longer something I feel I have to do but something I love and want to do each day.

What helps keep you on track with your goals? *

I keep on track by trying not to compare myself to others and fall into that ?trap?, but instead working to improve myself. A big one for me is not striving for perfection, but focusing on quality, technique and improvements (no matter how small) each session. Having coaches who accept me and can laugh with me when I make mistakes has really helped me grow in confidence and step outside my comfort zone.

What is one thing you have learnt since joining Virtus that has changed your life? *

Virtus has had such a positive impact on my life, from walking in and not knowing what to do, to now feeling confident and more self-assured. I?ve learnt the importance of investing in myself and that I am more capable than I think. I love implementing these little things into my daily life as well as applying Virtus? values and training principles into my own gymnastics coaching.

What was your first impression of Virtus Performance? *

Great values and community, high standards and quality people. I first found out about Virtus through social media/merchandise and it caught my eye as quite a unique, fun and different gym. I wanted to get involved and the mentorship was the perfect opportunity. When I first started, I immediately felt accepted and part of the Virtus family.

What are you most excited about achieving in the next few months? *

Over the next few months, I?m working towards making progress with some new power lifts and increasing the number of sessions I train a week. Also adapting and being able to survive my conditioning from Mitch!

What advice would you have for someone thinking of joining the Virtus Family? *

Start now! Virtus is different to any other gym for a good reason. Check it out and go for it! You won?t realise just how much it can positively impact your life!

Any extra comments/jokes/memes or quotes?

'In quietness and confidence is your strength? Isaiah 30:15

What's going on at Virtus Performance...

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Hey Virtus Family,

I can't believe we are nearly halfway through September. The days are flying by and, not sure about you, but I'm loving the feel of the sun coming out!

On behalf of the entire Virtus team, we are all super proud of how you have shown up over the winter. It feels like it's been a long cold couple of months ... But summer is coming! The mornings are lighter and the evenings are getting longer. We can't wait to see you all in the gym, enjoying the warmer weather and helping you all to achieve your goals ????????

Other than to pump you all up, I wanted to give you all an update on what's happening at the gym.

EVENTS

We have a lot planned over the next few months. There are a few social events where we can come together as a community and let our hair down... As well as some athletic programs to level up your performance, health and development.

2nd Annual Barbells and Beers

This was one of my favourite events last year. Come along to our second official Barbells and Beers session. Lift some heavy things, have a beer and hang out with an awesome crew. Open to non-members ($10 entry).

When: 4pm-6pm Friday 27th September (Public Holiday Friday before the AFL Grand Final, #GoEagles)

Click here to RSVP

Pre-season Program (Athletic Development)

Soon, we will kick off our Virtus Pre-Season Program.

If you are an athlete who wants to be faster , stronger and more resilient on the field/ track/ court, this program is custom-built for you.

This program is designed to improve your Strength, Speed, Power, Endurance and all of the elements that come with being better at your sport. Spend the pre-season working on your weaknesses and fortifying your strengths.

For more info, reply to this email or chat to one of the coaches at the gym.

Virtus Birthday Bash

It's nearly time for our Annual Birthday Bash. This November will mark four years since we opened our doors. This year we are going to do something a little different... Rather than our traditional trivia, Lachie has decided to hang up his microphone (thank goodness...)

This will be a great opportunity to get together as a community, celebrate this huge milestone and have some fun. Stayed tuned for more details soon.

SAVE THE DATE: Sunday 10th November

Virtus Family Christmas Party

As always, the Virtus Family Christmas Party is being held in December. Get all kinds of around it.

Of course, this Includes the VirtusBall World Championships. Start organising your teams. It's going to be a shake-down.

SAVE THE DATE: Sunday 1st December

Details TBC.
You might also see some Beach VGT , Group Hikes and possibly the crowd favourite, Ginyasa...

So lock in these dates, get excited, and for more information about any of them, reply to this email!!

Update on upstairs at the Gym

You may have noticed that recently the upstairs consulting and treatment rooms have disappeared. This is to make room for some brand new offices and treatment rooms. We are currently in the process of applying for permits and getting some plans drawn up.

We want you guys (the Virtus Family) to be involved in the process of rebuilding. So if you have any ideas for new plans, what you want to see up there or interior design tips...

... hit us up !

Lastly, the Virtus Podcast is back!! After a hiatus over the last 6 months, we have decided to dust off the microphone and record some conversations with some cool people. Lachie and I sat down today to record the first of a mini-series to close out the year.

Wrap your ears around it here .

As always, if you have any questions about your training, health, development, membership, additional services, or if you just want to chat over a coffee, please reach out .

To your success,

Coop and the Virtus Team.

Virtus Family ?? X ??Holistic Hikes

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

VIRTUS FAMILY HIKE

??When was the last time you did something for the first time? ??

Well, this is your chance.

On Sunday at 9am , a group of wonderful humans will set off for our first Virtus Family Hike .

Under the guidance of the wonderful Amanda Connell , we will tick the legs up and over Arthurs Seat. We will experience the very best of the "Ninch", whilst connecting with ourselves, each other and the environment around us. ????

This is not to be missed! Can't bloody wait.

Hit the link to book your spot!

https://www.holistichikes.com/event-info/virtus-family-hike
Hope to see you there.
Cheers to you all,

Team Virtus.

Moo's Momentary Musing (Weekly Wrap Takeover)

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

??Moo?s Momentary Musing #01

Happy Friday you wonderful humans.

It?s not Wallace clogging your Inbox this week it is me; Jarryd Palser aka Moo, Pulse, @jpul5e or that strange beared guy that frequents Virtus HQ

You might remember me from previous Virtus Propaganda as Positive Pressure 2.0 it can be found (here) . But enough of the pleasantries I?m here today to talk about some real shit.

Recent statistics show that; globally, every minute, a man dies by suicide. In Australia, 75% of suicides are men.

November is a month where we shine a spotlight on men?s health. Since 2003, The Movember Foundation has funded more than 1,250 men?s health projects around the world, challenging the status quo, shaking up men?s health research and transforming the way health services reach and support men.

Conversations about mental health and emotional wellbeing are not only important but are absolutely necessary.

2019 has been a challenging year for me on a number of levels, I was a broken man. I finally had the courage to admit that there was something wrong. Interestingly enough my lowest moment came at my workplace, I broke down in front of three of my closest colleagues. I wasn?t coping my condition was starting to have an impact on me at work. The hardest thing was admitting that there was something wrong.

My lovely partner Jess had been asking me for three years to speak to someone about the way I was feeling, I just brushed it off and considered it as normal and I would bounce back. I was ashamed and disappointed that it took me this long to recognise what I was putting her through on a day to day basis.

I first port of call was seeing my GP, within 5 minutes of talking to her she diagnosed me with depression. Telling people, you have depression is not an easy task, I found it most difficult telling my parents and closest mates. Every conversation you have breaks down the stigma that is attached to mental health and emotional wellbeing. It?s getting better, but unfortunately, I and society have a long way to go.

I now invest and prioritise my mental health, I regularly speak to my GP, I take medication, I see a Psychologist once a month, I practice Yoga, I listen to podcasts, I try to consistently exercise, I prioritise sleep and I am more open and honest with my closest family and friends.

For me some days are better than others. I was in a hole last week, but I am fighting my way out of it.

I find it extremely difficult to explain how my depression affects me on a day to day basis, I know the Virtus Family loves a quote / analogy. For me my depression is like a fog that lingers in the early morning sky, never completely fading, always present and blurring your vision.

If this email has resonated with you in anyway. Can I ask you to do one of two things;

Support My Movember Campaign by donating via the accessing the following link: (Movember - Moo Palser) . Any donation amount will be championing men?s health.
Show some gratitude / appreciation for the wonderful Men in your life. Send them a message / call, give them a hug and (or) have an authentic and meaningful conversation with them.

I am going to leave you with two quotes that have really impacted me over the past three months in this space

?Manning up in the past was to suffer in silence. Manning up now, is to put your hand up.?

Danny Frawley

?It?s ok to be in pain, it?s ok to hurt, its ok to be sad. But it?s no longer ok to suffer in silence. It is really important that we do everything we possibly can to get the help that we deserve, and we need.

So, to anybody living with mental health conditions today please ask for help, please put your wellbeing first and do everything you possibly can to prioritise your mental health.?

Wayne Schwass

If you or anyone you know needs support, you can contact Lifeline 13 11 14, or beyond blue 1300 224 636.

Enjoy the rest of your Friday and the impending weekend.

Much Love

Moo Rooke

2 x Virtus Human Performance ?Best On? Award Recipient

Kooweerup?s Resident Hipster

Record Holder: Most cumulative hours of Lifestyle Food Network watched.

Virtus Family Member Spotlight - Charlotte Inkster

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

We want to celebrate the little wins.

Our member spotlight will celebrate the success and progress of one superstar from the Virtus Family each month. These answers will be featured on the Virtus Blog each month. Giving you a virtual pat on the back from the entire Virtus Family. Plus, if you're lucky, you'll also receive an actual pat on the back from a Virtus Team Member of your choosing.

Name:

Charlotte Inkster (or chantelle...)

First of all, congratulations, bravo, any words for the camera?

Yes! just like to say thank-you to all of my fans... especially the ones on the wall that keep me cool during a hot session :)

How has your decision to join Virtus improved your life?

Joining Virtus has been the best decision I have made in such a long time. A decision that I made for myself and one that has benefited me in immeasurable ways. I feel like I found a home away from home, somewhere I can go where I know there are amazing people I can count on for support,hang out with and do good things!

What do you enjoy most about your training at Virtus?

Definitely walking into a training session, even after a rough day at work, and seeing everyone's smiling faces and being welcomed by a hug, or a high five or a "how are you today". It is impossible to be in a bad mood at Virtus, knowing everyone is there to train hard and have a good time at the same time is a comforting feeling.

What are the habits that you have adopted since joining Virtus?

C-O-N-S-I-S-T-E-N-C-Y! Getting into that exercise routine of going 4-5 times a week has awakened that active soul in me that just wants to go out and do stuff all of the time. Whether it's a walk on a day off, or a park lap at the end of a session, or even a cheeky "at home" core session. Consistency has helped me improve so much.

What helps keep you on track with your goals?

Definitely the incredible coaches. The fact that each and every one of them knows your exercise goals and what you want to achieve is amazing, but they go deeper than that and want to understand you individually and your personal life goals as well. It definitely keeps you motivated and feeling supported through the process.

What is one thing you have learnt since joining Virtus that has changed your life?

My favourite quote now (rule #4) and one I find telling myself a lot is; "Don't be afraid to fail". I learnt that it's through failure we find success, learn & grow from it. It's a slow process but quitting won't make it any faster.

What was your first impression of Virtus Performance?

"This must be where all the cool kids hang" and I was totally right! Virtus has a vibe like no other and I need to be apart of that!

What are you most excited about achieving in the next few months?

I'm about to start my first Sunday session with the gorgeous coach Jas and I'm excited to see what we can achieve working together. I hope I can push myself a little harder in different ways & catch some results I've been chasing for a while!

What advice would you have for someone thinking of joining the Virtus Family?

If you want to find a place that is filled with amazing people, awesome coaches who care about you and your goals, and focus on yourself as well, join Virtus. You'll find all of that and so so SO much more. "It's not a regular gym, it's a cool gym" #MeanGirlQuotes

Any extra comments/jokes/memes or quotes?

How does Chris Hemsworth feel after a workout? - Thor

Thank you ladies & gentleman, ill be here all week ;)

Virtus Family Member Spotlight - Caz Donovan

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

We want to celebrate the little wins.

Our member spotlight will celebrate the success and progress of one superstar from the Virtus Family each month. These answers will be featured on the Virtus Blog each month. Giving you a virtual pat on the back from the entire Virtus Family. Plus, if you're lucky, you'll also receive an actual pat on the back from a Virtus Team Member of your choosing.

Name:

Caz

First of all, congratulations, bravo, any words for the camera?

Thanks for the vote.

How has your decision to join Virtus improved your life?

I?m physically stronger and definitely more informed and educated on how to approach my training.

What do you enjoy most about your training at Virtus?

One word....Cam this clown is the most loveable loudest dork and gets the best out of me as a coach and a friend.

What are the habits that you have adopted since joining Virtus?

Incorporating movement prep? and recovery into my training.

What helps keep you on track with your goals?

Knowing trying to wing it, won?t cut it! If I?m stuck on a mountain and too tired to finish because I haven?t put in the training to achieve my goals, I?m screwed.

What is one thing you have learnt since joining Virtus that has changed your life?

Despite wanting to do everything and help everyone, my body actually loves self-care and performs better because of it.

What was your first impression of Virtus Performance?

When I walked into VHQ everyone (coaches, allied health practitioners and members) genuinely welcomed me and made me feel that my goals (and I) were just as important as anyone else.

What are you most excited about achieving in the next few months?

Returning to more consistent running and seeing who I can out sprint to the brewery.

What advice would you have for someone thinking of joining the Virtus Family?

Come along and meet a great group of people. If you go on a Friday, Mitch will shout you beer and pizza!

Any extra comments/jokes/memes or quotes?

When life?s sweet, say thank you and celebrate; when life?s bitter, say thank you and grow.

Mentorship Spotlight: Molly Slater

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Welcome Molly, Introduce yourself to the Virtus Family

Hey, I'm Molly! I'm a PT and exercise science student with a big passion for health and fitness. I also love dogs, travel and anything peanut butter.

Why did you choose to spend the next 13 weeks at Virtus?

To try something different, get me out of my comfort zone and learn skills I don't yet have in the realm of Strength & Conditioning.

Who do you want to be when you grow up?

Who says I'm ever growing up - No Thankyou!

Favourites: Book, Food, TV Show, Band, Movie and podcast?

I'm a bit of a nerd - so anything Marvel Universe or a good action/war movie. TV Show would be: Friends.

What are you good at, What are your strengths?

Being a kind and supportive coach. I think I can connect with people well, empathise and hopefully encourage them to achieve their goals.

What are you not so good at, Where is there room for improvement

Being more extroverted and being okay out of my comfort zone, I'm an introvert.

If you were stuck on a desert island for 6 months and you could take three things with you, what would they be?

1. Swag, 2. Satellite phone (to order food, supplies, call friends), 3. Big suitcase full of books

Quarantine Client of the Week 20/4

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

And this week?s winner is?. Elysia Kelly!

First of all, congratulations, bravo, any words for the camera?1 response

I?d like to thank Lachie for getting up every morning and giving us all the opportunity to not be shit.

What does your 'new normal' training schedule look like?

It?s actually looking better than my ?old normal?. I?m aiming for 5 days a week at 6am with some long afternoon walks in there somewhere too. My perturbation game is lagging and the Urban Dictionary is covered in cobwebs, so it?s not all rainbows and butterflies.

What advice would you have for anyone struggling to find their training groove?

Anything different, when practised, soon becomes normal. Be careful of what that normal looks like.

I don?t want lazy to ever become normal for me. Exercise has always been the best start to my day, ISO life is no excuse for me to change that.

It?s actually the opposite - I?ve got the time, I want to move, and I need a laugh! How lucky we are to live in a time where this is all still possible.

My favourite mantra also helps when I?ve got my bucket of excuses ready to go... JUST F#!@ING DO IT!!

Any extra comments/jokes/memes or quotes?

I just bought a chicken and an egg off Amazon. I?ll let you know.

Quarantine Client of the Week 27/4

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

And this week?s winner is?. Nick Cannell

First of all, congratulations, bravo, any words for the camera?

Ha, no. Thank you guys! If it wasn't for you all, I wouldn't be getting any training done and my iso gut would be bursting at the seams!

What does your 'new normal' training schedule look like?

I am aiming for 5 sessions a week, but I've set a clear minimum of 4. I am really trying to get to the 6am VGT as it's great to see everyone, it keeps me motivated during the session and I find it really sets up the rest of my day!

What advice would you have for anyone struggling to find their training groove?

This is a tough question as it's super personal.

The two things I have found that helped:

1. I had a hard think of what I wanted out of my training and came up with my minimums and my goals. I review this every week.

2. Find someone to keep you honest/check-in with. It's much easier and more fun to go on the journey with a friend than solo. There are plenty of superstars in this community and I find all the coaches are great at this too!

Any extra comments/jokes/memes or quotes?

I know they say 2020 vision is good... But I haven't been able to see anyone

Cultivating Happiness; A 6 Step Guide.

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Cultivating genuine, tangible happiness is not an easy thing to do.

Much like cultivating a plot of land to farm on, to grow and raise crops & livestock, it takes a special process and commitment to create the outcome you're looking for.

We must open our minds to take on new information. To change our previously held beliefs and to challenge our belief systems. To organise our thoughts and challenges in a way which optimises our outputs in a systematic way.

All farms are built on many little processes and an overarching system . Happy, joyful people are built the same way.

I use the term built because all farms were once just an empty square of land. They had to be cultivated to grow the produce and livestock that we depend on them for. The same goes for our own personal systems of success to build our capacity to live a life of joy. We must cultivate this process with love, care and, above all, patience.

At the end of this short blog post, you?ll have leant the steps required to cultivate happiness, along with the process for cultivating farmland. What you decide to do with this knowledge, is up to you. Knowing is one thing, doing is another.

The 6 Step Process to Farming Happiness:

Identify and prepare the soil - Get to know yourself intimately. Pay attention to how you respond and react to the things that happen to you. Write about it, learn to differentiate between your thoughts, and you. Become aware of who you truly are and what you truly want. Developing awareness is the first step in creating happiness in your life.
Decide on what you?d like to grow - You don?t need a 5 or 10-year plan, but begin to work on your goals and ambitions. Create a direction in which you want to head. Progress isn?t linear, but knowing you?re committing and contributing to something daily will fuel your fire when things get tough.
Prepare the soil for planting - Optimise your awareness by bringing perspective and gratitude to your life. Look at the bigger picture and take some time to learn your craft. Ask questions, reach out to others who are living the life that you want to live and learn from them. Put your ego on the hook; it?ll change how you view the world. Utilise a gratitude practice and when things get tough, focus on what you have, not what you don?t.
Set your boundaries - It?s easy to create momentum by working yourself into the ground, only to slowly burn out and lose all momentum altogether. You?re playing the long game, you?re in this for the rest of your life. You don?t need to take over the world tomorrow, give yourself a couple of years before you give the world domination a crack. Patience is a virtue.
Plant your crops - Now it?s time to take action. Learn by doing, and learn how to fail along the way. As Abraham Lincoln said, ?Success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.? Not everything you plant will produce a significant yield. But all that you plant will teach you something you did not know before. Reframe how you look at failure and learn by doing.
Optimise your daily proc es s: Milk the cows, clean the pens, plant your crops - The daily routine is your secret weapon for a life of happiness. Jocko Willink reminds us often that Discipline Equals Freedom and he is spot on. But freedom also equals happiness. Being able to choose what you do and how you do it, supported by the daily habits you?ve consistently cultivated.

There you have it, cultivating happiness is less about what you have or where you are, but more about conquering your inner world, taking charge of your life and creating a system for success.

It?s not easy, but it sure is worth it.

A big thanks to Tolstoy (see below) for prompting this blog post

Doing the thing; A means within itself

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

I?ve never really considered myself a creative person. Sometimes I attempt to create things, sometimes I don?t try because of self-doubt. But something that I?ve realised over the past couple of weeks, is that those who are seen as creative, those inspired to write, paint, record and produce, they are no different to us mere mortals who say silly things like ?i?m not a creative person?

The only real difference, between us and them, is that they bypass the doubt, the resistance, the gnawing voice in their head that is telling them that whatever you create will be no good. Whether it is a conscious decision or not, the creative types simply start. We succumb to the negativity. They put pen to paper, paintbrush to canvas and they get to work. They do this because it brings them joy. The art, their creation, is not a means to an end. it?s an end within itself.

Over the last week, the reality of this isolation has hit me pretty hard, I miss my work, my colleagues, my friends and the life I once lived. I?d allowed myself space to deal with what has happened intellectually, but I hadn?t really given any thought or time to how I was coping emotionally.

When this happens, I need time and space to ruminate on how I?m feeling, and usually, I write or read to help me work through these feelings.

The other night I picked up a book that was gifted to me a few years ago by a dear friend. Unknown to me a short passage was highlighted a couple of pages in. A passage which was exactly what I needed to read at the time. A passage that reminded me of the importance of journey before destination, one that re-instilled in me the importance of trusting the process, of showing up, of doing things that are hard, because once you get started, the whole world changes.

My focus for the last few days has been to create. To ignore the nagging voices in my head which are telling me it?ll be rubbish. To put pen to paper because I know it will help me feel better and produce more. And that?s just what I?m doing.

Whatever it is that you?re mulling over, stop the mulling, and just start.

It has certainly helped me feel better about what is happening.

And that passage, well it?s at the top and the bottom of this page.

We are all creators, but it?s on us to sit down and do the creating.

Be amazing

Who's Up For A Renaissance?

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Wallace's Weekly Wrap

Happy Friday you wonderful humans.

Let me paint a bleak and devastating picture. It's the year 1347 and things look very different from how they do now in 2020. Life expectancy was a measly 45 years of age (compared to 79 in 2020).

An epidemic is beginning to spread across Europe, moving along the Silk Road and via trade ships and invasions. Medieval doctors do not understand the existence of microbes like Viruses and Bacteria. They are still 450 years from the development of the first successful vaccine (Smallpox) and the preventative measures that are prevalent today. Sanitation or land-based quarantine are non-existent.

When an area was affected, it's people would flee, unwittingly spreading the disease wherever they went.

The cause? Well in 1347, the thought was that it could be one of a few things.

a) Divine punishment from god,

b) Natural causes such as planetary movement or unpleasant smells, or

c) a manufactured and distributed of poison (turns out there have been conspiracy theorists all along).

Between the years of 1347 and 1352, the black death ravaged Europe. It ultimately resulted in (an estimated) 50 million deaths, which was as much as 60% of the European population at the time.

We would learn in 1894 that the cause was a bacterium called Yersinia Pestis. Transmitted from rodents to humans by the bite of infected fleas. Fun fact, the Black Rat's scientific name is 'Rattus rattus'.In 2020, the world is very different. To put it simply, we know better and will no doubt do better. Our understanding of the virus, sanitation and preventative measures will see to this.

I'm aware that I'm drawing a very long bow to compare COVID-19 to the Black Death but bear with me.

Both during and after the black death, the world changed. What followed was an impassioned period of cultural, artistic and political 'rebirth'. A time that we all know as the Renaissance.

Thought leaders like Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo, Nicolaus Copernicus, Dante, William Shakespeare and Michelangelo, among many others, would lead the way towards a new way of thinking built around the mainstays in the life we love today.

Think philosophy, science, literature, architecture and art, to name a few.

Whilst the timing and cause of the Renaissance period can be heavily debated, these revolutionary thinkers had a vast impact on on the civilisation we know today.

One could also argue that the 'Spanish flu' of 1918-20' along with World War One led to a time of growth and prosperity we know as the 'Roaring 20's'

These two comparisons are drawing a clean-cut line between different time periods. Of course, there were many other factors, but I'm ok with drawing another very very long bow on this one.

Over the past four months, the world has been affected by another epidemic. Our whole lives have been turned upside down. Our daily lives have changed immensely. Freedoms have been taken away and liberties extinguished. All in the name of public health and safety.

We will get through this, we have to. We know that it is always darkest before the dawn. I have no doubt that when this sun rises, we will have a newfound perspective and appreciation for the life we live. Things will be better than ever before. Why? Because we will make it so.

That book you've always wanted to write, Course you've always wanted to complete, Business you've always wanted to start, challenge you've wanted to undertake... well there will be no better launchpad for you to start than right now. Write it, complete it, start it, undertake it. Make good things happen.

Life's too short. Do things that really matter'

Who knows, we may even have a renaissance of our own.

Until then Stay Home, Stay Healthy and Stay Connected.

Wallace

The COVID Loop

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Many of us are living with an abundance of time right now. Our daily commute, chats at the water fountain/ cafe, and distractions that are present in our normal routines are no longer present. Whilst there are also many things at home vying for our attention, I have seen a lot of space open up for other things.

For example, I have spent a lot more time walking which I have enjoyed immensely. Yet there seems to be this pressure to spend our time "productively".

My social media has been littered with messages telling us to use this time effectively:

"If there's ever going to be a time to launch your side hustle/ start that project you've been thinking about/ read all those books on your list, now is the time!"

Of course, there is an element of truth to this. We do have more time and space to work on things usually outside of our focus. The things that we told ourselves we would get to 'if we had the time'

But I have found that I definitely have not been as productive as I "should" be. There have been spurts of creative output and deep work, followed closely by procrastination, distraction and down time. Then I feel guilty for not getting things done.

I came across this diagram in a weekly email from the Gamestorming Team , which sums up this situation pretty accurately:

We will move through this loop at different speeds, with varying levels of enthusiasm. We will work on a project that fires us up until we hit a point of exhaustion and frustration.

But here's the thing: wherever we are in this loop, it's ok. All we need to do is keep moving.

These are unusual times. So be kind to yourself and give yourself the time and space to move through the loop.

Ride the highs and be productive. Get through the lows by leaning on your allies and using strategies that tap into your mental resources (resilience, optimism, hope etc.).

Be productive when you can, and thrive when you have the capacity.

For the rest, survival is enough.

Simon 'Seagull' Cooper

The Marathon for Mental Health

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Introducing the Marathon For Mental Health

On Friday, four days from now, Simon and I will be setting off on a little adventure.

We have decided, as you do, to run a marathon with a twist.

The plan looks like this: Two blokes, 10 Coffee Shops, 42km and a probably a whole lot of chafe.

Why would we do such a thing?

Part of it is living up to the mantra of doing hard things, part of it is the excitement of doing something different but the main reason is to reignite and support the conversation around mental health, and highlight how tough we are all doing it at the moment.

Mental Health is one of the most important things we can talk about as a society. It?s something we as a business have worked hard to champion over the last few years. But after a couple of conversations over the last few weeks, we believe that this important issue has been overshadowed (understandably so) by everything that has been happening over the past few months.

So we are setting out, to complete this challenge to change that. This is a challenge, set by us, to be completed by us, which is designed to bring the conversation back into the forefront of our minds. To forget about the corona for a couple of days, and focus on the good that we can do as individuals and the great that we can do as a community.

Our Three Pillars at Virtus are Community | Performance | Education and we have structured this challenge around all three.

Community: With many small businesses, owners, staff members and customers doing it tough, we will be using the 42km run, to visit 10 local coffee shops along the way. To check-in, have a coffee and celebrate their tenacity.

Performance : Virtus exists to help everyday humans improve their performance, and although it's certainly not our chosen event, running 42km is certainly a way to show that with the right intention and perseverance we can utilise our physical and mental capacities to complete this run.

Education: It has come leaps and bounds over the past few years, but we still have a ways to go to learn more about anxiety, depression and mental health. We will use this run to interview a couple of wonderful humans and share some understanding around these issues.

We understand that many of you aren?t in the financial position to contribute, so if you could share the link & posts that would be incredible!

We will be videoing portions of our run, and interviewing some legends along the way, so once we figure out how to use iMovie you can expect a hopefully not too below-average video production with incredible content.

If you are in a position to contribute financially, You can Donate to Beyond Blue via our link Here!

Stay tuned for the route, and for the maddogs we are interviewing along the way!

Thanks for reading, give the video a watch and pray for us.

Lachie & Coop

Want to Reduce Your 3km Time in Weeks?

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Do you?

As the restrictions for the COVID-19 situation start to ease, local, state and national sport is slowly returning to training. Has your coach said you have a time trial coming up? First night back maybe? Thinking of an excuse to get out of it? Well, i?m telling you, you don?t have to. Introducing the 3-speed approach to a faster running performance .

It has been proven that double digit speed improvements in trained runners can be seen by using a 3-speed running program. In untrained runners, the potential for improvement is even bigger.

The Phys, Greg Dea and I wrote a simple and clear step-by-step guide from getting from the couch to 1km . This is a progression from that. Once you?ve achieved that 1km milestone, this 3-speed method can be used to get to the 3 to 5km mark.

To access the full article and the 3-speed running program written by Greg Dea and I, hit the following link: The 3-Speed Approach To Faster Running and Better Health .

Haaaaave fun!

Casual gym goer realises that ignorance truly is bliss.

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

28-year-old Mornington Peninsula resident Andrew signed up to a local 24hr gym for $13.95 a week 12 months ago. And although he has only been a handful of times, to sit on the machines and go through the motions, he is still stoked with his purchase.

?It?s great, I can give my goals the lip service they need, without having to stay accountable to actually doing anything? Andrew says as he finishes his 10th session in 12 months.

This story, and many like it, are all too common.

The best version of Andrew is there, somewhere, hiding under a pile of false starts and failed commitments. What he wants is to improve. What he needs is to show up, daily.

Andrew needs to learn to love the process. He needs to find an environment where he can trust and express a willingness to not let himself off the hook. To immerse himself in a community of contributors and people getting after it.

After all, if you run with the lame. You?ll develop a limp.

Cheaper is not better, convenience is not better, more is not better.

Better is better.

Make sure you?re moving the needle.

And if you?re not invested in your results, I?m sure you can join Andrew for his 11th session next month.

Onwards

Wallace

Weekly Correspondence - Monday 7th September

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Happy Monday all,

Let's kick this off by addressing the elephant in the room...

Due to the announcements from the Premier yesterday, it looks as though the gym won't open again until late November (at the earliest). As always, our decisions will be guided by the relevant health professionals and policies in place. Whilst it's disappointing news and we'd love to see you all in person soon, it's not unexpected.

What we're not going to do is sit on our hands until we get the all-clear.

The good news is that the Virtus Team is working hard to ensure that you have the support and systems to continue achieving what you want to in 2020.

We're pumped to be making some changes to how we operate and support our community. We're in the process of rolling out a new model that is designed to empower you and keep you moving forward.

Stay tuned for a few announcements over the next couple of weeks

For now, my advice to you is this:
Identify the things within your control, and focus on them.

_______________________________________________

Virtus Updates:

The latest Virtus news: What we're up to, how you can get involved and community events.

Week 3 of the Winter Olympics
The focus for this week is on Mental Health. This is especially relevant now and is a topic that is close to many of us. With all the news coming out over the weekend, please make sure you take some space for yourself if you need it this week. Recharge, generate some energy and surround yourself with positivity.

If you need someone to talk to, myself and the Virtus Team are here for you If you'd like to talk to someone else, here are a few numbers you can call:

NOTE: If you need a reminder of what the Winter Olympics is, check out this blog post . If you'd like to join us, it's not too late. Send me an email with "CRACKERJACK" and I'll get you rolling.

Live Recording of the Virtus Podcast ?
A special event for Week Three of the Winter Olympics!

We will be recording a live podcast and you're invited. Join us on Zoom as Lach and I talk about Episode 7 of the pod.

We'll then open up the mic, and you can feature on the Virtus Podcast. We'll run a 20 minute Q&A / discussion based on the things you'd like to talk about.

This will be super fun and I'm excited to get you guys on the air with us!

'A Day in the Iso Life'
This Thursday, Coach Jas is taking over the Virtus Instagram page.

Tune in to see what she gets up on an average day for a Performance Coach/ Masters student/ Puppy Mama/ Barbell Lifter/ Smoothie-maker extraordinaire!

Virtus Performance IG
Coach Jas IG

_______________________________________________

2 Pieces of Content:

A few pieces of content for your week: Some are freshly created and a few from the archives.

1/ Episode 6 of the Virtus Podcast is live. ?

Mental Health.

Apparently I say this every week, but I think this is one of our best episodes. I'm pretty proud of it and I think you'll enjoy it.

Here's the link to listen on iTunes and Podbean
If you'd rather watch it, check it out on YouTube .

2/ Want to Reduce Your 3km Time?

Now is the perfect time to focus on the things that we're bad at. For many of us, it's running. Plus, we get to spend more time outside in the sun.

If you want to tap into your inner running machine, check out this post. Coach Rowe and the Phys developed a running program that will improve your relationship with running.

Read more here.
If you want to join in on the action, contact Coach here.

_______________________________________________

Wisdom to Ponder:

Something to think about: Write it down, come back to it, act upon it.

A proverb on the importance of asking questions:
"The person who asks is a fool for five minutes, but the person who does not ask remains a fool forever."

_______________________________________________

Remember: Look after your mates, keep checking in with one another, get outside for fresh air when you can, hydrate, move, eat well, smile, don't be tough on yourself and always choose kindness.

Onwards!

Simon.

MENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT: TYLER FROST

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF:

22-year-old who spent his whole life in a small country town; Hamilton, South West Victoria, before moving to Ballarat at age 18 to study a Bachelor of Health & Physical Education. Throughout my time at Hamilton I was an avid lover and player of Footy and Tennis before constant shoulder injuries ruined my very un promising future in these sports.

Whilst in Year 12 (2015) I completed my Certificate III & IV in Fitness and got my first experience working in a gym. In 2016, I went off to Ballarat to study, and during Uni holidays, I would go back home and work at the gym where I began to discover my love of coaching. Conflicted about where I wanted to take my future; I took the first semester of 2018 off Uni and focused solely on Personal Training in Hamilton at the gym that I had been working at for 3 years at this point and in that time, had been promoted to Gym Floor Manager. I loved this new role but as a still very young coach and human being I was nowhere near prepared for it and I knew I needed to get a lot better in all facets before undertaking another large role like that in the future. In my pursuit to get better, I transferred over to a Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science and began upskilling myself and surrounding myself with a number of great mentors outside of Uni, one of them being the great former Virtus coach Cam Elliot.

I had followed Virtus on Instagram for quite some time but had always thought it was just a little too far away from home and Ballarat for me to go and visit and complete a mentorship, until the first half of 2020 when I had a girlfriend who lived in Rosebud. After that ended, I figured; if I could budget and take the time and travel all that way to invest in someone else, what excuse do I really have for not budgeting, taking the time, and travelling less distance to invest in myself and make myself a better human being and coach?! I reached out to Lachie and now here we are ? seriously looking forward to properly getting into it, making the most out of this experience, and getting to know the family!

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO SPEND 12 WEEKS WITH THE VIRTUS FAMILY?

You?re a product of the people you surround yourself with. In order for me to get better as a coach, friend, and human being I need to invest in myself and surround myself with the people that I aspire to be like. I hope to develop my intellect and apply and develop my coaching skills, develop my confidence and ability to build relationships, and meet some unreal people over these next 12 weeks.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?

An excellent human being and knowledgeable coach who people gravitate to and want to be around in order to make themselves better. My domain is junior athletes and developing them into top notch humans and performers, although my interests over the last few years have also evolved into assisting humans of all ages move better and without pain. I would love to at some stage work for myself in my own facility, working with all populations and mentoring young coaches.

WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS AS A PERSON AND A COACH?

My ability to be empathetic and understanding, and the quality of coaches/mentors that I have to lean on.

WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST STRETCHES AS A PERSON AND A COACH?

I feel my knowledge is good, but the more I learn and the better I get, the more I feel like I don?t know and the more confused I tend to make myself. I feel like this is just a confidence thing. I need more confidence in my ability to program, understand and apply anatomy into my coaching, and engage and build relationships with clients and explain in clear, concise, and easy to understand terms the things I am implementing with them and why I am doing it.

FAVOURITES ?

Book ? How to Win Friends & Influence People

Movie ? Benchwarmers is an absolute all-time classic for mine. It?s concerning the amount of times I would have watched it since I was a kid.

Hobby ? Spending time in the sunshine with friends

Exercise ? Dowell Dislocations ? after years of shoulder troubles these got my cooked shoulders feeling strong and juicy!

Quote ? ?I shall pass this way but once; any good, therefore, that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again?

INTERN SPOTLIGHT: KYLE MACKAY

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

TELL US A BIT (A LOT) MORE ABOUT YOURSELF:

I am a 23-year-old currently completing the last six months of my Bachelor of Exercise & Sport Science at Deakin University, majoring in exercise physiology and strength and conditioning. I?d love to become an exercise physiologist or a strength and conditioning coach post grad (shocker). I have grown up playing a wide range of sports (AFL, basketball, volleyball, athletics, European handball, rugby, badmington, olympic lifting and powerlifting) with Rep Basketball being the predominant one, first at Hampton Park Pioneers, then Keysborough Cougars. Since around the beginning of the pandemic (June 2020) my focus has been solely on powerlifting. I had my first powerlifting meet (local) in April 2021, where i qualified for states. At states I qualified for nationals but had to withdraw a couple weeks prior to the national meet due to injury. My goal is to compete nationally and eventually internationally.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO SPEND 12 WEEKS WITH THE VIRTUS FAMILY?
I?m looking to gain more hands-on coaching and programming experience. I also hope to learn from my peers regarding all things exercise!

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?

An exercise physiologist and/or Strength and Conditioning Coach.

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?
The opportunity to be better than yourself yesterday.

WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS AS A PERSON AND A COACH?

I am pretty disciplined when it comes to getting tasks done. I don?t specialize in one area but am knowledgeable across most areas of exercise!

WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST STRETCHES AS A PERSON AND A COACH?
I find consistent effective communication a challenge of mine regarding emotions particularly. Sometimes it will be really good, other times really poor.

FAVOURITES
Book - To Kill a Mockingbird
Movie - The Pink Panther
TV show - Brooklyn 99
Hobby - Powerlifting
Exercise - Bulgarian Split Squats
Quote - Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn?t work hard

INTERN SPOTLIGHT: SARAH O'GRADY

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

TELL US A LITTLE BIT (A ALOT) ABOUT YOURSELF

Im 26 years old and am currently studying my certificate3 in fitness with Chisholm and will continue on to certifcate4. I grew up in Lake Tyers Beach, spent my late teens and early 20s living in Safety Beach and have now settled in Bonbeach (I?ve got a bit of a thing for living close to the beach.) I enjoy leading an active lifestyle spending time outdoors. I love high intensity exercise in a group setting. I enjoy getting out for a walk or skate with no real direction so I can wander and take in my surroundings.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO SPEND 12 WEEKS WITH THE VIRTUS FAMILY?
For my course I need to complete 30 hours of practical placement in a gym, Virtus has a lot more to offer than most gyms I know of. I want to be in an environment which has high quality coaching and meet great people who want to learn and grow.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?

I want to be focused and committed to my job as a coach, working together with people in my community. An excellent person, a great friend.

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?
I?m driven to constantly better my professional and personal skills. I'm motivated from the energy from others around me.

WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS AS A PERSON AND AS A COACH?

I am empathetic and understanding, I'm cheerful and get a lot of joy from speaking to others.

WHAT ARE YOIUR BIGGEST STRETCHES AS A PERSON AND AS A COACH?

I can lack confidence at times, and am working on believing in myself in new environments. I want more confidence in my ability to program and instruct exercises.

FAVOURITES:
Book- The Hobbit J.R.R Tolkien
Movie- It?s a wonderful life
Tv show- Younger
Hobby- swimming
Exercise- interval training
Quote- Give it your best shot - Dad.

INTERN SPOTLIGHT: REBECCA MCMILLAN

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

TELL US A LITTLE BIT (A LOT) ABOUT YOURSELF:

I am 23, love dogs so so much they bring me so much joy!! I love running, I ran my first full marathon last year and was so sure I?d never do another one again, but it?s kinda addictive the excitement and achieving something you thought you couldn?t! Huuuge fan of summer, the beach and a novice surfer but I still attempt to try because it?s a lot of fun. Love moving my body in lots of different ways (running, pilates, yoga, bike rides, circuit training and hikes) big choccy addict, can?t go a day without smashed avocado on toast or a choc PB smoothie. I also have a really loud laugh? sorry for anyone?s ears I hurt along the way. Oh and I?m a Carlton fan, also loveee a good sunrise or sunset

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO SPEND 12 WEEKS WITH THE VIRTUS FAMILY?
Virtus stood out to me because of their unique approach to movement, the sense of community that it aims to achieve and the support that the program offers. The hands on approach was something I seeked and diving further out of my comfort zone was something I could see myself achieving with the Virtus family.

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

In terms of moving my body, the feeling is what motivates me. More broadly, the idea of always improving or bettering myself is what inspires me.

WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS AS A PERSON?

I like to think I am a kind, easy going person who genuinely really loves to get to know people and their life.

WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST STRETCHES AS A PERSON AND AS A COACH?
I often second guess myself and what I know. In terms of coaching, if I see something that I might not think is right or could be adjusted better, I struggle to back myself in those situations.

FAVOURITES:
Book - Conversations With Friends
Movie - All the Harry Potter?s
TV Show - Friends
Hobby - Surfing when I get the time (not living close to the beach makes it hard)
Exercise - Running & Pilates
Quote - ?Treat people with kindness. We?re all going through a lot? and ?Taking care of yourself is productive?

INTERN SPOTLIGHT: NAT CARTWRIGHT

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO SPEND 12 WEEKS WITH THE VIRTUS FAMILY?

I have chosen to spend 12 weeks with Virtus to gain exposure in a new environment and work together with the other coaches and community to improve on my practical skills and advance my knowledge regarding both group training and athletic development settings.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?

Well, I did want to be famous but that never happened. So, the goal now is a high-performance coach and then work towards being a Physiotherapist.

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

Having clear goals set for ambitions that I have, to either better myself and/or others alongside a colourful and organised schedule.

WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS AS A PERSON?

I am an approachable and friendly person which adds to my strong rapport building with others. This also is a strength for myself from a coaching perspective alongside my genuine interest in assisting others to achieve their goals and improve overall athletic abilities.

WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST STRETCHES AS A PERSON AND AS A COACH?

Sometimes I tend to overthink situations too much and doubt myself as a result. As a coach, my biggest stretches would be removing that doubt when it comes to being confident in my decisions.

FAVOURITES:

Book ? Don?t like reading
Movie ? The Other Woman, Mean Girls & Marvel Movies
TV Show ? Keeping up with the Kardashians, Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars
Hobby ? Netball, shopping, being social with friends and family
Exercise ? RDLs and Lat Pulldown
Quote ? ?The only way to get what you want in this world is through hard work?.

INTERN SPOTIGHT: MEG HOOD

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Tell us a little about yourself:

I?m a 23 year old student who moved from regional Victoria to metropolitan Melbourne to study a bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science. Growing up in the country really fostered my love for being outdoors, when I visit home, I enjoy hiking, snow sports and appreciating the nature that the high country has to offer. I currently work as a front of house supervisor at a cafe? in Glen Iris and am also a trained barista. Once I finish my bachelor?s degree, I am keen to do further study however want to work and travel for a few years before I enter my next degree. My mum is South African, so when I was younger, we would go on a holiday to South Africa every year, and I the opportunity to go on lots of safaris, I have always wanted to go back and do some short-term wildlife conservation work there, because I am crazy about all types of animals! I am eager to start my internship at Virtus, as I have never had much experience in the coaching world, so am super excited to be exposed to this kind of environment! I am looking forward to developing my skills in coaching, exercise programming and strength training over the next 12 weeks.

Why did you choose to spend 12 weeks with the Virtus Family?

After searching and not being able to find a placement opportunity that was closer to home, I made a trip down to Virtus after seeing an advertisement on my university page. The first thing I noticed when walking into the space was the laid back atmosphere and friendliness of the staff (and even members), I felt comfortable as soon as I walked in and got the sense that a place that carried such an environment would be the best place I could learn, grow, and develop my coaching skills. (Seeing that Virtus was a dog friendly gym also made the choice really easy for me! ?)

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I?ve always known I have wanted to have a career in helping others, since finishing my school-based work experiences, I have wanted to be a physiotherapist, specialising in disability and ABI patients. However, since the end of covid lockdowns I have developed a strong passion for raising awareness around mental health, so working across both fields in a way that could somehow be semi-connected would be super special to me.

What motivates you?

Learning new things
Seeing others do great things
Having a routine
Making people smile

What are your strengths as a person and as a coach?

I am a very approachable individual, and not at all intimidating. I always listen super intensively and genuinely care about the way other people are feeling, which I think is an important soft skill to carry as a coach.

What are your biggest stretches as a person and as a coach?

I often doubt myself and my capabilities and am constantly stuck in a mental process of self- criticism in tasks I am faced with because I always tend to aim for ?perfect? and not ?better?. I think that in a coaching setting this can often lead to me not stepping outside of my comfort zone as much, therefore not being an effective coach/ mentor for others.

Favourites:

Book ? The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat ? Oliver Sacks

Movie ? Inside Out and Dirty Dancing

TV show ? Parks & Recreation, Friends and Breaking Bad

Hobby ? I have many, but my favourite is vacuuming!!

Exercise ? Any sideline series leg work with a resistance band

Quote ? ?I never lose. Either I win or I learn? ? Nelson Mandela

INTERN SPOTLIGHT: TOM PANICH

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Tell us a little bit (a lot) about yourself:

I am 21, born and bred here in Mornington. I?ve lived with my girlfriend of 4 years, Laura for the past 2 1/2 years. We share a 2-year-old miniature dachshund named Pippa who I spoil more than I would care to admit. I?ve played sports of all kinds over my life, but footy and cricket are the two major ones, that I still play today.

I?m into my last trimester of study and I couldn?t be more excited to finish and get stuck into working in the sports industry. I am studying a Bachelor of Exercise & Sports Science / Bachelor of Business Sports Management at Deakin. My main goal in life is to find the thing that makes me happiest, whether that be a job, hobby or whatever, and incorporate it into each and every day.

Why did you choose to spend 12 weeks with the Virtus family?

The internship program simply just beat any others I found. The opportunity to learn in an environment surrounded by years of experience in coaching, business management, rehab and training in general appealed to me as it covered all of my areas of interest and study. Pairing that with the experience I will have coaching a variety of different clients, and the extracurricular project work that I will do, it will be an experience that will allow me to grow and develop not only also a person, but as a future professional in the industry.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Firstly, happy. In terms of my career, I?m still trying to work that one out. Either a high performance manager for elite athletes or a sport development role in an NSO are looking to be the most likely.

What motivates you?

Getting better each day. Always making the effort to do something, no matter how big or small it may be, that makes me better.

What are your strengths as a person and a coach?

My interpersonal skills are something that I value highly along with my positivity and relaxed nature. As a coach, I think my strengths are my ability to understand a client/athlete and what their limits are, and the ability to make them feel comfortable and safe in the environment, which I think is very important.

What are your biggest stretches as a person and a coach?

Getting out of my comfort zone. My biggest challenge is getting myself to do the things that I am unsure of, due to the fear of making mistakes. Once I get past that, I am comfortable, but I sometimes struggle to shake that irrational feeling.

Favourites:

Book ? The Resilience Project

Movie ? The Dark Knight / The Wolf of Wall Street

TV Show ? Money Heist / Suits

Hobby ? Gaming, Golf

Exercise ? Golf & Walking Pippa

Quote - "Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value." -Albert Einstein

3 Ways to overcome stress

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Feeling stressed is overwhelming. Breathing becomes harder, productivity diminishes and you don't know where to turn.

You know the feeling. You're spinning a few too many plates, without the time or clarity to make any real progress.

We need to find ways to not only survive, but thrive. When utilised, stress can be a wonderful tool to lead a healthy fulfilling life.

Each time we lose focus on what the task at hand is, our reaction is different. But what if we could notice when stress is creeping in? Or even better, what if we could identify ways to feel more at ease when it does present itself?

We?ve all been through those moments of overwhelm. Our emotions feel amplified and anything and everything could set us off.

It?s a lose lose situation because nothing gets done and there is a sense of despair.

Bring your awareness to your breath. Try taking some deep breaths and release the tension.

1. One step at a time ?

In the height of our emotions, it can be difficult to focus on anything, let alone the piling to do list.

Prioritise what is most important and focus your attention on that one single task.

This doesn?t mean spending all day every day on the task until it?s done. Try putting time aside for one task and vice versa for the next task. This allows us to give one task our undivided attention and do whatever it is well.

Complete it with purpose.

Schedule in time for each important task and give yourself regular breaks.

Put one foot in front of the other.

Just keeping.

2. Take time for yourself ?

Switch off, move away from whatever work you?re doing and be present. Do something you enjoy.

Move your body, cook up a nice meal, read a book, catch up with a friend, whatever it is, be in the moment.

Create space for yourself away from a screen. Away from whatever is making you feel overwhelmed. Spend some time doing things you love.

You are more likely to come back to the task and feel more grounded and have increased focus.

Taking care of yourself is productive.

3. Setting boundaries ?

Be aware of your own personal boundaries.

Understand that your own wellbeing is a priority. When planning ahead, take into consideration how you can foster that. This will allow more time for you.

That might mean saying no, to a catch up or a favour. It is a lot easier said than done to say no, but reframing it to not right now might take some of the load off.

Set yourself up in the best way you can.'

Stress can creep upon us and make life a little crazy. But it is our perspective and mindset that creates the outcome.

How you react is the tool within your control. Be aware of how you are feeling and start to find your own ways of feeling at ease when stress arises.

Take a deep breath and remind yourself that you don?t have to (and cannot) be in control of everything in your life.

INTERN SPOTLIGHT: BREANNA COZZIO

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Tell us a bit (a lot) about your self:
My name is Breanna Cozzio I am 20 years old and currently in my second year of studying a Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science at Deakin University. I still live at home with my family and gorgeous dog Tangles who is treated more like a sister than a dog. I have always been involved in sport from a young age. I was a competitive gymnasts and swimmer but now only play field hockey. I support the Western Bulldogs in AFL but didn?t really get a choice because my dad is also a supporter. I love cooking and I value how my family is brought together to not only enjoy but make amazing meals. I have my certificate II in fashion design and technology and love being creative with art. I am a part for Gunnamatta Surf Life Saving Club and have grown up at the beach.

Why did you choose to spend 12 weeks with the Virus family?
I was fortunate enough to have Mitch at University for one of my units and was really impressed by the way he carried him self and taught the students. I looked into Virtus and thought the organisation seemed to be really down to earth and a place I wanted to be a part of.

What do you want to be when you grow up?
Honestly no clue still figuring that out but definitely something in the area of health and fitness.

What motivates you?
The opportunity for the growth each new day brings and seeing the people around me put in hard work and achieve their goals.

What are your strength as a person and a coach?
I love working with individuals to help them grow on the journey to reach their goals. I am pretty good at listening and love learning from others.

What are your biggest stretches as a person and a coach?
I can be quite hard on my self and underestimate my own abilities. I can also be quiet and take time to open up to new people.

Favourites:
Book: Don?t have one
Movie: Don?t have one
TV show: Don?t have one
^^^ I can be very indecisive hahahaha.
Hobby: Cooking
Exercise: Hockey
Quote: ?Your only limitation is the one you set up in your own mind? ~ Napoleon Hill

INTERN SPOTLIGHT: REIDE MULHOLLAND

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Tell us a little bit (a lot) about yourself:
My Name is Reide Mulholland I am 27 studying exercise sports science at Deakin uni majoring in sports coaching and strength and conditioning, finishing up mid-year 2023. I currently work for Melbourne Victory Football Club working in the pre-academy with prospective players aged 8-14 and have just signed with Heidelberg United Football Club as their U13s JGNPL head coach. I used to work as a lawn mower Monday-Friday and hated it so decided to change my life going to uni 7 years after finishing high school and I have not looked back.

Why did you choose to spend 12 weeks with the Virtus family?
I applied to complete my placement hours for one of my units in 2023 but that is secondary now as after the orientation and first shift I feel this is a place I want to work and now I?m looking to strive to put myself out there and get to know the business, clients and the work and just enjoy myself.

What do you want to be when you grow up?
At the moment the dream job is coaching in the Australian women?s program with the matildas or junior matildas. Coaching development age football full-time is the dream and anything extra is just a bonus.

What motivates you?
The environment I work in is what motivates me, good people with a good attitude. I usually do things that make me feel good and have intrinsic value rather than extrinsic reward. Whilst this doesn?t mean I?ll always work for free but the right environment I forget I?m not getting paid.

What are your strengths as a person and a coach?
Think one of my strengths is my interpersonal skills and my ability to laugh at even the best dad joke. What are your biggest stretches as a person and a coach?
My knowledge of exercises and practical gym experience are some stretches I am still finding my confidence backing my knowledge learnt at uni in a practical environment.

Favourites:
Book ? The Way of Kinds, by Brandon Sanderson
Movie ? ?Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring?
TV Show ? ?The Office?
Hobby ? Reading
Exercise ? Barbell Squat
Quote ? ?Not all those who wander are lost? -Gandalf
?You miss 100% of the shots you don?t take? ? Michael Scott (Wayne Gretzky).

There is Never a Right Time - Clare Power

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

I recently got my training mojo back, and I was enjoying the process and showing up.

There was a voice in my head that kept saying ?not much point as you?re having surgery soon and will have to stop and then start all over again?

But I didn?t, I kept going because I was enjoying the benefits ? my mindset shifted to ?let?s go into surgery as fit and strong as I can be right now?.

Now life throws interruptions our way constantly and we can find ourselves in a frustrating stop-start cycle - especially when it comes to lifestyle improvements: diet, exercise, reducing alcohol intake, getting more sleep, stopping smoking etc.

The holiday season is a prime example of a time when we can choose to put it off and wait until the New Year.

Now here is how it can play out:

Choose NOT to start

No ACTION is taken

Old habits continue (AND some as we ?go for it? before we apply anticipated restrictions)

You feel the negative effects compounding

Reconsider taking action

Does it feel like the mountain got a little higher?

It is now easier to find ANOTHER reason to stall action once again

This is what is called choosing the path of least resistance - it will only take you further away from your goals.

We all know the phrase ?There is never a right time?.

Choosing the harder path ? the one that presents resistance doesn?t have to be a sprint ? it can look like a 1% improvement every day ? 1% is better than none.

1% adds up and take you towards your goals.

The best part of choosing this path and taking ACTION is that it will bring REWARD.

Taking action and experiencing reward breeds MOTIVATION and that makes the mountain less daunting.

Yes, the mountain may involve some side steps and rest points, but progress isn?t linear.

Because I chose to take action, I am now looking forward to getting back onto my mountain and I won?t be starting at the base again.

Applying a complete overhaul and too many restrictions rarely works, as it is unsustainable.

If you need help designing a path that will breed motivation and make taking action easier, get in touch; my approach shifts mindset away from restriction and towards inclusion, after all, you have so much to GAIN.

Clare Power

Nutrition Therapy Coach

www.nutritiontherapycoach.com.au

Mob: 0416 124307

INTERN SPOTLIGHT: STEPH LEE

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Why did you choose to spend 12 weeks with the Virtus Family?

I chose to spend the next 12 weeks with Virtus as I need to complete placement required for my university course: Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science / Bachelor Nutrition Science at Deakin University. I also applied for this internship because I think that I would like to do something in this field in the future, however, the only way to know for sure is to try it out. These next 12 weeks will help give me a good indication as to whether I believe this pathway will suit my lifestyle and future enjoyment.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I think that my goal would be to own and run my very own business in the future. I want to be genuinely happy and financially stable enough that I can afford to create and spend valuable time with a family of my own.

What motivates you?

Surrounding myself with people who have similar interests and goals as me. Listening to podcasts about certain life situations that resonate with me. However, I am a believer in discipline > motivation, and I think that is fuelled by me wanting to be the best version of myself.

What are your strengths as a person and coach?

I am an easy person to get along with, which in turn helps me to connect with others. I like to think that I am a fast learner and very adaptable. I enjoy working in a team environment.

What are your biggest stretches as a person and a coach?

My biggest stretches as a person and a coach would probably be feeling socially anxious at times. I also aim to be performing at my best, which naturally doesn?t always happen, therefore I can be self-critical at times.

Favourites:

Book ? I?ve only read the books I was forced to read at school, so I don?t have a favourite one. However, I would like to start reading.
Movies ? The longest ride
TV Shows ? The Vampire Diaries
Hobby ? socialising, cooking, exercising, chilling with my many animals
Exercise ? BB Back Squat, walking
Quote ? ?The single most powerful thing I can be is to be myself?

Virtus Daily Blog # - The Beauty of a Bretzell

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

What if I was to tell you that you don?t need to be spending 20 minutes a day rolling around on a piece of foam?

What if I said that I can give you one simple diagnostic tool that we use at Virtus to speed up or eliminate this wasteful process?

Well, If i?d told myself the same thing 5 years ago I would have been all ears, because we don?t know what we don?t know.

How do we turn a short term change into a long term change? We repeat it, often, until that becomes our new norm.

Virtus Daily Blog # - Self Awareness

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Socialised Mind

Self authoring mind

Self Transforming mind

Virtus Daily Blog # - Fixed or Growth Mindset

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Virtus daily blog # - No clue what we are doing

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Our parents lied to us.

Virtus Family Member Spotlight: August

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

We want to celebrate the little wins.

Our member spotlight will celebrate the success and progress of one superstar from the Virtus Family each month. These answers will be featured on the Virtus Blog each month. Giving you a virtual pat on the back from the entire Virtus Family. Plus, if you're lucky, you'll also receive an actual pat on the back from a Virtus Team Member of your choosing.

Name:

Tim Schubert

First of all, congratulations, bravo, any words for the camera?

Not usually in front of the camera - rather be in the background!

How has your decision to join Virtus improved your life?

I have become fitter with more energy for life. I have lost 20 kilos and am doing some exercise each day - gym or walking.

What do you enjoy most about your training at Virtus?

The people are supportive and encouraging. The program is varied and interesting, even if the cardio sessions are challenging.

What are the habits that you have adopted since joining Virtus?

Eating breakfast, continuing exercising at home, watching what I eat and cutting down on the portions and PASTA!

What helps keep you on track with your goals?

Chatting to Jess weekly, seeing improvement in back mobility, weight loss.

What is one thing you have learnt since joining Virtus that has changed your life?

That I have to look after your body.

What was your first impression of Virtus Performance?

What the hell had Kate signed me up for? My sister gave me a months trial two years ago.

What are you most excited about achieving in the next few months?

Getting my waist measurement down!

What advice would you have for someone thinking of joining the Virtus Family?

Just do it!

Any extra comments/jokes/memes or quotes?

Can?t repeat some of the jokes I?ve heard at the gym! Can?t remember the rest!

Virtus daily blog # - What Coxy tEaches us aboUt relationshiPs

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Poignant -/ find video

Virtus Daily Blog # 69 - Follow me

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

I?m not perfect, far from it. I am a flawed individual, i don?t think anybody would argue otherwise.

Leaders don?t force people to follow.

They invite them on the journey

Virtus Family Member Spotlight - Chris McCullough

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Name

Chris McCullough

First of all, congratulations, bravo, any words for the camera?

I made it Mum.

How has your decision to join Virtus improved your life?

Virtus has positively improved my attitude and overall mental wellbeing. I have gained so much confidence within myself and I can?t thank the Virtus squad enough.

What do you enjoy most about your training? *

Gains. And community. And gains.

What are the habits that you have adopted that have helped you continue to improve? *

Consistency and building a solid routine is key to be able to achieve the results I want. It has also provided me with a mentality to always keep progressing, whether it be strength or general fitness and happiness. I eat a lot of chicken too.

What helps keep you on track with your goals? *

Tyler T dizzle BOONDOG is a major contributor and always pushes me to keep ringing that PB bell. The community aspect at Virtus also keeps me accountable and I owe it to everyone I train with to do my best and I hope I do the same!

What is one thing you have learnt since joining Virtus that has changed your life? *

Overall improvement in my mental wellbeing and fitness has changed my life for the better and it is all thanks to the Virtus lords.

What was your first impression of Virtus Performance? *

Home away from home. I loved it the moment I stepped in and it is the reason why I continue to come back. All smiles and sense of community is what makes it for me.

What are you most excited about achieving in the next few months? *

Getting stronger with all of my lifts and being consistent with all of my training and nutrition. 200kg Deadlift? Yes please.

What advice would you have for someone thinking of joining the Virtus Family? *

If you want more family and friends while getting bigger pipes, Virtus is the place for you.

Any extra comments/jokes/memes or quotes?

Matt Wakefield requested the next month?s program to just be all prowler action. Including his extras lol joking of course hahaha unless? .... hahaha joking joking....... unless?

The Good Stuff: Celebrating Weekly Wins at Virtus

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Virtus Humans. You Beautiful people.

Winning requires many things

Enjoyment. Consistency. Support & Motivation, just to name a few.

To be honest, I enjoy studying these things more than I study exercise technique. After more than 13 years as a coach, I know the selection of exercises & what we do in the gym at Virtus is secondary to your desire to perform them.

Call me crazy, but humans are simple creatures. We are more likely to keep doing things we love to do and we are more likely to continue to do things that we know are moving us closer to our goals. Why, because progress, wins, success, The Good Stuff, is incredibly motivating.

Here?s what we know about motivation:

Winning has to happen before you?ll become motivated;
Winning has to KEEP happening to keep you motivated;
We don?t always recognise our Wins and progress when it happens. We?re pretty hard on ourselves.

At Virtus, we want to make it easier to notice & celebrate your wins. This is why we track our progress in Train Heroic, ring the damn PB bell when we have earned the right and why we need to take five minutes every week to reflect on The Good Stuff that happens in our lives.

The practice of thankfulness doesn?t come naturally to anyone. That?s why we call it a practice: it?s hard, we don?t feel like doing it?and then we feel better once we?ve done it.

?The Good Stuff? will be our practice of thankfulness. Of Gratitude. Of Celebrating our Wins. Every week in the Virtus WhatsApp group, we post our wins: things that went right, things we?re celebrating, and little ?wins? from the week.

The Good Stuff doesn?t have to be gym-related but practicing gratitude and thankfulness is an exercise and something that will grow with time. By practising gratitude, we boost levels of dopamine AND reduce cortisol (This is the real GOOD STUFF)

I guarantee when you first read this, you?ll be reluctant to post your own Good Stuff. ?I don?t really know these people THAT well?they don?t want to hear about my life. "It won't make any difference to me? Or ?I don?t want to share all my personal stuff??

So each week, we will go first. And I encourage you to follow with one little bit of Good Stuff. If it?s easier, make it training to start.?But I promise you, sharing your wins on a weekly basis WILL change your life for the better.

What did you do RIGHT, or do BEST, or do for the FIRST time this week? Share in the Virtus Members Chat in WhatsApp

We?re all family here. It?s a safe place. Look within, and celebrate your own and your communities wins.

This is The Good Stuff, and I?m here for it.

Lachie

P.S Four Questions that I love to ask myself often.

1. What does winning look like?
2. What do we need to be good at?
3. What do we need to do?
4. How will we know?

Take some time out of your day to sit down and write these questions out. Work through them one at a time and try your best to articulate some answers. This will help you create clarity on what you want, what you need to do, and how you can ensure you know you've succeeded.

If you need any help with the above, email me at lachie@virtusperformance.com to book a session with one of our coaches and we can go on a deep dive into how to help you get from where you are now, to where you want to be.

This is the good stuff and I love pointing it out. #clever

Mastering Stress: Nervous System Hygiene for Modern Life

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

TLDR: Practise daily nervous system hygiene to foster balance, resilience, and mental clarity in our high-stress world.

In today?s fast-paced environment, stress is inescapable?but with the right strategies, it doesn?t have to wear us down. Our nervous system is constantly shifting between two states: ?fight or flight? (sympathetic) and ?rest and digest? (parasympathetic). Both are vital for responding to life?s challenges and finding calm. However, without mindful management, we can get stuck in a constant state of stress, which drains resilience and limits our capacity to handle challenges with ease. Here?s how to foster a balanced, resilient nervous system through simple, supportive practices.

Understanding Stress Responses

When faced with a challenge, the sympathetic nervous system initiates ?fight or flight,? releasing cortisol and adrenaline to keep us alert and ready. This response is essential for short-term survival. But in the long term, staying in this heightened state leads to fatigue, anxiety, and health issues. On the other hand, the parasympathetic system brings us back to ?rest and digest,? allowing our bodies to recharge. This balance is where well-being thrives.

10 Strategies for Managing Stress

Daily Journaling Practice
Reflective journaling clears mental clutter and brings focus. Spend five minutes each morning writing about your challenges, goals, or moments of gratitude. This simple act can boost clarity and reduce stress.
Nature Walks
Walking in nature is grounding, helping you reconnect with the present and reduce anxiety. Try a 10- to 20-minute walk each day, focusing on your surroundings and the rhythm of your steps.
Optimise Your Sleep
Deep sleep and REM cycles are essential for emotional balance and recovery. Set a consistent bedtime, limit screen time before bed, and create a calming environment to support restful sleep.
Hydration for Mental Clarity
Even mild dehydration affects brain function, leading to irritability and brain fog. Start your day with a glass of water and keep a water bottle nearby to stay hydrated.
Eat for Brain Health
Foods rich in nutrients?like leafy greens, berries, and fatty fish?support brain function and reduce oxidative stress. Adding these to your meals can keep your mind focused and resilient.
Manage Screen Time
Excessive screen time overstimulates our brains and increases stress hormones. Set boundaries around screen usage, particularly in the evening, to support relaxation.
Mindfulness and Meditation
Meditation practices reduce stress and increase awareness. Start with five minutes of deep breathing each day, or try a simple guided meditation to ground yourself.
Exercise as Movement Meditation
Physical activity like strength training or a group class can be a powerful reset, taking you out of your head and into your body. Aim for at least a few sessions each week to stay grounded.
Breathwork Techniques
Techniques like 4-7-8 breathing?inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7, exhale for 8?instantly reduce stress and bring a sense of calm. Practise it anytime you feel overwhelmed.
Social Support
Connecting with loved ones reduces cortisol and boosts resilience. Set regular times for check-ins with friends or family, whether over a meal or a quick call.

The Importance of Small Wins

Our society values constant productivity, but we?re not wired for perpetual stress. The practices outlined here serve as ?small wins? that help us pause, recharge, and restore balance. Consistently honouring these self-care moments builds long-term resilience and keeps us present in the moments that matter most.

By prioritising these habits, you?ll cultivate the ability to navigate stress with calmness and clarity. Each small step is a win in your journey toward a balanced, fulfilling life.

Want more guidance on managing stress and maintaining balance? Join our Virtus Community Facebook Group for free guides and resources that turn insights into actionable strategies.

Be Amazing,
Coach Lachie

P.S. If you?re ready to take your Health, Fitness, or Performance to the next level and work with Virtus, you can learn more about us here or book a Free Intro Session via our Website

www.wordpress-1266437-4585655.cloudwaysapps.com

Simplify Your Nutrition: Fuelling High Performance for Busy Lives

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

For athletes and everyday humans!

TLDR: Focus on balanced meals, portion control, and hydration to support energy and recovery without stress or confusion.

In the whirlwind of a busy life, nutrition often falls by the wayside. But eating well doesn?t have to be complicated?it?s about making consistent, balanced choices that fuel you for whatever the day brings. At Virtus, we believe nutrition should be simple, enjoyable, and sustainable. Here?s how to make nutrition work for you, no matter how packed your schedule is.

1. The Building Blocks: Macros & Micros

A balanced approach starts with the basics: macronutrients and micronutrients.

Proteins for muscle repair, growth, and recovery. Think lean meats, tofu, beans, and fish.
Carbohydrates for energy, focusing on complex sources like oats, brown rice, and sweet potatoes.
Fats for brain health and sustained energy. Go for avocados, olive oil, and nuts.

Micronutrients?like iron, calcium, and vitamin D?are essential for health and performance, supporting everything from bone strength to immune function. These come from whole foods like fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins. When we focus on variety, we?re nourishing both body and mind.

2. Simplifying Food Choices for Busy Days

Nutrition doesn?t need to be overwhelming. Here are some quick categories to focus on, making it easy to choose nutrient-dense foods:

High-Protein Snacks: Greek yogurt, boiled eggs, cottage cheese, or edamame.
Good Fat Sources: Avocados, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish like salmon.
Quality Carbohydrates: Brown rice, quinoa, whole oats, and legumes.
Fibre Sources: Leafy greens, oats, apples, and berries.
Superfoods: Foods with a nutritional boost, such as blueberries, turmeric, and dark chocolate.

These categories are quick to remember and make decision-making easier, even on busy days. The goal is to find options you enjoy and can prepare with minimal hassle.

3. Timing Your Nutrition for Performance

Proper meal timing supports energy and recovery:

Pre-Workout : Eating a balanced meal 1-2 hours before training, focusing on carbs and a bit of protein, can fuel your performance.
Post-Workout : Protein after training helps muscles repair. Aim to eat within 30 minutes post-session to make the most of recovery.

This timing helps sustain energy and ensures that your efforts in training pay off fully.

4. Hydration: Essential for Health and Performance

Hydration is foundational, impacting everything from cognitive function to physical performance. Aim for 3-4 litres of water a day, adjusting for hotter days or intense training. Adding electrolytes can support hydration, especially after prolonged exercise or in hot conditions.

5. Portion Control Without Stress

Mindful portion control supports balanced energy without strict calorie counting. A simple guide is:

Protein : Palm-sized portion
Carbs : Fist-sized portion
Fats : Thumb-sized portion

This approach ensures you?re getting enough nutrients without the need for scales or complex tracking. It?s about eating with awareness, enjoying food, and listening to hunger cues.

6. Gut Health and Recovery Foods

Our gut health impacts energy levels, immunity, and even mood. Including foods like yogurt, kimchi, and fibre-rich options supports digestion and nutrient absorption. Foods that aid recovery, like tart cherry juice for inflammation or pineapple for digestion, can also help you bounce back faster from tough workouts.

7. Quick, Nutritious Meal Ideas

Here are some easy, balanced meals that take minimal time to prepare:

Grilled Chicken with Quinoa & Vegetables: Lean protein with a side of complex carbs and steamed veggies.
Salmon with Sweet Potatoes & Broccoli: Omega-3-rich salmon paired with fibre and vitamins.
Vegetable Stir-fry with Tofu & Brown Rice: Quick, versatile, and packed with nutrients.
Smoothie with Greek Yogurt, Berries, & Chia Seeds: Perfect for breakfast or post-workout.

These meals combine protein, carbs, and fats, keeping you fuelled and satisfied without excessive prep.

8. Practical Tips for Sustainable Nutrition

Plan Ahead : Dedicate a few minutes each week to meal planning, even if it?s just deciding on a few go-to meals.
Batch Cook : Prepare grains, proteins, or roasted veggies in bulk to save time.
Stay Consistent : Aim for progress over perfection. An occasional treat won?t derail your progress.
Listen to Your Body : Notice how different foods make you feel and adjust accordingly. Good nutrition supports energy, recovery, and overall well-being.

Nutrition Is a Lifestyle, Not a Quick Fix

True nutrition success is about habits you enjoy and can maintain. Simplifying your choices, prioritising whole foods, and listening to your body creates a positive relationship with food that supports long-term health and performance. Rather than aiming for perfection, focus on creating balance, choosing foods you love, and building habits that nourish you.

Nutrition is about making choices that support your lifestyle. Enjoy your food, trust in your consistency, and remember that every small step is progress toward a healthier, stronger you.

For more guidance on maintaining a balanced approach to nutrition, join our Virtus Community Facebook Group where we share free resources, meal ideas, and strategies for long-term health and performance.

Be Amazing,
Coach Lachie

P.S. If you?re ready to take your Health, Fitness, or Performance to the next level and work with Virtus, you can learn more about us here or book a Free Intro Session via our Website

www.wordpress-1266437-4585655.cloudwaysapps.com

How to Get More out of Training: What Dogs Can Teach Us About Training and Life.

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

TLDR: Be more dog. Train hard, live well, and remember to enjoy the bloody walk.

At Virtus we are lucky, we get to observe the dogs who inhabit 1/2 Torca every day. They can teach us more than we realise if we are paying attention...

Have you ever watched a dog sprint full tilt after a ball, tongue flapping, eyes locked on the prize? They?re not thinking about their to-do list or beating themselves up over yesterday?s mistakes. They?re just in it .

When was the last time you were this way? Even for a moment

Sure dogs don't pay taxes, or have to jump onto zoom meetings, but they have this whole training and life balance thing figured out. They might not bench press or track their macros, but they?re walking, wagging, and living in a way that reminds us what really matters.

This is what Banksy, Otis, Linc, Angus and all the wonderful canines have taught me at Virty

Consistency = Progress
Dogs know dinner is at 6 and walks happen when the lead comes out. They thrive on routine. And you know what? So do we. Show up. Keep it simple. Hit the basics. Progress comes when we trust the process, not when we overcomplicate it.
You know the things that make you happier and healthier, and the things that don't, Act like it.
Enjoy the Bloody Walk
For a dog, the walk isn?t about getting somewhere, it?s about sniffing every tree, chasing every shadow, and loving every step. Training and life? Same rules apply. Stop focusing so hard on the end goal. Enjoy the reps, the sweat, the mid session chats, all of the little wins that make training a means within itself, as well as a means to an end.
Connection Makes it Better
Dogs love their people, plain and simple. Whether it?s fetch, a cuddle, or a quick game of tug, it?s always better together. Training solo is ok, if you hate fun, but having mates, coaches, and a community around you? That?s where the magic happens.
Play Hard, Laugh Often
A dog doesn?t care how ridiculous they look. They?ll roll in the mud, zoom around the yard, or do that weird belly drag on the carpet and they?ll love every second of it. Don?t forget to inject some fun into your life and training. When we got older we stop playing, this is a nudge to start playing again. Laugh and smile, it's good for you.
Stuff It, Move On
Make a mistake? Good you're human. See a dog fall over? They shake it off, literally, and keep going. Forget perfection. Missed a session? Ate the cake? Drank 40 beers? Cool. That's in the past. Reset and move forward. Life?s too short to waste time beating yourself up.
Be Here, Now
Dogs don?t sweat tomorrow or yesterday. They?re all about what?s happening right now. Whether you?re lifting, running, or hanging out with your mates, be where your feet are. The present is where life (and progress) actually happens.

So, take a leaf out of your dog?s book. Keep it simple. Show up. Play hard. Laugh often. Be present. And most importantly, wag your metaphorical tail every once in a while, you?ve got a lot to be excited about.

Life is wonderful if you'll let yourself pay attention to it.
Keep being amazing
Lachie

Welcome to Virtus: A Performance and Lifestyle gym based in Mornington. We exist to help you get from where you are, to where you want to be. Keen to Book a Free Intro and have a chat? Hit this link.

Strength & Conditioning: Chapter One

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Welcome to S&C Chapter One

We?re thrilled to kick off this exciting new chapter at Virtus as we transition from VGT to Strength & Conditioning (S&C). This enhanced format is designed with one goal in mind: helping you achieve yours.

Over the next 13 weeks, we?ll focus on optimising your movement, building strength, power, speed, endurance, and muscle mass, all the essentials to support your capacity to live your best life.

Here?s what you can expect:

Flexible Programming: Choose the sessions that align with your priorities and work on the capacities that matter most to you.

Baseline Testing: In Week 1, we?ll establish where you?re at. Then, in Week 10, we?ll retest to celebrate your progress.

Goal Setting: After testing, Week 2 is all about setting personal goals for this block. In Week 11, we?ll reflect on your journey with a detailed goal review.

Weekly Training Focus:
2 x Strength Days
2 x Conditioning Days
2 x Athletic Development S&C Days
1 x Bodybuilding Day

Every session is an opportunity to challenge yourself, grow stronger, and become more capable. Whether you?re here to lift heavier, move better, or just feel amazing in your day-to-day existence, S&C is for you.

Let?s make it count.

The End of an Era, the Start of Something Better: Introducing Strength & Conditioning, Goodbye VGT

Sun, 07 Sep 2025 03:39:07 GMT

Mark Your Calendars: January 1st, 2025

Virtus Group Training (VGT) has been a massive part of our journey. Since our first class in 2016, hundreds of humans have stepped into this program, building strength, power, movement, and capacity along the way. It?s been a cornerstone of what we do at Virtus.

But here?s the thing: it?s been a long time since VGT was what it used to be.

After the last COVID lockdown in 2021, we knew there was a better way to coach, connect, and help our members achieve their goals. So we shifted the way we ran the program. The name stuck around, but the model evolved. And honestly? It?s been amazing.

Still, for the last 18 months Like a song that you can?t get out of your head, every time I?ve seen or said "VGT," it felt a little... off. The truth is, it?s not group training anymore. It?s something bigger. Something better. Something that reflects everything we?ve built together.

So, after eight incredible years, it?s time to put VGT to bed.

And in 2025, we?re starting fresh.

Introducing: Strength & Conditioning (S&C)

Starting January 1st, we?ll be calling this program what it truly is: Strength & Conditioning.

This is more than a name change. It?s a return to our roots, our DNA. Back in 2014, when we dreamed up what Virtus could be, one of our biggest goals was to bring high-quality Strength & Conditioning to everyone, not just elite athletes.

In 2025, we?re leaning even harder into this vision.

Improved Coaching Systems: More personalised guidance, more connection, more growth.
Goal Setting & Reviews: Helping you stay on track and celebrate every win.
Testing & Tracking: Clear ways to measure your progress and crush your goals.
Simplicity & Support: Making it easier than ever to show up and thrive.

This isn?t just about rebranding. It?s about re-committing.

To you. To your health, your strength, your fitness, and your happiness.

So, from all of us at Virtus, thank you for making VGT what it was.

Now, let?s make S&C everything it can be.

Stay Tuned

The new name will hit our socials next week, but we wanted you?our community?to hear it first. We?re excited to keep growing together and making 2025 the best year yet.

A plan will only take you so far...

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

?Everyone has a plan until I punch them in the face? Mike Tyson

When we started Virtus Performance, we started with a plan.

I soon realised, and am reminded of this most weeks, that a plan only gets you so far.

You can plan perfectly, make sure every detail is taken care of, ensure that everything will run smoothly and then life happens.

Plans are a fantastic starting point, but if you rely on it 100% you will fail.

Unfortunately life and business don?t work the same way as a perfect plan.

As bear Grylls would say, adapt, improvise, overcome. This, of course, does not always have to end in you drinking your own urine.

Being an entrepreneur, business owner, athlete or expert in your field takes resilience, persistence and consistently showing up.

I believe it takes three things to persevere through the tough times.

1. Remind yourself why you started.

If you remember your purpose, your mission and your vision. It?s simply impossible to give up. If you don't have one yet. That is more than okay. Just start, experience, find things you hate, find things you love, you'll figure it out, just stay the course.

2. Take Action

Good things don?t come to those who wait, good things come to those who make things happen. I truly believe that all of the amazing things that have happened to me, both personally and professionally, have come to fruition because I took action. Because I didn't wait and see.

However, it is important to understand the things you can control and those that you cant. The way you are, think, act, react is under your control. The way other people do, not even one bit.

Be sure to act upon the things you can control, and remember that sometimes the best action to take is inaction.

(Hows that for an oxymoron)

3. Lean on your allies Mentors, friends, family.

Admit you know nothing and ask for help, guidance and advice.

World leading hedge fund manager Ray Dalio looks at problems as ?Another one of those? meaning that of all the issues and difficulties you will encounter, there is a 99.9% chance that is something that has already been figured out.

Fortunately, we are not the unique little snowflakes we sometimes believe ourselves to be.

So here's the thing. you should 100% have a plan,

BUT.

Be mindful that if it doesn't work out exactly as you want (and it won't) don't be disheartened, adjust, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and carry on.

Dreams

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

"We grow by dreams. All big men are dreamers. Some of us let our dreams die, but others nourish and protect them,
nurse them through bad days ... to the sunshine and light which always come" Woodrow Wilson

It?s no secret that I want to be successful. That I want to improve, grow and be a better person than I was yesterday. ????

But what does success actually mean?

For me, success is two things.

1. Making the world a better place. ????
2. Personal and Financial freedom. ?

Making the world a better place is a simple one for me.

I get my joy from helping others. By assisting them and guiding the way to help them achieve their wildest dreams and smallest of wins.

My vehicle for doing this is Virtus Performance.

I want everyone who walks through the doors and all who consume our content to be better for it.

I?m lucky enough to have surrounded myself with people who want to do just that.

Make the world a better place.

That?s our mission, and we have the opportunity to live up to it each day. ????

Freedom for me is two-fold.

First of all personal freedom. This is also simple.

For me to wake up in the morning, and go to bed at night and do the things I desire in between.

I want to spend as little time as possible doing things that I don?t enjoy.

Life is too short to not love what you do if you love every minute, even the struggle doesn?t feel like a struggle.

My big hairy audacious goal is to grow Virtus to a stage where we can help more and more people daily.

We change people?s lives, that is a responsibility that I take seriously.

To grow Virtus is to help more people.

I won?t ever shy away from that, and I won?t ever stop striving to make it a reality.

My secondary goal is to have the means to travel the world with KP for 6 months at a time, and know that Virtus growing and helping more people daily without me needing to be in the thick of the action day in and day out.

I want to empower people to grow and learn so they can do the same. ????

I?m not necessarily going to get on a plane and not come back for 6 months, but knowing that we have the means to would be an incredible achievement. ??

Now how am I going to become successful?

Great question. To an extent, I already am.

I have an amazing partner KP, an incredible family, fantastic friends and a team at Virtus who has helped turn my vision, into our vision.

But to get to where I want to go, I need to continually improve who I am as a person.

I do this by surrounding myself with people better than me, by listening, reading, reflecting and having the courage, determination and discipline to not let my dreams die, nourish and protect them, nurse them through bad days ... to the sunshine and light which always come. ??

Some days I?ll do great things, some days I?ll fail, the more mistakes I make the more opportunities I?ll have to learn and grow.

The courage to listen to my heart and stay on track will be more important than always listening to my head. ????

?No, you do not have a thousand years to live. Urgency is in you. While you live, while you can, become good? Marcus Aurelius

Every day we have the opportunity to walk towards or away from our dreams, I make the choice to walk towards them. ???????

What choice do you make?

????????????

Happiness

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

I feel as though I?m pretty well qualified to talk about this topic.

Why?

Because sometimes I?m happy annnnnnnd sometimes I?m not.

That?s kind of the point.

This pursuit of happiness thing we are all chasing, I believe it?s inherently flawed.

This pursuit can sometimes stop us feeling the emotions that we need to feel. I think that it is incredibly important to ?feel your feelings'. *Click for Scrubs Reference

If you're sad, be sad . If you're angry, be angry . It's semantics, but I don't see happiness as an emotion. I see happiness as a state of mind, almost a level above emotions. I can be frustrated at work, but still feel an underlying sense of happiness.

This state of mind boils down to two things.

Awareness
Expectations

Awareness:
Around who you are, what you want, what you need, and what you enjoy doing.

Awareness that growth is never pleasant at the time, and even though things might be hard, you're simultaneously aware that you're moving towards something better, something magical.

Expectations:
Managing your expectations is not lowering your standards. It's understanding what is acceptable to expect of yourself, and others.

As you grow, make more money, expectations grow, which is why the new car that you were so excited about buying, has suddenly become 'normal' a few months in.

A good starting point, expect much more of yourself than you expect of others.

Simply put, when our reality matches our expectations , we are happy.

At the end of the day, things are either good, bad, or indifferent . It doesn't really matter which one, what matters is what you do , what action (or inaction) you take, and that you let yourself feel how you need to feel.

When I?m happy, life?s good, when I?m not happy, well it?s still good.

It's been said before, and it'll be said again, Miley Cyrus once mentioned it, Life isn't about just being happy, it's about the climb. Cue tunes....

Buddhism teaches that the pursuit of pleasant sensations is, in fact, the root of suffering . Even when we experience them, we react with a craving for more.

The trick is learning to enjoy the struggle , take pleasure the hard stuff, embrace putting in the work and at the end of the day, learning to dance in the rain .

If that doesn't work, write down the 30 things you love to do, and do them.

Manage your resources, understand your wants and needs, and don't quit.

I know I find joy in giving, the more I do that, the happier I tend to be.

I Believe.

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

I believe that you should spend your time loving what you do.

We should be chasing the things that both scare and excite us at the same time.

We should be running towards the things we truly desire.

When it comes to health, function and performance, nothing changes.

If you don?t love going to the gym, you might be at the wrong one.

We believe that the journey, is always more important than the destination.

We are a holistic facility with one focus, you.

I believe that if you?re not having fun, and not creating relationships, what?s the point?

Being a part of a community that is bigger than you is an incredible feeling.

The Virtus Family is an incredible support network.

Surrounding yourself with others, who want to achieve and improve, is the best way to get you from where you are now, to where you want to be.

There is no better feeling than setting a goal, putting in the work and achieving it.

I want to empower you to take your training, health and performance to another level.

I want you to feel how I feel, to truly love getting out of bed every morning.

We believe in being that little bit better, each and every day.

Success and Failure: 13 Months as Sole Director at Virtus Performance

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Success and Failure: My 13 Months at Virtus Performance

About 13 months ago I was genuinely questioning whether or not I could keep going.

I was unsure if I could handle the weight of expectations, the liabilities and added responsibility.

For the first time in a long time, I doubted myself and wondered whether it would have been easier to just throw in the towel.

When we had more bills to pay than money in the bank and when I didn?t pay myself for a few months, it certainly would have been easier to give up.

Paying a mortgage, trying to commit to VFL football, being a supportive coach, friend, family member and boyfriend, and suddenly running a business solo... It adds up.

But hey, a lot can happen in 13 months.

I thought I knew that I could work hard, but the last 13 months has shown me just how hard I can work.

The sleepless nights, crashing on the couch at work, consistent 16+ hour coaching days, and then fitting in the rest.

I?m sure at times, I wasn?t the greatest person to be around. But those initial few weeks and months taught me a lot about life and even more about who I am and what I can do.

You will always get out exactly how much you put in.

Hard work has a funny way of paying you back.

Action drives motivation.

Good s**t takes time.

These mantras quickly became second nature to me.

I realised that yes I was going to fail. Countless times. But each of these failures would ultimately shape me as a person, as a leader and shape Virtus as a business.

I learnt that my ability to trust in my staff, my ability to ask for help, to seek out guidance and assistance and to be vulnerable, was ultimately going to determine whether we could keep the doors open each month.

I had no safety net, no plan B, if we failed it was on me, it was my fault, no one else to blame. This is an incredibly liberating feeling and something that has now become an integral part of my daily life.

I am proud. Proud that I stood up faced the challenge head on and came out the other side a better person and hopefully with a business that is going to be around for a long time.

Most of all I?m proud of the people around me. I?m proud of my staff, of my family, my friends and my partner KP. I?m proud of all my clients, those who make up the Virtus Family. I?m proud of all of you. Because you remind me daily, why I do what I do. You all help me become the best version of myself because you let me help you become the best version of you.

There are too many people to thank but to those who stood by me, for those who were sounding boards for my problems, ideas and struggles, for those who gave me their time... Thank you.

Thank you to Jesse for starting the journey with me, and for making the hard decision to pull the pin.

To Team Virtus, ( Cam , Katie , Mitch , Ashleigh , Greg , Brooke , Maddy , Maddi , Simonn , Annette , Jess , Anna , & Paige ) you are an incredible group of people and I am so grateful to have you all by my side. You all genuinely care, sometimes too much, this is what makes you all so special.

Our mission of empowering long-term positive behavioural change through movement, performance and lifestyle becomes a little more achievable every time each one of you shows up for work.

I can?t wait to see what the next 13 months will bring.

Lachlan Wallace (CEO of Virtus Human Performance)

Environment is king.

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

After a quick trip to Japan and Sydney for a Strength and Conditioning summit last week, you?d think I?d be done with travelling. Not quite yet.

I?m up in Sydney with Virtus Coach and Marketing Guru, Simon Cooper, attending a 2-day Mastermind event with my business coaches from The Alchemy Institute.

?An investment in income pays the best interest?

I have committed to at least 12 months to the Alchemy Ethos program. Was it expensive? Yes somewhat, considering I didn?t have a section for ?Business Coaching? in my budget.

However, as I quickly learnt, an expense is relative to value.

This expense pays itself back in value many times over.

After a few weeks working with the Alchemy team, I was reminded multiple times that taking the leap and actively chasing progress was the correct decision.

A decision I would happily make over and over again.

The most valuable part of this trip is the mastermind aspect of the event. I truly believe that ? You are an average of the 5 people you spend the most time with?.

Events like this confirm this thought.

Spending 2 days learning, networking and troubleshooting with guys and girls on the same wavelength, speaking the same language, all with the same drive and passion to grow their businesses and help as many people as possible.

I asked for help , filled my gaps with experts in these areas and I?m doing the same with our team at Virtus and I have quickly learnt that the problems, roadblocks, struggles that I faced are not unique to me.

I have a question for you all?

What do you need help with?

What are your gaps? Where do you think ?leaning on someone and asking for help? could add value to your life, business, training etc?

Hit me back with an email and I might be able to help, or at the very least suggest someone or a resource that can.

Have an amazing week. Find something/someone that challenges you, and go all in.

Below (Surround yourself with incredible humans who help bring you up, make you better, and challenge you to improve)

Priorities. ????????

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Here's the thing...

You can have virtually anything you want, but you can?t have everything you want.

This simple line from Principles by Ray Dalio hits home one of the basic fundamentals of life.
Choosing a goal can mean rejecting your wants, needs and desires.

You can have anything you want if you?re willing to work for it. If you?re willing to be patient, to put in the time and to put in the resources to get there.

If you do this, then there?s a good chance you?ll get to the top of the mountain.
BUT.
This always comes at a cost. To get what you want most, you must sacrifice other things that could be important to you.

If you want to train at 6am before work, you sacrifice a sleep in.
If you want to build a business, you sacrifice daily coffee dates and ?spare time?
If you want to spend a day at a conference, you sacrifice a day at work.
If you want to work late, you sacrifice a night with your friends or family.
If you want to take a day off, you sacrifice a day working towards your goals.
If you want to sit for 12 hours a day, you will sacrifice your mobility.
If you want to enjoy a meal of junk food and alcohol, you sacrifice your health.

Sometimes this sacrifice may be worth it, other times it might not, but what you prioritise will ultimately determine where you end up.

Just remember, every time you say yes to something. You?re saying no to something else.

Make sure that these decisions serve future you, not just present you.

?You can have much more than what you need to be happy. Make your choice and get on with it?

Standards.

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

I unapologetically hold myself to a high standard.

That is reflected on my staff, clients and everyone around me.

Here?s the thing, these standards don?t mean I don?t fail or that I meet them every day.

It means that when that happens, I don?t just blow it off and drop my standards.

I pick myself up, dust myself off and make sure that I hit the standard the next day, and then the next.

Soon enough, these high standards become your new baseline.

My advice, focus on the thousands of inputs rather than the single result or outcome.

Be the example.

What you can learn from a week in Japan

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

What a week. I've just landed at Sydney airport for the Sydney PLAE summit after spending the last week in Myoko, Japan at the Refre Hotel .

A big shout out to my incredible team at Virtus , it is an amazing feeling to have no angst at all about leaving my baby in your very capable hands.

I have had an incredible week, filled with new experiences, adventures and endless laughs with some amazing humans.

Japan is a magical place, and I will most certainly be back multiple times. To borrow a phrase I heard describing this country 'Japan is as it should be' meaning if we were to build a civilisation from scratch, the Japanese culture would be the first point of call. From cleanliness to customer service, to public transport, to genuine manners and an overarching theme of quality, it was difficult to find a bad experience over the last week.

The quote below epitomises what I experienced Japanese culture to be.

The way you start, is the way you finish.

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

I?m sitting at the bar at the Melbourne airport, Gin in hand, about to board a plane to Tokyo, Japan to spend a week with two of my best mates and one of my favourite families.

The way you do one thing is the way you do everything.
The way you start is the way you finish.

These two little sayings have quickly become a permanent fixture of my vernacular over the past few months.

If you plan on having a productive week, plan well on Sunday.

If you want to train well, then your movement prep is paramount.

If you want to have time for you, then book TLC times out in your diary each week.

If you want something done on time. Set a deadline.

Hold yourself to the same standards while you're making the bed as you do with work and all the seemingly more important tasks you complete daily.

It won't seem like much at the time, but it adds up. Like anything right?

And if you don't? Like when I forgot to make the bed this morning, then acknowledge it, and do better tomorrow.

Yes, this shit is simple, but simple doesn't necessarily mean easy.

We all look for an easy answer, a quick fix, but at the end of the day, doing the simple things savagely well will get you where you want to be.

Thanks to all of the legendary humans who offered feedback from last week.

Cheers to you all, Have an amazing week,
Don't change for anyone.

Week 1, 2018.

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

2018 has come around quickly. To celebrate I'll share with you 5 of my goals for 2018. It's almost February already, so we are basically 8% through the year (yeah it goes fast)

Visit 6 new countries in 2018 (I've booked 5 so far)
Read 50 books (this started as 36.5 - one every 10 days, however, I have read 11 thus far, so 50 is certainly doable, maybe 100, I'll reassess)
Put together our revised Vision for Virtus, and begin to implement our strategies to get there (this scares the shit out of me) but it is also crazy exciting so play on.
Sort out my own training . This is an area I lacked continuity in 2017. My perfect week looks something like 3-4 Strength + Conditioning Sessions, 1 x Football session, 1 x Football Game and 1 x Yoga session. If I hit this I'm happy, if I don't, I'll try to be better next week.
Daily check-ins for Gratitude (3 things I'm grateful for), Perspective (what do I have the opportunity to do today) and reminders of Why I do what I do.

And my mantra for 2018.
Show up, Smile and make a difference.

Look down for some stuff that's happening in my brain ...

Thanks for paying attention.

2018 will be a year filled with Meaningful Work and Meaningful Relationships!

See you next week!

Ps. (How pretty are our team, excuse the terrible lid in the front...)

Mentorship Spotlight: Lane Meyer

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Welcome Lane, Introduce yourself to the Virtus Family

I?m Lane. I am currently in my final year of my Exercise and Sports Science degree at Deakin University. I love footy, running, lifting and hiking and outside of physical activity I enjoy taking photos!

Why did you choose to spend the next 13 weeks at Virtus?

I have entered the Virtus mentorship program as a means of fulfilling my placement hours, gaining field experience and overall personal development. I?m excited to help others and use what I learn to also help myself!

Who do you want to be when you grow up?

Still tossing up between Physiotherapist and Adventure Photographer, maybe both?

Favourites: Book, Food, TV Show, Band, Movie and podcast?

Between the frames podcast, Brooklyn 99, Lone Survivor, Happy Gilmore

What are you good at, What are your strengths?

Having a laugh, respecting people, working with others & problem-solving

What are you not so good at, Where is there room for improvement

General confidence, group management, being authoritative/commanding

If you were stuck on a desert island for 6 months and you could take three things with you, what would they be?

Camera, friend, matches

From the Couch to 1km

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

What's it been, 6 weeks of isolation? 8 weeks? Who knows!

But it does seem like it's the time where everyone is jumping into some running...

Gone are the days of just going for a long, slow-distance run to improve aerobic performance. It is also very common for people to break down quickly following this method.

Generally speaking, for many, overcoming the first kilometre is the hardest. There is an abundance of couch to 5km programs available on the internet but very few that focus on the first kilometre.

Introducing the couch to 1km program.

The couch to 1km program expects that you aren't currently running. You would most likely finish this program running 1km in 5 to 7 minutes.

Follow the link below to the full article and program on OTP books co-authored by Virtus Physiotherapist, Greg Dea and Head Coach, Mitch Rowe.

What do we do when the power goes out?

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

A few nights ago, our power went out. The sun had truly set and we were left in pure darkness.

After a quiet chuckle, one stubbed toe and a check of the fuse box, we realised there was nothing we could immediately do to remedy the situation and the best we could do was to simply ride it out.

The decision was made to bust out a board game (Ticket to ride) and a couple of candles to light our way across the board. I grabbed a candle and a match and put it in the middle of the table, barely casting enough light to even begin seeing the little trains we needed to play with.

By this time, the match was out and we used candle number 1 to light a few more candles and soon enough the little flames were flickering and dancing their way across the board well enough to see everything we had to.

Throughout the game, candle number 1 stayed strong, providing us with the light it produced, with plenty of help from his friends.

A candle loses nothing lighting another ?????

The same goes for the momentum you give to others. If you continue to give, you will continue to have. It may even provide the much-needed nudge and drive to continue with that which you said you would do. Never underestimate the power of your flame, even when you feel it?s about to flicker out.

Be the candle ?????

Why you should Never Miss a Monday ????

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

The rainbow that you see above has become the unofficial motif for the ?Never Miss a Monday? Mantra.

Unless you?re Garfield or The Boomtown Rats , Monday should be your favourite day of the week. It?s a blank canvas, a fresh start, an opportunity to build momentum, make progress and create the life that you?ve always wanted to be a part of.

You?ve all heard the saying ?Win the morning, Win the day? , let?s go one (or 7) better.

Win your Monday, and Win the week. By committing to a productive and intentional Monday, you create an impetus which will take you all the way through the next 7 days. Much like the snowball gathers momentum by travelling down a hill, collecting snow as it rolls, you too can reach terminal velocity just by giving yourself a little nudge over the edge. You can?t go 0-100 immediately, but you can build speed little by little, by following these three tasks to kick off your week.

Set your intention: On Monday morning set a weekly intention. This will guide your action towards your objectives. Ensure that your intention aligns with your bigger life goals & aspirations. If you feel your momentum waning throughout the week, come back to this, it will remind you why you started and where you are headed.
Create momentum with small wins: Most of us hold the belief that success is created through one or two big decisions, this could not be further from the truth. All of the ?winners? out there have realised something that the rest of us mere mortals have not. Progress is an accumulation of thousands of decisions made each day. Each one is taking you closer to, or further away from your aspirations and intentions.
Hold yourself accountable: Do what you said you would do, it?s as simple as that. This is the simple sauce you?ve been so desperate to taste. No one is coming to save you, you must save yourself. Take the responsibility on your shoulders, and run with it.

What are you waiting for?

p.s Some Good Stuff from #ThePhys

The wonderful Process of a Home Brewed Coffee

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Like many of you, I have been making a lot of coffee of late.

Slowly but surely, I am tinkering with the process through which these freshly roasted beans become a delicious beverage.

From harvesting the cherries, crossing borders, through customs, to land and be processed by the roasters of the peninsula, and finally delivered to my V60 is one hell of a journey for these little guys to travel.

An adventure which can enhance or diminish the taste profiles and aroma at almost every stage of the process.

Luckily, the majority of the hard work is done by the time they reach me, the coffee butcher and my long nozzle?d kettle.

I am fascinated and appreciative of the process that then takes place at my desk.

Each step is measured and weighed, 250mls of water, not too hot but not too cold. 16 grams of coffee perfectly shaped in the freshly rinsed filter. In goes the water, 50mls, then another 100, then another. Time ticks along as the scents fill my office. The water drips through slowly but surely filling the cup.

Soon enough it?s ready to enjoy. Too hot at first but in no time at all the cup is ready to drink. I pause as I experience tasting the vast flavour profile, experiencing a shift in the activity of my tastebuds as the coffee seems to evolve as it cools. 20 or so minutes later, The cup and jug are empty.

A job well done.

This process, like many others, has a beautiful mix of art and science. We can push and pull many little levers throughout to change the resulting liquid. Embrace the process in your lives.

Making the coffee is a means to an end, but when you take joy and appreciate the process, you?ll find it?s a means within itself.

Coffee, cooking, training, conversation, whatever it is, slow down, who knows what else you?ll discover.

Wallace ?

If you?re looking for some fresh beans, hit up Commonfolk Coffee or Prodigal Coffee Roasters

The Forgotten Training Variable – Tempo

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

When we?re training, there?s nothing better than putting more weight on the bar and maxing out. However, I think one of the most underrated and underused training variables is manipulating tempo . Sometimes we become accustomed to adding load, taking away reps or vice versa to manipulate our training volume.

The principle of progression states that for exercise and training to produce consistent, long-term results, the intensity of such should gradually become more difficult to generate an effective overload. Progression should be incremental to coax the nervous system to accept these adaptations and avoid adverse overload.

The What

Tempo refers to the timing of which each rep is performed at. A repetition is comprised of three distinct phases relating to muscle action:

Eccentric ? The muscle is lengthening while contracting and creating tension

Isometric ? The muscle is developing tension and contracting but no joint movement occurs.

Concentric ? The muscle is shortening to generate the force required to overcome resistance.

When looking at the tempo of a repetition, for example , let?s take a front squat and the tempo of ?5311?.

The ?5? refers to the eccentric portion of the rep, so, the lowering to the bottom of a squat.

The ?3? refers to the isometric portion of the rep, so, a pause at the bottom of the squat.

The ?1? refers to the concentric portion of the rep, so, the rising out of the bottom of the squat

The finale ?1? refers to reset time at the top of the repetition before the next repetition.

Note ? Tempo is always written this form; Eccentric, Isometric, Concentric, Pause at Top. BUT , not all exercises start with an eccentric muscle contraction. For example, a deadlift and a chin up both start with a concentric muscle contraction.

So, in the above example for the front squat, a 5sec eccentric, 3sec pause, 1sec concentric and 1sec at top (5311), would be written as 1sec concentric, 3sec at top, 5sec eccentric and 1sec reset for a deadlift (1351) under the same parameters.

The When and Why

Personally, I?ve used tempo training with beginners and with advanced , both with positive results. There is a strong learning effect with tempo training due to the ?finding and feeling? of different positions of the lift.

Tempo training has the following benefits :

? Improve body awareness

? Improve control, stability and technique of a lift

? Greater time under tension for muscle hypertrophy

? Training variation to break through plateaus.

I highly recommend that you use a metronome at 60 beats per minute (1 beat per second) while completing tempo training to ensure that you are following the allocated load. There is a good chance you will speed up your reps towards the back end of a set, especially if your coach gives you front squats with a tempo of 8311? (I have never done this? I swear?).

The How

The tempo of a lift will dictate the overall training effect of a set.

Generally speaking, these are the timings I use when programming tempo training for a specific training effect:

? Power ? 2020

? Strength ? 2121

? Hypertrophy ? 4221

Common timings I use in my programming to break through plateaus and for teaching new lifts include:

? 10 Down, 1 Pause, 10 Up (101101)

? 8311

? 5351

? 5511

? 5311

? 3331

? 3311

Note ? These are for movements that start with the eccentric phase, i.e. a front squat. See note above to be able to translate these into exercises that start with the concentric phase, i.e. a deadlift.

What Now

Using tempo in your programming is an extremely valuable tool which is commonly overlooked. Tempo can be used with beginners, athletes, weekend warriors or advanced and experienced resistance trained individuals. Manipulating your tempo gives you a greater control of your programming and can increase likelihood of achieving the results you are striving for.

Quarantine Client of the Week 11/5

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

And this week?s winner is?. Charlotte Inkster

First of all, congratulations, bravo, any words for the camera?

Oh my gosh what an awesome surprise! I am shook ????

What does your 'new normal' training schedule look like?

My ?new? normal is now running! I always wanted to be someone that runs for fun and gets excited to go for a jog and now I can proudly say that I am. I always thought my body was built for eating nuggets not running but damn I can do both now... what a time to be alive ????

What advice would you have for anyone struggling to find their training groove?

Don?t be so hard on yourself. Take this opportunity to slow down, listen to your body and do what?s right for yourself mentally & physically ???? Going for a walk or stretching out your body is just as good for you as any other workout!

Any extra comments/jokes/memes or quotes?

No one laughed at my pre-workout routine joke... To be fair, it was a bit of a stretch ????

Quarantine Client of the Week 4/5

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

And this week?s winner is?. Daniel Jeavons

First of all, congratulations, bravo, any words for the camera?

Firstly, like...my hearts pumping a thousand minutes per second. But nah in all honesty it?s an absolute honour to be named iso client of the week. I feel very privileged to be part of such a wonderful family group.

What does your 'new normal' training schedule look like?

My new normal isn?t too dissimilar from my old routine really, other than I can?t train at virtus. I have been lucky enough to have access to a fully equip gym where I work for the past 5 weeks and have tried to use this as motivation to keep pushing on through this tough time! Knowing that not everyone is in the same position as me has motivated me to work hard.

What advice would you have for anyone struggling to find their training groove?

Set yourself some goals at the beginning of the week, stick to that plan and see it through. In the words of the great man himself ?most people think that what they lack is motivation, when what they really lack is the clarity to follow a plan and see it through? (L.Wallace, 2020)

Any extra comments/jokes/memes or quotes?

?Don?t just sit there, do something. The answers will follow?. Mark Manson

Overwhelmed? Me too. Here's what to do about it...

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

It?s a tough place to be, to be completely overcome with emotion, feeling like there?s no escape, no way out, no respite from the frustration, fear, sadness and anxiety. Submerged in despair.

We have all been overwhelmed at times. We all know the crushing feeling and how it can take our breath away. When life is normal, (aka pre-COVID) we bounce between our emotions with relative control. Some days we are up, others we are a little more down. But for the most part, we understand cause and effect, and know what we need to do to improve our mindset.

A few months ago that was the norm, yet in lockdown, the rule book has been thrown out the window, at least for the most part. Most of us have had to learn, and are still learning new coping mechanisms to help us continue moving forward, and eventually thrive in this new normal.

There?s certainly no one size fits all approach to overwhelm, however I have four strategies which I think anyone can utilise and adapt to their situation. To help them feel, and do better when things get tough.

Overwhelm stems from a lack of control. To be completely transparent, there are more uncontrollables in your world than you could possibly count in your lifetime. The weather, acts of God, the place you?re born, the culinary habits within the markets of Wuhan, how other people respond to the things you do just to name a few.

When we begin to bring focus to that which is within our locus of control, we shift our mentality from that of a victim to that of a winner . We open the door to become the hero in our own story.

These four strategies allow you to develop the capacity to choose your own way. You won?t always make the right choice, but it?s better to have the tools in your toolbox than to try and use a hammer to fix everything.

Awareness:

Know thyself. A simple yet powerful life tool. Pay attention to how you feel, react and respond to the world around you. Write about it, think through it and learn to understand your worldview from a plethora of angles.

Awareness Activities: Journalling, Meditation, Quiet time, Conversation.
Perspective:

Empathy is a superpower. When we take the helicopter view of our life, we begin to realise how much is happening outside of our perspective. We are but one of 7 or so billion humans, and we all suffer. It helps to know that. Lending a hand, or an ear to your fellow humans will help to uncover how meaningless and small our problems really are in the scheme of things.

Perspective Activities: Articulate your personal story: birth-now-death. Daily gratitude. World Travel. Reading. Conversation.
Intention:

Two feet in. Whatever you do, do it 100%. It?s impossible to chase two chickens at once, and if you try, you?ll lose both of them. Whatever you?re doing whether it be reading this blog or making sweet, sweet love, do it with everything you have.

Intention Activities: Schedule time, Journalling, Projects, Deadlines, Articulate Intention.
Vulnerability

Courage personified. When you commit to opening yourself up, to being vulnerable to yourself and those around you, your capacity for everything is increased. It?s not easy, in fact, it?s one of the hardest things to do, but being vulnerable in the face of danger is the epitome of owning your world. And those around you will love you for it. Vulnerability leads to overwhelming kindness and connection. Read this to understand why.

Vulnerability Activities: Conversation, Writing, Commitment, Cold Showers & honest open communication.

Overwhelm is inevitable, but you have a choice in how you deal with it when it comes knocking. Embrace the fear that comes with a lack of control, face the fear and do it anyway. We are all afraid in our own way. Take control of your mindset and you?ll feel safer than ever.

Wherever you are, be the soul of that place.

Lachie

Wallace's Weekly Wrap - A different kind of Marathon

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Wallace's Weekly Wrap

Happy Friday you wonderful humans.

Over the last 7 or so weeks of isolation, or lockdown, or quarantine or whatever you want to call it, we have all experienced the vast spectrum of human emotions

I know I have at times felt inspired, powerless, joyful, withdrawn, content, disillusioned, overwhelmed, helpless, and thankful and everything in between. From the conversations I've had I know had many others have felt the same.

Usually, when the world is 'normal' when we know what to expect from our day, we experience a range relatively in check with what we consider typical. We have pre programmed our responses and feelings in the same way that we learn to navigate through our routines and interactions. But, as you know, over the past few months those pathways have been thrown out the window, our whole lives have been thrown upside down.

We have all been affected differently, we all experience contrasting feelings at different times. But we all share the burden that this universal, chaotic circumstance has placed upon us.

Weddings, holidays, birthdays, important milestones have all been postponed, attempted virtually or cancelled. Mothers Day on Sunday will look very different to how we would like to to. ??

It has never been as important as it is now to empathise with your fellow human, to look them in the eye (virtually if you have to) and help them through the next few weeks and months.

As a business, Virtus looks completely different from what it did 6 weeks ago. No blue turf, no barbells or kettlebells. The coaches aren't walking around the coaching floor connecting, correcting and laughing as they interact with our athletes. The high fives, fist bumps, hugs and pats on the back have stopped. Our ability to express our craft, to share it with people we love in a physical capacity has ceased.

We are not alone. We like many others, have been hit incredibly hard by the circumstances. But that's just what they are, circumstances. What we do now is what is important. How we act and connect and communicate with the Virtus Family is what will get us through this chapter. It's what will allow Virtus to come back an evolved version of what it was before. One which live by our values of community, world-class coaching and excellence more than ever before.

As individuals, we have all been, and for the time being, will continue to go through the emotional wringer. We will continue to be challenged, we will continue to have ups and we will continue to have downs. How we band together and lean on each other, will determine how we as individuals and as a collective come through the next few weeks and months.

With all of this in mind, we believe that the issues that surround a prolonged isolation, both physical and emotional cannot be underestimated. The impact this is having and will continue to have on the mental health and wellbeing on our community is immense. And we believe with everything that we stand for that this is a conversation that we need to be having more often. A conversation that can, has and will continue to save lives.

We need to talk about this. But we also need to take action, and I'm the kind of person who believes that action speaks louder than words. Rather than continue to yell it out, Simon Cooper (yeah that guy) and I are going to run a different kind of marathon.

A marathon designed to raise awareness of the importance of this conversation in the now.

A marathon that will lean into our three pillars at Virtus.

Community | Performance | Education

Community: With many small businesses, owners, staff members and customers doing it tough, we will be using the 42km run, to visit 10 local coffee shops along the way. To check-in, and celebrate their tenacity.

Performance: Virtus stands for performance, and although it's certainly not our chosen event, running 42km is certainly a way to show that with the right intention and perseverance we can utilise our physical capacities to complete this run

Education: It has come leaps and bounds over the past few years, but we still have a ways to go to learn more about anxiety, depression and mental health. We will use this run to interview a couple of wonderful humans and share some understanding around these issues.

Next Friday, the Marathon for Mental Health will be taking place. We would love for you to get on board and support this cause. Open the conversation around mental health, and look after each other.

We are all in this together

Wallace

The Red Pill or The Blue Pill, It's your choice...

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

The world seems to be split into two camps. Two types of people.

On one side, you have the people who seek out discomfort, who crave improvement. Those who want to create a better world, for themselves and then for those around them. The people who will stop at nothing, who will encounter roadblock after roadblock and continue moving forward. The people that we love to look up to, to admire, and attempt to emulate.

On the other, you have individuals who have accepted mediocrity, who have let the flame extinguish. The part of them who once dreamed of a magnificent existence, those who gave up early because it?s hard being uncomfortable, or maybe life happened. At one time or another, they decided to surrender their responsibilities to others. Whatever the reason, we all have them.

The only difference between these two groups are the choices they decide to make. There is no secret sauce, there is no magical motivational tool. There is only a choice: to act, or not to act.

Joining the first group is easy, all you need to do is to want for a better future, and take the first step towards making it a reality. Staying in the group is the hard part, maintaining the discipline and consistency, but if your reason for joining is strong enough, you?ll never want to leave.

If you choose to change groups, you can trade memberships at any time, it doesn?t cost any money, but it sure as hell isn?t free.

I know which group I want to be a part of.

Quarantine Client of the Week 18/05

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

And this week?s winner is?. Jordan Verdouw

First of all, congratulations, bravo, any words for the camera?

Unbelievable. Very sneaky link. Humbling, thank you my friends. Grateful for good people in my world. People are grouse. And did you see the night sky over the weekend? Wild.

What does your 'new normal' training schedule look like?

5PM rather than 6AM VGTs because late night life and 6AM at home = bed. Backyard training under early Autumn skies and a pretty lovely gum tree have shifted to inside a reorganised garage on some carpet. A little squishy and minimal jumping, but pretty handy space. Enjoying seeing regular faces, while missing other legends and all the good people?s energy. And more running apparently!

What advice would you have for anyone struggling to find their training groove?

A reminder that for most of us with able bodies, we have more control over our movements, habits and choices than perhaps we think. We can direct where and how we exert our energy. It?s fun to surprise ourselves with just trying a thing or turning up the first time, and then again.

Any extra comments/jokes/memes or quotes?

It?ll be pretty dandy sharing time and space within the Virtus walls again. Grateful for good people and shared rhythms. Take care of yourselves legends ????????

Bulgarian Split Squats – Why we Should do More of Them

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

One of my favourite, and at the same time, least favourite exercises in the world ? the Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat, aka the South Eastern-European Split Squat, aka the Bulgarian Split Squat.

The more I use the Bulgarian split squats, the more I love the benefits that they elicit. Personally, I don?t back squat (and haven?t done so for a very long time), I love front squats and goblet squats, but back squats just don?t agree with me. Before you go and slam the old ?if you don?t squat you?re not a strength coach? or the ?keep your squats low and your standards high? comments, hear me out.

In theory, I should be a great squatter. I?m short and stocky, my femurs aren?t long and my bum is already low to the ground. For others, this may not be the case. Those with long femurs and longer torsos will often turn their back squats into good mornings which transfers force from the legs to the lower back which is far from ideal. I?m not a strength sport athlete (powerlifting or Olympic weightlifting) so there is no specific requirement for me to back squat.

Bulgarian split squats are a great alternative to traditional back squatting as they give you the range of motion you need, the lower body push benefits that transfer to key movement patterns and joint angles involved in sport and it?s great for building a robust trunk.

How to Perform:

The key to a good Bulgarian Split Squat is the set-up. Accurately working out how far away you need to set up away from the bench/chair is the most important things to determine as it is highly individual and can take some trial and error to perfect.

1. Place something soft (e.g. an Airex pad) on the ground in front of the bench/chair that you?re using.

2. Place a foot up on the bench/chair

* Some people find putting the flat of the foot up on the bench the best, others find tucking the toes under the best. I personally like the flat of the foot and recommend it but find what works best for you!

3. Drop the knee down onto the Airex pad

4. Ideally, the front leg is at a 90 degree angle (also known as a couch stretch).

5. Either make a mental note of where the back of the front heel is or grab some chalk and make a small mark to give you a guide of how far away from the bench/chair you should be.

Once you have your set up down, time to get split squatting. When first learning the Bulgarian split squat it is easier to learn from the bottom up.

1. Back foot up on the bench/chair, chest and eyes forward.

2. Drop your back knee down to the floor, maintain an upright torso and eyes forward.

3. Push back through the front foot to return to the top and repeat.

Common Early Mistakes When Learning the Movement:

There are three common early mistakes I see when learning Bulgarian split squat:

1. Standing too Close to the Bench

If you stand too close to the bench, you?ll cram yourself up, place an emphasis on the quads and find it hard to maintain an upright torso, comprising your lift.

2. Standing too Far Away from the Bench

If you stand too far away from the bench, there is a good chance you?ll feel discomfort in the hip flexor and/or groin of the back leg and potentially overarch your lower spine.

3. Too Heavy, Too Soon

Often people load up too heavy with a barbell well before they?ve truly mastered the pattern. Earn your stripes on the dumbbells, kettlebells and bands before hitting the barbell.

Benefits:

1. They?re Easy to Learn and Accessible to Everyone

We spoke about the common early mistakes above and as you can see they are easy to fix. Bulgarian?s are suited to everyone, from those who are new to strength training to experienced lifters no matter what their goals are.

Bulgarian?s are also accessible as they don?t require a lot of weight to load effectively. This makes it a viable option for those who don?t have access to heavy weights ? in hotels, apartments, on holiday, while travelling or in commercial gyms during the 6pm rush.

2. Training Single Leg Strength is Always a Good Idea

Single leg strength has huge carry overs to key movement patterns involved in sport. It has also been found that single leg strength transfers to bilateral lower body strength, so those who hit plateaus with their bilateral lower body pushing lifts (e.g. back squat, front squat, box squat) should include single leg lower body push lifts (e.g. Bulgarian split squats) to their training program.

3. Bulgarian Split Squats Enhance Stability

Due to the single leg nature of the Bulgarian split squats, creating the ability to control rotation and maintain a good posture is key to enhancing stability that can transfer to key movements in sport. Not only do Bulgarian split squats allow for single leg stability gains, in comparison to pistol squats and single leg deadlifts, Bulgarian split squats are easier to load at heavier weights due to the back leg being able to support and assist the movement.

Evidence-Based Findings:

The Bulgarian split squat has been shown through research studies to be a valuable tool for building lower-body strength, acceleration, agility and change of direction speed.

Research into rugby players suggested that unilateral squatting may be considered an effective alternative to bilateral methods during the initial stages of training as both unilateral and bilateral training improved lower-body strength, sprint and change of direction speed equally (1).

Another study looked at unilateral maximal strength and how it correlates with acceleration and agility, which found that maximal strength in one leg correlated significantly with both acceleration capacity and agility (2).

It has also been suggested that including plyometric training with Bulgarian split squats can improve change of direction performance beyond that of just bilateral training alone (3).

The common trend through the research on Bulgarian split squats and their use is the additional benefits such as injury prevention and risk mitigation for team sport athletes due to the frequency of unilateral movements in sport, but also the specific joint angles achieved (1-3).

Variations:

As with most exercises, the number of variations is endless. As always, it is important to ask yourself ?why am I choosing this variation?? and ?what is my goal??.

My favourite variations include:

? DB/KB Goblet

? Double KB Front Rack

? Barbell Front Rack

? Contralateral SA KB Front Rack

? Band RNT ? Around the front knee or

? Landmine

? Band Resisted ? Under the front foot and on the shoulder

? Slow Eccentrics ? 5-10 second eccentric

? Isometrics ? Long Pause at the middle or the bottom (3-10 seconds per rep)

? Barbell Back Rack

? Zercher

? Accommodating Resistance ? Bands or Chains

In many ways, the Bulgarian split squat bridges the gap between bilateral and unilateral lower body strength training. You get the benefits from unliteral strength training while the back leg provides enough assistance with stability to train with heavier loads. So, whether you called it a rear-foot elevated split squat, a South Eastern-European Split Squat or a Bulgarian Split Squat, it doesn?t really matter. It is a great exercise and should be including in a multitude of training programs whether your goals are improved athletic performance, hypertrophy or general health and fitness.

References:

1. Speirs D, Bennett M, Finn C, Turner A. Unilateral vs. Bilateral Squat Training for Strength, Sprints, and Agility in Academy Rugby Players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2016;30(2):386-392.

2. Brorsson S, Olsson C, Bengtsson O, Peterson J. Maximal strength in one leg squat correlates with acceleration capacity and agility. 2010.

3. Fisher J, Wallin M. Unilateral versus Bilateral Lower-body Resistance and Plyometric Training for Change of Direction Speed. Journal of Athletic Enhancement. 2014;03(06).

Quarantine Client of the Week 25/05

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

And this week?s winner is?. Michelle Willis

First of all, congratulations, bravo, any words for the camera?

I?d like thank my mum, daisy dog & B2 (pictured) for getting me here ????

What does your 'new normal' training schedule look like?

I?m currently working from home, this is my 12th week. So a walk before work (I start at 7-7:30am), walk my dog at lunch time & do VGT once I?m finished for the day. This varies a little based my energy & the weather.

I just did the Virtus Marathon & loved having a goal to focus on for the week.

What advice would you have for anyone struggling to find their training groove?

Start small & don?t be too hard on yourself. Start with a walk around the block & then built that up to a further/faster walk. Maybe even grab (not literally) a walking buddy. Or only do half a VGT session & then build up to a full one more regularly. I?ve also found finding a routine & setting time aside for training has helped me ????

Any extra comments/jokes/memes or quotes?

Strive for progress, not perfection.

Oh and late but worth the wait ???????

Meet the Team: Jasmine Birch

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Describe yourself in 25 words or less

My Name is Jasmine and my favourite things in the world involve: Liam, Our doggies, dumplings, chocolate, cookies, family time, teaching and learning.

What motivates you?

A structured routine, positive mindset and other people

What scares you?

Snakes

What are you excited for?

The future, 1 month away, 6 months away, 1 year from now, etc.

Your love language:

Words of Affirmation & Receiving Gifts

Who do you look up to?

Boyfrand, mother, father, peeps from work

3 Favourite Books:

Principles by Ray Dalio, Teacher by Gabbie Stroud, Who Moved My Cheese? by Dr. Spencer Johnson

3 Favourite Movies:

Hoodwinked, Perks of Being a Wallflower, Shrek

A quote you love:

"The only source of knowledge is experience" - Albert Einstein

Best Food & Beverage combo:

Platter + Moscato #basicbetch

Your happy Place:

Home

Best piece of advice:

Create a vision, set some goals, challenge your comfort zone, work hard, ask for help, utilise your allies, stay positive, keep trying, fail, try again, don't give up

Meet the Team: Mitchell Rowe

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Describe yourself in 25 words or less
A self-motivated, extroverted introvert who enjoys all things coffee, whisky, gaming and sport and will work hard to achieve whatever I put my mind to.

What motivates you?
To be the best at whatever task is in front of me. I don?t like to settle for second best. Generational wealth - To provide for my kids and their kids after that.

What scares you?
Failure.

What are you excited for?
The future, my career, buying a house, getting another berner, travel.

Your love language:
Acts of Service

Who do you look up to?
Literally everyone as i?m 5?7"?

3 Favourite Books
Not a huge reader for leisure so only read sport science books in the last 5 years?

Return to Field Sports Running Manual - Greg Dea
Strength & Conditioning for Team Sports - Paul Gamble
Sports Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation - David Joyce & Daniel Lewindon

Favourite Movies
I?m a movie franchise guy!

The Marvel Cinematic Universe
Star Wars
Lord of The Rings
The Fast & The Furious
Transformers

A quote you love:
?You can lead a horse to water but you can?t put brains in fuckwits?

Best Food & Beverage combo:
Burgers and a juicy JR Pale Ale

Your Happy Place:
A Sporting Event - Pick one, i?ll be there.

Best piece of advice:
Communication is a two-way street. Communication isn?t just how the message is sent from the sender, it is how it is received and interpreted by the receiver.

Meet the Team: Simon Cooper

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Describe yourself in 25 words or less

I am Simon. I am passionate about creating positive change in our world. I try to always choose kindness and try to make those around me better.

What motivates you?

I am motivated by the people around me. It is inspiring seeing passionate driven people pursuing their peak expression.

What scares you?

I am scared of failure. I?m scared that I will move through life without making a powerful contribution.

What are you excited for?

I am excited to explore some projects that will enable me to contribute more powerfully. To my community and the broader culture.

Your love language:

Quality time, followed closely by Physical Touch.

Who do you look up to?

There are so many people I look up to for advice and inspiration. There are people who I am close to (my family, the Virtus team, John) and those who I admire from afar (Logan Gelbrich, Cara Miller, Seth Godin). In all of these cases, the common themes are generosity, vulnerability, courage, passion and leadership.

3 Favourite Books

The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)

Turning Pro (Steven Pressfield)

Tribes (Seth Godin)

3 Favourite Movies

The Departed (2006)

Inception (2010)

Lord of the Rings (trilogy)

A quote you love:

?Don?t argue about what a good man should be. Be one.?

Best Food & Beverage combo:

Coffee and chocolate.

Your happy Place:

The beach.

Best piece of advice:

Pursue things that give you meaning. Be ruthless in your pursuit of these things.

The Masterclass Summit 2020

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Click here to enter the Summit

"Twelve outstanding professional presenters, clinicians, coaches, educators, and thought leaders in the performance physical therapies world delivering thought-provoking masterclasses."

Introducing the 2020 Masterclass Summit

Most of you know him as 'The Phys' or 'Greg' but much like Bruce Wayne has Batman, The Phys also has another side to him.

One that educates and inspires Students, Athletes and Professionals across the globe. This usually sees him travelling throughout the year to make the world a better place.

But in 2020, Well, COVID happened and you know the rest. So The BatPhys got to work.

Over the last 20 years, Greg has been learning from and with the best in the business, building an understanding that is rarely rivalled in the Sports Physiotherapy and Performance worlds.

Over the past few months, Greg has been hard at work putting together a culmination of that experience to bring you The 2020 Masterclass Summit. He has brought together 11 other titans from other corners of the globe. The best part, you can watch it all online. Each and every masterclass. Over and over again. From the comfort of your bean bag. It doesn't get much better than that.
Regardless of what you do, or who you are. Watching these lectures will make you better at what you do. When we know better, we do better.

Good from The Phys, and Good from all of you

Lachie.

Click here to enter the Summit

Virtus COVID Games

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

The time has come...

The Virtus COVID Games officially kicks off tomorrow!

The stage is set for one of the greatest showdowns the world has ever seen.

A battle royale.

If you're not sure what we're talking about, here is a quick rundown...

5 weeks, 5 teams, 5 pillars.

This gives you the opportunity to crush this next stage of Lockdown and come out the other side better than when you went in.

Led by one of our elite Coaches, you will be part of a team who will act as a support and provide accountability throughout the Lockdown. You can earn points for your team by completing tasks which fall under our pillars of:

Training
Mental Health
Lifestyle
Connection
Learning

This is an opportunity for you to be a part of a group of other awesome people, support one another, hold each other accountable, and stay connected. And most of all, contribute to a points system to win against the other teams.

Here is a PDF with all the info you need: The COVID Games Manual.

Use this as a reference for your time throughout the Games.

If you're not already a part of a team but want to be, all you need to do is send us a message (via Facebook or email). We'll provide you with some more info on how you can get involved.

We all know the drill. We've done this whole Lockdown thing before.

Look after your mates, keep checking in with one another, get outside for fresh air when you can, hydrate, move, eat well, smile, don't be tough on yourself and always choose kindness.

If you need anything, you know where to find us.

Let the Games Begin!

Never Miss a Monday & Ginyasa!

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Virtus Family!

How are you?

Times are tough at the moment. Please don't hesitate to reach out if we can help in any way.

Training is only the beginning. If you need a chat, a hand with accountability or, help with any of your big rocks (sleep, nutrition, hydration, stress management) please reply to this email.

I wanted to give you a Virtus & COVID Games update.

Virtus is physically still closed (sad face) at least until Mid August.

We are working hard behind the scenes to ensure that when we do get the green light to reopen we will be ready to take our coaching experience up another level.

In the meantime, if the Lockdown goes longer than planned, we will be doing everything we can to ensure you all maintain your health, wellbeing, and sanity.
Speaking of sanity and wellbeing... The Virtus COVID Games is in Week 3. Time sure flies when you're having fun, doing good things with good people.

TeamMitch had a huge week two scoring plenty of points for the No Alcohol bonus, TeamJas is posting great numbers, TeamCoop had a great showing at the Trivia night & TeamWallace hangs on to a slight lead.
Week 3 kicks off this week and Training sessions & Strava logs are worth double

On Sunday at 5 pm Anna Janssen will be hosting a GinYasa session! You'll earn +5 points for your team for participating. If you're not participating, you're still welcome to downward dog.

If you like your Gin. then you're in luck.

Hit the GIN BUTTON below and put in the code COVIDGAMES You'll receive 15% off, two bottles of Capi Tonic and I'll deliver it to your door. Plus it gets better our friends at Jetty Road Brewery have given us a code for 10% off their website! They are delivering delicious food and deliciouser beers!

Drops 15% off: COVIDGAMES

Jetty Road Brewery 10% off: JRLOCAL

Also, ensure you keep track of your steps this week because the individuals who record the highest daily step count & the highest weekly average will both earn +15 points for their team.

Look after your mates, keep checking in with one another, get outside for fresh air when you can, hydrate, move, eat well, smile, don't be tough on yourself and always choose kindness.

Proud of you a lot. Keep doing good things.

Onwards

Lachie

Also, Who is excited for the Podcast to return?
It's a new format and we are very excited to share it with you.

Sweet GIN. Discounts

Jetty Road Brewery

Never Miss a Monday: Week 4 of the COVID Games

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Morning Virtus Family!

Hope you have had a great weekend.

I know many of you will be feeling disheartened at the latest news on lockdown restrictions. It's certainly not what we wanted to hear, however we now have an opportunity.

This opportunity is to direct our energy toward the things we can control: how we spend our time, who we spend it with, our thoughts and our actions.

It's going to be a tough 6 weeks, but know that there is a community of people here to support you. We can get through this together. Reach out if you need any extra support, myself and the entire Virtus team are here fo you.

It's a good time to mention that we have relaunched the Virtus Podcast for Season 2 .

The first episode is about Building Resilience. We run through what resilience actually is, our experiences and some strategies that you can incorporate into your lives.

Here's the link to listen on iTunes and Podbean

If you'd rather watch it, check it out on YouTube .

In other news, we are now in Week 4 of the Virtus COVID Games. Team Mitch has hit the lead, with Teams Wallace, Jas and Coop closely behind. Bravo to everyone involved and moving the needle on their health and wellbeing.

This week we have Steph Nguyen hosting a Sunday Bake Off! Join us on Sunday at 2pm. You'll earn +5 points for your team for participating. Plus, you'll end up with something delicious that you can get stuck into! Stay tuned for a shopping list...

We also have double points this week for completing 10,000+ steps and completing a full day of the Be Better 60 Day Challenge. Good Luck!

Virtus Masks are also now available. But you need to be quick, there are only 15 left on last count. Order on the Virtus website, you can get 1 for $10 or 2 for $15. #TreatYourself

If you need a chat, a hand with accountability or, help with any of your big rocks (sleep, nutrition, hydration, stress management) please reply to this email.
Look after your mates, keep checking in with one another, get outside for fresh air when you can, hydrate, move, eat well, smile, don't be tough on yourself and always choose kindness.

Proud of you all. Keep doing good things.

Onwards!

Simon Cooper

The Virtus Podcast: My 10 Most Memorable Episodes

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

On the 12th of June 2017, a little over 3 years ago, I vividly remember pressing record on the voice memos app to record what would be the first Virtus Performance Podcast.

Listening back now, the first episode was rubbish, but when I finished rambling, I made a commitment then and there that I would record and upload an episode a week for the next 12 months.

On the 3rd of June 2018, I sat down with 6 of my favourite humans, to record a Birthday Episode which was both the realisation of the goal I?d set a year earlier, and the justification for taking the plunge to reach out to ?regular? people, to hear their extraordinary stories.

Initially, the podcast was more about self-accountability than anything else, I certainly didn?t understand the impact these weekly conversations would have on my development & day to day existence. I look back now and the relationships that this has fostered, and the conversations that have been had are some of the most impactful and memorable of my life.

As I sit here writing this on the 12th of August in 2020, the journey I?ve been on with the podcast fills me with a flood of pride and appreciation. I?m proud that I was able to and I am immensely grateful and appreciative of each and every guest for allowing me (and our listeners) to share time, space and conversation.

It was about time we called time on Season one (115 episodes in), so a few weeks ago we embarked on the next chapter of the podcast.

Season Two began with a new format and 10 episodes of intention, based around how to overcome adversity and set ourselves up for success during these challenging times.

So here goes, a good old fashioned countdown of my 10 most memorable episodes. These are the conversations that I remember the most vividly, most aren?t in the top 10 in terms of downloads, but in terms of the impact they had on me, these are the cream of the crop. If you?re looking for somewhere to start, or you?re a seasoned campaigner, these are not to be missed.

I?ve included a little tidbit and part of the original bio for each episode below & the original cover art.

I would love to hear your feedback & which episodes you found the most valuable.

Drumroll please?

10. #26 Daniel Aitchison & Ed Wischer : Dan has been one of my best mates for the last decade, he was a ring-in to this podcast and it made for a ripper conversation about how we can choose to live our lives:
Daniel is a Professional Ski Bum (own words) who follows the snow around the world, whilst Ed works in sales and is the man behind The Human Happiness Project. These are two humans who are living opposite existences, and on the surface, couldn't be any more different. However, as the conversation continued, many similarities began to pop up. They are philosophically on the same page, yet polar opposites when it comes to how they live their lives.

9. #23 & #78 Jeremy Dooley : I never leave a chat with this great man without feeling like I am capable of anything. These two conversations are centred around purpose and cultivating the change you want to see in the world. I first met Jeremy (aka Dools) at the Holden Centre during our days at Collingwood Football Club. He is someone with many more layers than first meets the eye. He has been an incredible role model to me and someone who left an incredible impact during his time at the club. Now, Jeremy specialises in High-Performance Teams and Cultures: He is a dynamic and versatile facilitator with 17 years of experience in developing and delivering cutting-edge content.

8. #5 Jarryd Palser : One of the first episodes I ever did on the podcast and this one sticks with me. Moo has been through some pretty epic changes and challenges and his ability to get the work done is legendary. He also features on a number of other podcasts and interviews me for episode 19 . In episode #5 i sat down with Jarryd Palser and discussed his weight loss journey, his achievements with Marathons and Ironmans, his stubbornness and his role as an educator. "He was once 140kg, now he is an ironman" Pulse is one of my favourite humans and after this you'll understand why.

7. #57 Susan Bell: I coached Suz in the gym for a few years and every session I was left with a an elevated belief of what we are capable of after hearing more and more of Suz?s story. I was stoked to finally get her in a room to sit down and share the whole shebang. It certainly didn?t disappoint. This human is one of the most resilient humans I have met. I feel incredibly grateful that she has all Suz is a former Nurse of 10+ years, Mum or two, Personal Trainer and has been through a couple of brain surgeries and come out with a big smile on her face... as you do. If you have any interest in getting the most out of yourself, this is probably the episode to listen to.

6. #22 & 86 Beau Miles: Beau is the kind of bloke that everyone wants to have as a best mate. He is an educator and adventurer and his unique outlook on life has brought him worldwide acclaim via his filmmaking and storytelling. Beau is someone who i have admired from a distance for a little while. After watching his movies over the past few years i was inspired by his sense of adventure and ability to find that adventure and reinvent it in his own backyard.

5. #69 Jess Redmayne: This was a very special conversation, there were tears (mostly mine) as we had a chat about Jess, her career and the impact her Mums dementia diagnosis has had on her and her family. A must listen. Meet Jess, one of those people who you look at, hear from and you just know that she is making the world a better place. This conversation is a little different from others. Yes, we touched on Jess's story. Growing up a performer to being a member of Hi-5 and a star on the TV Show 800 Words. But that wasn't the point of this conversation. That was to raise awareness of Brain health and more specifically Dementia. Jess's Mum was diagnosed 5 years ago, throughout that time Jess and her family have learnt all about the harsh reality of living with dementia. We dove deep, there were tears, but this is a story more people need to hear.

1382020

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Never Miss a Monday 10/8

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Welcome to the final week of the COVID Games!

Bravo to everyone who has participated. It has been a really fun challenge and has certainly helped me stay accountable to doing things for my own health and wellbeing.

Firstly, a big thank you to Steph Nguyen for facilitating the Sunday Bake Off yesterday. We made a delicious brownie that I ate way too quickly and gave myself a tummy ache. Something about too much of a good thing..? Great work to everyone who joined us. Steph, we appreciate you lots.

On the score front. Team Mitch is still in the lead after a consistent week. Team Wallace is snapping at his heels, with Team Jas not far behind. Team Coop is bringing up the rear, but I have a feeling they're not out of the count. #CinderellaStory

This week, we have yours truly running my workshop. the Power of Change. I'll be leading you through some strategies on resilience, mindfulness and how to shift your perspective on change. This is free for members, $20 for non-members.

Buy your tickets here.

We also have double points this week for staying hydrated and drinking 3L of water.
Good Luck!

Episode 2 of the Virtus Podcast is now live. ?

This one touches on self leadership . It is something that Lachie and I both care about, so we had fun riffing on this.

Here's the link to listen on iTunes and Podbean

If you'd rather watch it, check it out on YouTube .

Virtus Masks are still available. There's only a few left... Order on the Virtus website, you can get 1 for $10 or 2 for $15. #TreatYourself

Finally, we've put together a survey for the Virtus Family to get some feedback on the COVID Games and some insights into what we can do next.

Whether you are a current member or not, we want to continue supporting you all over the next 4-5 weeks of Lockdown 2.0 (and beyond). So we want your help to inform us of how we can best do that.

Here is the survey link .

Please fill it out and give us some feedback.

I know it's been a tough week for many. So if you need a chat, a hand with accountability or, help with any of your big rocks (sleep, nutrition, hydration, stress management) please reply to this email.
Look after your mates, keep checking in with one another, get outside for fresh air when you can, hydrate, move, eat well, smile, don't be tough on yourself and always choose kindness.

Proud of you all. Keep doing good things.

Onwards!

Simon.

Introducing, The Winter Olympics

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

The Virtus COVID Games was a brilliant 5 Weeks of Accountability, Connection & Purpose.

But all good things must come to an end, and we knew that there was a finite lifespan with this kind of format.

Last week, we sent out a Survey to our community. We asked how you were going & what you needed from us moving forward. You answered and we could not be more grateful for every one of you who did. It has given us incredible insight and has informed our next lockdown program.

Introducing, The Winter Olympics.

We have taken the best parts of the COVID Games, picked apart your feedback & put it together what will be a more sustainable, individualised program.

It includes:

The Tick the Boxes EBOOK , is a simple yet powerful Personal Accountability System designed to help you do the things you said you would do. To help you get from where you are, to where you want to be.

The Virtus 60 Day ?Be Better? Challenge, is a full life challenge wherein you complete 4 daily tasks based off our 4 focus areas: Physical Wellbeing, Mental Health & Mindfulness, Community & Connection, and Living & Learning.

These tools coupled with our Weekly Calls , TrainHeroic Training sessions , Accountability Groups , Weekly Events and Weekly Podcast are designed to give you all the tools you need in your toolbox to help you navigate and thrive through the rest of lockdown.

Watch the video to learn more about it, we would love for you to be involved.

If this sounds like something you want to be a part of, comment below, or email lachlanwallace@virtusperformance.com to take part.

Be amazing & keep looking after each other.

Big Love,

Wallace

Back in Business - November 9th at 6am.

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Next Monday will mark 230 days since the gym closed on the 24th March. The excitement is palpable.

The team are all busy on the back-end getting things ready. It's been a long time coming so we are planning for a smooth transition back into normal operations. We are still ironing out details (of number restrictions, hygiene rules etc.), and we will be sending out another email on Wednesday with specifics to our members.

Here are a few updates and need-to-knows?

Memberships
Firstly, a big, BIG thank you to everyone who has stuck with us over the last few months. We are beyond grateful for the support that the Virtus Family has shown us, as individuals and a community. If it wasn't for you, we may have struggled to stay afloat. Thanks to your generosity, we have kept kicking.

For everyone who was a member before lockdowns, if you haven't already heard from a coach, they will be in touch by tomorrow at the latest. They will confirm what you'd like to do going forward.

VAD and VGT memberships will start back up on Thursday (for the week in advance).

We're stoked to welcome old and new members into the gym. If you haven't trained with us before and would like to join the Virtus Family, now is a great time.

Reply to this email and I will send you through some information about how we can work together.

Equipment Return
For those of you that borrowed equipment from the gym, we hope you enjoyed having it. Unfortunately (or fortunately), the time has come for it to come home.

We have a few time slots for it to be returned to Virtus HQ :

Friday - ALL DAY - 7AM onwards
Saturday - 10AM - 3PM

If you can't make these times, send on of the team a message or reply here. We'll make alternate arrangements.

NOTE: Make sure you tick your name off with the coach you're returning the equipment to. I'd rather not have to hunt you down to get a kettlebell back.

Member Accountability
At Virtus, our role as a coach means that we help you get from where you are to where you want to be. We help you to set goals for yourself, then we shape the path to help you get there. You have to do the work, but we are with you to support, encourage and guide you.

One of the big changes we are making as we reopen is to elevate our member accountability system .

We are putting in place a system so that you can regularly review your goals, take ownership of the process and ensure that you are reaching the targets you set for yourself. This system includes:

Weekly and Monthly check-ins
Quarterly 1-on-1 sessions with a Coach
Access to a personalised Success Document to track progress

This will be included in all VGT and VAD memberships.

If you need some accountability and support with your goals, contact us to book in your first session.

Timetable
Bookings for VGT classes and VAD sessions will open on Thursday (once memberships have all been organised). As mentioned, our COVID Safe plan will be finalised and available this week. Here is a sneak peek of a few rules that will be in place:

No booking, no training - you must book in for your session.
Maximum of 10 people per class
Hygiene protocols will include; wiping equipment, washing hands before training and physical distancing.

You can check out timetable on our website here.

As always, book in for classes via the Wodify app. You can download it from the Apple store here , or from the Play store here . If you get stuck, just give me a bell.

If you want to get started with training again and create some goals for the rest of 2020 (and beyond) book in a chat with me here .

Remember: Look after your mates, keep checking in with one another, get outside for fresh air when you can, hydrate, move, eat well, smile, don't be tough on yourself and always choose kindness.

Onwards!

Simon and Team Virtus

Virtus Reopening Update

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

We're 5 days away from being back in the gym. We hope you are as excited as we are!

Once again, the team and I are so grateful to our whole community for getting behind us over the last few months. We're pumped that we were still able to provide you all with programming, equipment and support, even though we weren't in the same room. We appreciate you.

This email should answer any questions you may have in the lead up to getting started again.

If you have more questions or want to have a chat, feel free to give me a call: 0478802989
(note: If anyone pranks me, you owe me 100 push-ups).

Membership Prices

**All memberships for existing members will be set up in the next 24 hours and will be billed tomorrow night. If you haven't heard from a coach, reach out to me.

VGT, Unlimited = $60 per week
VAD, Unlimited = $90 per week
Online = $30 per week

We do have additional options for VGT and VAD depending on how often you'd like to train.

We are also going to continue offering online coaching and programming. Whether you would simply like access to a VGT program to do at home or would like tailored programming, we got you.

To chat about any of these options, send me an email.

Onboarding

The Onboarding process is the first step to starting at Virtus. As we reopen, we are offering discounted onboarding for any new or returning members. Usually priced at $250, we are discounting the process to $150 .

Watch this video describing your 3 one-to-one sessions.

For existing members, you have the option of booking in for a free 30min check-in with a coach. This can be tailored to include whatever you would like: FMS (movement screen), goal setting, holistic wellness screen, etc.
To book in your first session back, click the link below and fill out some details!

BOOK YOUR SESSION HERE

Major things to note when you are planning on coming in to train:

Classes/ sessions are capped at 10 athletes . That means:
- VGT classes capped at 10
- 10 athletes per hour for VAD
Please book in . If you don't book in, you won't be able to train. This applies to all members. P.S. the best app to book in is Wodify Athlete.
Bring your own towel and water bottle to your sessions.
Members do not need to wear masks while you train. However, we do ask that you arrive and leave the gym wearing a mask.
We have spray bottles with sanitiser and cloths for you to take around the gym with you. Anything that you use, please wipe down.
If you feel at all unwell, please stay home . Let one of the coaches know so that we can check in on you. If you would like training to complete at home, simply message your coach.

SEND ME AN EMAIL IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS

I sent out a similar email in June when we went back for 2 weeks (doesn't count). I wrote the below passage and I want to repeat it:

"The team and I are all ultra excited to welcome everyone back into Virtus HQ. It's been a challenging few months, but I am more confident than ever that our community is pretty special. I'm proud of the support and kindness you've all shown each other.

Lastly, be kind to yourself as we get back into the swing of things. For many (myself included), our fitness isn't where it was 3 months ago. So give yourself the time and space to get back to where you were.

Trust the process, keep showing up, smile and have fun. Because if it's not fun, what's the point?"

I stand by it. #WeLoveTheVirtusFamily

Simon ?????

5 Steps to Fall in Love With Running

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Time for a little story about running. If you don't love running, you'll resonate with this. If you do love running, I think you'll still resonate with this.

I first started training for running when I was 12 years old, down at Patterson River Running Group with our Coach Mike Davis. This was actually where I met KP, but that?s a long, beautiful, life-changing love story for another day.

I?d started little athletics in 1999 when I was 7, a few months after my first football season. I immediately fell in love with competing. By the time I was 12 and starting to train somewhat regularly my summer was filled with running & little athletics and my winter was filled with football, running & cross country.

My sport was a big part of my childhood and a large part of my identity. As I got older I juggled the balance between football and running, with each competing for my commitment.

Slowly but surely, football became more important & eventually pushed my running and my running training out. Luckily, the years of training had built up my aerobic capacity to a point where one of my most redeeming qualities on the football field was my ability to run.

I was fortunate enough to maintain a certain capacity for a few years as I transitioned into VFL football, but as life happened, work/football/lifting/beers replaced my habit of running, and over the years that capacity I used to be so proud of slowly made way for other things.

When you begin to enjoy & be good at a thing (in this case, running) you inevitably start to identify with that thing. If you asked me during my teenage years, I would have said that I was a footballer who ran, but being a runner was certainly a huge part of my identity.

Fast forward to the last few years, I?ve had little spurts of motivation to get back into running, but I?ve never quite found the rhythm I had when I was a teenager. Maybe it was the absence of competitiveness or the (self-inflicted and ridiculous) expectations I have to live up to previous times not being met.

Maybe it was a bit of both. But for the most part, at some point in time, running ceased to be a means within itself and shifted to being a means to an end.

Cue Lockdown 2.0.

During Lockdown 1.0, I trained most days, maintaining my relatively consistent Strength & Conditioning sessions for the few months of ?isolation?. It was fun & enjoyable, but when we went back into lockdown and Stage Four restrictions, I didn't have the stomach to look at more Zoom calls, especially when I was training. I needed to shift to something different.

Cue the ruggedly handsome Mitch Rowe & his running programs. A few months on, I can say that I think I've fallen back in love with running again (these words still feel funny to write).

We love doing things that we're good at. Things that provide us with the space to express our capacities & improve on those capacities. Running in many ways is still a means to an end for me (health, wellbeing, football) but the more I run, the more it becomes a means within itself and the more I enjoy and appreciate what my body can do.

"SO HOW CAN I FALL IN LOVE WITH RUNNING?" I hear you ask. Do not fret dear reader, I have a flawless 5 step process for you to follow to find your groove & tick those legs over out of pure, joyous love of running.

Find an authentic reason : Now this one is tough, for the most part, because most of us don?t really think hard enough to really know what we want. This eliminates the need to rely on finite spurts of motivation, the ones that get you moving but don?t get you where you want to be. Take some time, and ask yourself the question ?Why do I want to love running?? What will it afford me if I am a capable runner?? My answers lie somewhere in the middle of, ?I want to improve my mental and physical capacities to be a good role model for Lucy & the Virtus Family. And to be able to play good football & know that I can do silly things like run a marathon on a day?s notice, or go for a big bike ride with The Phys without breaking my body."
Hire a coach: This is where I heap praise on Mike Davis for helping me fall in love with running initially and Mitch Rowe for helping me find it again. Apart from the accountability, support and guidance (which are all invaluable), a coach gives you someone to share your successes & failures with and someone who will at times care more about your running and success than you do (this is more important than you?ll realise).
Follow a program: It sounds silly to say but outside of football preseasons, I haven?t followed a structured running program since I was training with Mike. So when I jumped on board with Mitch a few months ago, I started off with the 5-10km Three Speed Running Program . I had a clear plan to follow, and a simple understanding of what I needed to do to improve. Last week I kicked off my 10-15km Program and I?ve been reminded that running never gets ?easier? you just keep getting ?better?. Better is certainly something that I can get around.
Connect with other runners: Some of the best memories I have from my childhood are with Mike & the Patterson River Running Group. Some of the hardest runs I?ve done have been made bearable by my football teammates running beside me. Some of the best conversations I?ve had have been on a Sunday flow run along the esplanade with friends. Whether it?s in person or online via Strava or Facebook, when you connect with other people getting after it, you?re spurred on by the work others do, as they are by the hard work you put in.
Show up & do the work : It?s hard, you have to go through a little bit of discomfort before you find the groove. To be honest, I thought of the idea for this blog during my last block of today?s run. It was windy, I was running back up the hill towards home, I was hurting, I was working hard but I smiled because I realised that I have genuinely fallen back in love with running.

I have no doubt that on Sunday when I sit on the couch to put my shoes on, I?ll hesitate and try to talk myself out of it, but I?ll remember why I started, think about the feeling I?ll have when I finish the session & log it in train heroic and then I?ll hit the road.

It?s not always easy, but when you find your groove, when you have a reason, when you have good people to connect with, when you see improvements, and when you put in the work, you?ll find yourself not just tolerating running, not just enjoying it, but you?ll fall in love with running , just like I did.

If you want to fall back in love with running, sign up for a running program here.

If you want to be supported by a community of others who love running, join the Virtus Strava Group #Kudos

P.S. You can sub out Running for almost any endeavour: Croquet, Powerlifting, BJJ, Writing, Chess, Hookey, whatever your heart desires, this shit is universal.

Onwards

Wallace

We have a NEW coach! And we are very, very excited about it.

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

We have news, this is truly the good stuff!

It's not every day that you have a world-class operator express a desire to coach at our humble Mornington facility.

This individual has done and seen it all.

He is a published author
He has 20+ Years of experience in elite sports across the globe.
He has Coached Olympic Power Athletes (Swimming, Track & Field & Martial Arts)
He has won a World Cup & Olympic Gold
He has lived and worked in 5 Countries
He has taught courses in 9 Countries
He has physically prepared tactical (military) athletes in both Australia and Europe
He has a gorgeous Miniature Schnauzer
He has done all of this and much much more.

Drumroll please...

????

????

????

????

Introducing, the one and only, Greg Dea .

Most of you know Greg as The Phys. But what you may not know, is that The Phys is also an internationally accomplished coach. He has over 20 years experience in elite sports in both the Coaching and Sports Physiotherapy setting. Giving him an unprecedented (word of 2020) understanding of human movement, rehabilitation and athletic development.

Here's a bit of self-praise (which we love) from the man himself

I have extensive experience in multiple training centre environments and field settings in multiple sports and have delivered instruction to athletes, and coaches on technical and tactical principles both domestically and internationally. Many of these roles have been in some of the harshest environments where the challenges of deadlines, pressure, language, culture, and scarcity of resources brought out exceptional results to achieve a World Cup and Olympic Gold.

From tomorrow, Greg will be joining our Coaching ranks.

He will be in charge of Monday & Thursday Morning Coaching shifts, which means our VAD & VGT Athletes will all have access to one of the best, most accomplished Coaches on the pen link/ in the world.

I can't underestimate how much of an opportunity this is to learn from and be coached by one of the very best. If you're currently a member of Virtus Group Training or Virtus Athletic Development , you're in for a real treat.

If you're not a current member of Virtus but you're interested in being coached by Coach Greg and the rest of our incredible coaching staff, hit reply to this email and we will help you get where you want to be.

The Phys will of course continue to offer his world-class Sports Physiotherapy outside his coaching shifts. If you need a Diagnosis, Treatment or some Phys quality TLC you can contact him via his mobile 0400 335 891.

Obviously, there will be no manual therapy provided during Greg's Coaching Sessions however he will be able to give you exercise-based treatment and advice until the cows come home.

What a time to be alive

p.s If you'd like to learn a little more about Greg, hit this link.

Moo's Movember Musings #2 - Suicide & Mental Health

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

It's time to take a break from our regular programming and read this correspondence from one of the key players at Virtus, Jarryd Palser (aka Moo)

Moo?s Movember Musing 2.0

In 2019, suicide was the 10th leading cause of death for males (at a rate of 19.8 deaths per 100,000 males).

If you are reading this, you are probably well aware of my depression diagnosis and the challenges that it presents consistently. However, this piece is not about me.

I apologise for hitting you straight between the eyes, but I feel we need to take a spotlight to this.

Generally, I love graphs, but this one has been haunting me since I first saw it in early November.

There are no two ways about it, 2020 has been a clusterfuck! Since 2006, this graph has been on an upward trend, add a global pandemic to society, and it doesn't take much imagination to predict the 2020 data point for this graph.

19.8 Suicides per 100,000 males was already too high, we as a community need to move the needle to ensure these numbers decrease.

As males, we are conditioned not to show emotion. We are programmed to believe that individuals showing vulnerability and insecurities are weak.

Here lies the root of the problem.

Collectively we need to be better, not only for the sake of our generation but for the sake of our future generations.

For any movement to gain momentum, it must start with a small action.

So be brave and tell one of your male friends that you love them.

Be proud that you can identify and articulate with your friends that you need to invest some time in managing your wellbeing.

I understand that it will be uncomfortable, I know that it won't feel right.
I'll pose a question, what is the alternative?

Personally, deep down (and I know many others) will not want to hear the answer to that question.

I am going to finish with a direct quote from Wayne Schwass' address to the Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System during 2019.
"My vision for society is that we live in a world where there is no stigma and discrimination. I want to encourage audiences and communities, men and women, to question the narrative. What does it mean to be a man? How is the current definition of masculinity serving us? I want language, perceptions and attitudes to fundamentally shift so that we, as a society, wrap our collective arms around people living with mental health conditions, and we start talking about it."

If this email has resonated with you in any way. Can I ask you to do one of two things;

Support My Movember Campaign by donating via t the following link: (Movember - Moo Palser) . Any donation amount will be championing men's health.

Show some appreciation for the wonderful Men in your life.

Give them a call, embrace them with a hug and most importantly have an authentic and meaningful conversation with them.

If you, or someone you know is experiencing distress, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, or Beyond Blue 1300 224 636.

Enjoy the rest of your Friday, the sunshine and the upcoming weekend.
As you were.
Jarryd (Moo) Palser

2 x Virtus Human Performance "Best On" Award Recipient
Kooweerup's Resident Hipster (Monday to Friday only, Saturdays by appointment only.)
Record Holder: Most cumulative hours of Lifestyle Food Network watched.

HIT THIS BUTTON TO LISTEN TO MOO, WALLACE & RICK MIRABELLA TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH

MENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT: JUSTIN BEACH

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF:

I?m 24 years old, from the Eastern Suburbs currently finishing my final year of my Exercise and Sport Science degree at Deakin University and have been working as a PT for the past 12 months. Growing up I loved all things sport and luckily had some great parents who taxied me around town for different events. I studied physical health at school and loved it, while other things sparked my interest, art and math, sport and exercise was always something I spent my most time with. Out of year 12 I went to TAFE and studied Motorsport Tech. I didn?t like my score after year 12 and kind of fell in a heap after not getting my first few Uni selections and completely changed course, something I still love however quickly realised it was more a hobby and didn?t want to turn it into a career. I found my way back to university and fast forward a few years we?re now here.

A few things came along in between, living overseas in Canada (just outside of Toronto) for 6 months, I caught the travel bug and have been struggling ever since, never enough time and money to adventure. Representing Deakin at University games most years of study and bringing back a gold medal last year was another highlight.

I love being outdoors exploring, hiking and cycling are two things I absolutely love to get out and do just have struggled to prioritise them this year. I waste most Saturdays playing cricket, then spend the next week complaining about it until Saturday comes round and I do it all again. I?ve always loved coaching and this season I?ve moved clubs to coach the U19s at Somerville which will be exciting and a great new challenge.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO SPEND 12 WEEKS WITH THE VIRTUS FAMILY?

I wish to expand my knowledge and apply it to a different population group and in a new setting. I?ve always followed the Virtus story from a far, I finally took the chance to surround myself with the amazing people at Virtus and to learn from the best. Further learn and fine tune my coaching style with the help of other great coaches from the industry. Expand my network of likeminded individuals, meet new and exciting people and establish a reputation in the industry to then use when applying or seeking out future jobs.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?

?When I grow up? is key there because I?m not sure I ever will! Just a big kid.

I always wanted to be an athlete or sportsperson growing up. Always loved sport and wanted to be an athlete however, not blessed with skills to reach a higher level competition. Based on that I changed my view coming out of high school and looked to help others reach their potential. I love coaching and teaching so would love to help others become better versions of themselves through either profession.

WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS AS A PERSON AND A COACH?

Approachable
Hard Working
Organised

WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST STRETCHES AS A PERSON AND A COACH?

Confidence in my knowledge and ability
Communication

FAVOURITES ?

Book ? Not much of a reader but any kind of biography, love real stories. Most recent one I finished was the Phillip Hughes story

Movie ? Too hard to pick just one so here are my top 3

Goodwill Hunting
The Dark Knight
Remember the Titans

Special shout out to any Robin Williams movie

Hobby ? Sports, literally any sport! Mainly cricket, little bit of footy, netball and karate. I also love photography but hardly find time to get out and enjoy it anymore as you?ll usually find me with a beverage in hand surrounded by good mates if I?m not working.

Exercise ? RDL, it?s a love hate relationship for my hamstrings (I would love to be better at Nordics, but I hate the exercise)

Quote ? ?Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative?

MENTORSHIP SPOTLIGHT: JAMES BARNARD

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF:

I?m 23 years old and I am about to head into my final year of my Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science at the Australian Catholic University (ACU). I am a mad cricket fan and I am hoping once I complete my studies and get my weekends back, that I can get back to playing cricket for a side. I am originally from England (born in the city of York to be precise). My parents reside in Mornington, whereas I am currently living just outside the city in an apartment with my girlfriend.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO SPEND 12 WEEKS WITH THE VIRTUS FAMILY?

I feel I need to become a more well-rounded individual in many areas, such as developing/building relationships and my confidence around other people, which I feel the team of Virtus Performance can really aid me with. In addition, I feel with the vast array of experience the Virtus Performance team have, they can help me develop my knowledge and ability to vastly grow my skill-set and relationships, which will hold me in good stead for my future career pathway.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?

At the moment, I?m leaning towards Exercise Physiologist, but I?m not 100% sure exactly where I am heading.

WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS AS A PERSON AND A COACH?

Approachable
Organised
Hard working
Dedicated

WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST STRETCHES AS A PERSON AND A COACH?

I feel I have a solid foundation of theoretical knowledge which I have only recently started putting into practice. However, like everything in my life, I struggle a lot with confidence and am not yet confident with the transition from theoretical knowledge into the real thing. I need to gain more confidence in my ability to design programs effectively for individuals and to apply knowledge of anatomy in helping individuals with what they need. Another area I need to improve in is my confidence around people, so that I can engage with and build strong relationships with future clients. It is important that I am able to discuss why I am implementing certain exercises in my client?s program in a concise, clear and easy to understand way.

FAVOURITES ?

Book ? Lord of the Rings

Movie ? Shaun of the Dead/ Rocky (was a real big inspiration for me when I was younger)

Hobby ? Cricket

Exercise ? Lat Pull Down

Quote ? ?All I wanna do is go the distance? ? Rocky Balboa

Snap Lockdown Update

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Here we are again.

On the edge of another temporary lockdown. From 11:59pm tonight (Friday) to 11:59pm Wednesday, we will be in a stage 4 lockdown. This means that the gym will be closed once again.

As frustrating as this may be, it's not all bad.

I know some of you may feel a little anxious when you think back to last year's shut down. The good news is that we've all done it before.

For the Virtus Family, it's an opportunity to pause, take a breath and look after ourselves for a few days. We get to revisit some of those positive habits that we established during 2020, to fill our cups and to put our energy into the things that we can control.

For all Virtus members
One of the Virtus coaches will be in touch with you over the next 24 hours. They will be able to answer any general questions that you have.

We will continue to deliver a remarkable coaching and education experience to you all.

We will be posting training sessions on Train Heroic that you will have access to. They can be done with or without equipment.

For everyone
If you need some online training, accountability, support or coaching, let us know! We can jump on a call or have a chat about how we can help.

If you decide you'd like to take a few days off training, go you! There's still plenty that you can do to tip into your health and wellbeing. Some ideas are:

Start the Virtus Be Better 60 Day Challenge . This is a great way to stay accountable to doing something every day. Learn about it here.
Download the Tick the Boxes eBook - a personal accountability system that will allow you to track your Big Rocks and other positive habits.
Tune into the Virtus Podcast . We recorded Season 2 in the midst of 2020 with lessons that you can utilise during the lockdown. A couple of personal favourites are Episode 4 - Big Rocks and Episode 2 - Self Leadership .

If there's anything that you're stuck on, want some extra support or have any questions regarding your membership, please reach out to me. My number is 0478802989, or reply to this email.

Our door is always (figuratively for a few days) open.

Onwards.

Much love,
Coop and Team Virtus.

Sports Physiotherapy at Virtus

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Virtus, The Home of The Phys

It was back in 2016 when Greg Dea aka The Phys first graced 1/2 Torca with his presence.

Over the past 5 years, Greg has been busy educating, treating and fixing humans all over the world.

For those who have been treated by him, you know the calibre of his clinical skills.

When COVID hit, The Phys was unable to continue his international teaching commitments. This was immensely disappointing for the students around the world, but you know what they say, "One Man's loss is another Man's gain".

The fortuitous chain of events that started with a bat in Wuhan and caused the closure of international borders, has resulted in Greg working at Virtus full time and here for whatever you need.

If you are sore, stiff, have an ailment or injury, or simply want to identify your handbrakes to allow you to move better...

You can book a session with Greg by calling or texting him on 0400 335 891 (or by clicking the link below).

Be Amazing.

Team Virtus
(Fixed by the Phys)

Click here to book an appointment

It's New Team Member Time

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

HOW GOOD ARE GOOD PEOPLE!

We are immensely excited & proud to announce that as of tomorrow at 3 pm, we will be welcoming a new team member to the family.

Most of you will have met Tyler over the past few months as he has been making a weekly trek from Ballarat to Mornington to be a part of our Mentorship Program.

Those who have spent time with him would share our excitement in being able to welcome him on board.

Inquisitive, approachable, committed & compassionate, Tyler fits the mould of our team values and will be a brilliant addition to help serve the Virtus Family & our wider community.

Tyler?s Role will be as both a Performance Coach and an Education Lead.

This means he will be driving the Virtus Education programs to Schools, Sporting Clubs and Businesses.

Areas which we have dabbled in, but never committed to growing... until now.

For our current members, Tyler?s first shift will be Friday Night and for anyone involved in a school, business or sporting club, get excited because Virtus Education is growing.

If you'd like to learn more about getting your School, Club or Business involved at Virtus, hit reply to this email.

In the meantime, get around Tyler Frost and his delicious moustache

Lockdown extended, let's make the most of it.

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Happy Thursday you wonderful people,

Aaaaaaand we're back in lockdown for an extra week.

Although this was not the news we were all hoping for, there is little utility in deliberating on what we are unable to do. So we shift our focus to that which is within our control over the next 7 days.

To our VGT & VAD Athletes, we will continue to provide you with sessions to do at home. This is an opportunity to lean into your training or lean into some TLC. Take a moment to assess how you're feeling, and what it is you might need right now.

To everyone, this is an opportunity to tip into your health and wellbeing. To carve out the space to look after the basics that tend to fall by the wayside when life is ticking over at 100km/hr.

Tick the boxes. Enjoy the little wins. The simple things will help you get through the next week. ?

??Move daily

??Hydrate

??Set your routines

??Adhere to your bedtime?

??Stay connected

??Eat good food

??Be kind to yourselves

??Breathe

?? Support local business

& please reach out if you need anything. We got this, together.

To help you all navigate the next week of lockdown before we return to (hopefully) business as usual. We have made some resources available for you all. Hit the links below to get amongst the good stuff.

The Tick The Boxes Ebook - Your Personal Accountability System

Systems For Success: An online workshop to help you cultivate good habits.

Virtus 60 Day Challenge: 4 Good things a day for 60 days.

The Virtus Podcast - Lockdown Survival Episodes & Plenty of interviews

We all know the drill. We've done this before.

Look after your mates, keep checking in with one another, get outside for fresh air when you can, hydrate, move, eat well, smile, don't be tough on yourself and always choose kindness.

If you need anything, you know where to find us.

Lachie & team Virtus

P.S Here's a photo of Tyler chucking the double thumbs up because that's the vibe we all need right now.

“The Smooth Handle” (2 Minute Read)

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

?The Smooth Handle? (2 Minute Read)

Thomas Jefferson was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, musician, philosopher, and Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. As far as accomplished goes, Jefferson has ticked plenty of boxes. In 1811, he wrote his Canons of Conduct or 12 rules for living.

Rule #10 is to ?Take things always by their smooth handle?

There is some debate about Jefferson?s intended meaning with a myriad of suggestions easily found via a quick google search.

When I first read this rule, I journaled on my own interpretation. Rightly or wrongly, I took ?handle? to mean a ?situation? & for us to always look to find the path of least resistance when we are presented with an obstacle to overcome. By doing so, we can navigate our way through challenges not by reinventing the path, but by following what we know to work.

This does not mean to take the easy way out, but to find similarities within our challenges and to learn from the previous iterations the obstacles we face.

As we move out of Lockdown #5, we are presented with yet another foray back to ?regular? life. With many of us re-returning to our work, gym, sports and the ?real world? after a few weeks at home, it can pay great dividends to lean on our past experience to successfully navigate these new challenges.

By taking things always by their smooth handle, we allow ourselves to choose how we deal with the inevitable challenges we are faced with. We learn from our past mistakes and are able to cultivate a future we can be proud of.

What has worked in the past? What hasn?t? A simple awareness exercise can help you avoid the mistakes you?ve made and lean on your victories.

#onwards
Lachie

FREE Systems to Success Webinar

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

ACCESS THE WEBINAR HERE

We exist to do good things with good people.

Over the past week, Mitch has been helping many of you set goals via zoom!!

As James Clear says
" You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems ."

Helping you create systems that allow you to achieve your 'Good Stuff' is why we do what we do. We want you to fall in love with the process rather than the outcome, this way you don't have to wait to give yourself permission to be happy.

I want to invite you (and your friends and family) to take part in our Systems for Success Webinar.

A habit and process-orientated presentation to help you decide what you want, and what you need to do to achieve it.

It's a tough time to be maintaining consistency and big picture thinking, which means it's the perfect time to dive into this seminar and identify what little things will make big changes.

Any questions or queries hit reply to this email.

Be amazing.

Wallace

Acces the webinar HERE

Virtus Update: Outdoor Training & More Good-Ness

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Well, here we are.

Monday the 27th of September, 3 months to go until 2022 rolls around, creeping up on 300 days with the doors of 1/2 Torca Terrace closed. It's been one hell of a ride these past 20 months. (to say the least)

I can't thank you all enough for the love, support and commitment over that time. There were many days where I doubted the business would survive and although we aren't out of the woods yet, there are too many wonderful reasons to continue, and for the first time in a long time, there is a clear pathway towards a permanent reopening.

We have pencilled in November 5th as the auspicious date. Pencilled being the important word, with it dependant on the vaccine rollout, let's just say we are looking forward to reopening our doors in 'early' November.

Whenever it happens, we are itching for the fresh start!

We took a stance for vaccinations, we want to do anything we can to keep our community safe and healthy, if you missed it, you can read it here. It was hard to say everything I wanted in an Instagram post & as always I'm open for a chat about it if you had any questions, queriese or differing opinions, lay them on me.

Outdoor Training
As of Wednesday (29/9) this week, we will be offering outdoor sessions to our VAD & VGT members. The wonderful Coach Tyler Frost will be heading these sessions up & they will take place out the front of the gym.

In line with the current government regulations, we are allowed 5 Fully Vaxxed per group or 2 Single Vaxxed.

Bookings are via Wodify, if you have any questions, touch base with Tyler or myself.

Gym Re-opening
As I mentioned, we are aiming for early November but will continue to update you all as we get closer to the date. Stay up to date either via our Instagram or the Virtus Family Facebook Group

Podcast Good-Ness
I recorded a special bonus episode of the Virtus Podcast in collaboration with the Valor Podcast, with Stuart Cunningham, Josh Reid Jones, We had a chat and trying to find some calm amidst the chaos. Just what the doctor ordered, on top of your Covid Vaccine of course. We chat about Vaccines, Earthquakes, Protests and a whole lot more.Stu is the owner of Valor (formerly CrossFit Cranbourne) and Josh is the man behind the Just Be Nice Project and the most articulate PSAs on Instagram

Lastly, we all know that we set ourselves up for success for everything when we can find consistency and continuity within what we do. This is true even more-so for Physical & Mental Health and Wellbeing. Well the last 20 months has given us none of this. When we reopen in November, we can find our consistency again and we cannot be more pumped.

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the second best time is now, reply to this email if we can help you find your rhythym. ??
????
Be amazing.

See your smiling faces soon!

Lachie

We're back (for the 6th and final time)

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

6 Lockdowns, 370 Days with the doors closed, plenty of uncertainty and doubt and we're still here.

We're still here because of you wonderful people. Thank you for your endless support. It means more than you'll ever know and helped me/us get through the tough days over the past few years.

It's been rough. I'm so proud of how our community has banded together. We've supported each other and worked towards today. There has been and continues to be so much to be grateful for.

We are fresh off two months of gym renovations. 1/2 Torca Terrace has never looked so good, thank you to everyone who helped out and contributed.

I can't wait for you all to see it.

Many of us, me included have been able to get fit, unfit, fit again and then unfit again across the lockdowns. It's taken all sense of continuity and routine out of our lives, it's been hard, but I have good news for you. It's all in the past.

Today is the first day of the rest of our lives. What has happened has happened, now it's time to look forward at who and what we want to be.

Whatever that is, we are here to help.

We've made a couple of changes to how we run things! We want to help you all find your training mojo and make Virtus.

VGT & VAD timeslots are now open for every hour we are coaching. 6-11 am, 3-8 pm weekdays and 8-11 am weekends.

More sessions, more opportunities to do good things with good people.??

If you're not currently a member and want to be. Comment your email below and I'll take $100 off your onboarding (Usually $200)

Big love. I'm grateful for you all.

See you in the gym

Wallace & Team Virtus

Finish Strong Challenge - 6 Weeks to finish the year

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Let's be frank. The last few years has been a shit show.

A variety of factors far outside of our control has made it immensely difficult to find any sort of routine, normality or consistency.

Now we are back, our world has reopened, and it's time to build routine, consistency and good things back into our lives.

Cue the Finish Strong Challenge.

The finish strong challenge is designed to help Virtus Members make the most of the last 6 weeks of the year, whilst building a strong foundation to make 2022 their best year yet. Inside & outside of the gym.

There are four areas of focus, with a point awarded for each contribution you make towards each area.

Training
VGT or VAD session logged in train heroic

Movement
10k Steps or Strava session logged

Nutrition
Food diary or calories tracked

Recovery
Normatecs, breathwork or Mobility session

Don't wait for 2022 to roll around. Chat to your coach about getting involved.

If you're not a current member, hit reply and we will get you stuck into doing good things with good people.

Whatever has passed over the last few years has happened, your future will be shaped by what you do now.

Lets get to work.

Wallace & Team Virtus

INTERNSHIP SPOTLIGHT: GEORGIA MIDDLETON

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

TELL US A LITTLE BIT (A LOT) ABOUT YOURSELF:

I?m 20 and from Mount Eliza currently studying a bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science at Deakin University. It?s my final year of university but first year on campus due to COVID. I?m a 100m & 200m sprinter (mainly 100m) and as a junior athlete I was coached by Mitch at Virtus for a couple of years. I have a dog Theodore who?s a Miniature Schnauzer and I love spending as much time with him as possible. I definitely want to travel around Europe as soon as I can. I?m still currently deciding on what I want to do post university but at the moment I enjoy coaching at Toorak College with the primary school kids.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO SPEND 12 WEEKS WITH THE VIRTUS FAMILY?

I chose to spend 12 weeks with the Virtus Family for my 3rd year placement hours. I knew this would be a great opportunity to further expand my knowledge on strength and conditioning coaching as well as other branches such as how to run a small business, self-promotion etc.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?

No idea currently but hopefully in a career where I can help people either improve their lifestyle or enjoy and participate in sport. Whether that?s with children or adults I don?t mind but I do enjoy working with children.

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

Being able to make people happy

WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS AS A PERSON AND A COACH??

Approachable and friendly

WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST STRETCHES AS A PERSON AND A COACH?

Probably can be a bit shy and can doubt myself easily

FAVOURITES:

BOOK? Harry potter & hunger games

MOVIE ? Harry potter series (prisoner of Azkaban especially) & hunger games

TV SHOW ? Handmaid?s tale & euphoria

HOBBY ? Spending time with my dog? does that count?

EXERCISE ? Squats

QUOTE ? Can?t say I have one

INTERNSHIP SPOTLIGHT: MADELYN DOHERTY

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

TELL US A LITTLE BIT (A LOT) ABOUT YOURSELF:

I am a 20 year old who is currently in the last 6 months of studying my Certificate 4 in Fitness to be a personal trainer and in the future I would love to continue into a nutritionist course to also offer meal plans to my future clients.

I have always had a love for sport and exercise throughout my life as I was exposed to that type of environment most of my life. I started off swimming and later progressed into Rep Basketball first at Western Port Steelers and then to Frankston Blues for my last 3 years. I also at the same time played (and continue to play) Footy. I started with Frankston Dolphins in my junior years and then moved to Frankston Bombers for my first year of seniors footy at the age of 16 then moved to Seaford Tigers and have been there since.

My love for sport also comes with continuous injuries as I am very injury prone so with my experience in shoulder dislocations and an ACL sprain, I want to help others prevent their injuries by giving them something I didn?t have access to when I was younger and help athletes especially younger athletes strengthen their joints and muscles so their injuries are minimised and when they do get injuries I want to be able to show them they can still continue moving their body and adapting to change.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO SPEND 12 WEEKS WITH THE VIRTUS FAMILY?

I chose to spend 12 weeks with Virtus because I wanted to get experience in a gym environment for my Personal Training Course before I am thrown into the industry. My goals are to have my own online coaching business so I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to learn the ins and outs of a coaching business.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?

I want to be a successful online coach so I can travel and work at the same time and have my own merchandise brand for activewear.

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

I love to help others and see others strive to be better so being a Coach excites me as I am helping others become healthier. Also, Pre-workout.

WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS AS A PERSON AND A COACH?

I can connect with others and love to get to know people and have a good laugh but can also have a serious chat when someone needs to reach out and I am always willing to help when I can.

WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST STRETCHES AS A PERSON AND A COACH?

I can be a bit quiet at times especially if I am super nervous.

FAVOURITES:

BOOK? Resilience Project ? Finding Happiness through gratitude empathy and mindfulness

MOVIE ? Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

TV SHOW ? Euphoria

HOBBY ? Surfing

EXERCISE ? Footy (AFL of course)

QUOTE ? Live, Laugh, Love Life

Welcome Jazz!

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Some of you may have met Jazz Speight! If you haven?t, make it happen! Your life will be richer for it.

Please give an official Virtus Family welcome to our newest coach!

Jazz has spent the last few months doing an intensive internship and has done a brilliant job getting to know some of you already. She aligns wonderfully with our ethos and values and I can?t wait to see her grow and develop alongside our members!

Jazz kicks off her first shift on Wednesday, get around her, show her some love.

Here?s a little bit about Jazz in her own words

Hey everyone, my name is Jazz, and I?m a new coach at Virtus!

I am a Strength & Conditioning Coach and soon to be Exercise Physiologist (Almost like a physio but not quite)

I have a special interest for the sport/injury rehabilitation process and training Females/Female Athletes and Pregnant and Postpartum women. My biggest passion is to be a role model for all females and provide quality information and training advice to help them become the very best version of themselves no matter their goal.

When I?m not working or studying you can find me reading, training, or playing with my 2 dogs Henry and Theodore who will hopefully (when they become more well behaved) one day make an appearance at the gym.

What drew me to Virtus were the people, culture, and values! I knew Virtus is a place that not only cares about the progress you?re all making inside the gym but also outside the gym; all of which align with my values too as a person and coach! No matter the career I chose I wanted to work alongside like-minded people that want to get better every day which is why I reached out!

Kindness is a superpower; it?s free and we never know what others are going through. I believe it?s contagious and you can make someone?s day with a small act. I also believe that how we act at work and outside work should align.

Understanding what our values are and doing our very best to live up to them in everything we do is key to building meaningful relationships with those around us.

You can expect me to always have your best interest at heart so we can get the best out of you!

Also, if you have had any kind of injury, I?ll ask you lots of questions I?ll be very curious!

I?m very excited to get started, I?ll see those who are training Wednesday morning for my first shift!

Get around this wonderful human! As you can see, Banksy loves her, and banksy is an exemplary judge of character!

INTERN SPOTLIGHT: MATT HARRINGTON

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

TELL US A BIT (A LOT) MORE ABOUT YOURSELF:

My name?s Matthew Harrington and i'm a 20 year old currently studying my third and final year of Bachelor and Sports Science at Deakin University. I play competitive senior soccer at Mornington Soccer Club while also coaching under 3-12's kids at Kano football academy. I enjoy spending time with my friends and plan on travelling to Europe next year as well as trialing with some soccer clubs in England. Not 100% sure of what job i want post-university but at the moment am largely interested in high performance coaching in soccer.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO SPEND 12 WEEKS WITH THE VIRTUS FAMILY?

I chose to spend the time with the Virtus family for my third year of university placement and improve my coaching ability in a gym setting while growing my knowledge on the prescription of exercise programs for athletes.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?

Not entirely sure at the moment, but heading towards high a performance sporting or a Strength and Conditioning coach

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

Proving others wrong when you're being doubted and achieving performance goals in life.

WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS AS A PERSON AND A COACH?

Communicating in confidence to larger groups while motivating others. Friendly and approachable and making others laugh.

WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST STRETCHES AS A PERSON AND A COACH?

Occasionally can be a bit shy at first.

FAVOURITES
Book - Harry Potter
Movie - The Prestige
TV show - The Office
Hobby - Cars and Golf
Exercise - Soccer and running
Quote - 'i'm not superstitious, but i am a little stitious'

INTERN SPOTLIGHT: KAI PEARSON

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Why did you choose to spend 12 weeks with the Virtus family?

I chose Virtus as I believe the open nature of the gym and willingness of clients to be there is the type of workplace I can see myself in the future. Having experienced other very structured, regimented gyms and protocols of training with un-motivated individuals I would like to stay away from that, and work with individuals who are passionate about improving.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Although not entirely sure, I think working within the personal training sector with individuals who want to achieve highly (relative to where they are now). As such I would like to be a coach whom works with people to achieve their best. This would include mostly the general population and those who are passionate about lifting.

What motivates you?

In general I am motivated by being better. This encapsulates all forms of doing "better" including doing better than oneself and anyone that one might be in competition with (depending on the activity/task).

What are your strengths as a person and a coach?

Personally I feel as though I am very able to empathise with people. I am often logical and take the best course of action to complete a problem that is laid out in front of me. Although these two contradict, often they balance out. I think my strength as a coach involves quick and critical, logical thinking. Identifying and rectifying form issues.

What are your biggest stretches as a person and a coach?

I would like to improve upon my ability to change coaching styles depending on the client. Additionally, due to being a somewhat reserved person with individuals I do not know well, I would like to improve my interpersonal skills to a point where I feel comfortable expressing my opinion during sessions at all relevant times.

Favourites:

Book ? Ranger's Apprentice
Movie ? Lord of the Rings
TV Show ? Attack on Titan
Hobby ? eSports (Call of Duty)
Exercise ? Lifting
Quote - regular people do everything on a scale from 1-10, while geniuses do everything on a scale from 1-20, or something completely different like A-Z

Covid, Flu, Covid, Flu: The Dreaded Winter Illness Loop (& What to do about it)

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

This winter got me bad! COVID, then flu, and now COVID again, unfortunately it goes like that sometimes for a number of reasons.

Repetitive illness can get tough, depressing for some, especially when it travels through the family and you add in isolation periods.

I see so many people spending a lot of money on an array of supplements and are clutching at straws for a glimmer of light in their lowered immune state, and I don't blame them, I have been guilty of this and my bathroom cabinet resembles a small pharmacy!

The bottom line is, we will all catch something at some point, that is mother nature and what builds up our immunity, but we are putting ourselves at risk of more illness when we are "run down".

Being run down is when our immune system is compromised and it can be as a result of too much work, stress, not enough sleep, poor nutrition and just expecting too much of yourself.

The warnings signs are usually there but unfortunately our demanding lives can force us to pop a Panadol, have an extra coffee and push through, we often don't have the luxury of being able to slow down or stop for a rest. When we ignore our warning signs, then we really do reach the crossroads of get sick / or not.

When we feel mentally and physically exhausted and generally "off", we are less inclined to make good food choices, we are less inclined to take exercise, be outside, drink water, and sleep when you're over tired becomes harder. Popping a Berocca at this time becomes your last ditch attempt and I'm sorry, but it's not gonna fix anything!

So what can we do? Here are my top 10!

Relax. Stress lowers your immunity, impacts sleep, steers us towards poor food choices and reliance on alcohol and caffeine.
Keep your good habits going; water, plenty of fresh, seasonal vegetables, sleep and exercise - these will keep your stress levels down, your energy up, and your immunity strong.
When you are feeling run down - slow down. Don't try and "sweat it out", have a gentle session at the gym or take a walk in nature instead.
Take extra rest, power naps or 5 minute meditations can be great re-chargers, and go to bed earlier!
Supplement with what is scientifically backed and specific to you. My favourites are Fish Oils, Vit D, C and zinc.
Keep your gut healthy, consume gut loving foods such as kombucha, kefir, kimchi, probiotic yoghurts and miso.
Make slow cooks, using plenty of veg and meat on the bone, these are easy to make, comforting and nutrient packed.
When you are sick, stay home and rest, do not try and "push through", no one else wants your germs and your recovery WILL take longer.
Do not rush back to exercise until you are BETTER, and then ask your coaches for an easy reintroduction.
Don't beat yourself up, the gym will still be there, you will not lose all of your "gains", view it as a recharge and a chance to focus on other areas of your life that may have been neglected, such as self-care.

If you or anyone you know is struggling and would like to chat about how to build a stronger immune system or recover from illness, reach out and let's have a FREE 30 min discovery call.

Stay healthy!

Clare Power

0416 124307

INTERN SPOTLIGHT: SETH MELOURY

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Tell us a little bit (a lot) about yourself:

My name is Seth, I?m 21 and currently in my 3rd year of an exercise and sport science degree at Deakin. I?ve played soccer most of my life and currently do weight/ strength training. I support Manchester City in the Premier league and love to play video games. I like to follow many different sports like AFL, NBA, and Formula 1 as well. I currently work in a warehouse doing lots of random tasks but looking to pursue a career in sport and exercise.

Why did you choose to spend 12 weeks with the Virtus family?
Experienced personnel and great facility to learn and gain experience with many different demographics. Broaden my knowledge in programming and improve my coaching skills specifically communication. Within an environment that I?m interested in which is S&C.

What do you want to be when you grow up?
Maybe a Physiotherapist or S&C coach but still undecided.

What motivates you?
Sport and exercise have been a big part of my life and is something I?m very interested in and therefore want to make a career out of. I enjoy learning and gaining knowledge and skills in all areas of life. I want to make the people around me proud.

What are your strengths as a person and a coach?
Attentive and always willing to learn. Adaptable to different situations. I do strength training myself and therefore have performed and experienced many of the exercises performed in the gym which I feel transfers well to coaching.

What are your biggest stretches as a person and a coach?
When I met new people or need to introduce myself. Tend to be awkward and anxious. Typically, when ?breaking the ice? but is something I?m trying to improve. Overthink or stress about a lot of decisions I make and random little things that probably don?t need to be stressed over.

Favourites:
Book ? Guinness World Records
Movie ? Blade runner 2049
TV Show ? The Boys, Peaky Blinders
Hobby ? PlayStation
Exercise ? Strength training, soccer
Quote ? Just be less shit

INTERNSHIP SPOTLIGHT: OLIVER MATTERSON

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Tell us a little bit (a lot) about yourself!
I?m 24 from Melbourne, and I?m currently studying the Master of Applied Sport Science at Deakin University. Prior to COVID, in another life I worked in project management and construction, and I absolutely hated it. I currently work with a sports physio as a trainer for a community footy club, and most recently started at MSAC in Albert Park as a programs officer. I have an 8yr old pooch named Bonnie, barrack for the Brisbane Lions, and outside of any vocational goals, I would like to climb the Seven Summits before I?m 30 (I?m 2/7 right now)!

Why did you choose to spend 12 weeks with the Virtus family?
It seemed like a really down-to-earth, wholesome organisation that cares about its clientele, so I felt it was the right place to go to get the hands-on experience coaching and programming athletes, which I haven?t done much of yet.

What do you want to be when you grow up?
Director of rehabilitation or performance for a professional sports team or organisation.

What motivates you?
Genuine enjoyment in working/discussing all things sport, exercise, and the human body, combined with previously working in another industry I was unhappy in.

What are your strengths as a person and a coach?
I think I?m a good listener, and pretty personable/have an ability to connect with people quickly. I also love learning and ask a lot of damn questions.

What are your biggest stretches as a person and a coach?
I can be too hard on myself, and the tendency to overextend.

Favourites:
Book - Contest, by Matthew Reilly
Movie - Creed
TV Show - The Boys
Hobby - Guitar
Exercise - Basketball & Strength Training
Quote - ?You?ll know when you know?

TRAINEE SPOTLIGHT: GEORGIA TEMPLETON

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Tell us a little bit (a lot) about yourself:

I?m 17 and am a year 11 student at SEDA College studying Intermediate VCAL and a Cert II in sport and recreation. I grew up with a basketball and cross country background but have played footy for the last 7 years with two different junior clubs. I have lived and grew up in Mornington for my whole life but recently my dad moved to Chelsea to live with my step mum. I have 2 dogs, Daisy a Greyhound and Sully a Border Collie who destroys anything you leave near him. I would love to take a gap year and travel but also have aspirations for my footy. Having a year left in my schooling i?m still deciding on what i will do when i leave school but for the moment, enjoying my sport and school COVID free.

Why did you choose to spend 12 weeks with the Virtus family?

I chose to join the Virtus family to complete structured work placement with because i want to expand and develop more knowledge of the strength and recovery area of sport and to also build confidence in my area of sport and self-promotion.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I have goals of playing professional sport but also love helping people with development in their sport and recovery so have recently been looking at Sport training areas, but with covid having an effect on the last few years of school I?m not putting massive pressure on myself.

What motivates you?

The thought of where i will be or what i will be studying in the coming years motivates me to work harder to achieve my goals

What are your strengths as a person and a coach?

I?m approachable, friendly and reliable

What are your biggest stretches as a person and a coach?

I don?t have a lot of self confidence and struggle with letting my body recover from injury.

Favourites:

Book - I don?t read books

Movie ? How to lose a guy in 10 days or Cars

TV Show ? Gilmore Girls

Hobby ? Netball or listening to music

Exercise ? Rower or Pull ups

Quote - Everything happens for a reason

INTERN SPOTLIGHT: JASMINE KARISSON

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Tell us a little bit (a lot) about yourself:
My name is Jasmine, but I tend to go by Jas (and any variation of spelling is fine) and I have just completed my first year of a Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science/Sport Management at Deakin. Growing up I played 10 years of soccer, both indoor and outdoor, played tennis for about 5 years and dabbled a little bit in dance and gymnastics, which I wasn?t particularly good at. In the last year I have started to train more in a gym environment and absolutely love it! I like to push myself and try and beat my PBs at any chance I get.

Why did you choose to spend 12 weeks with the Virtus family?
University drowns students in placement and other work opportunities ads and after looking at a few of the many listed, Virtus struck out for me. Most of the other placements where with an amateur sporting team or a regular gym, however Virtus to me seemed to be a hybrid of the two plus more performance-based training. Despite the drive, I chose to spend 12 here as I felt it would be the best place for me to go in order to try and link what I learn at university with what I?m passionate about which is sports and training.

What do you want to be when you grow up?
This is the big question. I?m not 100% which path I would like to take but I am currently leaning more towards the strength and conditioning side of the sport science route. Like a lot of people studying my degree, the end goal would be to in elite/professional sports and for me in particular, working with female athletes such as AFLW or W-League soccer.

What motivates you?
The idea of being better and improving is what motivates me. You are your own biggest competition and beating myself in different areas of life is a big motivator.

What are your strengths as a person and a coach?
I believe myself to be a sociable and talkative person, so as a coach, I would hope that those I am coaching would feel comfortable enough to come up to me for a casual chat every now and again, whether it be work-related or not.

What are your biggest stretches as a person and a coach?
A slightly more negative trait of mine is I may not always be not always be the most patient of people and try to rush things. I am trying to work on it as I know the improvement is often slow and results can take a while to arise.

Favourites:
Book ? The Book of Ivy
Movie ? Notting Hill
TV Show ? How to get away with Murder
Hobby ? Gym sesh
Exercise ? Running
Quote ? ?To win big, you have to take some big risks?. -Bill Gates

Time for Clarity ... Inspired By Miley ??

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Happy New Years? Virtus Family.

TLDR: Use the next few weeks to create clarity on 3 things:

What do you want your life to look like?
What are your values?
What simple daily tasks will help you create this life?

Ultimately, it doesn't matter when you decide to sit down and plan out your world domination, but when you do your focus should be on creating the life that you want to live . The life that truly brings you joy . The life that absolutely sets your soul on fire . The world around you is an infinitely better place when you are at your best. In a nutshell, helping you become that is why Virtus exists. If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

We are here to play long-term games with long-term people.

So my challenge to you is to set aside some time in the next few weeks and answer the following questions:

What do you want your life to look like?

Where do you spend your time? Who do you spend it with? What does your day consist of? What habits do you employ? What things do you cut out? How do you spend your time?

It is easy to fall into the habit of letting life happen. We become reactive to the stressors & challenges presented to us. Becoming clear on what you want your days and weeks to look like, you can create a target through which you can base your decisions and your actions. You need to know what winning looks like.

? If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favourable. ? // Seneca
What do you value most?

Think back to the last time you had boundless energy. Were you doing or had you just finished an activity that truly sets your soul on fire? I'm guessing your answer is yes. We get our energy from acting out our highest values. It?s when we feel truly alive.

We should all know our values. The things that make us want to jump out of bed in the morning. The things that make up our True North . Our Purpose. Our Dharma. Our fuel.
What do you need to do every day?

You?ve all heard the saying process before the outcome. Here?s an analogy that illustrates the importance of this ideal.

Setting goals are much like hiking up a mountain. Initially, the summit is the aim. But when we are standing at the top, enjoying the view, we realise that the moment is only 1% of the journey. (Miley was right) At the summit, we realise the majority of the challenge, the growth, the enjoyment, the appreciation, and the good stuff that life is all about, was found not at the top, but on the way up, through the struggle.

The habits that determine your progress & eventual success are like the steps you need to take to climb your mountain. Identify the little things that will help you build the life you want to live. It might be training daily, a page of a journal, a call to a loved one or drinking 3L of water.

Identify what you need to do & build the habit.

When you sit down and assess your place in the universe, & what you want to achieve during the next 1/3/5 years of your existence, be mindful of the mountain. Set a crazy, audacious summit to climb, but remember life & work aren?t a means to an end, it?s a means within themselves.

Each day we should move the needle. Each day we should grow our capacity. As James Clear, author of Atomic Habits puts it; 'Save to be a little richer tomorrow, Exercise to be a little fitter tomorrow, Read to be a little smarter tomorrow' You don't need to look any further ahead than that.

If we live a life true to ourselves, the way up and around the mountain is more enjoyable than the summit.

Be amazing.

Big Love from the Wallace Family

Intern Spotlight: Steph Geyer

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO SPEND 12 WEEKS WITH THE VIRTUS FAMILY?

I?m here to complete my placement for university where I?m studying a Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science/Bachelor of Nutrition. Over the next 12 weeks I would love to use this opportunity to step out of my comfort zone, interact with new people and to learn and become confident in coaching and educating others.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?

I?m not quite sure what I would like to do just yet, hopefully after the 12 weeks I will have more of an idea or direction in which I would like to go, the goal is to be doing something I really love.

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

Learning new things and becoming the best version of myself.

WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS AS A PERSON AND A COACH?

I can be quite self-critical at times which is definitely my biggest stretch.

FAVOURITES:

Book - No favourite book sorry open to suggestions though
Movie - Nottinghill
TV show - Gossip girl
Hobby - Going to the beach, socializing, cooking
Exercise - RDL?s or running
Quote - Opportunities don?t happen, you create them.

INTERN SPOTLIGHT: RENEE SAULITIS

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO SPEND 12 WEEKS WITH THE VIRTUS FAMILY?

I chose to spend the next 12 weeks with Virtus to complete my 140hr placement required for my university degree a Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science whilst gaining more experience and knowledge in the strength and conditioning field and wanting to embed myself in the Virtus Community.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?

Into the future I want to continue to play football in the AFLW and then potentially work in some space within high performance sport down the track.

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

I am motivated to become the best version of myself and athlete I can be, whilst inspiring the younger generation of footballers and helping others better themselves through various forms of exercise.

WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS AS A PERSON AND A COACH?

I would consider myself to be very organised, disciplined, hard working and able to work and communicate effectively within a team enviornment.

WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST STRETCHES AS A PERSON AND A COACH?

Putting myself out there more and getting comfortable in the uncomfortable.

FAVOURITES
Book - not a huge book reader but reading ?The Performance Mindset? currently

Movie - not really a huge movie watcher but recently have watched ?look both ways?

TV show - anything reality tv (Love island & MAFS)

Hobby - exercise, going out for food/coffee, watching a tv show or playing fortnite with friends

Exercise - bench press or trap bar

Quote - everything happens for a reason / be the hardest worker in the room

INTERN SPOTLIGHT: NAT McGRATH

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

TELL US A BIT (A LOT) MORE ABOUT YOURSELF
Mum of two (9 & 7)
I live in Mt Eliza with my husband, kiddos & a very demanding cat.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO SPEND 12 WEEKS WITH THE VIRTUS FAMILY?
Largely to connect and learn. In the past I have ran my own business, working for and by myself, it can be isolating and full of bias so the next little while will be great opportunity for growth, whilst getting to know the Virtus Community ? hopefully have a few laughs, also.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Exactly what I?m doing now.
Living in service to others, happy & healthy and mostly a very present parent, it?s a real gift raising little humans and helping them find their way in this tricky world.

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?
Seeing people happy and thriving, people believing in themselves (lightbulb moments)
Helping others. Kindness, lots of it.

WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS AS A PERSON AND A COACH?
Honest, love of learning ? curious, kind, empathic, disciplined.
A no frills get on with it type of person.

WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST STRETCHES AS A PERSON AND A COACH
Imposter Syndrome
Over thinker at times
Keeping indoor plants happy

FAVOURITE BOOK
Hard to have one, but here are a few that come to mind that I could read time & time again
Tuesdays with Morrie
Myth of Normal
Roald dahl ? Oh the places you?ll go. I do appreciate the quirks

MOVIE
I don?t have one all time but will happily binge a Netflix series instead, some quality binging
Anything Harlan Coben
Jack Ryan
Line of Duty
Succession

TV SHOW

I really don?t watch TV day to day but if I had to have one, Spicks & Specks, old episodes are golden.

HOBBY ? This is funny!
Ferrying children from sport to sport, is this a hobby??
Exercise
Reading ? although it doesn?t happen quite as often as I?d like
Time with my family, simple things really are the best

EXERCISE
Deadlift or Running, the freedom to put one foot in front of the other is honestly my meditation, although sidelined at the moment with a really angry knee, so I?m a little grumpy!

QUOTE
The two most important days in your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why.

Join the Virtus Team!

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

At Virtus, we lead our community through an educational journey toward performance in every area of life.

We employ a hybrid gym model to deliver a personalised training experience unmatched in our industry.

We do this through our Virtus Group Training and Virtus Athletic Development programs.

We combine all of the best parts of group training, personal training and a supportive community in the one place

It?s time to live a happier, healthier life in a community that supports and motivates you.

Our mission is to deliver a remarkable coaching and education service that helps our members move closer to their goals. We want to help the community understand the little things they need to do consistently to be the healthiest, happiest, highest-performing version of themselves.

Virtus Performance is looking for two professionals to join our team!

If you are a Dietitian/Nutritionist or a Myotherapist/Remedial Massage therapist , we want to chat!

Dietitian/Nutritionist Position:

Are you passionate about helping individuals achieve their health and fitness goals through proper nutrition? Virtus Performance, a leading gym in Mornington, is seeking a skilled and motivated Dietitian/Nutritionist to join our team. We are dedicated to providing our members with the highest quality training and support, and we believe that nutrition plays a crucial role in optimising performance and overall well-being.

Responsibilities:

Conduct comprehensive assessments of clients' nutritional needs, goals, and health conditions.
Develop personalised meal plans and provide ongoing nutrition counseling to help clients achieve their objectives.
Educate clients about the importance of nutrition and its impact on athletic performance, weight management, and overall health.
Collaborate with other fitness professionals to ensure a holistic approach to clients' wellness.
Stay up to date with the latest research and trends in nutrition and incorporate evidence-based practices into your recommendations.
Track clients' progress and adjust plans as needed to optimise results.

Requirements:

Bachelor's degree in Nutrition, Dietetics, or a related field.
Certified Dietitian/Nutritionist.
Strong knowledge of human anatomy, physiology, and metabolism.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Experience working with athletes or individuals pursuing specific goals

If you are a passionate and knowledgeable Dietitian/Nutritionist looking to make a meaningful impact on the lives of individuals striving for optimal health and performance, we want to hear from you. Join our dynamic team at Virtus Performance and help us empower our members to unleash their full potential through proper nutrition.

To apply, please send your resume, cover letter, and references to info@virtusperformance.com, attn Lachlan Wallace.

Myotherapist/Remedial Massage Therapist Position:

Are you a skilled and compassionate Myotherapist/Remedial Massage Therapist dedicated to helping clients recover from injuries, manage pain, and enhance their overall well-being? Virtus Performance, a premier gym in Mornington, is seeking a talented professional to join our team. We believe that a holistic approach to fitness includes therapeutic bodywork, and we are committed to providing our members with the highest standard of care.

Responsibilities:

Assess clients' conditions and develop customised treatment plans to address their specific needs, such as pain management, injury recovery, or muscle tension release.
Provide a range of therapeutic massage techniques, including myofascial release, deep tissue massage, trigger point therapy, and stretching, to alleviate pain and enhance clients' mobility.
Educate clients on self-care practices and exercises to support their recovery and ongoing well-being.
Collaborate with other health and fitness professionals to ensure an integrated approach to clients' overall wellness.
Maintain accurate client records and track progress throughout the treatment process.

Requirements:

Certification or diploma in Myotherapy, Remedial Massage Therapy, or a related field.
Proven experience as a Myotherapist/Remedial Massage Therapist.
Strong knowledge of human anatomy, musculoskeletal system, and common injuries.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Ability to adapt techniques and treatment plans to individual client needs.
Additional certifications or modalities such as sports massage or lymphatic drainage are a plus.

If you are a dedicated and skilled Myotherapist/Remedial Massage Therapist seeking to make a positive impact on clients' well-being, we want to hear from you. Join our team at Virtus Performance and work in a supportive environment where you can help individuals recover, thrive, and achieve their fitness goals.

To apply, please send your resume, cover letter, and references to info@virtusperformance.com, attn Lachlan Wallace.

Better Every Day

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Choose your better.

We?re all here to get better. To make progress.
Progress doesn?t happen by accident. Progress happens when you align your actions with the things you want to achieve and who you want to be. Progress happens when you know what winning looks like and what you need to do daily to move towards your goal.

Virtus is built on better. The pursuit of excellence. Excellence isn't about being perfect. It's about showing up, smiling and doing your best consistently. Knowing that good things take time, and all the best things come from compound interest. A commitment to excellence, to better, guarantees progress.

You'll have days when you're on top of the world, days when you don?t want to get out of bed and everything in between. But your commitment to growth and development, your commitment to BETTER will help you become the kind of person who consistently shows up and does their best.

4 STEPS TO BETTER (Outcome, Process, Identity)

Choose Your Better: What does winning look like? What do you want? Why is this important to you?
is it Stronger? Faster? Fitter? More Consistent? Stillness? Healthier? Happier?
Align it with a measurable outcome. Eg. Consistency = 4 Sessions Per week
Identify Two Daily Actions
What are two things that will move you towards your better?
Eg. Consistency: What will help you show up for your sessions?
- 8 hours Sleep - Do you need a sleep routine?
- 3 Litres of Water - Do you need a new water bottle or a glass on your desk?
Show up Daily.
Do the things that a (insert your better here) consistent person would do. Prove to yourself that you are that person.
Ask for help

Enlist your allies for support. Our team and community exist to help you get from where you are now, to where you want to be. Whether it be to help you identify your actions, illustrate the stepping stones on your path to better, or simply hold you accountable to doing what you said you would do.

You?re not going to be perfect. Just show up, smile and do your best.
For best results, reassess your better every 3 months. Adjust your dailies often. Keep levelling up.

For me, the meaning of life is enjoyment and adaptation. To be growing and loving the process, that?s what it?s all about, our team exists to help you get there.

Big Love To Better.

Wallace.

Virtus Daily Blog # - Are you thinking too small?

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

The answer is Yes.

Virtus Daily Blog # - What are you becoming?

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Daily habits, long term view, big results

Virtus Daily Blog # - Process or Outcome

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

in vs out of control

Virtus Daily Blog # - In defence of F45 and Crossfit

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Virtus Family Member Spotlight: December

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

We want to celebrate the little wins.

Our member spotlight will celebrate the success and progress of one superstar from the Virtus Family each month. These answers will be featured on the Virtus Blog each month. Giving you a virtual pat on the back from the entire Virtus Family. Plus, if you're lucky, you'll also receive an actual pat on the back from a Virtus Team Member of your choosing.

Name:

Jaimee Howlett

First of all, congratulations, bravo, any words for the camera?

Yay! Definitely been putting in the hard yards lately and it feels good to be seeing results and for those results to also be noticed by others!

What do you enjoy most about your training at Virtus?

I love surrounding myself and training with really motivated people like those who come into virtus! I also love the type of programs Mitch creates, they kill me, but by the end I?m feeling super accomplished.

What are the habits that you have adopted since joining Virtus?

Since training at Virtus I have become conscious of incorporating movement every day if possible. And now knowing how hard I can train, not to slack off when I?m at the gym on my own.

What helps keep you on track with your goals?

Having someone to keep me accountable for my sessions, as well as having a friend to train with is not only motivating but great at keeping me on track.

What is one thing you have learnt since joining Virtus that has changed your life?

Like I said before I definitely have learnt how hard I can train and that I am capable of WAY more than I think I am. Which also allows me to think in that way of all areas in life that I am capable of so much more than what I?d previously thought!

What was your first impression of Virtus Performance?

I was super impressed with first of all the aesthetics of the place! But also how hard everyone trains which pushes me to be better.

What are you most excited about achieving in the next few months?

I?m keen to keep on working on my underhand chins and other body weight stuff. As well as lifting as heavy as I can!!

What advice would you have for someone thinking of joining the Virtus Family?

To not hesitate to start. I really started from the beginning so I know how intimidating it can be. But to know you will get there! I have come such a long way from training with Mitch for the past year, so it?s 100% worth the time and money.

Any extra comments/jokes/memes or quotes?

Feels good to be apart of an awesome community! You guys are the besttttt xx

Virtus Family Member Spotlight: September

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

We want to celebrate the little wins.

Our member spotlight will celebrate the success and progress of one superstar from the Virtus Family each month. These answers will be featured on the Virtus Blog each month. Giving you a virtual pat on the back from the entire Virtus Family. Plus, if you're lucky, you'll also receive an actual pat on the back from a Virtus Team Member of your choosing.

Name:

Rebeccah Hockley

First of all, congratulations, bravo, any words for the camera?

I am actually honoured, it feels like I have just been picked first in school sports instead of last. I?ve finally made it!

How has your decision to join Virtus improved your life?

Virtus has improved my life in so many ways, and so much more than just physically being stronger and moving better. Being around all the coaches at Virtus has helped and inspired me to be better in just day to day life and I?m really appreciative of that.

What do you enjoy most about your training at Virtus?

The environment. I?ve been to a fair few gyms, both commercial and ?specialty? gyms and the atmosphere at Virtus is by far the best and not like anything I?ve experienced so far.

What are the habits that you have adopted since joining Virtus?

Hitting my minimums is the number one habit I?ve been able to adopt and really adhere to. It?s always in the back of my head that there are just those few things I need to make sure I?m doing every day.

What helps keep you on track with your goals?

My passion and love for lifting and being strong. I am always wanting to better myself and increase my strength, so I really love the process of getting stronger. I fall off track sometimes as everyone does, but that passion for throwing heavy weights around always has me bouncing back.

What is one thing you have learnt since joining Virtus that has changed your life?

Everyone I know at Virtus has, unintentionally, taught me something through their own life experiences, beliefs and attitudes. If I really had to choose one, it would be one of the many life lessons that Coach Cam has taught me, and that is that if you don?t ask the question, you?ll never know the answer. I really live by this every single day.

What was your first impression of Virtus Performance?

I can be a very awkward person when meeting new people or experiencing things for the first time. The first time I came down to Virtus I was made to feel so comfortable, which is a huge tick of approval for someone like me. Again, going back to that amazing atmosphere that has been created at Virtus.

What are you most excited about achieving in the next few months?

I?m really excited to just get stronger. After recently competing in my first Powerlifting meet, I am so ready to improve on the numbers I have already hit and really work on my weaknesses so I can be better next time I compete!

What advice would you have for someone thinking of joining the Virtus Family?

Just to jump in and do it. There is absolutely no reason not to. Go down and get to know everyone and meet the coaches. You?ll feel like you?re part of the family straight away and that?s no word of a lie.

Virtus Family Member Spotlight: October

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

We want to celebrate the little wins.

Our member spotlight will celebrate the success and progress of one superstar from the Virtus Family each month. These answers will be featured on the Virtus Blog each month. Giving you a virtual pat on the back from the entire Virtus Family. Plus, if you're lucky, you'll also receive an actual pat on the back from a Virtus Team Member of your choosing.

Name:

Tarleigh Munro

First of all, congratulations, bravo, any words for the camera?

Woohoo, I've made it!! I am actually so stoked to be chosen for the October member spotlight, it's a good feeling!

How has your decision to join Virtus improved your life?

What do you enjoy most about your training at Virtus?

I enjoy the style of training, the variety of workouts, and the amazing people. I'm definitely moving a lot better, and feeling a lot stronger since.

What are the habits that you have adopted since joining Virtus?

Warming up! I've definitely noticed a massive change in by capabilities in each individual session since taking the time and doing a proper warm up.

What helps keep you on track with your goals?

Having someone to keep me accountable for my sessions, as well as having a friend to train with is not only motivating but great at keeping me on track.

What is one thing you have learnt since joining Virtus that has changed your life?

I can now do TWO unassisted pull ups. This may not seem big, but it was a massive achievement for myself and I was pretty damn happy. What I'm saying is, that Virtus has taught me not to give up. At the start of the year if you told me I'd be able to do 1 pull up by October I would've laughed in your face, but I've done it.

What was your first impression of Virtus Performance?

I remember the very first session I had at Virtus, it was a one on one with Mitch, he made me feel so comfortable, my nerves were completely at ease. There was no judgement, no competitiveness, just a warm and welcoming environment. I can be pretty awkward and quiet when first meeting people, but the fun and welcoming atmosphere helped me open up fairly fast!

What are you most excited about achieving in the next few months?

I am hoping to get my lower back, back to normal. I need to remember that rest days are good for the physical and mental health. Rest, rejuvenate, and recover!

What advice would you have for someone thinking of joining the Virtus Family?

DO IT! You won't regret it. What more could you want other than training somewhere everyday with such amazing people and facilities. Your body will thank you for it.

Any extra comments/jokes/memes or quotes?

Be cool, be kind

Virtus Daily Blog # - Freedom

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Time for LW Value #3, Cue Mel Gibson yelling ?Freedooooom? in Braveheart.

As my ancestor William Wallace liked to point out. Freedom is an important human need.

Freedom, is the ability to act, behave, and conduct yourself in a manner in which you.

Meet the Team: Greg Dea

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Describe yourself in 25 words or less

Describe yourself in 25 words or less: I am an 8-year little g in a big G?s frame, navigating the world with child-like curiosity and compassion, with adult-like wisdom and resources.

What motivates you? The endless opportunities to feel

What scares you? Thugs

What are you excited for? 2020 and beyond

Your love language: Food and wine

Who do you look up to?

Rett Larson, Scott Hopson

3 Favourite Books:

The Power of Now; The Celestine Prophecy; Way of the peaceful Warrior

3 Favourite Movies:

Dead Poets Society, Midnight in Paris, Eye in the Sky

A quote you love:

?What the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve? ? Napoleon Hill

Best Food & Beverage combo:

Shropshire blue cheese and most whisky?s

Your happy Place:

Home

Best piece of advice:

The entire Desiderata

Meet the Team: Lachlan Wallace

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Describe yourself in 25 words or less

I am Simon. I am passionate about creating positive change in our world. I try to always choose kindness and try to make those around me better.

What motivates you?

I am motivated by the people around me. It is inspiring seeing passionate driven people pursuing their peak expression.

What scares you?

I am scared of failure. I?m scared that I will move through life without making a powerful contribution.

What are you excited for?

I am excited to explore some projects that will enable me to contribute more powerfully. To my community and the broader culture.

Your love language:

Quality time, followed closely by Physical Touch.

Who do you look up to?

3 Favourite Books

The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)

Turning Pro (Steven Pressfield)

Tribes (Seth Godin)

3 Favourite Movies

The Departed (2006)

Inception (2010)

Lord of the Rings (trilogy)

A quote you love:

?Don?t argue about what a good man should be. Be one.?

Best Food & Beverage combo:

Coffee and chocolate.

Your happy Place:

The beach.

Best piece of advice:

Pursue things that give you meaning. Be ruthless in your pursuit of these things.

Meet the Team: Annette Wallace

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Describe yourself in 25 words or less

I have begun to enjoy keeping life simple. I appreciate my family and friends and love spending time with them especially over a coffee I am very loyal and love to travel

What motivates you?

Getting to spend time with those I love and looking after myself

What scares you?

These sorts of questions!

Seriously, losing those I love. Overcoming my fears exploring the outdoors

What are you excited for?

Life and seeing what the future brings for my family

Your love language:

Physical touch ..Hugs!

Who do you look up to?

Those who look to improving themselves and are willing to share with others and help them along their journey

3 Favourite Books

The Tale of Peter Rabbit

Mao's Last Dancer

Not sure of others but I love reading about peoples lives and explorations

3 Favourite Movies

Midnight in Paris (2011)

Dead Poets Society (1989)

Good Morning Vietnam (1987)

A quote you love:

Never Miss a Monday

Be the change you want to see in the world

Best Food & Beverage combo:

Roast chicken with veggies and glass of bubbles

Your happy Place:

Sitting by a creek and listening to the water running over rocks

Best piece of advice:

Be kind

100 Quotes For When You Need a Nudge

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

I?m a quote guy. I always have been. Ultimately, they are just a bunch of words, said at some stage by someone (probably) a long time ago. But I believe they can be more than that. When utilised correctly, they can be powerful beyond measure. A good quote gives us the ability to perceive our own meaning. They have great utility for inspiring momentum in our own journeys, for giving us the nudge we need.

Following is a list of 100 quotes, specifically chosen to invoke thought & challenge ideas.

Enjoy

?This too shall pass?
?Motivation can mobilise us, but it rarely sustains us? Logan Gelbrich

Hands Up if You Want Healthy Shoulders!

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Some of the world?s most played sports; tennis, volleyball, badminton, and cricket, just to name a few, all require their participants to express tremendous strength and mobility of the shoulder in order to be successful, stay injury free, and consistently perform for many years.

Not an avid player or follower of any of these sports?

That?s cool; try reaching right up to the top shelf to grab your favourite beverage with inadequate shoulder mobility.

Are you a parent? I can?t speak from experience here; however, I imagine it would become very taxing lifting an infant child in and out of prams and booster seats all day long with busted up shoulders.

Now this I can tell you from experience; if you?re a player of contact sports, you NEED adequate shoulder stability, otherwise you are going to wish you had it.

The complications that are concomitant with constant trauma to the shoulder are unpleasant. In case you?ve never experienced a shoulder dislocation before; it f*****g hurts! And unfortunately, once the shoulder has been injured, injury re-occurrence is very common in the absence of structured mobility, motor control, and stability training.

It isn?t pleasant to get to a point where even reaching your arm overhead is enough to dislocate your shoulder. It is also incredibly unpleasant to wake up at 3am unable to move because you slept in an awkward position and now your shoulder is partially dislocated. Being in a sling for extended periods of time sucks too.

You miss playing sport, you can?t go to the gym (which means muscle atrophy; your guns shrink, which isn?t what you want heading into summer), and hugs are only half as wholesome when you can only wrap one arm around someone.

The above story is exactly what I experienced from ages 16 to 18; when I didn?t give a shit about training to move well, and only wanted to get a big rig and pipes. It was at a time when my indicator of a good training session was how much of a pump I got and how sore I was the next day.

I don?t want you to make the same mistakes that I did.

First, let?s dive into why the shoulder is such a functionally mobile yet unstable joint and then talk about how we can train to improve its function

There are actually many different joints that make up the shoulder, however the main one I will be touching on here is the glenohumeral joint which is comprised of the head of the upper arm (which is anatomically referred to as the humerus) and the glenoid fossa.

This is a ball and socket joint; with the humeral head acting as the ball and the glenoid fossa (which is attached to the shoulder blade) serving as the dish that the ball sits in.

The shoulder is a bit different to other ball and socket joints in the body such as the hip; in the case of the shoulder, the ball is actually about 3 times bigger than the socket, so it more resembles a golf ball sitting on a tee rather than a ball and socket. A ring of cartilage, called the glenoid labrum, sits around the glenoid fossa to provide more depth and stability to the joint. However, we still require sufficient support from the surrounding musculature to ensure the ?golf ball? doesn?t roll off its ?tee? as the shoulder navigates various positions or whilst absorbing impact during a contact sport. If we don?t have this structural support from the muscles, then the glenoid labrum can tear, leading to increased risk of future dislocation if we don?t increase the integrity of the musculature.

You may have heard of the ?rotator cuff?. The rotator cuff is a collection of 4 muscles (or 5, depending on who you ask) that originate from the scapula (shoulder blade) and insert into the humerus; providing stability to the humeral head and keeping it secure within the socket. These muscles are critical in counteracting the forces of the muscles that act on the humerus which originate on the front side of the body.

The problem is; many of the general population don?t train the rotator cuff musculature at all and ONLY train the muscles on the front side of their body. Muscles such as pec major, biceps, deltoids, and the upper traps. In fact, they obliterate these muscles most days of the week with a high volume of training and a poor selection of isolation movements, leading to massive muscular imbalances around the shoulder.

It?s the muscles that we can?t see though, the rear and deep muscles of the upper body, that are going to be beneficial to our shoulder health and helping to counteract the hyperactivity of the muscles that live mostly to the front side of the shoulder which may be disrupting the joint?s ability to be stable. These muscles don?t just include the rotator cuff; but the rhomboids, mid & lower traps, pec minor, and serratus anterior.

I?d recommend training these muscles by incorporating movements into your training such as:

- Band Pull Aparts

- Row Variations

- Arm Bars

- Chin Ups and Pull Ups

- Landmine Presses

- Single Arm KB Swings

- Carry Variations

Not only is being strong important, being mobile is just as, if not, more important. You need adequate mobility before being able to complete strengthening throughout a full range of motion (ROM) so if you don?t have the mobility; put the work in and GET mobile!

Exercises I recommend include:

- Dead Hangs

- Dislocations (not literally)

- Pull Overs

- Behind the Neck Dowell Presses

These exercises improve shoulder ROM but are also exercises in which you can add load to strengthen the shoulder at ?vulnerable? ranges.

The vulnerable range I am talking about is when our arm is overhead and slightly rotated externally. It?s considered to be vulnerable due to the position the humeral head is in relation to the glenoid fossa when the arm is in this position, with some coaches/clinicians even recommending that we avoid training in this position and trying to chase too much mobility in this range as it is ?unsafe?. My view is the complete opposite. We SHOULD be trying to get the shoulder strong in this vulnerable range! We can avoid it all we want; but what is going to happen in a contact sport when the arm is taken into that position and the surrounding musculature isn?t strong enough to deal with the trauma because we didn?t train it to be strong in that position?! Instead, we?re told to train in a restricted range of motion and do 100s of poorly coached theraband external rotations until the cows come home.

Taking all of the above information into account, where do we go from here?

For one, I?m not saying to go and start blindly doing hundreds of rows and band pull aparts every single day, though if you did start to incorporate more of these movements into your training it wouldn?t be the worst thing in the world, you will be shifting the needle into your favour. However, that is not anywhere near enough. A well-structured program that progressively challenges the nervous system?s ability to provide stability to the joint in all ranges of motion is the best port of call.

A very long post this one, but that is because I believe we need more information like this available to the public because I see so many people in commercial gyms including young kids who are training for the first time that are making the exact same mistakes I did, and if they?re a player of contact sports I truly believe it is an injury waiting to happen. Not only does the general public need this information, but many other coaches and clinicians do too; it wasn?t until I did my own study and implementation and went on a completely different route to the ?general? advice that I had been given and tends to get given to most patients that I started to make some true gains with my shoulder rehab post-op (I don?t say that to try and give the impression that I think I am better than any local physio or that their advice is wrong; but if you?re just getting a rub for 30 minutes every week for 6 weeks and have been working on the same generic theraband exercises on an A4 sheet of paper that you received in the first session then there are other routes out there that you seriously need to consider!).

If you have any questions please don?t hesitate to shoot me a message or have a chat if you see me on the gym floor!

Have an unreal day x

The Good Stuff #3 - Introspection, Fading Away, Things You Love & The Word Antithesis

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

The Good Stuff - Issue #3

An Action
The Good Stuff List
Write a list of 30 things that you love to do.
They can be big things like climbing mountains, or simple things like enjoying your morning coffee. Once you have compiled your list, you now have in your hand a treasure map to joy & happiness.
Start doing those things that you put on your list, and take the time to appreciate why you love them.
We get one life, we may as well fill it with shit we love to do.

Here's a snapshot of my list: 1. Time with Lucy & KP. 2. My Morning Coffee. 3. My Job. 4. Playing Football. 5. Training in the gym. 5. Writing these emails. 6. Playing Fifa. 7. Family Time. 8. Sitting at the bottom of the ocean. 9. Listening to audiobooks. 10. Making Spotify Playlists. 11. Drinking beers/Gin/Whisky. 12. Hard Questions. 13. Meaningful conversations. 14. Playing Scrabble. 15. Building Community. 16. Journalling. 17. Banksy Time. 18. Going for walks. 19. Camping. 20. Climbing Mountains. 21. Buying Books. 22. Standing up for what I believe in. 23. Being wrong. 24. Brain Dumps. 25. Living where I live. 26. Connecting with good people. 27. Cooking. 28. Watching & Reviewing films. 29. Adventures. 30. Writing lists.

A Quote From Me
External validation is the antithesis of internal happiness.

A Book
Not Fade Away - Laurence Shames and Peter Barton
This is a book I'm reading again purely for the impact it had on me the first few reads. An idealistic, honest account of a life lived to the fullest, and the journey towards death that we will all embark on. Peter when diagnosed with cancer confronts his inevitable demise with grace and humour. Supported by his co-author Laurence Shames this is a book that should be more widely consumed.

p.s Buy it local. Amazon doesn't need your money.
The family-owned bookstore down the road certainly does.

A Life-Changing habit
Reflection & Introspection
Most of you will know that each day I journal for a page on a particular thought or idea. Earlier this week I hit 900 consecutive days. Whatever the medium that works for you, find a way to cultivate a reflective practice into your day. It will change your life for the better.

This was the Good Stuff.

Wallace

What Do you Genuinely Care About?

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Happy Friday you wonderful humans.

The Wrap is back for 2021...

Things I genuinely care about

Compassion
Community
Excellence
Family
Lessons
Freedom
Hard things
Development
Quality conversation
Good people doing good things

Things that don?t motivate me in the slightest

Money
Fame
?Success?
What other people think of me
Gourmet Pizza

Over the last 5 years, I feel like I?ve been on a rollercoaster of growth and development both with Virtus and as a person.

Over that time there have been many seasons. Some of which have brought joy and happiness and the others which have brought struggle and suffering. There have been times I?ve hunted progress like nothing else mattered, and other times I?ve sought out space to stop, think and appreciate what I have.

Regardless of what the season brings, I feel as though each one teaches me something and develops my capacity to overcome the next set of problems to cultivate the life I want to live.

As we embark on the beginning of a new year, take some time to

One of the reasons I feel at peace with how the world works is because everything I do is intrinsically linked back to my values.

Every decision, belief, action and interaction is influenced by what I genuinely care about and of course impacted by the things that don?t float my boat.

Take some time to align your thoughts and actions with your values and the complexity of life shifts into appreciative simplicity.

Whatever you have planned for 2021, I encourage you to be real, to be transparent, and to be you.

Onwards

p.s My boy Coop had a big 2020 at Virtus, he has put together a 'Welcome to 2021 at Virtus' video and it's heavy on the Coop (which we love) Hit the button to check it out. ??

A Mindful Christmas

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Happy Friday you wonderful humans.

This will be my last correspondence for 2020. It?s almost gravy day, Christmas is a week off and in a few weeks, it?ll be 2021. After a year like no other, I want to leave you with a few of my closing thoughts.

Over the next few weeks, we will all (hopefully) have an opportunity to slow down, switch off and reflect on the chaos that the last 12 months have thrown at us. It's been a ride . It's been emotional . But we have all made it this far, and you should all be immensely proud of yourselves for that. Take time to appreciate the next month or so, you deserve it. Here are 3 thoughts to help you do so.

1. Breathe: After the year that was, it's easy to get caught up in the Christmas hype. Everyone wants everything done yesterday, and we can feel the pressure of our own, and our family's expectations. If/ when you feel the dreaded sense of overwhelm, give yourself permission to slow down, take a breath, and shift your physiology towards a relaxed state.

2. Celebrate together : We all have very different family situations and Christmas Day especially can look very different for all of us. Connect with those you love, and look out for the people who may not have anyone to spend the important days with. Virtus will be operating through the holidays (with a potential Christmas Morning session) so you'll always have a place to be at 1/2 Torca Terrace. Don't be an island. My door is always open, my phone is always on for anyone who needs some company or a chat.

3. Shop Local: I probably sound like a broken record on this, and I'm ok with it. Local businesses aren't just another business; they are the life's work of many of the leaders and wonderful people in our Virtus Family. They are places that mix passion and love with community, and are one of the things that make our tribe so wonderful. So rather than supporting Bezos or any of our other corporate overlings this Christmas, support our Virtus Family. Hit up Em at EmVHair, Sam at Commonfolk, Tommy at Drops of Juniper, the boys at the Snake Hole or any of the wonderful businesses in our community. Hit this link for a list of the Virtus Family Businesses. I'm sure everyone here would be happy to chat with you about a bespoke Christmas present for your loved ones.

Finally , we are getting together tonight to cap off a brilliant year with a couple of drinks. 4-9pm next door to Virtus at Bay Events. Get around it, get amongst it, and come for a 'socially distanced' cuddle.

Be safe, and be amazing. I love the lot of you.

Below: An excerpt from one of my favourite books, The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse by Charlie Mackesy. (Shop Farrells in Mornington rather than Amazon)

To add value

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

"Try not to become a person of success but a person of value" // Albert Einstein

I've been thinking this week about why I write this email. Each Friday I sit down at my desk or over a coffee and summarise my weekly musings into a message for the Virtus Family. This message isn't usually clear until I hit send. Some weeks the words spill out in a matter of minutes, others I brood over, unable to find the right words to express how I feel. Today has been more of the latter.

There are many reasons why I choose to send this each week, but most come down to the quote at the top of the page. I want to become a person of value. To create and contribute. To become someone who adds joy, wisdom and connection to those around me. I believe I am someone who truly understands that the only real success is that shared with those around you. To add value to others is to add value to yourself.

If we can create a world where each of us is more interested in offering value to others, rather then taking value, then that is the kind of world I want to live in and the kind of world I want my future children to grow up in.

"The more I help out, the more successful I become. But I measure success in what it has done for the people around me. That is the real accolade" // Adam Grant

We are not alone in our suffering, nor are we alone in our success. If we understand this, truly, we can give all we are to those around us, and undoubtedly what we give will come back to us in spades.

Life is a positive-sum game. Someone does not need to fail for you to succeed. We are all looking to win, to be happy, to have success and to reach the end of our journey with as much fulfilment as possible.

Becoming a contributor and a creator has brought me significant joy. Every email I send, each blog I write, every podcast I record and each session I run at Virtus is an opportunity to add value to the Virtus Family. A group of people who all have the capacity to add immense value to each other, and the world around them.

My point is that you all have a voice. Someone can always benefit from your advice, wisdom and opinion. Share your experiences, your successes and triumphs with the world. The world needs you. To make an impact. To contribute. To help others grow and be more. You can be the person you needed when you were younger to someone who looks up to you. It's a hell of an opportunity to pass up.

If your first thought in the morning is 'How can I add value to those around me?' I have no doubt that you'll find fulfilment and happiness at levels unparalleled. That happiness and fulfilment is what we are all searching for. Let's help each other find it.

At the end of the day, we need 3 things to be happy:
- Something to do
- Someone to love
- Something to look forward to.

If I can be a part of that for some of you, then I'm adding value.

Be amazing.

Lachie

Take Responsibility

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

It's time for all of us to take responsibility .

Responsibility for the things we have and for that which we are unable to acquire or achieve.

We have a natural tendency as humans to do our very best to absolve ourselves of responsibility. We relinquish control to inherently seek the path of least resistance, clamouring for the quick fix.

Whether it be doing the dishes, making an important phone call or looking after our health and wellbeing.

If we can delegate, or pass the buck to someone else, we will. Just because we can, and it's easy, doesn't mean we should.

When we do this, relinquish responsibility, we are not playing the long game. We are impeding our progress towards the thing we are working on. We need to remind ourselves that the long game is made up of thousands of short games, all winnable in isolation.

Changing who we are, seeking adaptation and moving the needle is a process and we must periodically increase the stimulus we place on ourselves to drive this adaptation we all seek. Safe to say that taking responsibility for the little things is going to allow all of our desires to become a possible reality.

I see three things which can empower us to either take responsibility or if not followed absolve ourselves of it.

1. Self Leadership: A process in which you can influence yourself to achieve your desired results. Basically, doing the shit you tell yourself you should do because you know it is going to serve future you. It's making the harder decision and having the self-awareness and self-confidence to be completely at peace with putting off pleasure and enjoyment for the bigger picture.

2. Environment: Surround yourself with people who call you out on your bullshit, find an environment in which you can be both empowered and inspired by those around you. We need not collaborate in mediocrity and failure. The echo chamber mentality is not helping us progress, you're mostly wrong (well I know I am) and it helps to have people who can point that out.

3. A worthwhile endeavour: This is your thing. The result you are chasing. Something that must be earnt. A loving household, a healthy body, a peaceful mind. Whatever it is you must take full responsibility for the outcome, even though the outcome is outside of your control. At the end of the day, the process is what matters, and the process is driven by taking responsibility daily.

It's time to hold ourselves and others to account. Let's stop settling and create a life worth living.

LW

Ps. Don't be shit.

Optimism 101

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Happy Friday you wonderful humans.

[Commonfolk Coffee, Mornington, next to my ray of sunshine Grant Rodgers]

There are no ordinary moments. With each minute of the day, we have the opportunity to make the best of things for ourselves and everybody around us. Be present in the moment, and feel the overwhelming gratitude for all that we are and all that we have.

You can make the world a better place. You can create highlights for those around you. It's a choice you can decide to make, a choice that when made can change your world and the world around you.

I'm keeping this email short and sweet because the following quote is so powerful. Read it 2-3 times, highlight your favourite part and embrace the choice you have to improve all that you come in contact with.

Noam Chomsky // "Optimism is a strategy for making a better future. Because unless you believe that the future can be better, it?s unlikely you will step up and take responsibility for making it so. If you assume that there?s no hope, you guarantee that there will be no hope. If you assume that there is an instinct for freedom, there are opportunities to change things, there?s a chance you may contribute to making a better world. The choice is yours."

Now if you ask me why I started Virtus, or why I do anything for that matter, I could give you a hundred different answers. Ask anyone why they do what they do and they'll give you a myriad of reasons. But if you really delve into the why, peel back layers and look to understand the real reason we do anything. There is only really one reason.

To make the world a better place.

Wallace

" If it is to be, then it is up to me"
----------// Tom Hafey

Play the game

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Happy Friday you wonderful humans.

[Virtus Performance, Mornington]

We have a saying at football which I feel has wonderful transference to everyday life.

"Play the game"

In life, or in football, you have a desired result, something that you're striving towards. Then the ball is bounced, life happens, and ' The best - laid plans of mice and men often go awry.' No matter how carefully you plan and prepare, there will always be multiple ways things can go wrong.

When the chaos sets in you have two options. You can go to water, or you can play the game. You can react without thinking, or you can respond to your environment.

Achieving the outcome you are striving for is dependant on your ability to assess and reassess the situation at hand. What follows is a simple framework sourced from Naval Ravikant.

Sprint. Rest. Reassess.

I'm paraphrasing here and adapting this in my own way, but to reach the top of our game, in both life and sport, we must train and sprint, then rest, and reassess. Each of these states complements the other, finding balance and cohesion between the three can be the magic potion we all seek.

The sprint where the work is done, the body of work, a time to focus on output. To put your plans and training to the test. The sprint is energy consuming, if you're not careful it can stop you in your tracks, you must manage your resources.

After the sprint, we must find time to rest. This is the time to fill your cup, to go inwards and be kind to yourself. Sleep, meditation, a good meal, every little bit of rest adds to your capacity to sprint harder and longer next time.

We progress through persistence and by utilising our ability to stop and plan where we are headed. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, but without prior thought and planning, you could head in the wrong direction and end up 2000 miles from your intended destination. Your ability to take a step, assess and reassess each subsequent step will ultimately determine where you end up.

Achievement doesn't come easily, show up, put in the work, and be smart about it. Sprint, rest, reassess and don't forget to play the game. Whether you succeed or not, the outcome lies squarely on your shoulders.

Lachie.

"Doctors won?t make you healthy. Nutritionists won?t make you slim. Teachers won?t make you smart. Gurus won?t make you calm. Mentors won?t make you rich. Trainers won?t make you fit. Ultimately, you have to take responsibility. Save yourself." Naval Ravikant.

Information Overload

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

We live in a world at a time where information is free and plentiful. So plentiful that we all have a constant stream of new information coming in on a daily basis. That stream of information is so thick, so dense, so overwhelming that most of the time its hard to discern good, usable information from the garbage that can fill our screens and minds.

Fun fact: 90% of the data we have ever produced, has been generated in the past 24 months.
This is insane.

Fake news, propaganda, advertising disguised as real information, social media influencers, hashtags and short sharp bites of information all designed to steal our attention, even for a second, so we buy, or at least pay complete attention to whatever they want us to.

It's basically mind control.

Here's how we stop the rot... or at least take a stand for thought-provoking discussion, thought and understanding of what we are listening to, watching and talking about.

Long form conversation, silence, discussions and reflection.
Long form quality information sharing isn't dead, but in certain pockets of society, it needs a revival.
Podcasts, actual conversation, reading and writing, actual silence, these are the things that allow us to discern between the important exciting stuff and the rabble that fills our minds.

Too often we have the same mindnumbing conversations with the same people over the same shit on a weekly basis. Or worse, we spend hours discussing the latest reality T.V show, what the Royals are doing, or who will win the bachelor.

Banter and conversation with the people we love, doesn't always have to be about the meaning of life or whether free will exists. But I think we can make a little more of an effort not to bitch about others or share our opinion on who the badge will give a rose to.

My stop-gap solution: let's take a stand against the consumption of attention seeking information.
Spend time listening and learning from the people around you. Read books. Listen to long-form podcasts.
Spend a day without your phone. Meditate. Spend time in nature, with others or in complete silence by yourself.

Let your brainpower build and build until you are so woke that you can bend spoons and control objects with your mind.

Wallace.

Serendipity

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

To really experience the world, you must be vulnerable to that which you are yet to encounter.
I find it tough sometimes to open myself up to new experiences. It?s so incredibly easy to do things the way we have always done it, get comfortable in the way we go about our day.

Every now and again I?m reminded of a simple question that I need to get out of my comfort zone.
When was the last time you did something for the first time?

On Wednesday this week I was struggling to get anything done, so I jumped in the car, went down to the beach and decided to go for a walk to clear my head. My intention - Go somewhere I?d never been before.

Like most people. I have my regular spots. Areas of inspiration you might call them, but today, I needed something fresh.
So I went around a point I hadn?t been, walked across the top, and back around the rocks.
About half way around, I found this.

I had a serendipitous encounter with a message in a bottle. Yeah like an actual message, in an actual bottle. It was a simple yet powerful reminder to break the patterns of your day to day
Drive a different way to work, have something different for lunch, explore somewhere you?ve never been before. Who knows what you might find or what you might experience.

In the words from this ?message in a bottle? When we push past our fears, challenge them, great things happen.

Have a wonderful weekend

Wallace

Ps More people need to do cool shit like this. It had a profound impact on my mindset, my day and my week.

26 things I know to be true

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

I recently turned 26, apart from causing a small quarter life crisis ( I think I?m past the worst of it now ) I decided to also write a list.

The 26 things that I know to be true about life.

I don?t really know if I know much at all. But I know that I know a lot, But There is certainly more that I don?t know.
You must find your purpose, and honour it daily.
Together is always better.
Finding things that are both scary and exciting and doing them make life wonderful.
Radical transparency is key in all successful relationships.
If it is to be then it is up to me - The victim mindset just doesn?t cut it.
Your parents are not perfect, but they were right about most things.
If you fail, then learnt from it. Then you never really failed.
Hangovers steal happiness from tomorrow.
You are completely in control of your life. You can choose to believe that, or not. Either way it?s all your choice.
You can have anything you want. But not everything.
If you can?t cheer yourself up, cheering someone else up will always do the trick.
Growth is not often pleasant at the time. Embrace the suffering. When it is pleasant, embrace the joy.
Everybody can teach you something.
You should know and uphold your values.
Few things in life beat a good hug.
Personal success is driven by the impact you can have on those around you.
Seneca was right, we really do suffer more in our imagination than reality.
Discipline is paramount to success. Do what you told yourself you would do.
Asking better questions is the path to enlightenment.
You are a product of your environment, and your environment is a reflection of you.
If all else fails, stop, smile, face the sun and breathe.
Yoga and meditation are like strength training for the mind.
Strength training is like strength training for the body.
Your standards are only that if you uphold them.
Writing lists are fun. Sharing them with others is funner. Discussing them is funnest.

That?s me. 26 years old and only slightly more enlightened than I was at 25. Who knows what else I?ll realise I don?t know when I turn 27.

Setting your Intention

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

We all have times in our lives where people we look up to are banging on about something but we don't listen or don't understand its importance straight away. We might think we get it or think we understand but it's not until we actually have that ah-ha moment when it clicks and we realise that maybe we weren't as dialled in as we thought.

Well for me this was setting my intention. When introduced to the concept in 2017 by a mentor Drew Slater, I thought 'yep, got it, that makes sense' and it did. But I didn't act on it.

But like a lot of fantastic concepts, I didn't really implement it into my life straight away. It wasn't until the penny dropped during Speaker School a few weeks ago and a meeting with another mentor, that I realised each time I didn't set my intention, I was missing out on the opportunity to educe a change in behaviour in myself or others.

We all know intrinsically that when we set our mind to something , we tend to achieve it. Setting an intention behind something allows us to double check why we do anything. This reinforces whether or not we are doing things to serve us, or if we are getting sucked into doing things because it's the social norm to do so. For example. Am I writing this blog because It serves me to get my thoughts down in writing, or am I writing it because of some expectation that I'll keep putting content out? When I set my intention before I started typing it was simple "Explain what I've learnt as it will reinforce the importance of setting my intention for myself, and anyone who reads it"

Even now I forget to set my intention with some things. But each time I do, it lays the foundation for this to become a habit which I know will serve me for the rest of my life.

When do I set my intention? As often as possible. Meetings, coffee dates, work days, rest days, overseas trips, training sessions etc. At the start of the day, the start of the week and the start of the month I can set a big intention, to ensure I stay on track.

Everything I do is an opportunity to set my intention. This way I know that I'll be maximising my ability to get or give what I need for any situation.

Have a ripper day.

Wallace Out.

44 Days in South America: Experience and Connection

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

So here's the deal, Welcome to a little daily blog. I'm blissfully aware I won't be able to update this daily. But when I can, I'll write about the day's events, and catch up on the days missed, via the written notes in my diary. I'll discuss where I am, my headspace, what I'm reading or listening to or any other information you might find interesting or useful. Enjoy.

Day 45 Airports Airports Airports

Flight 1, El Calafate to Buenos Aires went without a hitch. 3 Hours reading Shantaram went faster than rolling through Westworld episodes on Netflix. Following this was a 5-hour wait at BA Airport, filled with reading and an update to this blog, and a quick call to some of the team back home.

Flight #2 was much the same, 2 hours to Santiago. I managed to sneak in an hour of sleep, once arrived, straight to some chairs to sleep further. ?

A few hours later, I woke up, and rolled to a restaurant for some food. My last meal in South America, and read whilst waiting to board the 1pm flight to Melbourne. 15 hours on a plane. The last leg. Can?t wait ?

Day 44 El Calafate

Today was as enjoyable as it was uneventful. I slept in, ate the shitty hostel brekky, packed my bags (for the last time) and checked out. I decided, to not book any half day tours, and to spend the day reading, writing and walking around the town. That is exactly what I did.

I spent a few hours reading Shantaram in the restaurant of the hostel. With the vista of Lago Argentina and the surrounding trees and snow capped mountains in front of me.

I then headed into town, for a delicious feed and a few more hours in the pages of the book. After some delicious Spinach Gnocchi with Lamb, I headed to the supermarket to spend the last of my pesos and grabbed some snacks for the plane.

The afternoon was spent much the same as the morning, much reading (this book is ace) and catching up on this journal, plus finishing my weekly email that is to go out on Friday morning. Oh and of course catching up on Collingwood Anzac Day win over Essendon. What a day.

I headed off to the airport at 6 pm for my 8 pm flight, the plan for the next 48 hours is to fly to Buenos Aires, arriving at 11 pm, find somewhere to sleep for 2-3 hours. Check into my 5 am flight to Santiago, then hang out at the Santiago Airport for a while until our plane leaves for home. It feels weird finally going home. I?m more than ready, but a sense of sadness at the end of this wonderful adventure hangs at the edge of the thought. Regardless, life is simply impermanence. It only feels like yesterday when I left. Yet so much has happened.

Day 43 - Puerto Merino Glacier

6 am brekky, into a 7 am pickup, kicked off our adventure to the Glacier. With a 90

Minute bus ride ahead of us, I chose to nap, waking up as we pulled into the car park at the pier, where we would jump on a boat to head to the edge of a glacier.

When I first got a face full of this huge chunk of ice, it was truly a WOW moment, a 70m high wall of ice who knows how wide. An amazing thing to see, I couldn?t wait to get on this thing.

We were dropped off at a refuge, where our guides talked us through everything we needed to know about the glacier, and some things we didn?t, we then headed to the edge where we would put on our crampons and go for a hike across the surface.

As always, our group was slow to get there, stopping every few steps to look at the awe-inspiring ice block in front of us. Taking photos that would never portray the incredible sight we could see.

Finally, we were crampon?d up and ready to go. The 2-hour trek along and over the glacier was wonderful, an adventure I won?t forget in a hurry. Culminating in a stop to drink some glacial water and some scotch whisky with glacial ice. It wasn?t gin, but it sure was delicious.

We headed back to the refuge for lunch, had an hour or so to take photos and eat, and then it was back on the boat and off to the viewing platforms, fortunately, we were able to see big chunks of the glacier calve off into the water. An incredible sight.

The viewing platforms were just as amazing as the walk itself, seeing the entirety of the glacier was mind-blowing, with each crevasse, corner and bump reflecting the suns rays in different ways leaving an incredible sight in front of us. The size of it gave me the same feeling I had at Iguazu falls. Truly wonderful.

After an hour or so, we jumped in the bus and headed back to El Calafate, I promptly fell asleep.

Dinner consisted of a giant Argentinian BBQ with Lamb, Steak, Chorizo, Chicken, Salad and chips. More food than I?ve eaten in the last two

Days sat in front of me. I had a crack, a valiant effort but couldn?t finish it all, I was cactus. What a day. Back for an hour of reading, then off to sleep.

Hometime tomorrow. Kind of.

Day 42 - Mirador Condores and El Calafate

This morning I woke up, pretty sore from the last few days of hikes. With Jack, Will and Jamie heading off to do a big hike. I said goodbye and checked out of my room. Unsure as to how I?d spend my day.

I decided not to go for a big walk, but to do one of the shorter viewpoint walks. Mirador Condores, a 4km round hike up above the town. It was short and simple but the perfect way to end my time in this little town.

Magical views of El Chalten and the surrounding peaks was the perfect send-off, with condors flying above it was a wonderful moment.

Once back to the hostel, I had 30 minutes to wait for my bus which would take me to El Chalten. I watched some Flight of the Concords and relaxed.

The bus ride was very cruisy, so much so I stared out the window for an hour or so, and then promptly fell asleep.

I arrived in El Calafate jumped off the bus, and walked the 2km to the hostel. Checked in, and set up shop for the night at the window, overlooking the town, lake, trees and mountains. I was treated to a perfect sunset.

After finishing Meditations, I looked through the pile of books on the bookshelf at the hostel, and fortunately found Shantaram, a book I?d planned on reading when I got home as I had started it before I?d left, but didn?t bring it because it was too big, what a result.

I won?t try and put the feeling I had into words, but for a period of time whilst sitting in the hostel restaurant, looking out over the lights of El a Calafate, reading my book, I felt at peace. Completely in the moment, what had come before and what was to come in the future paled with insignificance as I was truly in the moment, deep inside the pages of my book, with an acute awareness of what was happening around me. What a wonderful moment.

Day 41 - Mt Fitz Roy Adventures

It was now or never. The last day to attempt the 26km hike to Mt Fitz Roy, seemingly the weather gods smiled upon us as we woke up, it seemed sunny. Not so much.

Izzy, Jack, Jamie, Will and I headed to the supermercado to load up on food for the hike, as soon as we opened the hostel door we were hit with a chill that I hadn?t felt in my time in Patagonia. It was cold, very cold, with a little bit of snow coming in.

We made some sandwiches, ate brekky and set off, tightly wrapped up, keeping ourselves warm, I decided to stop in at the store to get a neck warmer, otherwise, my face may fall off.

The incredible landscapes of Patagonia were highlighted during this hike, snow-capped mountains, snow-covered trees, rushing rivers and multicoloured trees of autumn, it was magical. Albeit cold and wet. It was trekking heaven. We stopped at a campsite, 10km or so into the hike and had lunch in the snow, with the knowledge of a 1hr 400m vertical climb to come, we knew we had to fuel ourselves.

A few km later we arrived at the bottom of a mountain, in a landscape which wouldn?t look out of place beyond the wall on GOT.

We began our ascent, climbing up as the snow got thicker and thicker, eventually by the time we had almost reached the top, we could only see the tops of the metre-high signposts leading the path. Eventually, once seemingly at the top, we couldn?t see where to go. With a snowstorm getting heavier and heavier we decided it best to turn around. A frustrating decision but the correct one. We couldn't see much, but geez it was a fun adventure.

The hike back consisted of snowballs and lots of laughs, we took a detour and walked past Lago Capri, one of the lakes and enjoyed the beauty of a snow cover walking trail, forest, rocks and mountains. One of the best days I?ve had on this trip, even though we didn?t get to see Mt Fitz Roy in all of its glory.

When back at the hostel, we loaded up on dinner, drank some wine, and wen

The 20 things I’m most proud of...

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Last week I was asked this question by a very good friend, I chose to try and fill this list as quickly as possible to ensure it was as raw and honest as possible, here goes.

Virtus - the brand and community I?ve created (with lots of help).
My open-mindedness.
My ability to take action.
My love for being uncomfortable.
My relationships - Kp, Friends, Family. The connection is strong.
My work ethic.
My parents.
My sisters.
KP.
My friends - I love you all.
My all or nothing personality.
My loyalty.
My team at Virtus.
My ability to create the environment around me to be something that serves me and those who buy into it.
My football achievements.
My rad jokes.
My taste in people, books, podcasts, movies, music and tv.
My decisiveness.
My standards.
Being content with what / who I am even though I want to be better.

That's me, Have a crack, it's a nice feeling.

Welcome to Lachiewallace.com

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

I'd like to introduce you to me, Lachie Wallace.

This is my life. At least the picture and word version.

My vision is to make the world a better place, and that vision starts with helping one person understand (me) understand who I am and why I am here.

This 'understanding' helps me to help others. This is how I can make an impact,
If you enjoy it, let me know, if you don't, hit me with some constructive feedback, and I'll take it on board!

To kick off the website, i'll roll back to my first weekly email for 2018, where I shared 5 of my goals for 2018. Now its March, so we are 16.67% of the way through 2018 already.

Visit 6 new countries in 2018 (I've booked 5 so far)
Read 50 books (this started as 36.5 - one every 10 days, however, I have read 11 thus far, so 50 is certainly doable, maybe 100, I'll reassess)
Put together our revised Vision for Virtus, and begin to implement our strategies to get there (this scares the shit out of me) but it is also crazy exciting so play on.
Sort out my own training . This is an area I lacked continuity in 2017. My perfect week looks something like 3-4 Strength + Conditioning Sessions, 1 x Football session, 1 x Football Game and 1 x Yoga session. If I hit this I'm happy, if I don't, I'll try to be better next week.
Daily check-ins for Gratitude (3 things I'm grateful for), Perspective (what do I have the opportunity to do today) and reminders of Why I do what I do.

And my mantra for 2018.
Show up, Smile and make a difference.

That's Week 1.

Look down for some stuff that's happening in my brain ...

Thanks for paying attention.

2018 will be a year filled with Meaningful Work and Meaningful Relationships!

Filling Your Cup To Be Your Best Self

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

You can?t pour from an empty cup.

This analogy is something that I have preached consistently for the past 12 months, yet have practised sporadically.

As I have been thrown my time and energy into work, I found myself neglecting to fill my cup, particularly focusing on my health.

This has been a tough thing to admit to myself, but hey, the penny has finally dropped.

When you spend most of your day looking after other people, you tend to forget about yourself.

Just because I love what I do, doesn?t mean that I won?t eventually burn out and resent coming to work. There were some mornings when this wasn't far from reality.

Only when my cup was almost empty, would I allow myself time to fill it up again.

Things needed to change. But change isn?t easy.

That change and I?m still working on it, is focused looking after myself first, then my staff and then the Virtus Family.

Spending time walking, reading, resting, learning, hiking, recovering, TRAINING. All of the things that make me feel like me.

Taking the time to fill my cup.

Then coming back recharged, rejuvenated and ready to do my job. Ready to help others become better.

This has been my focus for the past few months and it will be a big focus for 2018.

Some days I?ll nail it, some days I won?t. But knowing that if I put my health first, it will flow on and enable me to give all I can to others.

Here is to a year of filling my cup. Looking after my health, my relationships, my business and my education.

*If you are someone who looks after others, remind yourself daily, ?you can?t pour from an empty cup?

The Virtus 168 Hour Rule.

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

7 days, 168 hours, 10,080 minutes.

This is the amount of time we get in a week. No exceptions.

If you sleep for 8 hours a day, that is 56 hours a week.

You have 112 hours left.

If you work 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, that is 40 hours in a week.

You have 72 hours left.

If you spend 2 hours a day commuting to work, school, family etc.

You have 58 hours left.

If you spend 3 hours a day cooking, cleaning, doing your chores.

You have 37 hours left.

If you spend 2 hours a day seeing friends & Family

You have 23 hours left.

If you train, walk, swim, move for 1 hour a day

You have 16 hours left for whatever you please.

?I don?t have time? doesn?t cut it, If you tell yourself this, you?ve already lost.

You can always make time for things that are important to your happiness, health and growth.

Prioritise, take action, and achieve all you want. It just takes a little discipline.

Why I try to never have a bad day

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

I?m working on a theory.

There should be no such thing as a bad day.

Stay with me.
Let me explain where I?m coming from.
Bad things happen. Life happens . Sometimes all at once.

Yet, I truly believe that life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.
A Marcus Aurelius quote comes straight to mind ?You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realise this, and you will find strength?

Is this optimistic view of life naive? Maybe.

People die, sometimes lots at once, bad things happen to good people, and horrible accidents can occur at any time.

I am fully aware of this, yet I stand by my earlier statement, ' there should be no such thing as a bad day'
How you react to each situation, each event and each 'bad thing' is entirely your choice .

You can choose to wallow in self-pity, you can let it define you, or you can feel how you need to feel, identify why you feel how you feel, and take action t o improve it.

Change your environment.
Take the plunge on that big idea.
Connect with someone who you haven't spoken to in a while.
Make peace with things you have done that don't fit within your values (because you know that you'll be better next time)

My phone background right now has a quote that resonates so strongly with me that I find myself repeating it daily.

The Bad News : Everyday has been the hardest day of my life.

The Good News : I'm simultaneously aware of indescribable personal development"

Through struggle, pain and suffering comes growth , meaning and prosperity .

I've said it before, and I'll say it again... "Growth is never pleasant at the time"

If you look at life this way, and I try to, then you realise that whatever happens, you'll be alright.

If you're unhappy, you'll be happy again. It just might take some time, effort self-reflection.

Have an amazing day.

Wallace, out.

(Below, some delicious Leunig )

You Do You.

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

I'm an all or nothing kind of person.

I'll struggle to read more than a handful of books, or I'll commit to reading 52 books a year.

I'll train every day for months, or I'll struggle to get a few sessions out each week.

I go all in , dial in on one thing, usually go over the top and eventually fall in a heap for a few days, realise I need to fill my cup then I pick myself up go hard, and then do it all over again.

This is my pattern . I'm beginning to understand that. This is ok, this is me , I'm not going to try and change it, simple as that. What I am doing is trying to be aware of it , and ensure that I can couple this intensity with at least a little bit of ' fill my cup time '

Comments I hear all of the time 'You work too much' 'You need to slow down' 'Mate, have a day off once in a while' I appreciate the love and care shown in these comments, but it doesn't serve me .

I believe that we all have a different wavelength . What I mean by that is that most of us tend to fit into one of three categories for each part of our lives. High Capacity / Medium Capacity / Low Capacity. For example, I have a High Capacity to spend time working on Virtus . Working 6.5-7 days a week is normal. That's me, I'm ok with that. If you don't agree, thats ok, you do you.

If you understand your capacity . Your wavelength . Your patterns . Your wants and needs , then you're well equipped to make the small important adjustments to move you in the right direction, look after yourself and understand when you can go hard , and when you need to pull back .

What matters, is awareness . Awareness of your patterns , your capacity and your desire to get from where you are now to where you want to be.

If you're aware , then you're way ahead of the curve, you can gain a better understanding of where you're at, and make the best decisions in terms of looking after yourself, and simultaneously improving who and what you are.

Just a thought process, a brain dump.
Let me know what you think.

If you disagree. Let's discuss it.

Be Amazing.

Shoshin - The Beginners Mind

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Shoshin: The Beginners Mind

Virtus Daily Blog #1 - Welcome

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Our intention at Virtus is to do a few things, incredibly well.

One of which is to empower growth and development through education and the sharing of quality, useable information. We want to share our knowledge. But more so we want to share our knowing. Our experiences and the trials and errors we experience on a daily basis.

Early on in my coaching career, like plenty of young professionals, I felt bulletproof, like I could do no wrong. I knew what I knew, I knew it worked (mostly) and I was getting results. That ego driven mindset, let?s call it an illusion of ignorance, could have swallowed me whole. I knew a bit. I could do the basics, but my knowledge base was very 2 dimensional.

Picture this, you start a new Job, you go through the initial struggle of finding your feet, then you start growing your clientele through hard work, things start to fall into place, you read a couple of books, learn what a journal article is, you read a couple of them (at least the abstract and discussion) and you think you understand how physiology and adaptation work.

I was sitting pretty atop of Mt Stupid (See Fig 1. Below)

The irony is, when you?re at the summit of Mt Stupid, you?re too incompetent to see your incompetence, hence the increased sense of ability.

Fast forward 8 years, and is fairly obvious how wrong I was. I was Jon Snow, I knew nothing. But fortunately, I stuck at it, continued to learn, and realised that after Mt Stupid, was a long and arduous journey towards enlightenment. I?m certainly still enjoying that process, some days I feel I?m at the bottom of the valley of Self-Perception of confidence, but I know that I have a vast experience of understanding and knowing that can be of use to all of you.

So, back to the intention of this blog. Our team has a collective bank of experience which we want to share with you, the Virtus Family. A simple way to do this, is with this daily blog. This will consist of small pieces of useable information and advice with the aim of empowering you all to take control of your lives and to find small ways of consistent improvement to make your world a better place.

As we continue to learn and improve, we would love for you to join us on this journey.

We will touch on topics such as Training, Coaching, Nutrition, Rehabilitation, Performance, Mindset, Leadership, Growth and Connection.

All we need from you, is a radically open mind, be prepared to learn and most of all we want you to contribute, with feedback, questions, discussion points, resources and anything else you think may add value to this thing we are chasing.

Be Excellent.

Lachie

Owner/Founder

Virtus Human Performance

Virtus Daily Blog #5 - How are you getting in your own way?

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Whatever you have or don?t have, whatever goals you achieve or don?t achieve, whichever frustrations or excitements you are currently experiencing in your life, all of it, its your fault. Whoever you are, its your fault.

* I am aware that a significant amount of our personality is fixed because of our genetics, environment, family etc but as long as at least 1% of who we are is adaptable, its an unnecessary conversation to just decide to give up any control.

You are at fault. You are the problem.

I don?t say that to sound like a dick, even though to a certain population, you might have had that reaction.

To change what we experience, we need to change who we are. We are more malleable than we give ourselves credit for. We are completely responsible for the results we achieve? and don?t.

What is an area of your life which you are the bottleneck? How can you take ownership of the situation?

Is it in a relationship? At work? Amongst your team? With your health and fitness? That thing you want to achieve?

We all have an improvement goal which we desire to achieve. We both do things and don?t do things to move towards it. As we try to grow we have many competing commitments (Do I spend the extra hour at work or do I get home to spend time with my family?) and we have a whole heap of big assumptions and fears as to why we are not yet achieving the thing.

It?s hard to work through, it?s a process, it takes time, any adaptation does. But ask yourself this question, and be vulnerable enough to deep dive into the unknown

How are you getting in your own way?

The sooner you take responsibility for the process, you take responsibility for the outcome, even though the result is never truly in your control.

I know this is a hard question to answer. So let me be the case study for a moment.

I hold the belief that I?m an incredibly driven. That I?ll do anything it takes to get to where I want to go. I?m starting to realise that, this is an assumption I?ve been holding. I find myself becoming more risk averse. I?m taking less chances. I let a fear of the unknown paralyse me into inaction. I sit on my hands. I don?t pursue true growth events and I creep back into what is comfortable and familiar. I have two decisions to make. I can either, continue to exhibit these behaviours. Or? I can ask myself the right questions, take the right actions and seek disconfirming information from myself and those around me to ignore my own bullshit and work on becoming the person I need to be to achieve what I want to achieve.

If you?d like to continue this discussion, reach out, I?m always up for a chat.

To your development.

Wallace

Virtus Daily Blog #2 - Are you happy?

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

Are you happy?

This is one of those incredibly simple yet complex questions which can completely stop you in your tracks.

My favourite definition of happiness is as follows ?Happiness is not having the things you want, but wanting the things that you already have?

Here?s a little task for you. Take a moment to think about the things you expect from your life. What do you think you deserve?

Then write a list of 3-4 things you?re grateful for. Affirmations of what/who you appreciate in your life.

Happiness is multi faceted and this is a simple view, but one that maybe shouldn?t be dismissed.

Compare your two lists. Expectations vs Gratitude. I?d bet that if most of your focus is spent on fostering and cultivating your list of gratitude, you?d be a pretty happy person. If you spent you?re time dwelling on your expectations, you?d feel unfulfilled and anxious.

The way I see it, we have much more than we need to be happy. Anyone that?s travelled to lower socio economic areas of the world, would have experienced people living with significantly less than we have. However, my experiences have shown that perceived happiness levels tend to increase in these areas. A sense of purpose, family, tribe and connection are all incredibly clear to see.

The most important things in life are invisible. All we have to do is try to see them.

Have a wonderful day.

Wallace.

Virtus Daily Blog #3 - How can we move the needle?

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

How do we move the needle and take steps to become the best version of ourselves? How can we make the changes required to move in our desired direction?

Often we have a vision of what we want or who we want to be. We spend time crafting the perfect idea of what it is that we desire, yet we are unaware of what we need to do to make it a reality.

There is a process that we must follow before we can begin to take action. And it begins with awareness. Awareness of what our current state looks like and our current capability.

This is gained simply by asking questions of ourselves,

?What do I want? Why do I want it??

Followed closely by, ?Is this what I really want..??

Once we can answer these questions (and have dug a little deeper), we can begin to gain a better understanding of our current state and we can build this awareness.

From here we can formulate realistic, actionable steps to move us forward. The next question to ask is,

?What is the easiest thing that I can do that will make the biggest change to my current state??

In other words, what is the low hanging fruit that we can pick straight away. This could be something as simple as taking one deep intentional breath if you are feeling stressed or getting to sleep before 10pm.

This is how we move the needle. Asking questions of ourselves, followed by consistently performing simple actions that serve us.

Cheers to you, and your growth.

Coop [ @simoncoooper ]

(Aka. the Big Slice)

Virtus Daily Blog #6 - Two opposing beliefs

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:41:01 GMT

To be a self transforming individual, that being someone who can observe without judgement. Detach from the result, and accept that the truth is more important than being right.

You must be able to consciously hold two opposing truths simultaneously without feeling like your head is about to explode.

Now this is a hard thing to do. Especially for those of us with structured belief systems, deep seated values and personal preferences with more layers than an onion. (or an ogre)

It's hard, yes. But that's not an excuse for us to avoid this development. We owe it to ourselves and those who we serve to be able evolve our consciousness.

Here is a list of opposing truths which I currently hold. If you think I'm full of shit, tell me, because I agree, I'm biased individual.

Faith in a higher power is batshit crazy vs Faith is an important belief which empowers individuals to live a more meaningful existence.
Free will does not exist vs I'm completely in control of my life.
The fitness industry is being violated by narcissistic individuals and organisations vs Everyone is just doing their best. With what they've got. In the ways that they know how.
We are 0% responsible for others actions vs We can hold space for others to grow and learn and experience.
What we do at Virtus is the best possible way to make people better vs In 2 years I'll look back at what we are doing now and laugh at how ignorant we are.
Social media is the devil vs We have the ability to connect, interact and learn from the majority of the world.
I need to put others needs before my own vs I can't pour from an empty cup, I must serve myself before others.
I'm an incredibly flawed human being vs Im doing my best.
Gourmet Pizza is a rouse, less ingredients, double the price vs it's delicious ?
I have fixed mindset traits vs I have growth mindset traits
I am content with who I am vs I am seeking adaptation and developmental growth.
The world is incredibly fucked up vs We are living in the most wonderful time of human history. We are incredibly lucky.
Your beliefs are the keys to your happiness vs Your beliefs are the keys to misery.
We all have an inherent talent towards different skills and disciplines vs Our success in anything has more to do with hard work, effort and adaptation than it has to do with talent.
Everything will always work out vs You need to take action to ensure things work out.

I'm sure there are plenty more.

What opposing beliefs (if any) do you hold?

Wallace

Virtus Daily Blog #4 - I am dissatisfied…

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

?The movement of descent and discovery begins at the moment you consciously become dissatisfied with life?

I?m happy to say that im dissatisfied. Don?t get me wrong. I love the life I live. I love what I do. I love who I am fortunate enough to do it with. That doesn?t mean that I?m satisfied with who I am or what I am.

If you?re honest with yourself, you probably are too. Any individual who appreciates growth and wants to be a better version of themselves is bound to be dissatisfied. I want to learn more, experience more, connect more and love more.

Our responsibility as humans is to grow and adapt. To evolve into a higher functioning organism. To be more.

That evolution comes when we break down what we believe to be true. Seeking information which challenges our belief systems allows us to transcend our current capabilities and outputs.

The line to be a leader and to take responsibility for the result is short. Because when things don?t go well, few people want to stick around to fix the problem.

To get what you want. You need to stick around.

Be courageous. Take the action to bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be. You?ll make mistakes, you?ll fuck up, you?ll never actually reach that thing as the finish line always moves. But the person you?ll become along the journey will transcend anything you thought possible beforehand.

To your growth.

Wallace.

Virtus Daily Blog #7 - From The Eyes of an Intern

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

And just like that? 12 weeks went a lot faster than I would have thought. The mentorship that Virtus provides, taught me so much about myself, exercise and the environment you surround yourself in.

In July 2018, I was told to start considering work placement for Semester 1 2019. The impatient and determined person I am decided to get my placement hours sorted quickly. I rushed to get all my pre-placement requirements organised, so I could complete my hours over the summer break. This was probably one of the best uni decisions I've made.

I came across the Virtus Mentorship through my work placement coordinator, who sends out a bunch of emails weekly, prompting students to get placement done over the summer. I would spend ages scrolling through all the advertisements, overthinking each one. They were either too far away from home or something I would think I was not good enough for. When I came across the advertisement for Virtus, I was excited when I realised it was only 10 minutes away from home. Plus, it looked like a pretty impressive gym.

After spending an hour of stalking their social media and website, I thought to myself, ?alright this place looks cool?. From that moment on, the more I learned about what this company valued, the more eager I was to sign up.

In week 1 of the mentorship, there was a lot of talk about ?comfort zone?. This made me feel excited and nervous all at the same time. I remember thinking at one stage after my first shift, ?oh well I can always just give up and stop coming if this is way too much outside of my comfort zone?. I look back at this thought now, and laugh.

When it came to week 12, I really thought about how I couldn't see myself leaving. I hit a realisation of how much I had learnt, in such a short time. Each moment of lecture content, masterclasses and face-to-face training I observed, has helped towards my knowledge and awareness. Every conversation I had with clients and staff, has helped me towards building my confidence and communication. Looking back on the past 12 weeks, I realise how much this has contributed toward my personality and skills.

Overall, after the mentorship, I developed a tonne of lifestyle changes that have stuck with me. This includes daily gratitude, journalling, 5am wake ups, reading, mindfulness, always* being open-minded, confident and curious. Although, my biggest takeaway would be the excitement I feel for whatever the future has planned. And the thing is, I have no idea what that plan is. Before I started at Virtus, this thought would scare me. But now, I honestly feel more ready than ever to tackle any challenges that come my way.

*When I can help it.

Virtus Daily Blog #8 - Play your guitar

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

I was introduced to this concept earlier this week during a conversation with a friend and mentor.

We were diving deep as we recorded Episode #84 for the Virtus Performance Podcast. (It?ll drop in a few weeks)

It came up after I posed a question about getting out of bed in the morning and why we should bother. Cue the guitar.

When we are in a state of deep learning, introspection, self awareness or self exploration, we are tuning our guitar. We are creating space to be the best, most refined version of ourselves* (*So Far)

When we are experiencing, collaborating, and making the most of every day, we are playing our guitar. We are finding different ways to share our gift to the world by jamming on our guitar.

Now, I don?t play the guitar, I?m not cool enough, but i do know people who do. Some of whom have had that guitar sitting in the corner of a room, ignoring it for years.

If you?re one of those people, either literally or metaphorically, it?s time to pick up your guitar, and play.

Play your guitar, every day. It?s a simple assessment of our capacity to make the most of our lives.

You should be saying YES to the things that set your soul on fire, the things that let you play.

You should be saying NO to the things that don?t fill you up, that don?t make you excited to jump out of bed in the morning.

At the end of each day, ask yourself.

Play well.

Lachie

Virtus Daily Blog #20 - Break it down

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

When we set a big, hairy, audacious goal, we put it on a pedastal. Rightly so of course. It?s not a big goal covered in hair for nothing.

This can be great, positive pressure, to help you work towards it, but it can quickly become overwhelming and seemingly unreachable if we look at it in its entirety. I?m sure Hillary climbed a couple of sheep covered hills in New Zealand before he gave the peak of Everest a crack. When setting a big goal. We want to do one thing.

BREAK. IT. DOWN .

If you decide to eat an elephant? as you do, then you?re not going to eat it all at once. You?re going to eat it one bite at a time .

The same should be said for our goals.

Let?s play it simple and see if the numbers make sense.

Say you want to make 1 million dollars in the next 12 months. An insane goal. Especially by my lofty standards. Maybe we need to stop thinking small (I know I do) Here it is broken down

$1,000,000 / Year

$83.333.333/ Month

$19,230.769 / Week

$2,739.726 / Day

$304.41 / Hour (9hrs a day)

Now $304 an hour certainly isn?t anything to sneeze at. But that astronomical $1 Mill goal suddenly seems a little smaller. The simple process of breaking down a tangible goal can make even the most audacious goals seem slightly more attainable.

The next job, figure out how to make $304 an hour, every hour, for 9 hours a day, every single day of the year, and still have enough energy left to live and maybe buy a beer with your riches.

If you?ve figured it out, let me know ???? ????

Let's use a simple health and fitness example.

You want to lose 20kg of body fat this year.

1.66kg / Month

384gm / Week

54gm / Day

A slight manageable calorie deficit. Sufficient rest and recovery. And it's a shoe in. All you need to do now is to show up, and continue to show up until you're 20kg lighter. You don't even need to train? (But we both know you should ????

Break it down.

Don't eat elephants.

Lachie.

Virtus daily blog #19 - Everyone is Doing their Best

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

I believe that everyone, everywhere is just doing their best. With what they have. Within their current capabilities.

This is a hard pill to swallow sometimes. Saying that Elon Musk is doing his best is an easy sell. But to say that Trump, your idiot neighbour, the resident anti-vax num and your mortal enemy are all doing their best is a tough sell. This certainly isn?t something I have always believed, and something I continue to resist.

Some people are lovely, kind, generous people, and others are bitter, frustrated, arrogant dicks.

This is true. To an extent. But this is surface level. We very rarely stop and think about why people act certain ways. We should look a little deeper and potentially with slightly more empathy and understanding that some have had it much worse than others.

So much of who we are and what we are is predetermined. We come out of the womb and much of our future is established. Our genetics, our environment, the time we are born, the family that raises us, the country we live in, the current economic state etc etc etc.

The more time I spend reading books such as Outliers, Sapiens and The Selfish Gene all make a pretty good case for a fixed bandwidth of adaptation that we are given to work within.

I?m not saying that we have no control over our lives. Much to the contrary. What I?m saying that even if free will does exist, much of our being is pretty much decided for us.

If we have even 1% say in how things turn out, then it shouldn?t matter in the slightest.

The way we view the world is just fragments of stories we tell ourselves. Poorly stitched together to create our world view or perception of how the world works

Something I?ve been trying to do lately is look at everyone I encounter as not just the person they are now. But all of the previous versions of themselves they have transcended to become who they are now.

We were all children once. Bright eyed with our whole lives ahead of us. Unfortunately some/most of us forget that. (If this is you, read the Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exup?ry)

Life is pretty tough. Some have it far worse than others. Some have a larger capacity to wade through the shit. It?s unfortunate but that?s the way it is. I think we as a society need to find ways to understand this on deeper levels. To empathise with those who aren?t showing the best of themselves, because they don?t know how. Everyone is just doing their best.

All it will take, is all you?ve got.

And of course.

Be kind.

Because kindness is magic.

Lachie

Virtus Daily Blog #9 - Transcend and Include

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

One of the most important concepts in our development is to transcend and include. This was introduced to me by Logan Gelbeich [ @functionalcoach ] at his Hold the Standard Summit (Sydney 2019).

As we continue to evolve, we transcend our former self. We adapt to the challenges that we expose ourself to. We then grow into a version of ourself that has a greater capacity to deal with the challenges we face.

However, as we move to the next stage of our evolution, we can't leave behind our former self. We are not working from a clean slate. We have the knowledge of our past experiences, lessons and failures that have shaped us into who we are today. We cannot, and should not, ignore this.

We need these previous versions of ourselves to continue teaching and informing us. And sometimes we need to learn the same lesson twice.

It gives us perspective of where we have been and awareness of where we are now. From awareness we can begin inquiring into what we don't know.

To your evolution,

Coop

[ @simoncoooper }

Virtus Daily Blog #13 - The Social Media Paradox

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

Social media is like fire.

You can use it to warm and nourish yourself. It can be a tool for productivity and usefulness. It can be a catalyst for connection. You can spread kindness, love and support.

Or you can burn down the barn. It can be a weapon used for destruction and vitriol. You can spread anger and hatred with the intent to harm others. And you're always comparing whether your campfire is barn than everyone else's.

But here's the thing? It's your choice.

Are you choosing to use this platform for good and to make the world better? Are you adding value or not?

Choose wisely.

Coop [ @simoncoooper ]

Virtus Daily Blog #11 - The Worry Box

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

I want to introduce you to a concept. It?s called the Worry Box. We are all human, which means we all have our doubts, fears, frustrations and worries. We all struggle, that?s universal. What we tend to do with these struggles, is to hide them away. Ignore them. Pretend they don?t exist. Unfortunately, this tends to lead to inaction. Our fears paralyse us into submission. We are quite literally frozen in fear.

Cue the Worry Box.

Most of our fears are a lot less scary when we do two things. Identify them and face them

We can call their bluff, unmask the monster. Much like in Scooby Doo, the monsters aren?t real. They are simply just a guy/girl in a mask, wreaking havoc because of the perceived fear they cause. Once the monster is unmasked, the fear they incite disappears.

Fortunately, you?re in control. You can unmask this fear and expose it for what it really is, a roadblock in your way. I have a little exercise for you. Grab a piece of paper, or jump on your notes in you phone or laptop, and write down a list of your fears, call it your worry box.

What things are impacting your ability to share your gift with the world? To help out, below I have included mine. This was a tough list to compile. I definitely need to go deeper, but this is a start.

Making the wrong decisions when so much is at stake.
Being the leader of a rudderless ship, not leading us in the right direction
A lack of growth and progress
Upsetting others
Not providing enough support for my team, friends, clients and family
Not creating enough change, not impacting how I want to.
Thinking and dreaming too small
Never reaching my potential
Over committing to things that won?t help us move forward
Not being respected/appreciated/liked
Going backwards
Not being an effective leader
Leaning on my abilities rather than working hard
Losing what I?ve put time, energy, blood, sweat and tears into

Our evolution comes when we break down what we believe to be true. Our fears are the best place to start.

Cheers to you and your family

Lachie

Virtus Daily Blog #22 - What do you love to do?

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

One of my deep seated values is love.

As discussed in Daily Blog #22 , Love sits nicely in the middle of Excellence, Freedom, Awareness, Connection and Integrity.

Love is one of the most important ingredients required to live a meaningful existence. To love and to be loved is something that all humans should experience on a daily basis. Being capable of love, stems from our ability to be able to express the truest version of ourself, to be completely in tune with who we are and to be able to appreciate what we are and what we are becoming. I split love into two parts.

To be Loved

Love for ourselves must come before love for others. The most important relationship you can ever have is the one with yourself, If you?re not content with who and what you are, you?ll project those insecurities onto your friends, family and potential partner. This is an increasingly difficult thing to do. As social media and dopamine dumps become more and more prevalent, teaching ourselves and others to love themselves has never been more important. Don?t get me wrong, social media can be a fantastic tool, but if we are not content with who and what we are, it can be an endless pit of despair. My suggestion; Spend time on you. Learn what makes you tick, what pain points you have, and how you respond to situations. Understand your motives, are they driven by your values, or driven by your ego. Be patient, self exploration and understanding are lifelong conquests. Just do your best in the meantime while you?re figuring it out.

To Love

The other side of the love coin is your ability to love others. I believe that once you love yourself, your capacity to love and give love to those around you is immense. Selfishness becomes obsolete because you are so invested in creating a world that other people can live and flourish in, that you no longer feel the need to take everything for yourself. You transcend the centre of your universe. For example I hear this sentiment repeated and explained consistently each time someone close to me has a baby. I believe this is because for once, you?re not the centre of your universe, you?re not the most important person in your life. Your child is.

Love (much like life) is hard, theres no guide book, each of us are unique when it comes to what makes us tick and how we receive and express love. What we should work hard to understand, is how different people give and receive love. Take the book The 5 Love Languages - Gary Chapman. The way we give love and the way we receive love can be split into 5 categories. Physical touch, Quality Time, Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service and Receiving gifts. I won?t dive deep into it now, but I?d recommend taking a deep dive and learning about your love language. Read the book and take the test.

I?m not going to let you leave without taking some action. Below is a 3 step process to creating, and experiencing more love in your life.

Write a list. Titled: 30 things that I love to do. Spend some time on it, think deeply about what truly lights you up, activities and experiences which truly set your soul on fire.
Share this list with someone you love.
Start ticking things off.

Here are 10 of my top 30 to help you get started.

Coffee time with friends
Hiking and camping
Spending time with KP.
Exploring the world.
Competing: Football, Business or Beer pong for examples.
Writing, reading and expressing.
Drinking Beer or GIN. with my favourite people.
Learning about the universe inside our heads and the one outside.
Helping others uncover and express their true purpose.
Jumping on trampolines

Love always.

Wallace

Virtus Daily Blog #10 - Change is hard

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

Why creating a change in behaviour is so hard sometimes

Have you ever felt ?stuck? in a situation - especially when it comes to your health and fitness?

You?re trying to make a change, and you want to make a change, but for some reason it?s not happening for you yet?

You feel like you?re trying and trying, yet keep falling back into old habits and you never end up getting anywhere?

We?ve all been there.

It can be so so frustrating. We end up spiralling down the ?what?s wrong with me? loop. This makes matters worse, and our best solution at this point is to say:

?F*** it. This healthy lifestyle crap is too hard. Somebody give me a whole bottle of red wine and an entire tub of salted caramel ice cream because I give up!?

Now, if devouring a bottle of red and a whole tub of ice cream on a Tuesday night is your thing, treat yourself. Devour it and enjoy every second of that sweet, sweet goodness.

However? if this is a problem for you - if you feel like it will be followed by a cycle of guilt and self-loathing, if you spend the next few days beating yourself up, or if you feel like you need to train for 5 hours the next day to ?work it off??. then, Houston, we have a problem!

Here?s the thing?.

Our bodies are wired to keep us in a thing called homeostasis.

This basically just means to keep us in balance at all times as a survival mechanism. Everybody?s version of balance or homeostasis is different. MY body?s version of ?normal? is completely different to YOUR body?s version of ?normal?.

If the current version of homeostasis inside your physiology, is negative self-talk, self-doubt, lack of self-worth, being overweight, being unfit, stress, anxiety... If these things have been cycling around in your thoughts and daily habits for years - anything outside of this ?normal? balance for your body is going to feel weird.

Stay with me on this.

This is how it plays out in real life.

Example #1

You?re overweight, so you decide to decrease your intake of calories (great move) and you increase your calorie expenditure by exercising more. (Note: Your best bet is to hire a coach to help you with this so you do it in a healthy and sustainable way).

Your body notices this change in homeostasis, as you are in a calorie deficit. (this is good)

Your body then assumes something is wrong, so it sends around more hunger signals because it is so used to operating off a higher amount of calories.

The balance has changed in your physiology and it is trying to bring you back into your ?normal? state of homeostasis. In this case, it?s you being overweight. You then feel hungry, your body has alarm bells going off inside and you find it difficult sticking to a calorie deficit. So you binge, you return to ?normal? and no more alarm bells are going off. Balance has returned and in the short term... you feel better. But long term, nothing changes.

Example #2

You?re unhappy, you have a habit of beating yourself up and you are in a constant state of some form of stress/anxiety. You want to be happier, more in control of your life and emotions, and you want to feel good about yourself again. You put in place some interventions such as a new exercise routine. You consume healthier food choices, dive into meditation or a daily gratitude practice.

In this example, let?s look at a daily gratitude practice.

This involves you shifting your focus and thoughts to things in your life that you are grateful for. Your family, friends, job, car, health, eyesight, mobile phone, the weather, a roof over your head. This list can be endless!

The idea behind this is to shift from your usual negative thoughts, to more positive ones. We want to evoke a positive emotion inside you so you can start to feel better thinking about the positives in your life.

If you have never practiced gratitude before, this can be challenging.

There is a shift in the balance. You are moving from your ?normal? negative thinking patterns towards these new positive thinking patterns. Because this isn't your normal, your body thinks something is wrong.

Your body starts firing signals (hormones and other chemical messages) to bring you back to your level of homeostasis (which may be your negative internal environment).

Thoughts will come into your mind that will evoke negative emotions. You may have an incident at work and your focus will shift to the negative. Things will happen and your initial response may be reactive/negative because this has been your normal pattern of behaviour for years!

Now this goes waaaayyyyyy deeper than what I?m covering off in this blog post. But the point of this message is?.

Change is HARD

Especially if you are trying to break out of an ingrained behaviour/thinking pattern.

We need to be patient with ourselves. To push through into the uncomfortable to create a new level of homeostasis.

We want to be happier (duh). Then we can create new healthier, more sustainable lifestyle habits. Which will serve us for the rest of our lives.

In my experience helping people create a change in their behaviour?

The best actions to create change are as follows:

Figure out what you want and why it?s important to you.
Make a plan for you to achieve it. A coach can help you with this!
Set small daily/weekly actions that are simple and easy to achieve. (Max of 3 to start with - ?focusing? on 20 different things is not focus).
Actually follow through on these actions. This is where a coach can help keep you accountable.
Repeat forever.
Look back and reflect on your progress. Learn from your mistakes. Be proud of the effort you are putting in, and take responsibility for your results.
Enjoy the process and who you are becoming. There will be obstacles. It won?t always be easy. Sometimes you will want to give up. Your body will keep sending ?alarm bells?. Don't panic. As you transcend the person you were yesterday, focus on your actions.
Ask for help and support from those around you. If it?s something serious you are dealing with - speak to a psychologist. #itaintweaktospeak. We all need help sometimes. We all go through hard times and it takes a lot of courage to step up and ask for help. I urge you, be vulnerable, be courageous.

Keep in mind: Happy and successful people build up others and want them to succeed.

People only tear you down if they are doing less than you are.

Remember that and go win your day.

When you win more than 4 days in the week, you?ve won your week.

When you?ve won more than 2 weeks in the month, you?ve won your month.

When you?ve won more than 6 months in the year, you?ve won your year.

It starts with winning the day. Today. Win your day, today. (Then repeat tomorrow).

Jess Ryan

Virtus Daily Blog #51 - Desiderata

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

One of my favourite pieces of literature is this short yet powerful poem by Max Erhman.

So powerful that everytime you read it, another line will stand out in significance, dependant on how you are feeling, what you are thinking or what you are doing at the time.

Take your time in reading this. I'd love to hear the part which resonated the most.

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

Virtus Daily Blog #12 - The Cracked Pot

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

You are a flawed individual. As am I. We are all a little f**ked up, and that?s more than ok.

To highlight this point, I have a little parable I want you to read.

The gist, or the takeaways I?m sure will be slightly different for everyone. Here is what I get out of this powerful story. We all have our own flaws. In one way or another we all have a crack that we wish we could cover up, but if we learn to utilise our flaws, our imperfections, we can ensure that nothing goes to waste. If you think that you?re useless or flawed in some way shape or form, and you let it impact all of the good that you share to the world, you have it all backwards. Your gift is unique. You?d be doing yourself and all of those around you a disservice by hiding it away and not embracing exactly who and what you are.

Be amazing.

Be imperfect.

Lachie

Virtus Daily Blog #17 - Comfort Zone

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

It is easy to be comfortable. Life becomes familiar, and we get cosy with everything surrounding us. Before you know it you?re wrapped up in your doona, sitting on your beanbag, not wanting to go out and face the world. There is nothing wrong with staying in your comfort zone, if you have no intention of evolving.

I?m speaking from experience. I?m slowly realising the importance of pushing myself out of my comfort zone. The more I do it, the more I thrive on the results. The little voice in my head grows in strength and persuasiveness. It encourages me to try new things, create success through process and reflect on failure. In the long run, this has and will lead me to nothing but happiness, personal development, and results (kidding, I know I?ll continue to fail, be disappointed, overwhelmed and frustrated, but this is all part of the journey). But growth is never pleasant at the time. Upon reflection we realise how important our struggles are.

Breaking outside your comfort zone will increase your productivity and help you to handle change. Well, it has for me anyway. We are all human. We all have an aversion to change. It won?t just happen because you want it. You need to take action.

Think about someone you look up too. It may be a mentor, celebrity or a friend. Someone that inspires you and who you see always ?winning?.

This specific person isn?t special. They are just like you or me. But they have made a decision to live in that scary exciting space just beyond the edges of their comfort zone. This person has worked hard, in order to reach their full and current potential.

Let's say you have an idea. It is something you?re interested in. But you?re too scared, worried or nervous* to take that extra step and begin your light bulb moment. This is common and happens to us all the time. It can easily get to a point of giving up on the bright idea you once had, leading back to everyday life.

* Nervous and excitement is the same physiological response. One we look at negatively, one positively. Shift your thinking from nervous to excited.

What you think you can do to make this happen?

How can we push for that idea to occur?
- Write it out
- Set a goal
- Start a worry box
- Evaluate your worry box
- Think of possible baby steps
- Move towards your fears, embrace them, and tackle each one
- Trust yourself and make snap, smart decisions
- Use your resources and allies
- Talk yourself into it
- Look at the positive outcome and thoughts, not the negative
- Don?t make excuses
- Use every bit of confidence you have
- Place yourself in vulnerable situations
- Just ensure you know what success looks like

Every step you take strives you closer to a win or loss.

If it leads to a win ? such as moving the needle, achieving a goal or gaining a positive result, awesome work.

You got out of your comfort zone, and look at how far you?ve come. This is a success and provides a feeling of achievement. Be proud of yourself.

If it is a loss ? such as failing to achieve a goal or not achieving the expected outcome, no worries. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, carry on and go again. Learn from it. Have another crack. You just found one way that doesn?t work.

Stop and reflect on how you could have done better. Look at the positives from the experience, instead of the negative thoughts that you may be dwelling on.

Look at it from a different angle or perspective.

A slight shift in perspective can be all it takes to turn the unremarkable into the remarkable.

- Jas
@_jasminebirch

Virtus Daily Blog #18 - Self Fulfilling Prophecies

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

Do you ever make a prediction and funnily enough it comes true? We all have, and sorry for bursting the bubble, but you?re not a clairvoyant. You?re not even special. (Well you are in your own little unique little snowflake kind of way, but not in the real world, and you?re certainly not rare)

Here?s the thing. The way we talk to ourselves. The way we express our innermost beliefs. Determines (almost*) everything that happens in our life. It most certainly determines how we feel about it, and how we react to it.

* I believe that as we learn to understand consciousness on deeper and deeper levels, we will realise how much untapped potential and control that we have. This is a conversation for another day.

This means that the stories we tell ourselves, will ultimately determine what happens and how we feel about it. How we speak to ourselves is more important than almost anything else when it comes to fulfilment, clarity and actually getting where we tell ourselves how we want to be.

If you tell yourself you?re going to have a shit day, then don?t be surprised when you have a shit day. If you tell yourself that you?re always stressed and tired, funnily enough, you?ll always be tired and stressed. This seems like common sense, but seemingly it isn?t common enough.

In the book Mindset by Carol Dweck, a common example that is discussed is the unintentional bias of teachers towards gifted students. Teachers who are aware of a child?s previous high achievements are more likely to devote time to their development. Helping them improve and add to their capacities. Resulting in these children being at the top of the class. On the flip side. If little Jimmy doesn?t learn as fast as the other kids, potentially this plays up because he feels ignored and excluded, the same teacher may impose a belief that ?Jimmy is a little shit? causing a negative feedback loop to play out.

Teacher believes Jimmy isn?t intelligent, Teacher spends less time with Jimmy and more time with the smarter kids (who are a pleasure to teach), Jimmy continues to act up, annoy the teacher and fall further behind. This repeats itself until Jimmy finds himself breaking rules, getting in trouble, and struggles to find his place in the world because he was never given the opportunities that were presented to others. *Fingers crossed Jimmy can connect with a teacher or a mentor and find his growth and evolution somewhere else.

There can be externally imposed self-fulfilling prophecies, or self imposed. Awareness will help you realise and overcome A from B.

Almost everything is a teachable skill. If we can teach ourselves to utilise self fulfilling prophecies for good and positive outcomes, instead of negative, evil outcomes then our world will be a much, much better place.

I?m the last person to go super woo woo on some of these things, but the more I read and experience the more I realise our untapped potential is endless.

Enjoy. Be kind to yourself.

Change your beliefs.

Lachie

See the below terribly drawn image for clarification.

Virtus Daily Blog #34 - You have more than you need

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

Let?s kick off this blog with a Ray Dalio quote. If you haven?t read Principles. Do it. Its my #1 Book & the most influential to my growth. If you?re not a reader, it?s your lucky day, there is a Principles video series on youtube.

This quote sums up my feelings about the world today. We have plenty. Much more than we need, unfortunately, we also have plenty of decision paralysis. Studies are showing rising levels of dissatisfaction and unhappiness. We see others with more, and think less of ourselves, it?s a tough place to be.

I think that the world would be a much happier place if we are more intentional around what we do. And more aware of what we want. Rather than spending 10 years thinking about what may make us happy, just have a crack and see what happens. If you realise that new job isn?t the cure to your frustrations, try something else.

The most important part, is actually making the choice. Whether you?re right or wrong doesn?t matter much, as it will get you out of your head and into some action.

Action. Action. Action. Take it, it won?t happen by itself.

The quickest route to satisfaction is actually appreciating what you already have.

If you?re still reading, I want you to grab a piece of paper and write the following sentence.

I am grateful for;

Follow this with a page full of all of the things you?re grateful for. You?ll soon realise that you have much more than you need, and you?re too caught up in what you don?t have to be happy.

Shift your focus. Appreciate the little things. And for f**k sake make a decision.

Love always

Lachie.

P.S. Below is something I wanted to do. So I took action. In less than 2 weeks it?ll be a thing.

Virtus Daily Blog #40 - Understanding the Comparison Trap

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

Life is too short to sit there, and worry about what other people think, say and do.

Life is also too short to wonder about how it could be better, without taking action.

I could spend all day thinking about why I don?t have the life of Kim Kardashian. Or, I could, just accept the life I have. Furthermore, understanding that the life I have is because of the choices and decisions that I make.

Social media can be one of the biggest blames for comparing. It is so easy to click onto Instagram, and scroll through photos of Bora Bora or a skinny girl in a bikini. Once we see these images, thoughts come racing into our heads such as, ?wow I wish I was there? or ?this sucks, why can?t my body look like hers?.

And before you know it, the thoughts that cycle in our head are stuck in this comparative world. Once we are in this comparative world, minutes and hours are taken away from the actual world we live in.

Take action on the things you are comparing yourself too.
Comparing yourself to someone skinny? Exercise, calorie deficit, healthy living etc.
Comparing yourself to someone with muscle? Lift weights, consume protein etc.
Comparing yourself to someone wealthy? Work, grow, develop, network etc.
Even though the answer is much more complex than those few words, it can be simple if you create confidence in what you already have. Confidence is vital if you want to take action and stop comparing yourself to others.

Struggling with being in a comparison trap?

Learn how to be more confident
Don?t let thoughts consume you
Be grateful for what you have and the body you live in
Look at your phone less
Use social media as empowerment and motivation
Unfollow accounts that promote your thoughts of negative comparison
Follow accounts that interest you and promote inspiration
Involve gratitude and self love daily
Meditation , mindfulness and breathing
Realise that you?re not perfect , and no one is

Virtus Daily Blog #14 - Losing My Grace Was Hard; Finding It Again Was Harder

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

I spend much of my time listening to others problems and giving them advice. I don?t often take the time to ask for my own help, or listen to advice being gifted. This is ego, and ego isn?t a bad thing. In fact, ego helps us build an identity that sets us apart from everyone else. But there?s a darker side to the ego. It?s a side that tells you ?you?re perfect? just the way you are, that you know what is best. It slowly chips away at your ability to navigate your world socially, which will affect your psychologically. I?m no expert, but I look around and don?t have to wonder at the ?why? of higher rates of teen suicide. But maybe we can save ourselves, one day at a time.

?I know better?.

The ego will tell you this, based solely on your personal experiences. But this ego is a trickster, a liar, a demon. We want to think we are the hero of our own stories, but in going at it alone you risk overwhelming odds that are not in your favour. Being buried in the suffocating darkness of your own ego stunts growth. Put a plant in a dark room and try this for yourself. You can water it every day in the very best quality soil, but if the environment does not provide the opportunity for the light your plant will be stunted, and will wither. The light is our ally, that friend of yours who has experienced something similar in the past, or going through it currently. Your parent, your sibling, your boyfriend or girlfriend, or your boss. We can find the light in any who genuinely want to take the time out of their day to listen to your story and impart some advice.

?Losing my grace was hard??

Grace

noun

smoothness and elegance of movement.

"she moved through the water with effortless grace"

synonyms:

elegance, stylishness, poise, finesse, charm

courteous good will.

"he had the good grace to apologize to her afterwards"

synonyms:

courtesy, courteousness, politeness, manners, good manners, mannerliness, civility, decorum, decency, propriety, breeding, respect,

respectfulness

Grace does not have to solely be defined as a religious term for ?the Favour of God?, but ultimately it is loosely based around being infused with the best parts of the world around you and being able to impart those ?best parts? on others. In essence, we are all our own ?God?, and we can grant anyone our favour, or our ?grace? as is defined above. But it?s critical to understand that this COMES from us, therefore we must be able to find it within ourselves. In a world that is fast becoming dependant on external validation, finding grace within yourself can be tricky. It?s not something you?ll know you have lost until you hit rock bottom and hurt yourself, or someone else, terribly. I did both, and it took a meaningful conversation with some extraordinary people to help me find my feet in the darkness. I was born to fight, and with that mindset came an inherent ?resistance? to everything around me. Including advice. That was how I learned about the traps I had created for myself. My ego wasn?t done, I was down and for all accounts out, too. But it wanted to take more from me. I had to stop fighting and let go to know the freedom that awaited me beyond the darkness. And my ego lost all the power.

?How can you love someone and not yourself? .

Alter Bridge, ? Watch Over You ?. A song about facing the demon of addiction through the eyes of the addict, and through the loved ones watching helplessly on.

?I won?t succumb to this circumstance, because I know better.?,

?I don?t need to bother with this, because I know better?,

?Why won?t anyone listen to my advice, because I know better?.

I?ve had this song in my ears for many years, but have never truly listened to. It?s a lyric I sing under my breath when I hear the song, but ironically I?m just hearing the sound and not listening to the music. There?s something in that. Are we truly actively listening to what we need, what we want, and what impact we?re having on others? Or are we passively hearing, and just navigating through the fog of noise, joining the chorus of sound that everyone else is trying to make?

Are you trying so hard to be heard you?ve lost your own voice amongst the others? I certainly did. But further still, are we truly giving to ourselves? Or giving it all away to others around us. If you aren?t letting go of what you are, you can never become what you need to be. This goes for work, for school, for friends and family, and for significant others.

?How can you love someone and not yourself??.

?Stop. Breath. Turn and face the sun?

Being confronted by your demons is always a challenge, but ultimately the only way we can truly redeem our honour is to first acknowledge those demons exist, and they fear the light just as we fear the darkness. You won?t find these demons when times are good, they come out when your hope is failing and you feel the light is lost. They prey on you when you are most vulnerable.

?Stop. Breathe. Turn and face the sun? is advice I?ve received from my friend Greg, and it is truly wonderful advice to serve those suffering in darkness. Even when you feel all is lost, you can find the sun. It?s always there, even on the cloudiest day. But do not ignore the shadows at your back. Your demons lurk there. When we rely solely on the light our ego creeps back in and gives us a false sense of security. It?s terrifying to consider that our path may not always be bathed in the light; sometimes we have to face the shadows of our self to truly move forward.

Note: we never get ?less afraid?, we get braver.

?Confronting your demons?

I invite you now to stop, breathe, and with your new found courage turn to face the darkness. With the light at your back, and your allies to support you, you can now start confronting your demons head on. Remember, they fear the light. They fear you when you are at your least vulnerable. Like any bully, they don?t expect you to fight back. The scariest, and hardest thing I ever had to do was look myself in the mirror and say out loud ?What can I do right now to make my life, and my day, be a little bit less not-good. It doesn?t have to be perfect, because I am not perfect. It just needs to be a little bit less not-good.?

?We must take a breath, and know that to enter the labyrinth and battle the demon is the only way forward. But we neither enter, nor battle, alone.

Furthermore, we need not even risk the adventure alone. For the heroes of all time have gone before us.

The labyrinth is thoroughly known.

We have only to follow the thread of the hero path. And where had thought to find an abomination, we shall find a God. Where we had thought to slay another, we shall slay ourselves. Where we had thought to travel outward, we shall come to the center of our own existence. And where we had thought to be alone, we shall be with all the world."

- Joseph Campbell, The Hero with a Thousand Faces (1949)

I have a long way to go, but every day brings more courage. I make mistakes frequently, but I?m not afraid of the consequences of those mistakes, I long for the lessons they will impart. Look yourself in the mirror, and confront your demons. You?ll never know true grace until you do.

Cam Elliott

Virtus Daily Blog #16 - The law of diminishing intent

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

Imagine the world we would live in, imagine your world, if everyone (including you) did the things they set out to. if they actually executed what they intended.

We have all been there. We have a spark of motivation. A desire to make a change. To start something new. To remove a bad habit from our life.

We have an idea, we think of the endless possibilities, we get a burst of energy, excitement and we can?t wait to take action.

Then what happens?

We put it off until Monday. We give ourselves a ?get out of jail free card?. We handball off ownership to Future Us. Then Monday comes around and we don?t do what we said we would. Come Tuesday, we are a failure, so what?s the point anyway.

This is a bullshit attitude and an even worse outcome.

Welcome to the law of diminishing intent.

As the great Jim Rohn puts it ?The longer you wait to do something you should do now, the greater the odds that you will never actually do it. ?Each day that passes, you push that ?thing? you wanted to do a little bit further away.

It?s an integrity thing. Do what you said you would do, when you would say you would do it. We are all human (as i?ve said multiple times) we make mistakes. We forget things. We mess up. The important thing is to be accountable to the process. Show up. Do the work. Don?t beat yourself up if you don?t do it perfectly. You?re imperfect. And you?re doing your best.

As far as I?m concerned. The juice is worth the squeeze. And you?ll find as much juice as you can drink in the doing, not in the saying.

Take action.

Be Amazing.

Lachie

Virtus Daily Blog #15 - Positive Pressure 2.0

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

For some strange reason the Virtus Family have given me the keys to the daily blog.

Recently some guy we may all know wrote about positive pressure on a weekly wrap that clogs my inbox frequently , instead of being clogged I decided It was time to roll my sleeves up, grab my plunger and produce some ramblings (word vomit) of my own.

Hands up if you ever used to leave your homework, university assignments and or household duties to the night/hours/minutes/seconds before they were due to be completed. ???????????; I still even do it now even though I tell my students they shouldn?t.

There has been many instances to my detriment that I have applied this principle to both my student and professional life, after each and every instance I have told myself I will become more organised and make sure I am on top of things.

Let?s look at my track record with my report writing over the last 10 years of being a professional, there hasn?t been an instance in my ten years where I haven?t been completing my reports the nights before they were due.

It is now at a point where I intentionally create pressure to ensure I perform tasks required of me at work, I regularly bet my students of when I will get their work back to them. I set myself a deadline and bet them a baked treat that I will have their work back to them. Most times I win, but as we know life gets in the way and Jess (my lovely girlfriend) has had to bake a class set of cookies / muffins to take to school the next day.

The human body is a glorious beast, it is unfathomable to what I have put my brain and body through in my 31.5 laps of the sun. There is something about backing your self into a corner and seeing what you can produce when your back is up against the wall.

For me a great sense of motivation comes from proving the naysayers wrong, there is nothing better then achieving a task when someone said it would be impossible.

So aim high, back yourself into that corner, you never know where you might end up!

Moo Rooke

2 x Virtus Human Performance ?Best On? Award Recipient

Kooweerup?s Resident Hipster

Record Holder: Most cumulative hours of Lifestyle Food Network watched.

Virtus Family Member Spotlight: January

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

We want to celebrate the little wins.

Our member spotlight will celebrate the success and progress of one superstar from the Virtus Family each month. These answers will be featured on the Virtus Blog each month. Giving you a virtual pat on the back from the entire Virtus Family. Plus, if you're lucky, you'll also receive an actual pat on the back from a Virtus Team Member of your choosing.

Name:

Pete Keck

First of all, congratulations, bravo, any words for the camera?

Go team Virtus!

How has your decision to join Virtus improved your life?

Virtus has introduced to me a whole new world of ?gym? from the brilliant training, too the awesome people that give Virtus such a great vib. I?v built strength and knowledge, but also confidence.

What do you enjoy most about your training at Virtus?

The crew always having fun, at the same time motivating each other.

What are the habits that you have adopted since joining Virtus?

Mobes, and stretching

What helps keep you on track with your goals?

Create good habits and stick to them. Make a conscious decision in advance and hold yourself to it.

What is one thing you have learnt since joining Virtus that has changed your life?

There?s more to training then chin ups

What was your first impression of Virtus Performance?

Great people, really welcoming vibe. Everyone?s your mate.

What are you most excited about achieving in the next few months?

Would have to being kicking off recruits for career firefighting.

What advice would you have for someone thinking of joining the Virtus Family?

Do it! At the very least you might learn something new.

Any extra comments/jokes/memes or quotes?

What did the hat say to the hat stand? . . . Stay here I?m going on ahead.

Virtus Daily Blog #23 - Peak Performance Pt1: Control

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

This is Part 1 of a 2-part article.

Control is something that we often seek. We want it because it reassures us that whatever we are pursuing we have full power over the result. We are in the drivers seat, and we can go in whichever direction we choose.

But I?m afraid that I?m going to have to shatter that illusion.

Unfortunately, there are things outside of our control. There are always going to be variables that we have no influence over.

An easy example is the weather. I have no power to choose whether it is going to be sunny or rainy today. It might be overcast, it might be humid, or it might be the warmest day on record.

Yet, there are still things that are within my ability to control.

Instead of stressing over what its doing outside, I am going to make a decision to put my energy into the things that are within my control. I will wear shorts, instead of trousers. I?ll bring a rain jacket with me, or an umbrella.

Whichever decision I make, it will not have an impact on the weather. So why should I worry about it?

You can apply this principle to anything. Weight loss, business, training goals? It?s all the same.

Put your energy and your effort into things that you can control.

Side note: I am not saying this is an excuse not to take ownership over certain situations or the result. Or to ignore things that don't go your way.

Often things are very much in your control. This is a question of where to apply the most pressure to obtain a favourable outcome.

I'll give you a hint on where to apply the pressure... But you?ll have to tune in to Part 2.

Simon Cooper

@simoncoooper

Virtus Daily Blog #21 - What are your values?

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

Yeah, I'm that idiot beginning a blog with a definition. Let?s move past that once you?ve read it a few times.

To paraphrase a conversation I had with Simon Cooper and Logan Gelbrich on Virtus Podcast #83 - ?Imagine getting to 32 years of age and not being able to identify your core values, the things you believe and feel are most important in this world?

This started me on a little bit of a rabbit hole. Why do we need values? What do they give us? How can they help? Why bother? and of course, It allowed be space to assess my values, 6 words which I have identified, articulated and refined over the past few years. I like reading, that?s no secret, and I realised early on the importance of having values. So i guess I was fortunate that I stumbled across the need for them early on.

I?m fortunate enough to have realised this importance. If it wasn?t for Virtus, and the responsibility I feel to consistently be learning and growing, I may have missed this important life lesson. A lesson which I now utilise as a pillar of who I am and what I am doing.

Can you name your core values, and articulate the why behind each one?

If you can, then you understand the importance of defining your values, and you can pass this onto someone else. If you can?t, then maybe this little blog will be of use to you.

This will potentially inspire you to sit down and think deeply about what is really important to you. Your value system can drive you towards the life you want to live, and away from the life you don?t.

When creating my Values. I tried to stick to a few key intentions. They must be meaningful and memorable words. Ones that incite emotion. I want to feel excited by the prospect of living by them. They must lean on my strengths. If I am being the best version of myself, these are the words that I live by. They inspire me to transcend and include my current capacity, capabilities and edges. Simply put, they will force me to become the person I want to be.

Below are my values, with a simple definition. In my next few blog posts, I?ll dive deeper into each one.

Connection: Connecting with myself, the world around me, with others and with the unknown.
Love: To love and to be loved.
Excellence: Consistently showing up with the best version of yourself. Constant evolution.
Awareness: I am in tune with who I am, what I am and what I need.
Integrity: Doing what I said I would do, when I said I would do it.
Freedom: To be able to live the life I desire.

Once your core values have been identified, your next step is to live them, and albeit objectively, measure the extent at which you are living up to your values. I use a simple metric. One that I can touch base with every few months.

Rate each of your core values out of five. 1: Poor, 5: Excellent. Once you have done this you?ll be left with individual scores, and a total.

The next step. Set yourself 1-2 action points to help improve each number number.

For example my last rating/ action board looked like this.

Love: 4/5

Action 1: Find more time for KP. At least 1 intentional date per week

Action 2: Do something for someone else each day without them knowing it was me.

Excellence: 3/5

Action 1: Get my sleep back on track. Aim is 7 1/2 Hours minimum. (Currently at 6)

Action 2: Greet each client with a smile on my face. Be excited to see them.

Awareness: 3/5

Action 1: Continue Daily Journalling (155 Days in a row)

Action 2: Connect with people around me by asking inquisitive questions. 1 Per conversation.

Connection: 2/5

Action 1: Get back into daily meditation (10 minutes)

Action 2: Spend 2-3 hours per week at the beach or walking in nature.

Integrity: 3/5

Action 1: Check myself each time I delay a task that can be done now.

Freedom: 2/5

Action 1: Get control of my finances - Meeting with accountant and execution of daily tracking

As you can see, at 17/30 I have some work to do. That target of 30 will be like a horizon, I can continue to walk towards it, but I?ll always be chasing it. I?m completely content knowing that. What I do know is that the person I will become through living these values will far exceed my current capacities and intentions.

Cheers to you, and your values

Lachie

Virtus Daily Blog #27 - Peak Performance (Pt2): Process vs Result

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

This is Part 2 of this series. Check out Part 1 here.

In the first part of this article, we spoke about the concept of control. There are always going to be things that are in and out of your control. It is our responsibility to determine what is in our control and what isn?t, and hence what is worth spending our energy on.

We have a finite pool of energy and we need to learn what to use it effectively on. If we spend it on things outside of our control, it is wasted. We will be running on the spot, without going anywhere. This can lead to stress, disenchantment and failure to achieve what we set out to. However, if we know how to use our energy effectively, by focusing on things within our control, we have a higher chance of achieving our desired result. To do this we must take ownership of the elements within our control.

This is the process.

The process is our behaviour (i.e. consistent actions), our attitude and the energy that we put into it.

For example, if I had a specific weight loss goal in mind, do you think I would achieve this by focusing on the end result? Without establishing the mindset and habits to make this a reality?

Unfortunately, no.

However, if I approach my goal with a positive attitude and set out realistic actions that I can deliver, I can achieve my desired outcome. If I am invested in achieving the result, I will do all that I can to control the process. And, the magical part of this is, the process is where the enjoyment and growth occurs.

Finally, we come to peak performance. Peak performance is having the capacity to influence the end result by focusing on the process. It is the ultimate expression of our ability to do something. It could be athletics, at work, at home, financially, whatever. In all of these pursuits, we can control the process. We have control over how we approach our practice and what we do with our time. Focus on the controllable things that will build toward a favourable outcome. By maximising these things, we can achieve peak performance.

EXERCISE:

Grab a piece of paper. Think of an outcome that you wish to achieve. And write it down. It could be a training and lifestyle goal, a career move or a financial goal. To be honest, it doesn't matter. This concept applies to everything.

Now draw two columns and write the headings:

1. In my control

2. Out of my control

Now populate these lists with things that are in or out of your control. You'll find out pretty quickly that there are a tonne of things that are outside of your control. For example, people's perceptions of you, housing prices, how well your colleagues work and a million other things. Yet, you will also find that there are lots of things that are within your control.

So ignore those things that are outside of your control and focus on these things that are within. Success is never guaranteed but if we place our trust in the process, there is every chance that you may get to where you want to go.

Learn to enjoy the process. Because, ultimately, it is the only thing that we have.

To the process, and to your success.

Simon Cooper

@simoncoooper

P.S. comment below on how you went with this exercise. I?d love to hear from you.

Virtus Daily Blog #29 - Integrity

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

I spoke about my Values in an earlier blog. #21 What are your Values?

Today?s topic is one of those Values: Integrity

Integrity, is doing what you said you would do, when you would do it.

This is one of the simplest, yet hardest to live by values that I have. It?s a constant battle between your best intentions, action, and inaction.

To be honest, It?s probably an area I let myself down in the most. I don?t say I?ll do things just for the sake of it, but it is very easy to over commit to chores, tasks, or major projects. I am slowly working to set myself up for success in this area. To use resources and my own decision making to be able to make better decisions, and to follow through with what I say I?ll do.

Here are 3 things I?m doing to make this value something I live by more often.

Understand what I expect of myself. To aim high, but be realistic of these expectations.
To be aware of what others expect of me. Am i missing these expectations because of my own inaction or biases or are they expecting too much from me?
Stay present, remain in the moment, and acknowledge that if i say I?ll do something and don?t, I?m letting myself and others down. Most of the time it?s better to remove the lag time, and take action straight away. As Seth Godin Says ?Soon is not as good as now?

I need to be better, and I will be, good shit takes time.

Lachie

@theexcellencecoach

Virtus daily blog # 24 - Why Do You Train?

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

A cool thing my mate and yogi extraordinaire said to me the other day over coffee.

Where I watched my friends trained, and I made friends with a lacrosse ball, resistance bands and some belly breathing.

I am no stranger to injuries. A knee injury sidelined me for 18 months.

An ankle injury which saw me miss a netball grand final.

And a handful of niggles that amounted too much more time off than it should.

I woke up with some WICKED pain in my L4 - L5 region on Wednesday.

A region that?s been giving me grief for some time. The pain comes and goes.

I?ve learned, I have to adjust my training, training load and training MODE to accommodate for where I?m currently at with my back.

It's no longer about KEEPING UP,

At a detriment to myself,

To ?be the best? and it was at this moment I realised something.

Since I stopped worrying about keeping up, I was no longer faced with this pressure to be on top of my game.

This is when my thinking changed. This is when the game changed.

In more recent times, I?ve been waging an internal battle with myself, after having a few people asking me;

?Why I train?

I realised I didn?t have an answer.

So I asked myself;

I spent a long time thinking about this,

Contemplating,

Listening to podcasts,

Reading (more thinking) and this is where I ended up;

I?ve been training for the wrong reasons. I used to train to look a certain way, to be appealing in a certain way.

To find the balance between being strong and being ?toned? or ?skinny?

Which was so bad for my mental health and self-esteem.

I now look at my training differently.

I train for PERFORMANCE. To be strong, to be functional, to be an absolute WEAPON!

But, on a more serious note, I train to be the best I can be.

In the safest and most positive way possible,

And to turn my back on something that could have ended up being self-destructive.

So I ask you ?Why do you train??

No one gives a shit what you?re lifting,

Or how fast you?re going,

Or how far you?ve gone,

The only thing they notice is that you showed up,

Rain, hail or shine, you showed up.

Even when you didn?t want to,

You showed up anyway.

And THAT?S what counts.

? Be kind to your body, it?s doing its best.

Virtus Daily Blog # 79- Let go of the little things

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

If a four day weekend brings anything, It brings time to go inwards. To rest and refuel. To work in and do the things you need to do to feed your soul.

It is an opportunity to give. First to yourself, and then to those around you. To find a few hours to spend time with those you may have neglected due to the busyness that is life in 2019. That neglect may have been towards yourself.

A time to ditch the little things that don't serve you. To forgive and forget. To focus on what is really important.

Either way, enjoy yourself over the next few days. Fill your cup. Refuel. And touch base with those you don't see as often as you'd like.

Happy Easter.

Wallace

Virtus Daily Blog #28 - Choose To Be good Enough… I Dare You.

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

For years I believed I?m not good enough. I thought to myself ? ?When I get down to __% body fat, then I?ll be confident?, ?When I am running a huge & successful business, then I?ll be wealthy?, ?When I move out of home, then I?ll be happy? or ?When I am in an awesome relationship, then I?ll be fulfilled?.

It?s the trap of thinking ? ?If I do all these things? then I?ll be good enough?.

The truth is, this way of thinking leads to us never feeling like we are enough. We achieve the thing (whatever the thing is) then we want more. OR.. we don?t achieve the thing, and we use this as proof that we suck. We then convince ourselves that moving the goal posts and striving for the next big thing will make us happy. And only once we achieve that, will we be enough (because we are constantly reiterating to ourselves that we are not enough right now).

Now I?m not saying we shouldn?t set goals or we shouldn?t strive to be better than the person we were yesterday. What I am saying is happiness is a choice. Being ?enough? as a human being is a choice. It?s YOUR choice.

What if you woke up tomorrow morning and decided to feel happy? What if you woke up and decided you were good enough? Would you act differently? How would you show up at work? How would you treat others? How would you treat yourself? Can you start treating yourself that way now..?

Once we place this identity on ourselves (ie. I am a person who is not good enough), then our behaviour is in line with that identity we are CHOOSING. It all comes back to what we focus on. If I focus on all the things about me that make me feel like I?m not good enough, all I?m going to see in my life is more evidence that I?m right. That I am in fact not good enough. Alternatively, if I focus on all the things I do well at and that make me feel good about myself, I?m going to start seeing more evidence in my life of things I do well. And that make me feel good about myself.

A great example of this is money. For years, I believed I was a poor uni student with a huge HECS debt, living paycheck to paycheck and thinking I never had enough money. My identity around money was ?I am poor, I don?t have enough? and this was absolutely true for me at the time. It was also all I was focusing on so of course I believed it ? it was the ?truth?.

Here?s the shift:

Imagine I went to a 3rd world country and began complaining about my lack of wealth and my ?poverty? to anyone there. To someone who might not have clean water, a home, or the opportunity to have further education. The ?truth? for that person, would have been that I was wealthy. Their ?truth? would have been that I had everything I needed and more! I?m sure they would have loved the opportunity to go to university and have a HECS debt, or to earn a weekly income.

The point is ? it?s the same circumstance. The exact same circumstance. Different perspective.

Here?s the truth ? if you are currently reading this blog post ? you are wealthy. Period. If you have a mobile phone, or laptop or computer screen to read this on ? you are wealthy. It?s a shift in focus and a shift in perspective. That?s it.

I?m not sitting here telling you what to believe. You can believe what you want. My suggestion is to choose to believe things that SERVE you and be grateful for what you DO have.

My old beliefs don?t serve me anymore, so I now choose different beliefs. The biggest thing to note is ? my body fat % hasn?t changed, my living situation hasn?t changed, my job hasn?t changed, and my relationship status hasn?t changed. The thing that has changed is my perspective, because I?ve made the choice to shift my focus. My mindset is the thing that?s changed. All I?ve done is that I have decided to believe things that will serve me, so I can feel how I want to feel, and experience life how I want to experience it.

So, I now believe I am good enough because I am a human being that exists. Period. I believe I can feel confident now without it mattering what body fat % I am. I believe I am wealthy because I live in Australia, I have a roof over my head, I own a car, I have a job and I can pay for food each week. I believe I can feel happy if I simply choose to feel happy. I believe I am fulfilled and whole, whether I am in a relationship or not. I choose to believe these things because they serve me.

I now choose to be enough, so I am.

What do you choose..?

Virtus Daily Blog #26 - Be the janitor

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

Before you get uber excited I'm not talking about the janitor from Scrubs. But don't fret, my blog post ?Why Scrubs is the Philosopical life coach we all need? is only a few days away.

I'm talking about another janitor. One whose simple worldview is a significant reminder about the importance of playing your role. This guy gets it. He realises how paramount it is that you understand the bigger picture & the why behind what you do.

This little story seems too good to be true, so even if it is made up, I'm rolling with it.

Let's paint the picture. It's 1961, 8 years before NASA do the unthinkable and win the space race to put man on the moon.

The president at the time John F. Kennedy is being taken on a tour of the NASA facilities. Whilst meeting the staff and enjoying the facility, he stops by a janitor and introduces himself. He asks him what his job is?

To this the janitor replies

?I'm helping put a man on the moon.?

Imagine a world where everyone came to work with this kind of purpose.

Every time he swept a floor or cleaned a wall, he would have had the bigger purpose at play in the back of his mind. Every mop of the floor had meaning because he was contributing to something bigger than himself. 8 years out from the outcome he desired this mindset ruled his day. I can bet than more often than not he jumped out of bed in the morning, ready to contribute.

Have a think about how you approach your work?

Are you contributing to the bigger picture? What is your part to play? Are you playing small?

I hope it's more meaningful than an hourly wage, or a stock 40 hour work week. You don't have to be working at NASA to make a contribution that can last a lifetime. You have the capacity to make a difference, or you can be a non-contributer.

Be the change you want to see in the world. Or step aside and let someone else contribute.

Be the guy who gets it.

This story fires me up.

Lachie Wallace

Virtus Daily Blog #25 - Tribe

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

"If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together"

We as humans have basic needs.... we must breathe, eat, shit, reproduce, sleep etc. We need to be safe, healthy and have a roof over our heads. That's obvious.

What comes next is our need to belong. Our desire to love and be loved, be a part of something greater than ourselves, is one of the primal drives to being human.

This is a precursor to self-esteem, confidence and our pursuit of more .

It's part of the puzzle. And I believe that it is the missing piece in large chunks of society today.

We live in a world where we are more connected than ever before, yet many of us are isolated and alone.

Our ability to communicate with humans on the other side of the world, unfortunately, does not guarantee connection, and certainly doesn't promise a sense of belonging.

That needs to come from a community, a tribe, a family.

When we started Virtus Performance a little over 3 years ago, one of our goals and ambitions was to create a family. The tribe we are all seeking. I'm proud to say that we have achieved and continue to achieve that ideal.

We are just one of many local businesses whose mission is based around connection, love and growing their community. Commonfolk Coffee and Jetty Road Brewery are two who are doing this better than most, I'm proud to be a part of not only our community but the tribe of local businesses leading the charge.

Change doesn't happen overnight, it takes time to build. But if the world needs anything right now, Its a sense of belonging.

Those feelings of isolation, loneliness and a lack of belonging and the rise in mental health-related issues, can be partly remedied by the induction to a family of people, a family who will cheer loudly when you win and lend an ear or a shoulder when things aren't going so well.

I'm a big believer that (almost) everybody wants to contribute to their community. Everyone wants a platform to help and to give to others.

Do you have a tribe?

There is always a place for you in ours.

Wallace

Virtus Daily Blog #36 - Never stifle a generous impulse

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

Stop for a moment today, look outside yourself and look around you at everything that is happening.

Everyone you see is going through something. They are all humans. People with hopes, dreams, desires, frustrations and struggles. Trying to get by with their current capacities and understanding of the world.

Now take a look on your social media. It?s all the same.

We all have the opportunity to improve the life of all of those around us. Everyone whom we come in contact.

It doesn?t have to be a big gesture. Hold the door, Give someone a hug, Ask a question, Be there to listen. Just spread the love. The world needs it.

Love always

Wallace

Virtus Blog #31 - Choice and Obligation.

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

Here is an excerpt from Marketing genius Seth Godin?s Daily Email.

I don?t have much more to add to this piece of gold. But what I?d like to talk about is the impact that this simple paragraph had on me shortly after I read it.

I realised that the majority of frustratrations I?ve been having are stemming from the obligations I?m labelling as choices.

These are things I know I should be doing but I?m either delaying them or letting them become bigger problems than they should be. Or I?m not taking action on them which leads to dissonance both internally and with those I let down by not sticking to my obligations.

The simple fix. Identify what needs to be done. What I?m obligated to do. What I?m expected to do. And to do it.

The wonderfully upsetting thing about simple fixes are that they are rarely easy. In this instance Simple and Easy are not synonyms. But obligations don?t need to be easy. They need to be done.

An exercise that I?ve attempted, has been to split my obligations and choices into two lists. Once your obligations are understood and executed, you have much more time for choices. If your obligations are uncertain, you?ll spend more time in purgatory, that is not actually getting anything done.

Give the lists a try for each part of your life. Work/Home/Relationships etc and see how you go.

I?d love to hear if this helps.

Lachie

Virtus Blog #35 - Happiness is overrated, seek adaptation.

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

Most of us want more - Good.

Most of us want to appreciate and be grateful for who and what we have - Good.

Most of us want to improve and grow - Good.

Most of us want to be happy - Good.

We are very steadfast when it comes to what we want. That?s great, but we need to be more fluid. More adaptable. What we want should depend on our current state. Where we are in our evolution.

Unfortunately, as Ray Dalio so beautifully puts it. We can?t have everything we want, At some point we need to choose what is truly important to us and get on with it.

This depends entirely on the point in time that you?re talking about. There will be times when you seek comfort and stability. There will be times where you will seek challenge and adventure. The challenge is identifying what you desire, and making a decision to chase it.

Until you are grateful for what you have, you will always be searching for more, never satisfied, never content.

Life is like climbing a series of mountains.

You can stand back and enjoy the view, but true fulfillment will come from climbing the damn thing.

The decision to start walking may be the hardest one to make, but once you start it is almost impossible to stop climbing.

On the ascent, you?ll struggle. You?ll trip, you fall, you?ll be frustrated, you'?ll question why you started, but inevitably you keep going.

Stay on track for long enough and eventually you?ll reach the summit. You?ll spend time enjoying the feeling of accomplishment. You?ll take it all in, enjoy it, appreciate the work you?ve put in, and then what happens?

Adaptation occurs. That mountain which once seemed like an immense task is now conquerable.

Your mind drifts too to the next mountain, the next challenge.

it?s a little bit higher, a little more dangerous and going to take a little bit more of you to complete.

You?ll feel dissatisfied with the first mountain, even though you thought that conquering it would fulfill you.

What you may not have realised is that that feeling of fulfillment. Of happiness. Of satisfaction. It was only temporary. Now you want to chase the next one.

My point: If you desire to grow, happiness may have to take a back seat. You?ll be uncomfortable, you might suffer, you?ll feel like you?re drowning at times, but at the end of the season of growth, you?ll be able to look back and appreciate all the shit you had to go through to get to where you are.

To your adaptation & unhappiness.

Lachie

PS. Happiness isn?t overrated, it is everything it?s cracked up to be, as long as we have the discomfort and pain to compare it to.

Virtus Daily Blog #30 - You are not rare

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

We live in a world where talented, skilled and attractive people are everywhere. Plenty of them are good at what they do, and most of those have a heightened sense of self importance.

If you're good at your job. You're not rare.

There are plenty of ?good? coaches. Plenty of ?good? teachers. Plenty of ?good? professionals in many different professions.

We need to stand up and accept that ?Good? isn't good enough.

When we accept ?good? as the level we are striving for, then we are destined to be barely adequate, unmemorable, and unremarkable.

What a terrible place to end up.

I've been there, (I'm still unremarkable most of the time) and somedays I find myself sliding back down the hill, accepting mediocrity and succumbing to ?the resistance?

Whenever this begins to happen, I make a concerted effort to stop and reassess why I'm doing the thing. And where I want to take that thing that I'm working on.

Sometimes that effort pays dividends, sometimes it doesn't. But if I can ensure that the actions I am taking day to day are allowing me to continue to cultivate and evolve my true north. My reason for being on this earth. Then I can ensure that good becomes great and that great becomes world class.

I know what I say and write doesn't mean much if I don't shift the gears and turn these thoughts ideas into actions.

?The cowards never started, and the weak died along the way. That leaves us, ladies and gentlemen. Us.? //Phil Knight

I want to be rare.

I want you to be rare too.

Lachie

Virtus Daily Blog #32 - When are you in flow?

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

When are you in flow? It?s a question that we should know how to answer. If we can say what our flow state looks like, there is a good chance we will know how to get there.

Unfortunately, most of us, (me included) struggle to get into flow. Struggle to get in the ?zone?. And are unable to be as productive as we desire to be.

Sure we can blame the attention grabbing, notification flashing, phone beeping, boundary pushing 21st century lives that we live. Or we can take responsibility for our lack of productivity and do something about it.

Flow, if you don?t already know is that magical place between anxiety and boredom. That place where time seems to sit still, where you?re completely immersed in your work, seemingly invincible to any or all distractions that may be thrown your way. Simply put, it?s the place we all would love to spend large chunks of our days.

Jeanne Nakamura and Mihaly Cs?kszentmih?lyi identify the following six factors as encompassing an experience of flow:

Intense and focused concentration on the present moment
Merging of action and awareness
A loss of reflective self-consciousness
A sense of personal control or agency over the situation or activity
A distortion of temporal experience, one's subjective experience of time is altered
Experience of the activity as intrinsically rewarding, also referred to as autotelic experience

There is plenty of literature to dive into on the concept of Flow.

If you?re a video lover, click here for Mihaly?s Ted Talk.

If you?re a book lover, click here.

My suggestion.

Dive into the reading/watching. identify where you feel most in flow.

And do your best to organise a step by step process to spend as much time in the zone as you possibly can.

Me: I feel most in flow when I am focused on something/someone external to myself. When I?m writing on a topic I am incredibly passionate about. When I?m an hour deep into a podcast conversation I think will never end. When I?m helping someone find their purpose, meaning or true north. Or, when I?m playing a game of football and I?m just ?on?. Or even when I?m 6 beers in and being a pest..maybe.

To our flow.

Lachie

Virtus Blog #33 - The Pendulum Effect

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

We are all human (I hope). We all make mistakes. We all have problems.

None of this is new information. But when we have a problem, or make a mistake, we do our best to correct the problem, or fix the mistake. We take responsibility for our struggles and frustrations and have a crack at making it better. Occasionally, we are too close to the problem to understand how big of an issue it is, so it takes a big event or argument to realise and by then, it can be too late. It becomes unfixable. What I want to talk about today is the importance of self awareness and your ability to step back and see the problem before that happens.

I want you to look at any issue you have like a pendulum. The middle point is balance. You?re centred, life is peaceful, there is nothing wrong, it?s exactly where you need to be. However, as we know, the nature of a pendulum is to swing from side to side, this is a perfect analogy for our problems.

Let?s give an example from my life. I work hard, I?m proud of that, I enjoy to work hard and to spend more time than I have giving myself to my work and all of the people in it. What I?m starting to realise, that if i push to hard, if i continue to burn the candle at both ends I?ll burn out (again) and when that happens I?m no use to anyone, especially myself. When I?m starting to become aware of this problem, I shift my thinking and overcorrect. I take more time for myself, I check my email less, I spend less time on ?work? and more time with me. Unfortunately, this leads to a pile of responsibilities and obligations banked up from taking it easy for a few weeks. Then back to working too much I go.

Working too much is the top of one side of the pendulum swing.
Perfect balance is the centre.
Too much time spent ?working in? is the opposite side of the swing.

I?m not saying you need to find ?perfect balance? that doesn?t exist. you can try, but life will show you that staying there is practically impossible. This is where it?s important to be self aware enough to understand our patterns. If i?m starting to feel tired, fatigued, I?ll do my best to become aware enough to change my behaviour and shift the pendulum swing the other way. I know I?ll overcorrect, but that?s life. There?s no finish line, it?s a swinging pendulum. Understand that you?ll overcorrect, and use the momentum of the swing to help you get where you need to be.

To your swing.

Wallace

Virtus Daily Blog #43 - Judging a book by it's cover

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

?Never judge a book by it?s cover.?

This is horrible advice. Sure it?s a great sentiment on paper.

In a perfect world, you should get to know something or someone before you pass judgement.

But sometimes your intuition will tell you all you need to know in a fraction of the time.

If we truly value our time and our energy, we can realise almost straight away how we really feel about a person, place, or thing.

In a world that is constantly evolving, innovating and changing before our eyes, unfortunately we don?t have the luxury to read every book cover to cover anymore. We need to make a decision, own it, and move on.

Trust your instincts, or don?t. Either way, you?re probably wrong.

Lachie

Disagree with the above? Let me know why.

@theexcellencecoach

Virtus Family Member Spotlight: February

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

We want to celebrate the little wins.

Our member spotlight will celebrate the success and progress of one superstar from the Virtus Family each month. These answers will be featured on the Virtus Blog each month. Giving you a virtual pat on the back from the entire Virtus Family. Plus, if you're lucky, you'll also receive an actual pat on the back from a Virtus Team Member of your choosing.

Name:

Ebony Lane

First of all, congratulations, bravo, any words for the camera?

I wouldn?t have all of these achievements from this year without the help of Virtus/ coach Mitch Rowe. It means a lot and I?m so excited to see what I can achieve in the future.

How has your decision to join Virtus improved your life?

My whole motivation for the sport has changed. I am constantly building my body and mind up with so much strength, health and well-being. I am feeling so much better within myself as an individual by constantly training.

What do you enjoy most about your training at Virtus?

Seeing the results in myself and the amazing support and encouragement all the coaches/ members provide.

What are the habits that you have adopted since joining Virtus?

Building my knowledge on health and fitness and the way in which training can change your body for the better.

What helps keep you on track with your goals?

Constant support and encouragement from family, coaches, team members and friends.

What is one thing you have learnt since joining Virtus that has changed your life?

That anything is possible. Treat yourself with respect and the achievements will come eventually.

What was your first impression of Virtus Performance?

Different to any gym I have ever seen; but the staff are full of energy and welcoming from the time you step into the door to the time you walk out.

What are you most excited about achieving in the next few months?

Working towards and preparing for my performance at the Stawell in Easter. And running the best I possibly can.

What advice would you have for someone thinking of joining the Virtus Family?

You will change your life for the better and show yourself you can do anything you wish to achieve with the help of others that are passionate in assisting you.

Any extra comments/jokes/memes or quotes?

Look out for me racing in the 120m Women?s Stawell Gift on Channel 7 Easter Monday!

Virtus Daily Blog #38 - Which way do you want to go?

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

I love this clip. It?s a lesson that we can take with us into our daily lives. Often, we get caught up in the minor details. Our decision-making ability becomes blocked because of our uncertainty. We are not sure which path to take.

?What diet should I follow? Paleo? Keto? Vegan? What training program should I follow? 5-3-1? Conjugate?? etc.

We sometimes get to the point when we are so unsure that we simply turn around or we stay the same.

If we don?t know where we want to end up, there is no direction. The only thing that matter is that we make a decision. It doesn?t even matter what the decision is. Just pursue it. Tug on that thread, until you get to the end.

The lesson here is twofold:

Have a clear vision of where you want to go to.
If you don?t know where you are going, or don?t have a clear vision, just make a decision.

And whatever it is, commit to it. See where it takes you?

Virtus Blog #37- "I don't have time"

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

We (I) will often use the following excuses with things we think we desire.

? I don?t have time ? ?I don?t know where to start? ?I?m not good enough? ? I can?t afford it ?

Yes you do, You start by talking 1 step, You are enough, You?ll find a way.

What we should be saying is that I don?t care enough about the chosen outcome to change my behaviour.

At least not yet. This puts us in the dangerous zone of wanting but not doing. Of intending but not acting.

One of the most perfect lines from Seth Godin is ?I?d love to do that, but it?s not a priority.?

If you yearn to be and do more. Then excuses like ?I don?t have time? and ? I can?t afford it? won?t get you where you need to go.

Time isn?t your roadblock. Money in?t one either. Your priority list needs a reshuffle.

If you really give a shit. If you really care about doing the thing. You?ll move past the excuses and begin doing.

If you don't care enough, you won't.

Either way, it's up to you.

Face your fears, take action, and begin the process to achieving your most worthy ideals

If you need help starting, ask.

Lachie

Virtus Blog #39 - Celebrate The Wins

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

It?s time to take a stand against the negativity that plagues certain parts of our society.

Those parts (and people) who are happy when others fail. Those that laugh and gossip about failed dreams.

Dreams that those same people wouldn?t have the fortitude to chase themselves.

These insecure, non contributing individuals.

Most of us would know it as tall poppy syndrome.

Well

Tall poppy syndrome can f**k right off.

It is time to flip the narrative.

It is time to get around the people doing good things.

Things that will make the world (and yours) a better place to live.

Let?s celebrate the wins, and be there for support and a hand up when others fail.

Let?s build others up. Support their most worthy ambitions. Those having a crack, and being vulnerable enough to say that then want to improve their life and the lives of others. It is the most worthy ideal.

We must not dim the fire within these people. Contributors who are actually making a difference.

Get around your mates, remind them that they are killing it and be part of the shift towards supporting good people rather than knocking them down.

To the complainers, the non contributors, do something about it.

Wallace

Virtus daily blog #72 - Follow your dreams

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

When we are young, we are constantly asked what we want to be when we grow up, told we can follow our dreams and become whatever we want to be.

Fast forward 20 years, and it seems we are told the exact opposite. Settle down, get a job, don't speak up, align with the consensus. Society isn?t designed to create countless go getters, entrepreneurs and to be honest, the odds are stacked against us. Which is exactly the reason you/we need to step up and have a crack.

The world can be changed by those who believe change is inevitable. It is our responsibility to push back, to create change, execute our ideas and to create a dent in the universe.

Do something today to create a wave that can change the fabric of the universe.

Wallace

Virtus Daily Blog #41 - Don’t Stop

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

Just do your best.

Getting where you want to go.

Becoming who you want to be.

It?ll take time.

It will be the hardest thing you've ever done.

But, the good news.

You've got what it takes.

Don?t let anyone tell you otherwise.

But remember that it will take everything you've got.

You have to do the work.

You have to stay on the path.

You have to take it one step at a time.

You have to be in it for the long haul.

You have to be patient.

Just don?t stop.

The Universe needs you to do your thing,

Now more than ever

Virtus Daily Blog #42 - Urgency vs Importance

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:40:35 GMT

This is a post for those of us who have a full ?To-Do List? but don?t know where to start. If you are unsure what tasks to work on first, or whether they are even things that you should be doing, read on.

If you are reading this, you are likely to be invested in your own development. You are looking for ways to help you level up. By learning where to direct your energy and time, you can become more effective and achieve more.

We have limited time, energy and willpower to get things done. The resources at our disposal are finite. I?d be the first person to say that we should push ourselves to achieve more, and that we are always growing our capacity. Yet, there is still an upper limit.

If you struggle with what you should be working on or where you should be applying your energy, you should use this tool.

It will allow you to focus on what is important. It will allow you to put your energy into the tasks that most deserve your attention.

It?s simply a matter of prioritisation.

Activity

On an A4 sheet of paper, draw out the quadrant.
Label each square as Important/Not Important and Urgent/ Not Urgent (as above).
From your list of tasks to complete, place each of them somewhere in the quadrant.
If something is?
- Urgent + Important = Do it.
- Not Urgent + Important = Plan it.
- Urgent + Not Important = Delegate it.
- Not Urgent + Not Important = Eliminate it (or put it on the back-burner).

This exercise will only take a few minutes but it will have a big impact on your productivity and the way that you direct your focus. It can also help you decide what to do with tasks that aren?t deserving of your effort or time.

However, it will only work if you take action. If something is important and needs to be done urgently, do it. If there is nothing urgent, put a time frame on another task.

Unfortunately (or not), to make an impact on our individual world and that of others, we don?t have the luxury of inaction or inefficiency. We cannot afford to spend our time on things that are ineffective.

I would love to hear how this went for you and how it impacted your day.

To your success,

Simon Cooper

@simoncoooper