Ryan Douglas Montgomery

It’s been a while since I’ve had a photo with Santa, but the little elf we brought along convinced us of the necessity. Said elf also behaved himself very well during breakfast at Citrus right beforehand. @ Lynnhaven Mall

Had a great day touring America’s largest house, the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. Thankfully Lincoln remembered to bring his stroller this time so I didn’t have to carry him around everywhere 🤣 @ Biltmore Estate

The nurse recommended the “football hold.” Considering where Lincoln’s nose and mouth end up, I’m thinking that advice was just for mom...🍼 Also, happy Wednesday! 🐪

Sometimes you never know who’s watching; believe it or not, you’re always making an impact on someone. I define leadership as an exertion of influence over somebody, such that you inspire their follow-on actions. That’s just me; I didn’t read that somewhere.

Hi**er, Mussolini, and Pol Pot were all effective (not good, but effective) leaders, because they knew how to motivate large groups of people to buy into and act in accordance with their respective beliefs. Lesson learned: always be aware of the influence you have over those who look up to you. They may act accordingly.

That said, are you a source of inspiration for those you interact with, or are you a source of discouragement? That’s up to you. Keep in mind that someone’s interaction with you could very well be the first positive experience they’ve had that day. Don’t take your influence for granted.

BTW this little man was SO done with our photo shoot by this point! Just seconds later he was screaming. He doesn’t know English yet, but I’m still leading him by example, still talking to him, and still making him my life’s number one priority. If I died tomorrow, my wife would be able to honestly tell him that Dad loved him.

I’ve often preached that the excuse of not having time means nothing, because we all have the same 24 hours each day. Many people believe it takes a lot of time to get strong, lean, and athletic, but the exact opposite is true. 💡

During the day that Lincoln (pictured above rocking his Kino onesie) was born and the two days following that, I ate, slept, and exercised less than I normally do. More specifically, the sleep and exercise were nearly non-existent, so appetite became the least of my concerns. This is the result of being truly present in the moment and devoting your time and energy to what’s really important. 😎

Without food and exercise on my mind, I was incredibly productive during those days. The physical results were about 3 pounds of weight loss and no loss of strength the next time I trained. 💪🏻

Bottom line: it takes time, effort, and money to be fat; to shop for, purchase, prepare, and consume all the food it required to sustain the pounds that we like to categorize as “stubborn.” JUST EAT LESS AND DO MORE. It really is that simple. If you want to learn more about my wildly unorthodox, yet wildly effective fitness methods, LINK IN BIO. ✌️

We’re officially “Montgomery party of 3”! Lincoln Douglas Montgomery is a week old today and living his best life. It’s been a crazy awesome week welcoming our newest member of the family. Huge thanks to all the grandparents who have lightened the load and allowed the new parents to get some much-needed rest. Lincoln’s looking forward to meeting the rest of his aunts and uncles!

This is the man (left) who turned a 5’10” guy with no hops (me) into a high jump league champion 10 years ago. When I found out that Coach Richardson was in Norfolk for the week, there was no question that we would have to catch up.

Even though your face may be glued to the screen of a computer or smart phone all day (not necessarily a bad thing, because that’s how I found out that he was in town), it’s important to make time for face-to-face reunions and real conversation. 👍🏻 I’ve met my wife Melia’s cross country and track-and-field coaches from her high school years, and each time I’ve either learned something new about her, or something that I already knew made a lot more sense💡

Seeing your mentors, teachers, and coaches from years past and hearing what they remember about you and why really helps you understand what stood out about you and what impact you had on them. You don’t always get that in a Facebook or Instagram story. DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT GOT YOU WHERE YOU ARE NOW! Make the time, thank them, and stay in touch 😎 It’s worth every minute.