I’ve always had this belief of "put in the work when no one's watching" - but it wasn’t until I heard Tyrone Ross use this phrase on a podcast that it really drove the message home.

Pretty much my entire life has consisted of reps for nothing.

Putting in countless hours of work to succeed in one moment or one season.

And now as an entrepreneur, I’m unbelievably grateful for those reps for nothing.

I grew up playing every sport, but latched on to baseball and football.

I loved lifting, I loved practice (most of the time), I loved competing, I loved the team atmosphere -- I loved everything about it.

But what I think I loved most was succeeding at something that I knew I put a lot of work into.

'Reps for nothing' means putting in the work and honing your craft, even when no one's paying attention.

While I always pictured it in my head as a sports reference, I've come to realize reps for nothing translates to almost every aspect of life.

Without putting in reps when no ones consuming your content, you won't be able to develop the skills needed to create things people yearn for.

Without putting in the reps and writing with no audience, you won't be able to finally break through and put out that piece that changes your career.

So if you ever feel like all your work isn't paying off, just remember that those reps for nothing are leading you closer to your something.

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Essay #67 - 6.1.21