HOW JEFF NIPPARD TURNED SETBACKS INTO FITNESS STARDOM

In this episode, discover how Jeff Nippard transformed his dreams and setbacks into an inspiring journey to success. Once a young basketball enthusiast, Jeff faced the reality that his height might limit his chances of going pro. But instead of giving up, he pivoted, embracing his passion for fitness and building a career based on his strengths. 

Today, Jeff is a highly respected fitness influencer and YouTuber with millions of followers, known for his innovative, science-backed approach to bodybuilding.

Join us as we unpack three key principles that guided Jeff's journey: recognizing strengths and limitations, embracing innovation, and never giving up—even after major setbacks. Whether you're an aspiring athlete, entrepreneur, or just looking for motivation, this episode is packed with insights to help you find and follow your path to success.

Transcript

MY STRENGTH STORY BY JEFF NIPPARD

If you have been trying to figure out what to do with your life, start a new business, or struggling to overcome a setback, listen till the end to discover how Jeff Nippard refocused his dream of playing in the NBA to become a very successful fitness influencer and YouTuber.

Hey, welcome back to 3 Point Nuggets where I discuss courage, resilience, and grit to fulfil your dreams. My name is Bessy Ebule.

Jeff is a Canadian fitness influencer who was obsessed with basketball as a teenager and for him going to the NBA was everything he wanted to do, but there was a problem. He was 1.65m tall and considerably short for an aspiring professional basketball player.

 He used to watch and idolise basketballers like Vince Carter, Kobe Bryant, and Allen Iverson but he was particularly inspired by Allen Iverson, who, despite being short for a basketballer, was still regarded as one of the best at the time. 

Jeff recalls that Alan had a tattoo on his arm which read, “only the strong survive”. That phrase resonated with him because he saw that Alan had overcome the limitation of his height to become a successful basketballer.

Jeff believed that if Alan could do it, he too could. He began trying to try to jump higher than everyone else on the court so that he could be an exceptional basketballer. To improve his vertical jump, he would do thousands of skips a day and was practically obsessed with anything that had to do with jump training. 

But at a point, Jeff felt he had to be realistic about his limitations and strengths. When he was at the gym, he noticed he was making so much progress with weights and felt his hands were better for body building than basketball.

That brings us to the first principle from Jeff. Be realistic about your strengths and limitations. 

Let’s say you always wanted to be a doctor, but you find yourself always wanting to sing and perform on stage. At this point, you might want to consider capitalising on your strengths. If you are better at singing than Biology, then you might be better off chasing your singing career.

As George Burns said, “I'd rather be a failure at something I love than a success at something I hate”. 

These kinds of decisions will not be easy to make. You may have invested your whole life hoping you’ll wear that graduation gown, be on national TV, or sit as the CEO of a multimillion-dollar business. But if you make the decision after a very honest assessment of your skills, you will most likely succeed. So, do not fear to be realistic with yourself, with the things you are good at and the ones you struggle at.

That leads us to the second principle from Jeff. Be innovative.

When Jeff started taking an interest in body building, he observed that all the best science-based coaches and athletes were power lifting in their off season from body building basically separating the two. But Jeff had another idea. He thought he could build his body and be strong at the same time and focused on training to build muscle and strength at the same time.

According to Jeff, he read widely and discovered that a science-based approach would help him achieve this. He began to concentrate all the energy and passion he once poured into basketball into powerlifting and body building. If he could not play professional basketball, he was going to go all the way into power lifting and move into the fitness industry.

This was going on while he was still in school studying biochemistry and was not easy at all. Jeff would wait until after classes at 11 pm to catch a bus to the gym which was 30 minutes away. There, he would train till about 2.30 am before catching the bus home to prepare for classes at 8 am. Sometimes, you must push yourself to the limit to succeed.

Whatever you want to do, think about doing something differently. People love to see the innovation you are bringing to the table. If you are a chef, introduce a new recipe. If you are a musician, trying mixing genres to bring a new taste and vibe to your music. If you are an event organiser, try organising an event in a new location. You will be surprised at the reception.

Hey, before I go into the third principle from Jeff, if you’re new here please subscribe to the channel. On this channel, we focus on successful leaders who overcame their limitations to succeed, and we encourage you to apply those same principles into your situation so you too can succeed. 

Now let’s look at the third principle from Jeff. Don’t give up. 

Jeff’s hard work paid off and he won a silver medal at the Canadian Nationals for power lifting. He then knew that he would need to improve on his deadlifting to compete in the Arnold with the best in the world. So, he began deadlifting five days a week until one day everything crashed.

While he was in a training session at the gym, he felt his back become rock solid and had to be carried out of the gym on a stretcher. This meant he had to drop out of the Arnold competition he so desperately wanted to be in. To further compound the problem, Jeff became afraid that he was going to get injured again if he went back to the gym. 

At the same time, he had started gaining popularity online as athletes began to follow his fitness programs. It was at this time that Rise, a sports fitness brand in North America approached him with the idea of his own signature line.

Today, Jeff is a successful fitness expert, bodybuilder, and YouTuber with over six million subscribers. He is known for his science-backed approach to training and nutrition. In addition to creating content, Jeff also develops workout programs that emphasize strength and muscle growth through scientifically sound principles, setting him apart in the fitness industry. 

You should not give up so quickly on your goals. There might be disappointments along the way, but that should not be the end of the road for you. If your proposal is rejected, write it again. If you are made redundant at work, look for another job or business you can do and if your start up fails, start another one.

Jeff was realistic about his strengths and limitations, he was innovative, and he did not give up. If you capitalise on your strengths, if you are innovative, and if you don’t give up you will most likely succeed. 

Let me know in the comments what your story is? What one principle from Jeff are you going to apply to your own life?

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Always remember, With God all things are possible. I’ll see you in the next episode. God bless you.