The 4D Effect

What separates those who succeed at the highest level from those who fall short?

In this powerful and personal episode of The Nutrition Factor, Dr. Jimmy Steger steps outside of traditional nutrition talk to share a mindset framework that has driven his success across decades, as a world champion martial artist, elite athlete, coach, and business leader.

Introducing The 4D Effect, a simple but transformative blueprint for achieving greatness in any area of life:

• Desire – the spark that gets you started
• Determination – the grit to keep going when it gets hard
• Dedication – the commitment to the process, day in and day out
• Discipline – the ultimate separator between average and elite

Drawing from a lifetime of experience competing, coaching, and building a thriving fitness and martial arts organization, Dr. Steiger breaks down how these four traits show up in champions—and how you can apply them to your own life, whether it’s in business, relationships, health, or personal growth.

This episode is more than motivation, it’s a call to action.

www.drjimmysteger.com

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to the Nutrition Factor. I'm your host, Dr. Jimmy Steiger, and today's topic is going to be a little bit different than what we normally put on our podcast for you. Today I'm going to be talking about the 4D effect. This is a topic that I uh came up with many years back when I was invited to speak at some of the martial arts functions that I attend throughout my course of my career. I've been fortunate enough to be inducted into over 43 World Martial Arts Hall of Fames. And recently I was invited to speak on the topic of leadership and what it took for me to get where I'm at today. And I've had an amazing life. I've been successful in many different fields. And uh when it comes to martial arts, that's what I chose to be my profession after having a successful career in amateur bodybuilding. I competed for about 12 years, 15 years, and then started running an organization. I was an amateur, competed, and uh won a lot of shows. Never wanted to really turn pro as a bodybuilder because I didn't want to do what it took to get to that level under certain banners. However, I did uh fulfill the obligations I needed as an ANPPC uh drug-free bodybuilder, did very well. I was very fortunate and uh started promoting drug-free bodybuilding shows around the country. And then um I could not compete as a bodybuilder, really competitively full-time, and then be a professional martial artist. So I continued to bodybuild and will always bodybuild. I have a health club, and that's what we do here. We teach, train people, athletes, amateurs, pros. We also work with everybody under the sun from the age of four and up in personal training and health and fitness. So that's a big, big part of our business at JS Training Systems Incorporated. However, when I was asked to talk about something other than doing a self-defense seminar or a seminar on bodybuilding or training or personal fitness, I was asked to do this. And so throughout all my years of being a champion martial artist, I've won the world championship 20 times successfully. I fought for 20 years, I was undefeated. I've done kata, I've done weapons, we've done jujitsu, we've done judo, and I've had an amazing career in the field of martial arts. I've been very blessed. I competed at a high level in golf, and uh early on I was a pro motocrosser as well. So I've done a little bit of everything in the field of sports, and I started off early at the age of six years of age. My dad was a pro baseball player, and I was playing baseball at a competitive level from the time I was six years of age up through high school. Played every sport there was, was very successful, very blessed. So I've been an athlete my entire life, so I can clearly talk on the subject matter in regards to what it takes from my personal experience, what it takes to be a champion in any field, because I've interviewed, talked to, and trained a lot of professional athletes in every field out there except probably lacrosse, maybe rugby, and hockey, because we don't have that down here in the south. However, I did play six different sports and once again enjoyed them and played at a very, very long time, those particular sports and love, each, sleep, and breathe ball of all types. So today we're going to talk a little bit about what it takes to be a champion. And once again, you can use this for any field you're in, and you can also use this in your marriage andor building an empire, which I've been very successful at building an amazing health, fitness, and martial arts facility for over 45 years. So I'm very blessed once again through God's power of doing what I do. So without further undo, let's uh talk a little bit about this because recently I gave a speech at a Hall of Fame, and the following is what I gave a speech on to help a very large crowd talk to the youngsters as well as the adults in the crowd on what I feel is essential for being a true champion if you're gonna be dedicated um in any field of sports or particular area of your life. There are essentially four traits that will get you to the top in anything you do in life. All true champions and leaders have these traits, yet most don't really realize it. However, they have these traits and just know how to make things happen when others seem to fail. I've been around a lot of athletes throughout my entire life, and I picked up on this early when I was playing team sports because I could watch people in the huddle or in the dugout or on the court and was playing ball, and some guys got it, some guys didn't. Some were just naturally talented, some were not, some had to work harder, some had heart, some didn't have heart, some had talent. And so when we're looking at these traits, these are the four that I've put together for people to have a better understanding about who they are. Maybe they can't put it together in their mind or know what it takes to get there, but these are the ones that I've built over the past 40 years of competing. Number one is desire. The desire to do something based on what your perception of the outcome will be is what drives you to have this desire. If you don't have desire, you will not start the project. It's a process, and this is where it all starts in your mind and in your heart. If you can conceive it, you can achieve it, and no one can stop you. This is very important. I see this with athletes that I train and I coach for over 20 years in several different sports, and I can clearly tell you I can see this in a child or a youngster at the age of six, seven, ten years of age, very quickly when I work with them, whether it be in the gym, in a martial arts school, or on the field training them. So when we talk about desire, we talk about having that ability in anything you do, from marriage to running a successful business. You must have the desire to do this. Your mind is a very strong tool, the strongest of all things you have to work with. Therefore, you must have a desire to move forward. By what means will this happen, you ask? Well, if you desire something bad enough, you will find a way and nothing can stop you. The desire is there. So now we've got number one out of the way. We have created desire within our own heart and our own mind. Number two is determination. Determination is what can make you better than anyone around you in your quest to be the best you can be. Some people they have the desire to do something, and indeed some do, but this is where determination comes in. Do they have the determination to stay focused for the long haul? Do the grind, do the hard work, do what most people will not do. Most don't have this. Let's be realistic. That is why there are only certain people that are out there working as their own boss. Most people are working for other people. And this is very important. If you own a business, you're going to learn to do what it takes to make things happen. It's not easy. However, it can be worth it if you do it correctly. It takes a tremendous amount of this to make it to the top. Remember, first, you must discipline your mind, and then the things you program yourself to do on a daily basis must be ingrained in your thinking process so as not to deviate from this ever. You don't deviate from the process. Once you start, you're committed. You go full tilt. This, too, is where a lot of people cannot hold it together. So this is extremely important because failure once again has brought a lot of people down. This is not always a bad thing. This is where a true champion-minded person will get up and figure out what they have done wrong and start over again. Never giving up is a part of the process. This is where the desire must pass through your head again and again and ask myself, do I really want this? The answer must be yes, most definitely. Never ever giving up to the initial desire you originally wanted. Are you really determined? This creates the number three part of my foundation. It's called dedication. You must be dedicated to the project, regardless of whatever you're doing. Remember, this whole 4D effect applies to anything you want in life. Are you dedicated to doing whatever it takes to be the best? This means sometimes doing the same thing over and over and over again, seemingly not going anywhere. We look around, we say to ourselves, I can't believe I'm doing this. However, I am dedicated to the process because I believe. I believe in me. When no one else will, you have to believe in yourself. This is where our true faith in God comes in because we may not see it working out right here and right now, and none of this can be accomplished without the fourth and final trait of a winner. Discipline. Discipline is the most important thing you can have in life. In order to achieve anything at a high level and make it to the top, regardless of what you're after, you must discipline your mind to do what others want. World champions in any sport and leaders at the top of any game we call life must have this. Discipline is the innermost drive that one has in order to say no. They could give up and they could let it go. Say yes, give in, slack on their original goals, just give in, just let it go, just quit, be a quitter. No. Discipline is truly what it all boils down to. Do you have it or do you not? Discipline is integrity's big brother. They work so close in actions that this is the key to making it all happen. Getting up day after day after day with that same desire, determination, and dedication for yourself and getting it done when no one is looking. Yes, there's a lot of things you're going to do in life you must do on your own, and I can clearly tell you I have done everything that way because I was an only child. I had a great father or a great mother who taught me some of these things. However, when it comes down to the bullet point, you have to do it yourself. We're not looking for a pat on the back or someone to keep telling us how good we're doing. We have this natural built in our spirit and soul because we care enough to help others achieve greatness just the same as making ourselves a winner, a champion, or a leader. I know this all too well through being in business. I didn't get in business to say I want to be a millionaire, I want to make tons of money, I want this, I want that. I never wanted. So I know what it's like to wake up every day and feel amazing, and I want to help others achieve the same thing. So we don't want more so we can prove to someone else. No, we want to prove it to our own self because we are different than most. We just want to succeed at the highest level and truly want the best for our fellow man as well. None of these four traits can be bought. It is truly our heart and soul and a God given ability to excel in whatever it is He has in store for you, and you feel it to the core. You must feel this deep down. If you have no discipline in your life, you will never make yourself all that you could be in life in any things you do. True leaders emerge when others fail because they lack something deep inside. You must be dedicated to whatever you're doing with your whole heart, which takes us back to the initial desires of what we are after in the first place. Now you must ask yourself, is there something you really want in life? Okay. Then you must say to yourself, and be realistic by all means. Do I have the desire to do whatever it is that I really want out of this? Am I determined enough to do this? Whatever it may take? And am I dedicated toward this project fully? And do I have the discipline to make it all happen? Only you truly know this because you know you. No one else knows you as well as you do. If your answer or all yes to these questions, then what are you waiting on? Go ahead and just do it. Quit sitting around, make it happen. All successful people know how to work their rear ends off, and that's what it takes. God has your path laid out for you in life. He is totally in charge of where you're headed and where you're going to be. One, five, ten years down the road, and more and even more. So don't procrastinate about it. This is your worst enemy. What is your heart telling you? Do not wait any longer. Put your game plan together. Start on it today. Right now. Change your attitude to be a winner, to be a hustler, to be a doer. Success doesn't just happen. You have to work for it. And remember, if you should fail, don't ever, ever quit. Get up and go again and again and again. Don't become weak. Be strong. Hold your head up high and put a smile on that face and go again. You have to hustle. Pain is a weakness leaving the body, and it has to come out. So let it out. Now, let's move forward and be a winner in life. And everything you do, you can do it. It's all on you. Hope you've enjoyed this message. I'm Dr. Jimmy Steinger. To learn more about what we do, go to dr Jimmy Steiger.com. If you want to give us a call for some of our services, you can give us a call at 251-660-1240. I'd love to help you out in any of your health, fitness, and or martial arts needs. God has blessed me and my family, and I can clearly tell you that what I've talked to you today about is a way I've lived my life, my entire life. And I've been super blessed, and we hope you are as well. Remember till next time, stay healthy and God bless.