- Eric Rakofsky, Boxer turned wellness/fitness Coach.
TG: What is the first thing you do when you get out of bed?
ER: I pray and express gratitude. I pray for health and happiness for myself and loved ones. I ask for guidance and to find joy in the day.
TG: What gives you energy?
ER: Healthy exercise regime. Healthy but enjoyable diet. Integrated with a few moments of “me time” throughout the day.
TG: What’s your secret life hack?
ER: Understanding my purpose and knowing that to fulfill it my needs must be met.
TG: Name a book that changed your life.
ER: When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
TG: Tell us about your relationship with your phone. Does it sleep with you?
ER: It is a tool I utilize to my benefit throughout the day. I am continually learning new ways to shut if off when it is not needed. My favorite apps are https://joinladder.com, Caviar, Uber, Instagram, and Quartz. I do fall asleep listening to podcasts such as Tim Ferris, Joe Rogan or Sports Center. That said, the phone is positioned far from my pillow.
TG: How do you deal with email?
ER: I try and skim my email throughout the day, and if it require immediate action and full attention I will plan and set aside time to take care of it. Usually, I go through all my emails in the evening. I never let myself get stressed out about emails. I am confident in my ability to meet the needs.
TG: You unexpectedly find 15 minutes in your day, what do you do with it?
ER: I take those 15 minutes and do my best to stretch it out to 30 minutes. With 30 minutes I will go get a foot massage or sit in the sauna. It is important I take care of my physical health.
TG: When was the last time you felt burned out and why?
ER: About 4 months ago, I started to feel burnt out. About 4 hours into my day I would finally get time to myself to eat or work-out. This pattern made me realize that I was starting my days without taking care of myself.
TG: When was the last time you felt you failed and how did you overcome it?
ER: I set a small goal for work and within the first week I reached that goal. I realigned my goals, and set a new one, much higher then before for the end of the month and I came up short on that goal. That didn’t sit too well with me. From this experience, I was able to creatively find another solution, and learned how I could do better for next time.
TG: Share a quote that you love and that gives you strength or peace.
ER: Eric Thompson once said “When you want to succeed, as bad as you want to be breath, then you will be successful. This quote gives me strength and fire!!!