The 8 Hidden Costs of Success:

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Welcome to The Movement Memo, a bi-weekly newsletter where I share actionable tips to help you live your best day ever, every day.

Today's Programming 

• Movement: 20-minute EMOM

• Quote: Maslow on choices 

• Lesson Learned: The 8 hidden costs of success 

• Optimization: Personalized health optimization for men

Today's Movement 

Complete as a 20-minute EMOM (every minute on the minute):

• Minute 1: 15/12 cal row

• Minute 2: 16 wall balls (20/14 lbs)

• Minute 3: 15 GHD sit-up

• Minute 4: rest

Today's Quote

The real flex isn’t conquering the mountain—it’s staying whole on the way up.

Success isn’t the summit; it’s knowing when to pause, pivot, or change the climb entirely.

Win or lose, the view only matters if you’re still you at the top.

And when the work becomes the game, you have officially won.

Today's Lesson Learned:

The Shadow Side of Success: Lessons from the Trenches

1.  Every Win Comes with a Hidden Cost

Every choice you make comes with a silent trade-off.

When you say yes to something, you’re saying no to something else. The problem–you rarely notice the things slipping away—until they’re gone.

When I started Ironman training, I didn’t realize I was unintentionally skipping Sunday brunches with friends. It seemed harmless at first, but before I knew it, my old social circle had drifted.

In recent years, I’ve learned to time-block joy, making space for meaningful social activities alongside my goals. It’s no longer a choice between one or the other.

Success is like packing a suitcase—if you keep adding things, something else eventually gets left behind at the gate.

Saying yes to success means saying no to something else. 

Be conscious of what you choose to say yes too. 

2. The More You Achieve, the More You Crave

Success acts like a drug—the more you get, the more you want.

The high from a win is short-lived. As soon as you hit one goal, you’re already thinking about the next. This is why chasing success can feel like running on a treadmill set to incline.

After my first Ironman, I told myself I’d feel complete. But instead of resting, I signed up for another race. I kept chasing the next big milestone, hoping this one would finally feel like “enough.”

These days, I anchor my joy in the training, not the outcome. It’s not just about finishing the race—it’s about loving every step along the way.

Just when you think you’ve caught “success”, it slips beyond the horizon.

3. Success Will Change Who You Are

You will outgrow old parts of yourself as you succeed.

Pursuing goals changes not just what you do but who you become. The real challenge is making peace with the person you leave behind.

At 27, I thought success was dressing sharp and closing deals. By 43, my world was built around movement and energy. It wasn’t a sudden shift—it was a slow evolution.

If you cling too tightly to who you were, you’ll resist the growth that success demands. I learned that it’s okay to pivot—from Ironmans to CrossFit, from business deals to meaningful experiences.

What once felt exciting loses its thrill. This is the hidden cost of growth. 

4.  Growth Is a Lonely Game

Not everyone will come with you on your journey.

As you evolve, some friendships will fade, and that’s okay. Success naturally changes your circle—what once connected you to others may no longer fit.

When I swapped late nights for early-morning workouts, I lost some friends. At first, it felt lonely. But I found a new tribe of people who thrived in the same rhythms I now did—friends who shared my passion for wellness.

It’s not about cutting ties; it’s about curating connections that support the person you’re becoming. The best relationships evolve with you, but not all will.

Not everyone will come with you—and that’s okay. They loved a different version of you.

5. Letting Go Is Harder Than Holding On

Knowing when to quit is a superpower.

We get attached to identities and achievements, even when they no longer serve us. The ability to pivot and let go is the key to sustainable growth.

After years of endurance racing, my body was screaming for a break. But I clung to the Ironman identity because it felt too hard to let go. It wasn’t until I shifted to CrossFit that I rediscovered my passion for movement.

Success will not look the same at every stage. True strength lies in knowing when to move on from an old goal.

Letting go of an old dream is painful at the moment, but it makes room for new growth.

6.  Joy and Rest Are Your Greatest ROI

Hustle culture is overrated—rest is the real secret weapon.

We glorify grit, but recovery and joy are what sustain success over time. The problem is, joy isn’t urgent—it only shows up when you make room for it.

The most productive shifts in my life didn’t come from grinding harder—they came from recovery moments: sauna sessions with friends, mountain bike rides, and cold plunges. These weren’t just breaks—they were essential fuel.

I used to think downtime was wasted time. Now, I time-block rest and play just like I schedule work, knowing they fuel my best ideas and deepest energy.

Success without rest you won’t get far before you break down.

7.  Metrics Can’t Measure Meaning

True success isn’t just about numbers—it’s about alignment.

The world teaches us to measure success through metrics: miles run, dollars earned, or followers gained. But the real measure of success is how you feel and how well your actions align with your values.

I can back-squat twice my body weight, but the true win is how energized and aligned I feel after training. Metrics don’t tell the whole story—alignment does.

Rather than obsess over numbers, I focus on daily non-negotiables—tiny wins that make me feel alive and connected to my purpose.

Success “metrics” tell you where you are, but not whether you’re enjoying the ride.

8. Redefine the Climb—On Your Terms

The real win is learning to enjoy the journey.

Success isn’t about reaching every goal—it’s about climbing in a way that keeps you whole. If the climb destroys your health, relationships, or joy, it’s time to redefine your path.

I once thought success was crossing every finish line. But I’ve learned that it’s not about how fast you climb—it’s about whether you’re climbing in a way that lets you stay energized, present, and connected.

I’ve stopped chasing metrics and started chasing moments—moments where I feel alive, connected, and at peace with the climb. That’s the real win.

Success is figuring out how to climb so you can enjoy the view along the way.

The hidden costs with chasing success are that we often fall into traps we don’t see coming—sacrificing joy, relationships, or well-being along the way. We get hooked on the idea that the next achievement will finally make us feel whole, only to realize that “enough” keeps moving further out of reach. Many people cling too tightly to their goals, identities, and metrics, burning out without ever enjoying the ride. 

Redefine success so it aligns with your life, energy, and values at every stage.

Key Takeaways:

1. Every decision comes with a trade-off. Be mindful of what you’re saying no to when you say yes to a goal.

2. Learn to love the process, not just the outcome. Happiness isn’t found at the finish line—it’s built step by step on the journey.

3. Evolve with your goals. Be willing to pivot and grow, knowing that success at one stage may look different at the next.

4. Curate your relationships. Surround yourself with people who align with your lifestyle and values, even as they change.

5. Master the art of letting go. Quitting isn’t failure—sometimes it’s the smartest move for long-term growth.

6. Time-block joy and rest. Schedule downtime with the same seriousness as work. Recovery fuels everything.

7. Measure success by alignment, not metrics. The real win isn’t in numbers but in living a life aligned with your values and energy.

Today's Optimization

Reviewing My Functional Health Report

In my twenties, my microbiome was a mess because of a bad diet, minimal sun exposure, and a lack of exercise. Over the past 15 years, I have been obsessed with incremental improvements to my health; I consciously redesigned my life to prioritize training, and daily sun exposure and transitioned to a wholefood diet. In the past 18 months since I started working with Blokes, I have felt significant improvements in my overall health and performance.  

Blokes is all about health optimization (not sick care) and was created to put us (the patients) back in the driver's seat. For the most part, I feel pretty good for being in my early forties, but it wasn’t until I started working with Blokes that I was able to crack the code with supplementation. By using blood panels and science to understand my individual vitamin and nutrient deficiencies, I was able to create a supplementation protocol that was personalized to me and my needs. I started taking exactly what I needed, and nothing that I didn’t.  Today Blokes is offering Movement Memo subscribers a deal: 20% off using code “EricHinman”.

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Publisher: Eric Hinman

Editor-in-chief: Bobby Ryan