Bench Pressing Past Your Limits

Back in tenth grade I weighed a shade under 120 pounds and thought I was hot stuff because I could bench 200. The coach even gave me a “200 pound club” T-shirt, so I strutted down the halls feeling like a little Schwarzenegger. Then I bumped into Matt. Same size as me, same age, rocking a bright 250 pound club shirt. Nobody had ever told me 250 was possible. Once I saw him wear it, the blinders fell off. I dug in, changed my workouts, and hit 250 in no time. A couple years later I broke 300.

Fast forward to my late 30s. I lost nearly everything, but tinting exotic cars still sat on my bucket list. In rural Alabama a Ferrari is rarer than a snowstorm, yet in 2008 I finally wrapped film on a red F430. I felt like I had benched that same magical 250 all over again. Then I noticed a few tinters in our industry driving exotics, not just working on them. That was my Matt moment all over again. If they could own one, why couldn’t I?

So I dusted myself off, rebuilt, and refused to set limits. It was not easy. Nothing worth doing is. But today I can look at my shop, my team, and the cars we own and know those ceilings were imaginary.

If you are a “mere window tinter” hearing the same old line that you cannot grow past a certain point, forget it. The limits are fake. Whether your goal is an exotic in the garage, more freedom for your family, or simply proving to yourself that you can do it, the path is the same:

1. Spot the ceiling – find someone doing what you thought was impossible.
2. Refuse the excuse – tell yourself the number or goal is reachable.
3. Put in reps – every day, every car, every sale.
4. Own the bumps – life is unfair, so drive around the speed bumps or roll right over them, but do not park in front of them.

Need help? Reach out. I will share every trick I learned the hard way so you do not have to repeat my mistakes. Keep your head up, keep moving, and remember the next T-shirt always exists. You just have not seen it yet.

Now excuse me while I grab a victory corn dog. See you at the next milestone.