Adapting A World Class Live Event In Social Distanced Times With Keith Norris

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On today’s episode, I am talking to Keith Norris. Keith Norris is the founder of Paleo f(x)™, a massive in-person event in Austin, Texas. Keith is a master connector and community builder and you may be familiar with his name because his wife Michelle Norris was on the podcast a year ago. I wanted to invite Keith on to hear about how he has been adapting and evolving in the events base, one of the biggest impacted industries because of COVID. Keith is an amazing warrior and has overcome many challenges in his life and so if there is anybody we can learn from about how to adapt, pivot, and grow from challenging times it would be Keith Norris.

Keith is one of those few lucky souls who has been able to completely transition out of corporate America and dive headlong into his passion for bettering lives by teaching the art and science of physical culture. He not only “walks the walk” on a day-to-day basis, but his economic well-being hinges on his precepts of “proper exercise, stellar diet, and lifestyle, and intelligent “hacks” and supplementation” forming the bedrock foundation for a long, healthy and prosperous life. Keith, together with partner Mark Alexander, has molded Austin-based Efficient Exercise into one of the most highly regarded fitness venues in the nation. Keith’s mix of intelligent and highly effective exercise programming, coupled with Mark’s business savvy and proprietary equipment genius, has made Efficient Exercise the preeminent wellness authority.

The very essence of Paleo f(x)™ is rooted in the idea of putting theory to practice; an idea that Keith is heavily invested in, having been blogging about these issues since early 2007. And his vision for Paleo f(x)™ is that of a battle-tested warrior, preserving the right of everyone to fully, actively, and enthusiastically engage in the human experience.

We discuss:

[02:19] Keith shares about his two defining and pivotal moments.
[04:33] Keith has the ability to make magic from those pivotal moments. He chooses to rise above and make a bigger impact.
[06:29] He did go through despair and depression, but at some point, you have to make a decision to go forward and build.
[09:54] His friends all believe in a higher power, but it is a different higher power for each of them.
[10:12] People have to feel needed which means you need to be in service to something.
[11:17] Keith shares about how Paleo f(x)™ has evolved.
[12:18] Keith had a sporting injury in college and then went into the navy for nine years.
[15:47] As entrepreneurs at heart, on the airplane they came up with a business plan and idea for an event. Six months later they held the first Paleo f(x)™ event in Austin.
[16:50] The community keeps bringing people back year after year. It is a place where you go to be in the company of like-minded people.
[17:47] It is a meeting of entrepreneurs, thought leaders and it is also fun.
[19:16] Their gift is the gift of community. They don’t know all the answers, but they know people who have the answers.
[20:57] As a species, we have all the skills and abilities that we need to solve these really big challenges right now.
[22:47] Who told you that story and why do you believe it?
[25:15] Keith’s non-negotiables are good eating, sleep, movement, fresh air, sunshine, and cultivating relationships.
[26:48] One of his biggest struggles is how to define when to fight and when to relax.
[28:02] Every day he goes to war. Every day is a battle for them to figure out how they are going to keep Paleo f(x)™ alive.
[28:32] They are an in-person event business, but they have the ability to pivot online.
[33:27] What you are going through right now is the destruction before the great is created. Don’t try to run from it or undermine it. It is going to get better.
[34:38] From these ashes is going to rise something fabulous if that is what we want. Now is the opportunity to create the new. It is up to us to create what new normal we want.