At the end of Marine Corps boot camp, there’s a three-day culmination event called The Crucible. When I made it through that, I officially became a Marine. But the real transformation began thirteen weeks earlier—the moment I stepped onto those yellow footprints. Every day after that pushed me toward one destination.

Now, far removed from that structure—and having transitioned to the Air Force Reserves—the only person who can push me is me. In many ways, that feels even harder. The only guardrails that exist are the ones I have the strength, discipline, and commitment to maintain.

I’m sharing the journey of my own Crucible to document the process. If it inspires others to pursue their own transformation, that’s an added gift. Everything here—my data, routines, reflections—is part of that ongoing evolution. This isn’t instruction; it’s observation.

I track my numbers privately to monitor patterns and stay honest with myself, but I don’t publish them. The focus here isn’t the scale — it’s the standard I hold myself to. The goal is balance: disciplined, but not obsessive. Progress, without comparison.