Taking Action with Coach Jackson
EP11: 4 Lessons Nose Surgery Taught Me About Strength, Marriage, and Mental Health
Episode Notes
In this deeply personal episode, Coach Jackson opens up about the 18‑month journey following a major nose surgery (to correct a deviated septum, enlarged turbinates, and a collapsed nasal valve). What began as a quest to simply breathe better evolved into a masterclass on patience, identity, resilience, partnership, and the power of process. With raw vulnerability, Jackson shares how this medical setback became a catalyst for growth in his physical health, mental state, and marriage.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- Why strength training becomes vital medicine when your mental health is challenged
- How being physically fit going into trauma or surgery accelerates recovery
- The way a supportive spouse or environment can dramatically change your odds of success
- Why learning to love the process (not just the outcome) is one of the hardest—but most freeing—lessons
- The dangers of ignoring symptoms like fatigue, snoring, or sleep disruption (a call to get checked for sleep apnea)
- How to navigate non‑linear healing, setbacks, and identity shifts
- The mindset of “life happening for you” instead of “to you”
- How Jackson’s own struggles—with surgery, IVF, grief, business shift—have become pillars of his philosophy
Memorable Quotes:
- [05:46] “The mental fog sort of lifted … I was no longer the angry, bitter, annoyed, and frustrated man‑child roaming around the house like a caged lion.”
- [11:23] “Fitness isn’t about looking good when things are easy—it’s about being resilient when things get hard.”
- [24:50] “Healing isn’t linear. … It’s often years until you’re 100% back to normal.”
- [35:15] “If you’re walking through hell, keep going. … The point wasn’t just to survive that ordeal. The point was to evolve, to get better.”
Mentioned In This Episode:
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This is the new playbook for getting lean without losing your mind. Ready to take action? Hit play, grab your notebook, and start showing up like the 1% who actually get results.