Trainers: Taking Your Own Medicine?

I'll be blunt - Do you follow your own advice?

The reason I ask this is obvious: I hear and watch many folks with strong opinions live and practice differently than they preach. The functional fitness community is not immune to this hypocrisy. Why openly share opinions one way, yet act another? It makes no sense.

Lately, I've seen and overheard some trainers (both fitness and police firearms/tactics) talk up a good game. But I know these guys and gals are simply NOT following or living by their own advice. This has equally frustrated and disappointed me. Is it a fear of failure? Afraid any onlookers will find a chink in the armor? Lose their "expert" label?

I am just a regular guy, with above average commitment and persistence. Don't believe it? Test me. What I don't do is pretend to be something I am not.

I rarely eat bread, potatoes, or pasta, but I do drink beer and eat ice cream. I work out almost duty-day, but once in a blue moon I decide to take a nap before shift instead. In the gym, I often cater to my strengths rather than my weaknesses. I don't overhead squat as often as I should, and spend too much time with my truck tire and sandbags. I read more books than most librarians, but still get distracted by worthless television shows.

But I do not -- DO NOT -- put up a false smile or hide behind any magical cloaks. I openly discuss my struggles and weaknesses, in hopes to overcome them. And I proudly flaunt my accomplishments and victories, in hopes they will remind me of the value of hard work and resilience. I do my best to see issues realistically. I am a regular guy who tries really, really hard.

And I live by the advice, training, education, opinions, lectures, blog posts, classes, and emails that bear my name. Mostly because I believe in it.

But also because I never want to disappoint my listeners and find myself on a list of hypocrites...