Gunnar Peterson Says It's Sexy to Try. Here's Why That Should Be Your New Life Motto.
The legendary trainer to the stars on why fighting entropy is the only game worth playing.
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There’s a moment in my conversation with celebrity trainer Gunnar Peterson that cuts through all the noise.
We’re talking about effort, about going all-in on the things that matter, and he drops a line so simple and so profound it stopped me in my tracks:
“It’s sexy to try.”
Think about that. In a culture that often champions effortless perfection and cynical detachment, the man responsible for the physiques of the Kardashians, the LA Lakers, and countless movie stars tells us the most attractive quality a person can have is simply… trying.
Giving a damn.
Going deep.
This isn’t just about fitness. This is a philosophy for life.
It’s the antidote to the quiet quitting, the half-assing, the “I’ll start tomorrow” mentality that leads to a life of quiet desperation.
Our entire conversation is a masterclass in what it means to fight back against the slow, creeping pull of entropy.
It’s about choosing to be the agent of your own life, not a passive observer.
Connect with Gunnar Peterson
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gunnarfitness/
The Two Paths After the World Burns Down
We both shared stories of getting fired and navigating the fallout of major life changes.
I spoke about my own experience with divorce and the two distinct paths I saw my friends take.
There were the guys who let go completely, as if their spouse was the only thing tethering them to the world.
They spun off into a mess of bad habits and victimhood. And then there were the guys who used the newfound space to rebuild, often becoming stronger, fitter, and more focused than before.
Gunnar’s take was even more powerful.
He sees it as our responsibility as a species to evolve. “What part did I play?” he asks. “How can I be better in my next go-round?”
He told his kids something that stuck with me: “I’m not smarter than you. I’m just older. I’ve just seen the movie.”
This is the core of what we talk about at Finding Peak.
It’s not about what happens to you; it’s about how you respond.
It’s about turning chaos into clarity, using pressure to forge a stronger version of yourself.
You’ve Never Seen an Obese 80-Year-Old
At one point, the conversation turned to the brutal realities of aging.
I made an observation that’s hard to unsee: When’s the last time you saw an obese 80-year-old? You’ve never seen one.
It doesn’t exist. You don’t make it that long.
This isn’t about fat-shaming. It’s a direct confrontation with a lie we’ve been sold — that it’s normal to just limp into the second half of your life, managed by pharmaceuticals, slowly fading away.
Both Gunnar and I refuse to accept this.
My goal to deadlift 500 lbs at 45 isn’t about vanity; it’s a declaration of war against that decline. As Gunnar puts it, “I am not just going to go, ‘well it’s inevitable that I become fat and weak so fuck it, I’m out today.’”
He works out less than 10% of his week.
That’s it. And he’s built a life where everything fits, literally and figuratively, because he’s harnessed the discipline.
This is the mindset of a protector, a theme we hit on hard. Being physically capable isn’t an antiquated idea; it’s a fundamental responsibility.
Can you, at a moment’s notice, protect your family?
It’s a hard question, but one we all need to answer.
Find Your Tenth of a Second
This isn’t about making massive, unsustainable changes overnight. It’s about the relentless pursuit of marginal gains.
I brought up a scene from the movie F1 where the team leader tells everyone to find just one-tenth of a second of improvement. If everyone does it, they go from last to first.
Gunnar immediately connected this to his own philosophy.
It’s not just the one workout. It’s the sauna, the cold plunge, the extra sleep, the grounding sheet, the red light therapy.
It’s all the little things stacking up to create a massive advantage over time.
We also dove deep into the world of EMF reduction, grounding, peptides, GLP-1s, and the honest reality of navigating the optimization landscape.
Gunnar keeps his supplement stack dead simple — protein, creatine, greens, and an alpha gym supplement.
He knows himself well enough to know that if he starts tinkering, he’ll go all the way down the rabbit hole. I shared my own journey with terzepatide and tessamorlin after a testosterone scare that dropped me to the seventh percentile.
The takeaway we both landed on?
If you haven’t done the primary work — the training, the hydration, the sleep, the nutrition — none of the exotic stuff matters. You’ll never know what’s actually working. It becomes fairy dust.
What’s your tenth of a second today?
It’s Cool to F**king Care
This conversation with Gunnar was a powerful reminder that the fight is the point. The effort is the reward.
I told him about a conference I kicked off in 2018 with a simple message to 830 people: It’s cool to fucking care.
Gunnar’s version?
“It’s sexy to try.”
Same energy. Same truth.
People are drawn to people who try.
Gunnar would rather watch you attempt to pull 500 and fail than sit over a nice dinner listening to you explain why you decided not to try. And honestly? So would I.
Go deep.
Give a shit.
It’s the sexiest thing you can do.
This is the way.
Hanley
P.S. If you’re sick of feeling invisible, if you’re stuck and frustrated… it’s time to create leverage, influence, and growth for your business…I’m taking 1:1 clients. DM me today to learn more.
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