Time To Soar Into 2025

Hook & Barrel Magazine’s Editor-In-Chief Shares Encouraging Truths That’ll Help You Crush 2025 & Beyond!

You’re the average of your top five friends. This is a cliché that if I had a dollar for every time I have either said it or heard it said, I’d be rich. Birds of a feather flock together. The cream rises to the top. The list of cliches is endless, but they are all true.

When I first began investing in myself, my aim was to become the best version of “me” possible—for me and my family. That started with taking control of my life and starting H&B. From there, I upped my fitness game, then followed by curtailing my drinking to special occasions. I cleaned up my diet. I began to read more and started listening to personal and business development podcasts and audiobooks rather than iTunes or watching Netflix. Also, I dove headfirst into nutrition, supplementation and more.

While on this journey (fun fact: once you commit, it never ends), I started posting on social media about my athletics. I would and still do post my run times, distances, successes, wins, lessons learned and even maybe my failures (but, come on, it’s Instagram, no one posts those).

Then something funny started to happen. Through the grapevine or from someone personally, I’d hear that my post had inspired them to begin working on themselves. They decided to sign up for a race or marathon, too. But it didn’t stop there. Friends and family have told me they stopped drinking because of me. Even one of my earliest mentors stopped drinking and got a trainer because of my journey.

Here’s the part I didn’t expect. I lost some friends, too. The guys who knew me when I was in my 20s stopped calling because I “was no fun.” The guys in the gym who I’d chat with instead of lifting became distant as I became more focused. Friends stopped calling because I didn’t want to stay out late (and drink). Even neighbors stopped calling because instead of being at home on the couch, I was always on the go.

At the same time, through my discipline, another amazing thing happened. I became more successful in my career. Hook & Barrel took off. We started making good money, which led to more self-investment.

Guess what? I lost even more friends. People became intimidated, jealous or whatever excuse they fed themselves. But here’s what was interesting: Those gaps in friendships were soon filled with new friends. Mentors became peers. And the guys who stopped talking to me were replaced by guys who literally are signed up to climb Everest next year, elite athletes, Special Forces types and a lot of average Joes who are just killing it in their careers.

Why do I say all of this? Because you are the average of your top five friends. Birds of a feather… The cream rises…

This year, I want to encourage you to make a change. Decide to invest in yourself. Aim to become 1% better every day. As I’ve found out—and so will you—if you commit, you will change your circumstances and, consequently, the circumstances of those around you. You’ll truly discover who your friends are and uplift their lives, too.

Just remember, once you commit, it doesn’t stop. And here’s the biggest secret about that: It doesn’t stop because your friends who step up when others shy away will not let you fail. They will dare you to keep winning. They will run the race with you. They will celebrate your wins. And together, you all will rise to the top.

This issue is jam-packed with great advice, stories of success, better health habits and stories of inspiration. They range from guys who started companies from nothing and turned them into multi-million-dollar empires to “mocktail” recipes for a sober you, to our cover, Jason Aldean, who is as true to himself as the day is long. This issue stops at nothing and will empower you to be the best version of “you” this year. This is your year. I believe in you. Hook & Barrel believes in you. Happy New Year! Now, get out there and do hard things. You won’t regret it.

Make it a blessed year,

John J. Radzwilla

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF