Build without burnout: Calvin Richard’s message to men
Calvin ‘Go Hard’ Richard at a presentation on his recently published book, ‘Lionheart: How to Build Influence, Impact, and Income Without Burning Out.’ The book focuses on helping men become strong physically, mentally, and spiritually. Courtesy photo
Fitness guru’s book aligns spiritual, physical, mental goals for successful men
In the Marble Falls area, the name Calvin “Go Hard” Richard (pronounced ruh-SHARD) is synonymous with pumping iron, sharing the gospel, and witty jokes.
Richard has lived a full life, studying sports medicine, building a family, becoming a business owner, and serving as a man of God. It’s a journey the New Orleans native and longtime Marble Falls resident has worked on his whole life, seeking his true purpose through faith, fitness, and mind.
The way has not always been easy. In his new book, “Lionheart: How to Build Influence, Impact, and Income Without Burning Out,” Richard dissects his prolonged struggles to align his spiritual, physical, and mental goals and find his true calling. He’s fought the feeling of being stuck, worn out, and uncertain but has turned those challenges into a steeled mindset that he now seeks to teach others.
“They say it’s lonely at the top, and I want to create a community at the top,” Richard said. “Brotherhood, fraternity at the top where like-minded men can be courageously vulnerable, share your heart and what’s going on, and the guys there are going to hold you up.”
“Lionheart” is the culmination of Richard’s 25 years of experience in physical, mental, and spiritual coaching, seeking to address common struggles among high-achieving men, including a lack of identity, a sense of calling, and meaningful brotherhood. Founded on personal experiences, the story of his arduous journey through life aims to destroy what keeps people trapped in mediocrity.
“Men have been weakened in different ways, and part of the mission is to abolish weakness in modern men,” he said.
“Lionheart” is Richard’s first foray into the realm of writing, but the book’s purpose was built on a mission decades in the making.
In 2005, Richard was living a normal life with his wife, Courtnaye, in New Orleans, working as the head strength and conditioning coach and assistant athletic trainer at the University of New Orleans. Things were moving smoothly until Hurricane Katrina hit on Aug. 29, 2005.
Richard lost his home and belongings and had to decide where his life should go next. Despite offers from college athletics programs at UNO and Louisiana State University, the couple prayed for guidance and eventually decided to follow some of their church members to the Highland Lakes.
“I wasn’t a kid dreaming all my life that I wanted to go to Marble Falls,” Richard said. “It wasn’t on the map to me, just a total God thing.”
After settling in Marble Falls, Richard worked at Horseshoe Bay Resort for a time as a fitness manager and later built Verus Fit Transformation Lab, a team-focused training studio.
Once again, things were moving smoothly, but in the back of his mind, Richard felt he was meant to do more.
“We would have programs for co-ed or ladies, but I never did anything for just men,” Richard said. “And I decided in 2018 that I wanted to do a morning conquerors men’s challenge.”
During the program, which included intense workouts followed by meaningful fellowship circles, participants shared deep emotions and shed passionate tears. He had found his calling.
“I can do this for the rest of my life,” said Richard, reminiscing on the experience. “It was so fulfilling.”
As happens in life, Richard again became comfortable in his normal routine and began struggling to make a meaningful impact in his new calling. Years would pass before he was met face to face with a final wakeup call that would change his life.
In 2020, a close business mentor and friend of Richard’s took his own life.
“No one saw that coming, never saw him without a smile on his face,” Richard said. “That was a kick in the heart to do what I know God was calling me to do.”
And so, Richard once more took a leap of faith. He sold his fitness studio and dove into writing “Lionheart” with a focus on helping men who were struggling.
“We all have some levels of anxiety, depression, you know, that despair and hopelessness,” Richard said. “I want to prevent that part of things, too.”
His book is only the first step in fulfilling his purpose of reaching the hearts and minds of more men around the world.
“I’d love to use this as a tool to make more impact,” Richard said. “I have this big goal of speaking to 40,000 men on stage.”
For now, as Richard moves forward, he’s fully embracing his “Lionheart” mindset. To him, that means accepting the two distinct sides of being a man with open arms: the strength of a lion and the compassion of the heart.
“Men love to be a lion, we love to be a king,” Richard said. “But the heart is the compassionate side. That’s the side a lot of guys miss.”
Richard’s book “Lionheart” is available for purchase online.