Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot
On Fridays, I like to share experiences from my week—both with patients and in my personal life—that have left a meaningful impact. My hope is that these reflections offer you something of value, a bit of insight or encouragement that resonates with your own journey and inspires you in some way.
An important concept. One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned from coaching football is the idea of manufacturing wins. Each game must be treated as its own standalone challenge. You must account for injuries, weather, matchups, and circumstances, while not getting distracted by what happened last week or what lies down the road. The focus stays on the present moment because that is where success can be created. When you stay locked into what you can control right now, you avoid becoming overwhelmed, maximize your performance, and begin to build momentum. This principle applies even more powerfully to life.
Long-term goals matter, but they are never achieved all at once. They require patience, effort, and consistency over time. Instead of getting frustrated by how far away the finish line seems, break the process into manageable pieces. Whether you’re trying to improve your health, grow a business, change a habit, or strengthen a relationship, focus on today. Ask yourself what you can do right now with what you have to make progress by the end of the day. That is manufacturing a win. Stacking enough of those daily wins together over time creates confidence, discipline, and lasting success. Win the day, and the future will take care of itself.
Something I believe. Years ago, when I worked as a personal trainer, I often reminded my clients that our hourly sessions were actually the easy part. What truly determined their progress were the choices they made during the other 23 hours of the day. That lesson has stuck with me because it mirrors one of the most important principles in life: what we do when no one is watching is what ultimately shapes who we become. Consistency, discipline, and integrity are forged in those unseen moments, not in the brief windows where others are observing or encouraging us.
I’ve come to view the time I spend alone the same way a coach views practice. The more intentional effort I put in there, the better I perform when it counts. Exercise, reading scripture, planning, self-reflection, and reviewing business numbers may be solitary tasks, but they directly impact how I show up as a father, husband, business owner, and doctor. That makes them non-negotiable. It’s worth asking yourself what you’re doing behind the scenes. Are those habits aligning with your goals and supporting the people you care about most? If not, start changing what you do when no one sees you and you’ll begin to see the difference when everyone does.
Something important. I’ll admit it I’m superstitious when it comes to football, both as a coach and as a die-hard fan of my hometown Patriots. During last weekend’s stressful playoff game, I rotated jerseys and hats, changed seats multiple times, and even knocked out burpees in the cold at halftime in a desperate attempt to “shift the momentum.” Of course, I had absolutely nothing to do with the outcome of the game but those actions gave me something “productive” to focus on. While completely ineffective at influencing sports results, the instinct behind them—doing something rather than sitting helplessly is incredibly valuable in all other areas of life.
Too often, people blame politicians, the economy, other people’s behavior, or bad luck for not being where they want to be. Those factors are real and unavoidable, but if success requires all of them to be perfect, then we’re surrendering control of our own well-being. The rare breed of people empowers themselves by recognizing there is always something they can do to improve their situation. Limited resources, a terrible boss, or difficult circumstances don’t stop them from taking responsibility and making forward progress. We all face forces outside our control both good and bad. However, focusing relentlessly on what we can control, while tuning out the noise we can’t, is the true path to growth and success.
A crucial concept. Losing and failure are often spoken about as if they are the same thing, but I believe they are vastly different. We can lose in many areas of life including athletics, business, relationships, and personal pursuits. Things end, plans fall short, mistakes are made, and outcomes don’t match our intentions. Losing is part of the process and helps us strive to attain more favorable results. Failure, however, only happens in one way, choosing not to try at all.
Losing hurts, but it also provides clarity. It gives us information on what didn’t work, what needs adjusting, and where we can improve next time. Those lessons allow us to refine our approach and build better systems going forward. When we avoid trying because of fear, doubt, or complacency, we gain nothing and often accumulate regret, resentment, and a loss of confidence. Never be afraid to lose. Anyone who mocks effort has never truly taken a meaningful risk themselves. The losses I’ve experienced in marriage, finances, business, and life strengthened my resilience and removed my fear of trying anything. As I was often told growing up, “It’s okay to fight and lose, it’s just not okay to never fight at all.”
Some quotes I Love.
“If you do not develop the hunger and courage to pursue your goal, you will lose your nerve and you will give up on your dream.” – Les Brown
“Just find an excuse to win.”