You came here to check me out

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Speed and acceleration are in my blood.

I’ve been a competitive, high-performer since birth (I beat my due date by several days). I drove my grade school teachers crazy because I raced to the front of the class to be the first to turn in my class work… even if it wasn’t completed. I’m sure I’m the reason my Mom was the first one of her friends to go gray, too. I’ve been moving at high velocity - on a bike, on the ground, at work and in life - ever since.

I actively seek the sharp tip of the tip-of-the-spear.

I graduated in the top 2% at West Point and received two Army Meritorious Service Medals (MSMs) while holding two company commands during my Army service. I was recruited into the Army’s World Class Athlete Program and competed for selection to two Olympic Cycling Teams in 1980 and 1984. I came out of retirement to race my bike again at age 55 and stepped onto the National Championship podium—just to prove I could do it again. I launched a entrepreneurial startup in my garage… and sold it eighteen years later for generational wealth and indescribable happiness, satisfaction and joy.

I knew that creating the life I wanted wasn't going to be easy, and I made every mistake to make sure it wasn't. I’ve come close to losing everything at the same time I stared down the battlefields of business and life. I lost decades worth of hard-earned cash (remind me to tell you about my $20,000,000 mistake). I’ve been divorced. I’ve been estranged. I even came within milli-moments of taking my own life. So when I tell you I’ve been there, know that I have. When I try to keep you from making those mistakes, know that I mean that. And, when I tell you I can save you twenty-five years of the hard, slow, mistake-riddled way, I really, really mean that, too.

I’m no stranger to the bottom.

In 1994, I started transforming a garage-based startup to an 8-figure valuation—and sold it for cash in 2012. And two years later, I launched what became a million-dollar coaching business. On the way to that success, I turned my tools and experience into a Flawless Acceleration System Blueprint - and a book by the same name. Now, I’m relentlessly focused on coaching breakout clients who are on their way to G.O.A.T status and bringing me incredible joy as they do.

I make my own opportunities.

I’ve always been driven by missions packed with impact. Since its founding, my mission of impact at TLP has been “10,000 badasses powerfully and positively impacted.” Now, ten years since my first day as a coach, I still do this job - and fulfill that mission - because of - and for - you. I intend to make your impossible possible. Of everything I’ve ever done, of all the successes I’ve enjoyed, of all the failures I’ve survived, creating The Lions Pride - and potentially serving you as a coach - is why I’m on this planet.

I do this job for a reason. YOU.

When I think of them, I think of you.

The right badass responds to and benefits from my coaching. That sentence makes me think of Jed, Trevor, Bryan, Lars, Lane, Mike, John, Emmanuel, Jason, Stephan, BJ, Alonzo, Freddie, Mark, Jim, Scott, Brian, Billy, Paul, Scott, Jeff, Phil, Roger, Mike… and many, many more! These badasses got results at work (their primary focus), their life (I know it’s more important and now they do, too) and in themselves (they’re better humans now). For the right person at the right time looking for the right thing, I’m one of the best. And, as an added benefit, I love, love, love doing what brings powerful, positive change in these badasses. Ghandi said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” I intend to help you be the change the world needs.

How do my current and former clients describe me to someone that doesn’t know me (their words, not mine)

Even keeled, wise in business and life, versatile
Wise, transparent
Obi Wan, Gandalf
Intense, wise, driven, purposeful
Servants Heart, powerful
Great connector of badasses, Relator
Energizing, thought-provoking, caring
Bill may not be famous like Bill Campbell, the Trillion Dollar Coach, but he’s as good… or for the right badass, better.
You have this unique gift to help people uncover things about themselves they’d never ever discover any other way.
Bill’s coaching is the difference between driving your car at 60mph and driving a Formula One Ferrari at 200mph.
Energetic, wise, authentic
Wealth of experience, knowledgeable, game-changer
All knowing, omnipotent, been around the block
Wise, leader, the real deal
Gives a shit, leads by example, “jacked” (even for a 40 year old, let alone a 70 year old!)
His results are astonishing, breathtaking, exhilarating and even, legendary.

“A cadet will not lie, steal or cheat nor tolerate those that do.” – West Point Honor Code

I still live by those thirteen words today. Truth, trust and authenticity sit at my core. Merriam-Webster even picked “authentic” as their word of the year for 2023. Thanks to social media, algorithms, influencers, Photoshop and AI, there’s lots of hocus pocus, sleight of hand out there when it comes to “coaching.” Success on social media alongside real world success as a coach is rare. Great coaching is about the earned results and reputation of the coach, not the quality of their content. I have more than 10,000 hours of real coaching and I have over five decades of real world experience. I’m not interested in hacks, quick fixes, or the easy way, all of which tend to be big on promises but low on results and impact.

(Seemingly) crazy IN an age inappropriate way is how I roll.

There’s a reason you’ll find me in the gym lifting, flipping, swinging and throwing heavy sh__t. It’s the same reason you’ll see me tackling rivers, mountains, wild places and misogis. My reason is you. Whether I set the pace or just keep up, I will not slow you down nor let you down. Aging isn’t for sissies. I intend to live longer, stronger and better. You will find me aging powerfully, bravely, impactfully, fearlessly, usefully and intentionally. For you.

I don’t intend to be a good coach.

I will be one of the best. Ever. I am reminded of Mr. Maydole, the hammer-maker. “I have made hammers,” he told Doctor Gannett when asked when he’d retire, “for twenty-eight years.” “You might be able to make a pretty good hammer, then, by this time,” was the reply from Gannett. “No, sir!” came the emphatic answer from Maydole. “I never made a pretty good hammer - I made – and I make - the best hammer in the United States.” I can’t make a hammer but you have my commitment to be the best coach you can find.

I grew up with the words “duty, service and fulfill the mission.”

In my childhood home, duty, service and mission accomplishment inspired all of us children to serve our country in the Army as did our father, a WWII Marine and then, a 1954 West Point grad. Along that theme, I was taught that “talking the talk” wasn’t enough. As a matter of fact, without the associated “walking the walk” just talking and nothing else smacked of “lying” and “cheating.” Neither was tolerated in our family nor my life since then. My duty is to serve you which I’ll do until that mission is accomplished.

THE WILDERNESS –– rivers, valleys, forests, vast deserts, animals –– is an environment void of human interaction––a place where the earth just grows alone in isolation where nature runs…literally, wild. Some people “go out into the wild” with the intentionality of materialistically getting away from it all or perhaps roughing it on a camping trip in the backcountry. For me, the wilderness is a place for self-discovery and self-growth. The wilderness makes me better. Period. “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” – Waldo Emerson Thoreau

Why I adventure in wild places.

David Bowie said, “I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring.”

At age 70, I’m confident my absolute best impact is yet to come. Most people my age have already dialed – especially their work – way, way back. Not me now nor for awhile. When it comes to my impact, I feel the press of much to do in my time remaining on the field. That’s why I hear the clock ticking at work. I feel the press to make my most meaningful impact in my time remaining. Since 2013 when I founded The Lions Pride, I’ve been on a mission to powerfully, positively impact 10,000 badasses. Now, in my 70th year, I’ve decided to not put any sort of limit on what I can do. I agree with Sandra Day O’Connor who said, “Work worth doing makes me happy.” I wake up happy embracing my mantra: “Be useful, be helpful, be impactful. Fighters fight.” – Rocky Balboa

“Grow your fruit on the tree of someone else’s life.”

You don’t know me yet but when you do, you’ll understand I am driven by impact (yours) not income (mine). I wake up to - and go to sleep by - your results, your success, your Star-Spangled Banner playing during your gold medal ceremony as I sit quietly cheering you on in the stands. I am reminded of how Tina turner put it in an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2013, “My legacy is that I stayed on course, from the beginning to the end, because I believed in something inside of me.”

“Move to the sound of guns.” – General Mark Milley

When I was hiking the Grand Canyon’s Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim trails, my best friend, John Hamon, asked me the three things I’d share with my great grandchildren. To earn the right to speak to them as I described, I live a very intentional way. I hear the clock of my time remaining on earth ticking away. Aging ain't for sissies and you won’t see me aging gracefully. Watch me age intentionally, usefully, impactfully and powerfully. Daily I remind myself to move to the gunfire in life, step into the battle and be useful. I will not waver. I will not quit. I will not complain. I will keep going, unswerving, to the finish line. I never embraced a normal life. I never wanted Lena and Mark to look up to anyone else than me. I was born, became and remain a soldier on a mission assigned at birth, embedded during the darkest night of my soul and empowered in the fully becoming of myself, William Bruce Campbell Watkins. I hear gunfire. Will you run with me to it?

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

President Theodore Roosevelt

When I explain my coaching investment to a doubting badass, I use a story about Pablo Picasso.

He was sketching in the park when a woman approached him. “It’s you, Picasso, the great artist! Oh, you must sketch my portrait! I insist.” So Picasso agreed to sketch her. After studying her for a moment, he used a single pencil stroke to create her portrait. He handed the women his work of art. “It’s perfect!” she gushed. “You managed to capture my essence with one stroke, in one moment. Thank you! How much do I owe you?” “Five thousand dollars,” the artist replied. “But, what?” the woman sputtered. “How could you want so much money for this picture? It only took you a second to draw it!” To which Picasso responded, “Madame, it took me my entire life.”

I’ve been where you are at your age but you’ve never been where I am at my age. The transformation I deliver has taken my seven decades to develop.

Just. For. You.

I’M WORTH IT.

Badasses who connect with me "live" sometimes describe the experience as "Neo Meets Morpheus."

Remember that classic scene in the film “The Matrix” where Neo is introduced to Morpheus for the first time? Morpheus asks Neo, "I imagine that right now you're feeling a bit like Alice tumbling down the rabbit hole?" Eventually, Morpheus gives Neo a choice, "You take the blue pill … the story ends … you wake in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. Or, you take the red pill … you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes. Remember—all I’m offering is the truth, nothing more."

Why do I mention this random movie clip and unusual concept? Because I wonder to myself - and now out loud to you - if amidst all your successes whether you are marching towards that future you have in your mind, heart and soul... or, are you off track and don't even know it? Are you awakened (red pill) or asleep (blue pill)?

Step into the cohort with me as your guide and I promise you'll answer that for yourself.