John McCarthy shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi John , thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
The snooze button does not exist in my world. When the alarm goes off i am up and getting ready to get my daily workout in. I am an early big so i like to start my day off with exercise, and getting my body moving first thing. The first 20-30 minutes is making a list of what i need to get done for the day while i make my pre workout drink. Everything i need for the gym is set out the night before. This way my day is starting off with order and certainty that i am collected.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
2021 was the year everything changed. I realized I had a problem with alcohol and that I was contributing to a failing marriage. I cut alcohol completely out of my life, packed my belongings into a storage unit, and began traveling the country for work.
One day in Colorado, while working, an idea came to me. At first, I treated it like a passing daydream, but it stayed with me. After a month, that daydream had a logo. A couple of weeks later, it had a meaning—and I knew I had something worth holding onto.
That something became a motivational lifestyle clothing brand, built from my love of rock and metal music and inspired by my choice to live a new life. I realized I didn’t have to simply get divorced, date again, and potentially remarry only to fall back into the same life I had before. The rut I was in didn’t have to define me or become permanent.
So I committed to living out what this brand represented: being Ruthless with your intentions, Owning who you are, practicing Kindness toward yourself and others, always striving to Improve, and ultimately Transforming over time. No longer stuck as the sad, defeated version of myself, I began building the person I had always wanted to become.
ROK IT officially launched in December 2021, inside my travel trailer in South Dakota. I designed all the graphics myself, each carrying its own representation of the ROK IT lifestyle, along with other original designs. Every shirt is made, packaged, and shipped by me—and I take great pride in that.
My mission now is to keep raising the bar for myself, my brand, and my goals. The road ahead is long, but I am determined to reach the destination I know I’m capable of.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
Personal accountability means always showing up for yourself—being willing to fail, learn from your mistakes, and be vulnerable enough to share your life. These are things I’ve committed to for a while, and the real reward has been connecting with others who are on the same path.
When you openly share your struggles—whether it’s admitting alcohol once controlled your life, losing 40 pounds, or waking up at 4 a.m. to train—you show people what’s possible. I broke out of the small-town cycle of drama by finally doing things for myself, and that shift inspired others to chase their own change.
That’s the true reward: people begin to see the changes they’ve always wanted because you chose to share yours. You become the person others come to for guidance. And in doing so, you’re not just transforming your own life—you’re sparking change in your community, one person at a time.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
It’s ok to be the person you dream of. Your dreams are yours and no one else’s. Bring them to life and let them live with you.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. How do you differentiate between fads and real foundational shifts?
Time.
If something means a lot to you, and i mean REALLY MEANS A LOT TO YOU. You would never let it die.
Fads come and go. But a lifestyle is forever.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
He never gave up, and he was true to himself.
We live in an age where people can see through the bullshit and the fakes. People want authenticity and real.
Deep down i know what i want, and I’ll be damned if i am the reason that they don’t get fulfilled. Proving not only to myself, but everyone that is watching that it can be done. That you can make changes, you can continue to raise the bar, that you do not have to settle.
To be remembered as something that inspires others through my actions.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Go-rokit.com
- Instagram: rok_it_official
- Facebook: rokit21
