With all of the outstanding benefits that research has proven in regards to goal setting practices over the years, why is it that so many people you know (you too maybe?) still do not set goals for themselves? Since the turn of the 20th Century, stacks of data have been compiled demonstrating just how powerful the art of goal setting truly is. Yet even so, I still speak with people each week who state that they do not have written goals- much less any other kind of goals. These same people also declare that they want to be successful in life financially, or achieve peak physical fitness, or improve their focus and concentration on the job, etc. But the question still remains: why do so many people still choose to live their lives without clarifying their most important goals with so many facts and statistics indicating such great payoffs?
The answer to this is not as simple as you may think, as there are certain characteristics, even psychological blocks, that lead people to under achievement, frustration and mediocrity. If you are the type of person that wants to move forward in their life, regardless of the area you’re looking to improve in (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, financial) then you’ll want to read further to see what road blocks may be standing in your way or could at some point in the future. With this knowledge, your chances of reaching new heights in life become much more tangible and reachable.
Here are the 5.5 Reasons People Do Not Set Goals:
1. Fear Criticism- For most people this fear is developed during early childhood and/or adolescence. Well meaning parents or teachers may have discouraged you from setting goals by pointing out all of the reasons why it would not work. They of course felt as if they were protecting you from getting your hopes too high and then being disappointed if you didn’t succeed. Also, over the years, perhaps in High School, many people get ridiculed by their peers for wanting to achieve something great. When that happens, you learn to shut-up and keep your dreams to yourself. You learn to play it safe, to go along with the crowd and not to rock the boat. The unfortunate reality of this fear is that you take it into adulthood where you continue to conform and sell yourself short time and time again, thus leading to low self esteem, low self confidence and lack of any real motivation. If you can learn to let go of what others think of you, you’ll find that setting and achieving your most important life’s goals will come to pass much faster and easier than you can possibly believe.
2. Fear of Accepting Responsibility- As Emerson once said “no one can cheat you out of ultimate success in life but you.” It is always easier to blame your environment, your family, your genetics, the economy, the government, your neighbors, or your boss (etc., etc.), then to look at yourself in the mirror and see the real problem. Most people are lazy and find comfort in explaining away their failures or lack of effort. They reason that if it’s not their fault then they won’t look bad or have to work as hard or no one will blame them. Yet once you accept responsibility for the condition of your life (work, health), you’ll see that instantaneously, setting goals becomes a simple daily task.
3. Fear of Success- This is an odd fear, yet it is a very real one and tends to hold many people back in life. Most of these people were raised with the belief that making money and being “a success” is a bad thing, that they will somehow become like Scrooge in the old Charles Dickens’s Christmas fable. These people who fear success will strive hard to fit-in and will even apologize to others for their accomplishments. In other words they fear standing out or being different than their friends even if means sacrificing their success. It will do wonders to your achievements in life to evaluate your beliefs about money, success, appearance, etc. and change your perception about what these things mean to you in order to fear less and achieve more.
4. Fear of Failure- Everyone you know has this fear! Many of the top achievers you know have this fear in buckets! Which is usually why they have become successful in the first place. (A good use of fear.) However, many more people will allow this fear to control them to the point of preventing themselves from even setting a goal in the first place. Their mentality is “if I don’t try, I will never have to face failure and all of the pain and embarrassment that comes with it.” Instead, if you can live by the statement “nothing beats a failure but a try”, you’ll prevent this fear from ever manifesting in your life and you’ll see that fear of failure slip away as more and more of your goals are accomplished.
5. Never Learned How-I don’t know about you, but there was never a Goal Setting 101 class in High School or College, nor did my folks, coaches or instructors take me aside and teach me at any age. And I suspect the same is true for you. Setting, managing and achieving personal goals is a skill set that makes all of the difference in reaching your personal level success. Back in the 1970’s a 20 year study began at Harvard University in regards to goals. The students were asked if they had any goals after they graduated and it was discovered that only 3% of the class had clear written goals. Within 20 years, that same 3% had accumulated more wealth than the other 97% put together. Learn how to set goals.
5.5 Hanging Around the Wrong Crowd- Think that the people in your life don’t make an impact on you? Think again. I’ve dumped people out of my life because they were too negative or didn’t believe in me. I have one life and no time for nay-sayers. You’ll find that when you’re making a real effort to reach your goals in life, there will be people who will be like crabs in a pot of boiling water: when one is trying to escape, the others will pull them back in! When you begin to tell friends what your goals and dreams are, you’ll find out quickly who you can go to for support and who you’ll want to avoid. The more time you spend with people who will support you in your efforts (even it’s just emotional support by telling you to stick with it), who will push you forward in life, the more obvious it becomes that you’ve found true friends. To find the right crowd to hang around, simply ask yourself if the people you hang around are an anchor (hold you down) or a motor (push you forward) and then spend more time with the motors.
FREE OFFER: Having difficulty breaking one of these “blocks” to success? Shoot me an e-mail and we’ll see if we can’t overcome it together! John@BlackBeltLiving.com
Monday, December 8, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
3.5 Lessons From Boxing
I have had the fortune to train in Boxing, Kickboxing and Martial Arts since I was 12 years old and since that time I have been exposed to the fight game on a regular basis. It, I feel, is one of the preeminent measures of competition there is. What could be a greater challenge (or greater insanity?) than to get into a ring and place yourself in a situation where, quite literally, you may not walk back out? It demands a strong will and desire to overcome not only the person in front of you, but also to overcome your own demons; your fears and doubts. It demands that you rise to the occasion - even if the battle is being lost. Yet Boxing is not just one of the ultimates in competition, it is also one of the ultimates for learning about life.
You may not be looking to compete in Boxing (or Kickboxing/MMA) anytime soon, but here are 3.5 Lessons to Learn From Boxing to help improve the quality of your life:
1. Stay on Your Toes: If a fighter is flatfooted in the ring, they are easily hit by their opponent. They become sluggish and cannot get to their target fast enough to score points. Yet, by staying on their toes, they possess the ability to strike when they want too and evade when they need to.Your life can be like that can’t it? When you rest on your past accomplishments and “coast”, you become a target for laziness, indulgence and disorder- all of which lead to failure in one degree or another. Yet if you can continue to stay on your toes daily, you’ll find that when life takes a shot at you, you’ll be able to move out of the way and counter with your own strikes of success! Here are a few ways to stay on your toes:
· Wake up early and work out
· Eat right 95% of the time
· Develop your network of friends and professionals weekly
· Give more than expected
FREE OFFER: Need more ideas on “Staying on your toes”? Shoot me an e-mail or give me a call and we’ll talk. 727-797-4528 or John@BlackBeltLiving.com
2. Look for the openings: Many untrained fighters get in the ring and swing wild hoping that something will land eventually and they’ll win by knock out. From time to time they get lucky, however, most of the time they’ll simply get tired and the other fighter will take over and knock them out instead. A skillful fighter will feel out his/her opponent and look for any weaknesses or openings that they can use to their advantage. By doing so, they stand a good chance of finding success, if not in the early rounds, then most definitely in the later rounds. In your daily life, how many times do you complain about how bad things are vs. where your next opportunity is coming from? I’ll place a bet that you don’t look for new or better possibilities nearly enough- am I right? Each day is a day where you must look for bigger and better things for yourself. Why? Because no one will be doing it for you!
Here are a few ways to Look For Openings:
* Have your resume ready at all times
* Drop a line to your network contacts weekly
* Look for possible businesses to buy
* Learn how to market effectively
FREE OFFER: Need ideas on finding the openings in your life? Give me a call 727-797-4528.
3. Protect Yourself at All Times: Too many fighters over the years have dropped their hands when the bell rang and have been knocked or hurt out as a result. They thought the other fighter heard the bell and since there are rules to the game, they thought they were safe- sorry Charlie! How many times have you dropped your guard and paid dearly as a result? Too many times I bet! That’s how (unfortunately) we learn our lessons in life sometimes. You may be playing the game by one set of rules and someone else is playing by another, and that’s when you’ll get hit with a low blow- someone will under bid you, take you to court unjustly, or slander your name and reputation. You get the idea; you’ve got to understand that not everyone lives their life or runs their business by the rules of fairness, respect, honor or kindness.
Here are a few ways to protect yourself:
· Develop a healthy lifestyle to prevent health issues later
· Hang around positive, helpful people
· Read informative or inspirational material weekly
· Develop a relationship with a good attorney
FREE OFFER: Need help with this? Shoot me an e-mail. John@BlackBeltLiving.com
3.5 Keep Going No Matter What!: Remember Rocky? He fought Apollo Creed until the bitter end- and lost. But his effort to keep going enabled him to have a rematch with Apollo and eventually become champion. Yet, would Rocky have been offered another shot at the title if he had given up? Would you as the audience have been enthusiastic watching a movie where the main character gave up and quit? I doubt it. You were inspired and motivated because Rocky gave it his all even though he was losing. Take it upon yourself to be like Rocky and “Keep Going No Matter What!” You have an area in your life that you’re currently challenged in (and if you aren’t now you will be soon- it’s how life works!) and you have a choice as to how to respond: you can curl up into a little ball and give up, or you can roll up your sleeves and get to work on making your life better for yourself and the others you deal with on a daily/weekly basis.
Here are a few ways to “Keep Going No Matter What!”:
* Identify the root cause of the problem/challenge
* Find 3 to 5 possible solutions- either long and short term
* Call 3 close friends and ask for more possible solutions
* Ask those folks for help (accountability) until you get to the other side
FREE OFFER: Need to run those solutions past someone? Call or e-mail. 727-797-4528 or John@BlackBeltLiving.com
You may not be looking to compete in Boxing (or Kickboxing/MMA) anytime soon, but here are 3.5 Lessons to Learn From Boxing to help improve the quality of your life:
1. Stay on Your Toes: If a fighter is flatfooted in the ring, they are easily hit by their opponent. They become sluggish and cannot get to their target fast enough to score points. Yet, by staying on their toes, they possess the ability to strike when they want too and evade when they need to.Your life can be like that can’t it? When you rest on your past accomplishments and “coast”, you become a target for laziness, indulgence and disorder- all of which lead to failure in one degree or another. Yet if you can continue to stay on your toes daily, you’ll find that when life takes a shot at you, you’ll be able to move out of the way and counter with your own strikes of success! Here are a few ways to stay on your toes:
· Wake up early and work out
· Eat right 95% of the time
· Develop your network of friends and professionals weekly
· Give more than expected
FREE OFFER: Need more ideas on “Staying on your toes”? Shoot me an e-mail or give me a call and we’ll talk. 727-797-4528 or John@BlackBeltLiving.com
2. Look for the openings: Many untrained fighters get in the ring and swing wild hoping that something will land eventually and they’ll win by knock out. From time to time they get lucky, however, most of the time they’ll simply get tired and the other fighter will take over and knock them out instead. A skillful fighter will feel out his/her opponent and look for any weaknesses or openings that they can use to their advantage. By doing so, they stand a good chance of finding success, if not in the early rounds, then most definitely in the later rounds. In your daily life, how many times do you complain about how bad things are vs. where your next opportunity is coming from? I’ll place a bet that you don’t look for new or better possibilities nearly enough- am I right? Each day is a day where you must look for bigger and better things for yourself. Why? Because no one will be doing it for you!
Here are a few ways to Look For Openings:
* Have your resume ready at all times
* Drop a line to your network contacts weekly
* Look for possible businesses to buy
* Learn how to market effectively
FREE OFFER: Need ideas on finding the openings in your life? Give me a call 727-797-4528.
3. Protect Yourself at All Times: Too many fighters over the years have dropped their hands when the bell rang and have been knocked or hurt out as a result. They thought the other fighter heard the bell and since there are rules to the game, they thought they were safe- sorry Charlie! How many times have you dropped your guard and paid dearly as a result? Too many times I bet! That’s how (unfortunately) we learn our lessons in life sometimes. You may be playing the game by one set of rules and someone else is playing by another, and that’s when you’ll get hit with a low blow- someone will under bid you, take you to court unjustly, or slander your name and reputation. You get the idea; you’ve got to understand that not everyone lives their life or runs their business by the rules of fairness, respect, honor or kindness.
Here are a few ways to protect yourself:
· Develop a healthy lifestyle to prevent health issues later
· Hang around positive, helpful people
· Read informative or inspirational material weekly
· Develop a relationship with a good attorney
FREE OFFER: Need help with this? Shoot me an e-mail. John@BlackBeltLiving.com
3.5 Keep Going No Matter What!: Remember Rocky? He fought Apollo Creed until the bitter end- and lost. But his effort to keep going enabled him to have a rematch with Apollo and eventually become champion. Yet, would Rocky have been offered another shot at the title if he had given up? Would you as the audience have been enthusiastic watching a movie where the main character gave up and quit? I doubt it. You were inspired and motivated because Rocky gave it his all even though he was losing. Take it upon yourself to be like Rocky and “Keep Going No Matter What!” You have an area in your life that you’re currently challenged in (and if you aren’t now you will be soon- it’s how life works!) and you have a choice as to how to respond: you can curl up into a little ball and give up, or you can roll up your sleeves and get to work on making your life better for yourself and the others you deal with on a daily/weekly basis.
Here are a few ways to “Keep Going No Matter What!”:
* Identify the root cause of the problem/challenge
* Find 3 to 5 possible solutions- either long and short term
* Call 3 close friends and ask for more possible solutions
* Ask those folks for help (accountability) until you get to the other side
FREE OFFER: Need to run those solutions past someone? Call or e-mail. 727-797-4528 or John@BlackBeltLiving.com
3.5 Ways to Get Motivated- FAST!
On any given day your attitude gets down from time to time, doesn’t it? Not all the time of course, but on occasion it happens. On a day-to-day basis, you deal with many different personalities and situations that challenge your mental and emotional well being. And many times, depending on the degree of intensity of each, the wind can be sucked right out of your sails and your normal level of motivation flattened like a pancake by the end of any given week. The situations that deflate your motivation could range anywhere from the dog puking on the carpet, to losing your job due to the economy, or someone breaking up with you.
But the real questions here are these: How do you handle that sudden decrease in motivation? What do you do when you’d rather dig your eyes out with spoon than go to work and deal with your seemingly evil and demanding boss or brainless coworkers? How can you manage to get yourself back into a frame of mind that allows you to handle the current challenges while still being able to be successful and productive in your daily endeavors?
Well, you just may find your answers here in my 3.5 Ways To Get Motivated- FAST!!
1. Create Your Own Personal Mantra: Definition: Mantras date back thousands of years and are traditionally syllables and poems in the Sanskrit language created through a complex numerical system based on date and time of birth.(Huh?) Today, mantras are more widely recognized (and easier to create) as personal chants, affirmations and/or declarations that are used to change or transform aspects of our lives. Mantras can be amazingly powerful, but they can also be detrimental too if you pick the wrong one. By developing and using a mantra – one that stimulates and inspires you – getting motivated becomes much easier and a heck of a lot quicker too. Here is the mantra I use in the gym when I’m getting tired, “keep going.” Simple right? Yup, but there is a lot behind those two words. “Keep Going” to me means that I’m not weak or a quitter, that I do not give up because champions do not give up. I could say “don’t give up” right? But for me that phrase keeps me focused on how I might give up. It may sound subtle to you, but when I am pushing 100 pound dumbbells in each hand over my head several times, I do not want to think about quitting- I want to stay focused on moving the weight!!
Another mantra that my girlfriend Mary and I use at the gym is “Finish Strong.” We use this phrase at the end of a set and most definitely at the end of the workout when we are tired. This mantra motivates us to continue to push ourselves as best we can because neither one of us likes to walk out of the gym knowing that we didn’t give our all that night. The members here at Clearwater Boxing Center use a Mantra too. I yell out “Last Set!!” and they yell back “Best Set!!” This works great because it helps them to stay mentally focused and give that extra effort that they might not have given otherwise.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when Creating Your Own Personal Mantra:
· Keep it simple
· It should be easy to repeat and remember
· It can represent an entire range of values
· It can be motivational
· It can be instructional
· It can be humorous
· It should not be pessimistic
· It should not be corny or stupid (or you won’t take it seriously)
· It should be personal to you and your goals
2. Get Physical: Losing your motivation can take its toll on you not just mentally but physically as well, because when you’re down in the dumps, not only are you lacking mental motivation, but there is a distinct lack of physical energy as well. For instance, it may take you more effort to get out of bed and get ready for work. It might require more energy for you to stay awake and focused while on the job. It will take more energy to get to the gym much less have a good work out. You may also have to make more of an effort to do simple household chores as well. Try this: for about one minute, get depressed. How do you do this? Well, you slump your shoulders, tuck your chin, you let out a deep sigh, etc. In order for you to get depressed, there are certain physical actions that you need to take to help you become depressed.
Well the opposite is true as well- there are certain actions that you need to take to get yourself motivated. Most of these are very simple to do of course, but they have such strong results that I encourage you to try each one. For instance, if you were to laugh out loud for no particular reason, let’s say in your car as you drive down the road, and do it several times in succession, you’ll most likely end up laughing hysterically for real. (Try it. Laugh like Jack Nicholson when he played the Joker. Or laugh like a mad scientist.) Once you’ve taken that particular action to that degree, your body will be filled with new and more positive emotions and endorphins (see next step), and simultaneously it will require another concerted effort on your part to get back to being depressed!
Here are a few ways to Get Physical:
· Sit-up straight
· Stand up straight
· Take 5 deep breaths
· Smile REALLY big
· Laugh out loud and crazy
· Tell yourself a really bad joke
· Play a practical joke on a buddy
· Take a short but brisk walk
· Work out at Clearwater Boxing Center
· Create your own
3. Keep Your Eyes on the Future: Another great way to get motivated fast is to think about what your life will be like once you’ve achieved your goals and reached that level of success you’re striving towards. Think about how you’ll look in that new dress or new suit after losing all of that body fat. Consider how you’ll feel once your first book or manuscript is sold. Imagine how excited you’ll be once you purchase that special car or truck you’ve always wanted. By looking towards the future, you will literally create positive emotions that will affect you physiologically in the here and now- yes, physiologically.
Scientists have discovered that each emotion has a certain chemical make up to it that once it hits your bloodstream it creates a particular response- just like drugs and alcohol would. (Which is why many people say they are addicted to adrenaline, or anger, etc. Very close to the truth!) Knowing that emotions can affect you in such a way, allowing yourself to create healthy positive ones only serves you better in your day-to-day journey of personal success. When you do look to the future, try to create positive sensations/emotions such as excitement, happiness, enthusiasm, joy, etc.
Here a few ways to Keep Your Eyes on the Future and get motivated FAST!
· See that bonus check for xx amount of dollars in your hand
· Imagine yourself with six pack abs
· Visualize yourself driving that new car
· Picture yourself in that new dress or suit
· Create a poster board with magazine clippings representing your goals
· Create your own future visualization
3.5 Keep Your Feet in the Present: While it is always helpful to picture the future as you would like it to be and get excited about it, the only way to actually get there is by staying in the here and now and taking action towards your goals. Basically, staying in the here and now means: taking at least one action towards one of your most important goals (whether that be financial, physical health, career, etc.) at the time you’re feeling the most down or depressed. By taking an action or two now towards one of those goals you’ll get motivated fast because you’ll realize that you’re one step closer towards achieving it. And if that doesn’t help to begin to change your state and get you motivated fast, then try again! Keep doing this over and over, along with reciting your mantra (step 1), sitting up straight and breathing deep (step 2) and thinking about the future results you want (step 3). This is as simple as it gets folks! You can literally be walking down the sidewalk towards your next sales call with your back straight/head high, chanting your mantra with a big smile, thinking about how this one sale will put you ahead and then just walk through the door!
Here a few ways to Keep Your Feet in the Present:
* Make that sales call that you’ve been putting off
* Work out (always comes back to that huh?)
* Call someone in your net working group and run an idea past them
* Help someone less fortunate than yourself
* Brainstorm ideas on possible solutions to various problems
*Eat pizza (always helps me I have to say)
* Create your own way to stay in the present
FREE OFFER: Staying motivated is definitely not the be-all or end-all of achieving your goals or living a life of personal success, but it does help! If you’re finding yourself getting down, shoot me an e-mail and we’ll see if we can’t get you headed in a better direction. John@BlackBeltLiving.com
But the real questions here are these: How do you handle that sudden decrease in motivation? What do you do when you’d rather dig your eyes out with spoon than go to work and deal with your seemingly evil and demanding boss or brainless coworkers? How can you manage to get yourself back into a frame of mind that allows you to handle the current challenges while still being able to be successful and productive in your daily endeavors?
Well, you just may find your answers here in my 3.5 Ways To Get Motivated- FAST!!
1. Create Your Own Personal Mantra: Definition: Mantras date back thousands of years and are traditionally syllables and poems in the Sanskrit language created through a complex numerical system based on date and time of birth.(Huh?) Today, mantras are more widely recognized (and easier to create) as personal chants, affirmations and/or declarations that are used to change or transform aspects of our lives. Mantras can be amazingly powerful, but they can also be detrimental too if you pick the wrong one. By developing and using a mantra – one that stimulates and inspires you – getting motivated becomes much easier and a heck of a lot quicker too. Here is the mantra I use in the gym when I’m getting tired, “keep going.” Simple right? Yup, but there is a lot behind those two words. “Keep Going” to me means that I’m not weak or a quitter, that I do not give up because champions do not give up. I could say “don’t give up” right? But for me that phrase keeps me focused on how I might give up. It may sound subtle to you, but when I am pushing 100 pound dumbbells in each hand over my head several times, I do not want to think about quitting- I want to stay focused on moving the weight!!
Another mantra that my girlfriend Mary and I use at the gym is “Finish Strong.” We use this phrase at the end of a set and most definitely at the end of the workout when we are tired. This mantra motivates us to continue to push ourselves as best we can because neither one of us likes to walk out of the gym knowing that we didn’t give our all that night. The members here at Clearwater Boxing Center use a Mantra too. I yell out “Last Set!!” and they yell back “Best Set!!” This works great because it helps them to stay mentally focused and give that extra effort that they might not have given otherwise.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when Creating Your Own Personal Mantra:
· Keep it simple
· It should be easy to repeat and remember
· It can represent an entire range of values
· It can be motivational
· It can be instructional
· It can be humorous
· It should not be pessimistic
· It should not be corny or stupid (or you won’t take it seriously)
· It should be personal to you and your goals
2. Get Physical: Losing your motivation can take its toll on you not just mentally but physically as well, because when you’re down in the dumps, not only are you lacking mental motivation, but there is a distinct lack of physical energy as well. For instance, it may take you more effort to get out of bed and get ready for work. It might require more energy for you to stay awake and focused while on the job. It will take more energy to get to the gym much less have a good work out. You may also have to make more of an effort to do simple household chores as well. Try this: for about one minute, get depressed. How do you do this? Well, you slump your shoulders, tuck your chin, you let out a deep sigh, etc. In order for you to get depressed, there are certain physical actions that you need to take to help you become depressed.
Well the opposite is true as well- there are certain actions that you need to take to get yourself motivated. Most of these are very simple to do of course, but they have such strong results that I encourage you to try each one. For instance, if you were to laugh out loud for no particular reason, let’s say in your car as you drive down the road, and do it several times in succession, you’ll most likely end up laughing hysterically for real. (Try it. Laugh like Jack Nicholson when he played the Joker. Or laugh like a mad scientist.) Once you’ve taken that particular action to that degree, your body will be filled with new and more positive emotions and endorphins (see next step), and simultaneously it will require another concerted effort on your part to get back to being depressed!
Here are a few ways to Get Physical:
· Sit-up straight
· Stand up straight
· Take 5 deep breaths
· Smile REALLY big
· Laugh out loud and crazy
· Tell yourself a really bad joke
· Play a practical joke on a buddy
· Take a short but brisk walk
· Work out at Clearwater Boxing Center
· Create your own
3. Keep Your Eyes on the Future: Another great way to get motivated fast is to think about what your life will be like once you’ve achieved your goals and reached that level of success you’re striving towards. Think about how you’ll look in that new dress or new suit after losing all of that body fat. Consider how you’ll feel once your first book or manuscript is sold. Imagine how excited you’ll be once you purchase that special car or truck you’ve always wanted. By looking towards the future, you will literally create positive emotions that will affect you physiologically in the here and now- yes, physiologically.
Scientists have discovered that each emotion has a certain chemical make up to it that once it hits your bloodstream it creates a particular response- just like drugs and alcohol would. (Which is why many people say they are addicted to adrenaline, or anger, etc. Very close to the truth!) Knowing that emotions can affect you in such a way, allowing yourself to create healthy positive ones only serves you better in your day-to-day journey of personal success. When you do look to the future, try to create positive sensations/emotions such as excitement, happiness, enthusiasm, joy, etc.
Here a few ways to Keep Your Eyes on the Future and get motivated FAST!
· See that bonus check for xx amount of dollars in your hand
· Imagine yourself with six pack abs
· Visualize yourself driving that new car
· Picture yourself in that new dress or suit
· Create a poster board with magazine clippings representing your goals
· Create your own future visualization
3.5 Keep Your Feet in the Present: While it is always helpful to picture the future as you would like it to be and get excited about it, the only way to actually get there is by staying in the here and now and taking action towards your goals. Basically, staying in the here and now means: taking at least one action towards one of your most important goals (whether that be financial, physical health, career, etc.) at the time you’re feeling the most down or depressed. By taking an action or two now towards one of those goals you’ll get motivated fast because you’ll realize that you’re one step closer towards achieving it. And if that doesn’t help to begin to change your state and get you motivated fast, then try again! Keep doing this over and over, along with reciting your mantra (step 1), sitting up straight and breathing deep (step 2) and thinking about the future results you want (step 3). This is as simple as it gets folks! You can literally be walking down the sidewalk towards your next sales call with your back straight/head high, chanting your mantra with a big smile, thinking about how this one sale will put you ahead and then just walk through the door!
Here a few ways to Keep Your Feet in the Present:
* Make that sales call that you’ve been putting off
* Work out (always comes back to that huh?)
* Call someone in your net working group and run an idea past them
* Help someone less fortunate than yourself
* Brainstorm ideas on possible solutions to various problems
*Eat pizza (always helps me I have to say)
* Create your own way to stay in the present
FREE OFFER: Staying motivated is definitely not the be-all or end-all of achieving your goals or living a life of personal success, but it does help! If you’re finding yourself getting down, shoot me an e-mail and we’ll see if we can’t get you headed in a better direction. John@BlackBeltLiving.com
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
3.5 Ways To Get & Stay In-Shape
Far too many people believe that in order to get into great physical shape they have to be genetically gifted- to have been born that way- and that’s just not true! While there are many people who naturally are in great physical shape and do little or nothing to look that way, (and we hate them all) most of the people you see in the magazines or even at the mall work very, very hard to get that way- and very rarely do they look that way year round either! The majority of them have to diet down for several months to lose the body fat for a photo shoot or contest, and then they gain some (and sometimes more) of it back because they went back to doing what they had always done! But if want to look like those folks in the magazines and are willing to go to any lengths to achieve it, AND KEEP IT, then you are ready for the 3.5 Ways to Get &Stay In-Shape:
1. Exercise: OK, you knew this of course but there are so many forms of exercise that most people get lost as to which is the best way. Is it lifting weights? Is it running? Using the cardio machines at the gym? Swimming? Biking? Boxing or Kickboxing? Walking? Which one is best? Well, the answer to that question all depends on you. It depends on your goals, your current fitness levels, age, current or past injuries, abilities or inabilities, likes & dislikes and overall interests. However, if you were to join a course designed to work everything, like here at Clearwater Boxing, then you’d have it made!
The program here at Clearwater Boxing Center is geared to help you with all of what you are looking for in regards to getting into shape. In every class you burn fat, build muscle, increase your physical stamina, enhance your cardio vascular endurance and learn to defend yourself as well. In each class you work your legs, your abs, shoulders, chest, back and arms in each class. You work your core muscles every time you train here. You develop speed, timing, accuracy and greater body control. You also increase your self esteem and self confidence because each week you’ve moved closer to becoming the person you’re striving hard to become!
Here are a few ways that will help you maximize your results here at Clearwater Boxing to reach your goals quicker:
· Come 5-10 minutes early and warm-up to better prevent injuries.
· Practice jumping rope before or after classes.
· Practice any new techniques before or after classes.
· Run on the days you do not attend class.
· If you miss a few days, make sure that you do several sets of push-ups, crunches and squat kicks.
· Get 5 or 10 private lessons from Coach John Kyle once every few months.
· Push yourself in each class and do not allow yourself to quit- ever.
· Lift weights a few times each week or month.
· Run, bike or swim on the days you do not train here in Boxing.
· Create your own ways to improve your physical exercise!
2. Food Intake: OK, you knew this one too of course, but let’s shed some light in a few areas that you may not have considered. For instance, do you know if protein or carbohydrates builds muscle? What is the best source of energy for your body? How much water should you drink each day? How many meals should you eat each day if you are training here at Clearwater Boxing? For those of you who found those questions easy to answer, there are at least 20 other people who are clueless. Clearwater Boxing and Fitness trains their clients as if they were a real fighter, or attempting to become one. That means that you must make sure that your body is fueled and hydrated long before you step foot inside the gym!
If you’re the type of person who will read new diet books every so often and then decide to slash all of your carbohydrates out of your food intake for a few weeks because that particular diet said to do so but then you still expect to maintain the same performance level in your training session, you will be sadly mistaken! (I see this too often.) You would most likely run out of energy within 15 minutes, get light-headed and perhaps feel nauseated as well. If you want to drop carbs, that’s OK, but you may want to think about doing so in a cyclical manor every few days. This way you’re body will use what carbs have been stored on the “low carb” days, and then you’ll be able to replenish them on the “normal carb” days before you run yourself down and feel weak. (Please note “low” carb, not “no” carb.) If your goal is to lose weight (i.e. Body fat) then you may want to try the suggestions listed below. By staying close to these suggestions, you’ll most likely find that you will have plenty of energy as you train hard in each class to reach your goals without feeling run down or exhausted at the end of the day. Here they are:
· Drink a gallon of water per day. It’s easier than you think.
· Eat 4-6 meals per day. Think of your body like one of those old choo-choo trains: the more often coal that was pumped into the furnace, the brighter the fire and the faster the speed. So try to “stoke the fire” of your body’s metabolism every 3 hours or so. A “meal” could be a chicken breast and potato or a protein shake and a banana. Keep it simple.
· Eat approximately 1 gram of protein per body pound per day. 200 grams if you weigh 200 pounds, etc. Protein builds muscle 24/7 and your body needs to burn extra calories to do so. Also be sure to increase your protein if you are trying a “low” carb day to keep your calorie intake the same.
· Eat 1.5 to 2 grams of carbs per body pound each day on normal carb days. Decrease that by almost 50% for “low” carb days. This may or may not be best for you, so you want to try a few variations and /or consult your doctor first.
· Consume good protein sources: Chicken, lean beef, eggs, fish, protein bars or shakes.
· Consume good sources of carbohydrates: brown rice, vegetables, whole grain breads, etc.
· ALWAYS eat breakfast. It kick-starts your metabolism which helps to burn more calories each day.
· ALWAYS eat a healthy meal within one hour or less after your workout. You body is starving for the nutrients it just burned, so give it something healthy that will digest quickly. Like a protein shake for example.
· Try not to eat within a half hour or an hour of one of the classes here at Clearwater Boxing- you’ll most likely cramp up or have the pleasure of tasting the meal all over again.
· Try not to snack late at night. Since you’re most likely inactive, your body will store the extra calories as fat.
· If you’re attempting to build muscle, have a small protein shake before you go to bed. This way your body will use the protein to burn the calories it needs to repair itself, not your muscles.
· If you are attempting to lose body fat, consume most of your daily calories earlier in the day and less at night since you are most likely inactive.
· Give yourself a “cheat day” or night where you can eat whatever you want. This way you have something to look forward to each week and not feel as if you are being deprived.
· Try not to do a “diet”. Diets imply “temporary.” Try to develop a lifestyle of healthy eating.
3. Rest: Finding the right balance between training and resting is a much more important aspect of success than most people realize. And here is where folks swing too far to one side where they get too much rest and never seem to achieve their fitness goals, and others who don’t rest enough and again limit the results they could get by over-training. The trouble that these folks face (outside of being lazy or obsessive) is that they are not sure exactly how much rest is enough and when to take it. Some will rest only on their 2 week vacation each year, while others will take only 2 days per month. Still, some only 2 days per week. Others will stop because they have over done it and are now burned out on the activity they have been involved with. Of course there are the other folks who train once per week and rest for 6 days. (Not you of course!)
Yet, the questions still remains- how much is too much and how much is too little? Well the answer is simple: it depends! That’s right, there is no one-pat-answer to that question because everyone is different. The needs of a 65 year old are different from a 24 year old, right? So, it depends on: your age, physical abilities or limitations, your injuries, work schedule, family life, social life, etc. Get the idea? This is one answer that you’ll have to find on your own and by following the suggestions below you just may get your answer:
* Create a training routine that will last 2-3 weeks and have you training 6 days each week with having Sunday off. Evaluate how you feel towards the end of each week as well as the results you are gaining from this training schedule.
* Create another training routine lasting 2-3 weeks that has you training 5 days per week and taking both Saturday and Sunday off. Again evaluate how you feel, etc.
* Create a 3rd training routine for the next 2-3 weeks that has you training only 4 days per week taking off on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Evaluate how you feel at the end of each week.
* Ask these questions to help you evaluate each routine:
* Do you feel more or less energetic at work or home?
* Do I have plenty of energy for my workout? (You should be tired at the end though!)
* Are you old injuries flaring up more or less?
* Is your mood elevated or stifled from too much or not enough exercise?
Once you’ve found that right formula that gives you optimal gains, stick to it as much as you can and then change it! (Yes change it. Read 3.5 to find out why!)
3.5 Consistency (and Change): Here is the secret to making all of this work- be consistent in the first 3 areas of physical fitness as much as you can because your goals WILL NOT manifest over night! The principle of consistency is what really makes your fitness results shine through! However, I guarantee you failure if you accomplish your goals and then simply quit right after- because you’ll go back to the way you were eating and training within 2 weeks. Now how would you feel if you allowed that happen? Not too good I’d imagine. Some people think that consistency is hard, and it can be, but that is why getting your rest is so crucial. From time to time you need to allow yourself to take a week or so off of training and let you body and mind heal, but then you need to get back to it! Being consistent is how you’ll turn the first 3 principles into a healthy lifestyle that will have you looking and feeling great, permitting you to get the most out of your life each week, month and year!
Now, some of you reading this may say, “but wait John! Being consistent is going to be boring after a while!” Well, it could be, but that is why you also need to be consistent in changing your routines every few weeks if you’re the type of person who gets bored easy. (I’m not. I can go 6 months to a year before I change anything.) Perhaps instead of jogging, next week or next month you could do sprints. Instead of lifting weights, next month you could swim. Rather than using the stair climber, next week you can bike on the road. The one thing you never want to stop of course is training here at Clearwater Boxing because we hit the entire body every class. We build muscle (if you’re eating right), we burn fat (if you’re eating right) develop your cardio vascular endurance, build self confidence and self esteem, teach self defense and most importantly, we motivate and inspire you every class!
Here are a few ways to be consistent and still keep things fresh:
* Change your weekly routine from 4 training days, to 5 and then 6 every few weeks.
* Change what you do each day: Monday is running after Boxing, Tuesday is biking after Boxing, Wednesday is the elliptical after Boxing, Thursday is 3 rounds of jump rope after Boxing, Friday is weight lifting after Boxing, etc.
* Say “NO” to hanging out with the friends if they call on your scheduled training night. Your friends will be there the next time and you’ll have no regrets.
* Take 5 or 10 private training sessions with John Kyle every 6 months or so.
* Read magazines or search the internet for new workouts.
*Get friends involved with you training here at Clearwater Boxing Gym as well as with your other activities. This way you’ll have someone to help hold you accountable for your actions.
* Find your own ways to stay steady and consistent towards your goals as well as changing things keep it all fresh so you don’t get bored!
FREE OFFER: Need some help creating a personalized training and eating routine? Give me a call or send me an e-mail and we’ll talk. But don’t waste my time. If you have no intention of giving this a chance as a way of life for at least one year, call someone else. If you want results that last- I’m here for you.
1. Exercise: OK, you knew this of course but there are so many forms of exercise that most people get lost as to which is the best way. Is it lifting weights? Is it running? Using the cardio machines at the gym? Swimming? Biking? Boxing or Kickboxing? Walking? Which one is best? Well, the answer to that question all depends on you. It depends on your goals, your current fitness levels, age, current or past injuries, abilities or inabilities, likes & dislikes and overall interests. However, if you were to join a course designed to work everything, like here at Clearwater Boxing, then you’d have it made!
The program here at Clearwater Boxing Center is geared to help you with all of what you are looking for in regards to getting into shape. In every class you burn fat, build muscle, increase your physical stamina, enhance your cardio vascular endurance and learn to defend yourself as well. In each class you work your legs, your abs, shoulders, chest, back and arms in each class. You work your core muscles every time you train here. You develop speed, timing, accuracy and greater body control. You also increase your self esteem and self confidence because each week you’ve moved closer to becoming the person you’re striving hard to become!
Here are a few ways that will help you maximize your results here at Clearwater Boxing to reach your goals quicker:
· Come 5-10 minutes early and warm-up to better prevent injuries.
· Practice jumping rope before or after classes.
· Practice any new techniques before or after classes.
· Run on the days you do not attend class.
· If you miss a few days, make sure that you do several sets of push-ups, crunches and squat kicks.
· Get 5 or 10 private lessons from Coach John Kyle once every few months.
· Push yourself in each class and do not allow yourself to quit- ever.
· Lift weights a few times each week or month.
· Run, bike or swim on the days you do not train here in Boxing.
· Create your own ways to improve your physical exercise!
2. Food Intake: OK, you knew this one too of course, but let’s shed some light in a few areas that you may not have considered. For instance, do you know if protein or carbohydrates builds muscle? What is the best source of energy for your body? How much water should you drink each day? How many meals should you eat each day if you are training here at Clearwater Boxing? For those of you who found those questions easy to answer, there are at least 20 other people who are clueless. Clearwater Boxing and Fitness trains their clients as if they were a real fighter, or attempting to become one. That means that you must make sure that your body is fueled and hydrated long before you step foot inside the gym!
If you’re the type of person who will read new diet books every so often and then decide to slash all of your carbohydrates out of your food intake for a few weeks because that particular diet said to do so but then you still expect to maintain the same performance level in your training session, you will be sadly mistaken! (I see this too often.) You would most likely run out of energy within 15 minutes, get light-headed and perhaps feel nauseated as well. If you want to drop carbs, that’s OK, but you may want to think about doing so in a cyclical manor every few days. This way you’re body will use what carbs have been stored on the “low carb” days, and then you’ll be able to replenish them on the “normal carb” days before you run yourself down and feel weak. (Please note “low” carb, not “no” carb.) If your goal is to lose weight (i.e. Body fat) then you may want to try the suggestions listed below. By staying close to these suggestions, you’ll most likely find that you will have plenty of energy as you train hard in each class to reach your goals without feeling run down or exhausted at the end of the day. Here they are:
· Drink a gallon of water per day. It’s easier than you think.
· Eat 4-6 meals per day. Think of your body like one of those old choo-choo trains: the more often coal that was pumped into the furnace, the brighter the fire and the faster the speed. So try to “stoke the fire” of your body’s metabolism every 3 hours or so. A “meal” could be a chicken breast and potato or a protein shake and a banana. Keep it simple.
· Eat approximately 1 gram of protein per body pound per day. 200 grams if you weigh 200 pounds, etc. Protein builds muscle 24/7 and your body needs to burn extra calories to do so. Also be sure to increase your protein if you are trying a “low” carb day to keep your calorie intake the same.
· Eat 1.5 to 2 grams of carbs per body pound each day on normal carb days. Decrease that by almost 50% for “low” carb days. This may or may not be best for you, so you want to try a few variations and /or consult your doctor first.
· Consume good protein sources: Chicken, lean beef, eggs, fish, protein bars or shakes.
· Consume good sources of carbohydrates: brown rice, vegetables, whole grain breads, etc.
· ALWAYS eat breakfast. It kick-starts your metabolism which helps to burn more calories each day.
· ALWAYS eat a healthy meal within one hour or less after your workout. You body is starving for the nutrients it just burned, so give it something healthy that will digest quickly. Like a protein shake for example.
· Try not to eat within a half hour or an hour of one of the classes here at Clearwater Boxing- you’ll most likely cramp up or have the pleasure of tasting the meal all over again.
· Try not to snack late at night. Since you’re most likely inactive, your body will store the extra calories as fat.
· If you’re attempting to build muscle, have a small protein shake before you go to bed. This way your body will use the protein to burn the calories it needs to repair itself, not your muscles.
· If you are attempting to lose body fat, consume most of your daily calories earlier in the day and less at night since you are most likely inactive.
· Give yourself a “cheat day” or night where you can eat whatever you want. This way you have something to look forward to each week and not feel as if you are being deprived.
· Try not to do a “diet”. Diets imply “temporary.” Try to develop a lifestyle of healthy eating.
3. Rest: Finding the right balance between training and resting is a much more important aspect of success than most people realize. And here is where folks swing too far to one side where they get too much rest and never seem to achieve their fitness goals, and others who don’t rest enough and again limit the results they could get by over-training. The trouble that these folks face (outside of being lazy or obsessive) is that they are not sure exactly how much rest is enough and when to take it. Some will rest only on their 2 week vacation each year, while others will take only 2 days per month. Still, some only 2 days per week. Others will stop because they have over done it and are now burned out on the activity they have been involved with. Of course there are the other folks who train once per week and rest for 6 days. (Not you of course!)
Yet, the questions still remains- how much is too much and how much is too little? Well the answer is simple: it depends! That’s right, there is no one-pat-answer to that question because everyone is different. The needs of a 65 year old are different from a 24 year old, right? So, it depends on: your age, physical abilities or limitations, your injuries, work schedule, family life, social life, etc. Get the idea? This is one answer that you’ll have to find on your own and by following the suggestions below you just may get your answer:
* Create a training routine that will last 2-3 weeks and have you training 6 days each week with having Sunday off. Evaluate how you feel towards the end of each week as well as the results you are gaining from this training schedule.
* Create another training routine lasting 2-3 weeks that has you training 5 days per week and taking both Saturday and Sunday off. Again evaluate how you feel, etc.
* Create a 3rd training routine for the next 2-3 weeks that has you training only 4 days per week taking off on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Evaluate how you feel at the end of each week.
* Ask these questions to help you evaluate each routine:
* Do you feel more or less energetic at work or home?
* Do I have plenty of energy for my workout? (You should be tired at the end though!)
* Are you old injuries flaring up more or less?
* Is your mood elevated or stifled from too much or not enough exercise?
Once you’ve found that right formula that gives you optimal gains, stick to it as much as you can and then change it! (Yes change it. Read 3.5 to find out why!)
3.5 Consistency (and Change): Here is the secret to making all of this work- be consistent in the first 3 areas of physical fitness as much as you can because your goals WILL NOT manifest over night! The principle of consistency is what really makes your fitness results shine through! However, I guarantee you failure if you accomplish your goals and then simply quit right after- because you’ll go back to the way you were eating and training within 2 weeks. Now how would you feel if you allowed that happen? Not too good I’d imagine. Some people think that consistency is hard, and it can be, but that is why getting your rest is so crucial. From time to time you need to allow yourself to take a week or so off of training and let you body and mind heal, but then you need to get back to it! Being consistent is how you’ll turn the first 3 principles into a healthy lifestyle that will have you looking and feeling great, permitting you to get the most out of your life each week, month and year!
Now, some of you reading this may say, “but wait John! Being consistent is going to be boring after a while!” Well, it could be, but that is why you also need to be consistent in changing your routines every few weeks if you’re the type of person who gets bored easy. (I’m not. I can go 6 months to a year before I change anything.) Perhaps instead of jogging, next week or next month you could do sprints. Instead of lifting weights, next month you could swim. Rather than using the stair climber, next week you can bike on the road. The one thing you never want to stop of course is training here at Clearwater Boxing because we hit the entire body every class. We build muscle (if you’re eating right), we burn fat (if you’re eating right) develop your cardio vascular endurance, build self confidence and self esteem, teach self defense and most importantly, we motivate and inspire you every class!
Here are a few ways to be consistent and still keep things fresh:
* Change your weekly routine from 4 training days, to 5 and then 6 every few weeks.
* Change what you do each day: Monday is running after Boxing, Tuesday is biking after Boxing, Wednesday is the elliptical after Boxing, Thursday is 3 rounds of jump rope after Boxing, Friday is weight lifting after Boxing, etc.
* Say “NO” to hanging out with the friends if they call on your scheduled training night. Your friends will be there the next time and you’ll have no regrets.
* Take 5 or 10 private training sessions with John Kyle every 6 months or so.
* Read magazines or search the internet for new workouts.
*Get friends involved with you training here at Clearwater Boxing Gym as well as with your other activities. This way you’ll have someone to help hold you accountable for your actions.
* Find your own ways to stay steady and consistent towards your goals as well as changing things keep it all fresh so you don’t get bored!
FREE OFFER: Need some help creating a personalized training and eating routine? Give me a call or send me an e-mail and we’ll talk. But don’t waste my time. If you have no intention of giving this a chance as a way of life for at least one year, call someone else. If you want results that last- I’m here for you.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
3.5 Ways to Stay Motivated in Sales
Motivation is a primary factor in any sales person's long term success- especially when sales are slow, the industry has taken a turn for the worse or you have personal issues that are either taking up time in your day or worse yet- time in your head. We've all been-there-done-that several times over, yet many sales people still haven't found a way of dealing with those various challenges and continue to stay motivated for the next client or prospect that comes their way.
I have a few simple ways that will help you stay motivated as you continue down your path towards your success:
1. Make it a Game: If you know that you have to make several phone calls to prospects, and hate this aspect of your job, then make a game for yourself to see how many appointments you can set. Let's say you have 50 prospect calls to make and out of those 50 you are able to contact 35. That would be 70% contacted. Now, most importantly, you want to see how many of those 35 you can set appointments with. Let's say out of those people contacted, you are able to set 31 appointments- that's 88%. But what does that percentage mean? It means that if you can get people on the phone you're pretty sharp at setting appointments. (If you were only able to set 5 or 10 appointments, then you need work on your phone skills!!) Recently I was able to get 24 out of 30 last week- that's only 80%. (Room for improvement, huh?)
2. Turn up the Music: On days when the sky is cloudy and all I really want to do is take freakin' nap, I'll wake myself up with a little Rock 'n Roll on the stereo. I'll jam out to some AC/DC, Red Hot Chili Peppers or whatever's on the radio. I believe that if it gets you moving and energized, then you're more likely to have a motivated attitude and a smile on your face, which your prospect will most likely notice from the second you walk through the door. When you are in the right frame of mind, your sales calls will generally go much smoother. So play some music, get motivated, have fun and your chances of closing the deal increase exponentially.
3. "Tap-In": Every sales person I have ever spoken too states that they often feel as they're "going at it alone." They complain that their sales manager doesn't offer enough guidance, or that their company doesn't give enough support, so I tell them to "tap-in" to their own sources of guidance and motivation. What every sales person needs to do (you included) is to find a handful of people that you can call at almost anytime during the day. This is a tried and true method of getting and staying motivated from people who know exactly what you go through on a daily basis. They can also be a great source of ideas, resources and even referrals that you'll be able to benefit from as well. Now make that call!
3.5 Go Play: That's right- play! Grab a friend and throw the football or the baseball, play Frisbee, go play miniature golf, go to the fair and enter a 3 legged race! Why? Because by the time you're done with one of those activities, you'll be smiling, laughing and having a great time. (Ever done a 3 legged race? You'll love it! Or you can, at the very least, watch one- you'll be laughing you're ... off!) We all know the saying "all work and no play....", that applies to you too. Turn off the TV for a while, get outside and play!
Complimentary Offer: Unmotivated? Not "feelin' it" lately in your career of life? Give me a call or shoot me an e-mail. We'll get together and see what we can do to get you rolling full speed ahead to get motivated! 727-797-4528 or john@blackbeltliving.com
I have a few simple ways that will help you stay motivated as you continue down your path towards your success:
1. Make it a Game: If you know that you have to make several phone calls to prospects, and hate this aspect of your job, then make a game for yourself to see how many appointments you can set. Let's say you have 50 prospect calls to make and out of those 50 you are able to contact 35. That would be 70% contacted. Now, most importantly, you want to see how many of those 35 you can set appointments with. Let's say out of those people contacted, you are able to set 31 appointments- that's 88%. But what does that percentage mean? It means that if you can get people on the phone you're pretty sharp at setting appointments. (If you were only able to set 5 or 10 appointments, then you need work on your phone skills!!) Recently I was able to get 24 out of 30 last week- that's only 80%. (Room for improvement, huh?)
2. Turn up the Music: On days when the sky is cloudy and all I really want to do is take freakin' nap, I'll wake myself up with a little Rock 'n Roll on the stereo. I'll jam out to some AC/DC, Red Hot Chili Peppers or whatever's on the radio. I believe that if it gets you moving and energized, then you're more likely to have a motivated attitude and a smile on your face, which your prospect will most likely notice from the second you walk through the door. When you are in the right frame of mind, your sales calls will generally go much smoother. So play some music, get motivated, have fun and your chances of closing the deal increase exponentially.
3. "Tap-In": Every sales person I have ever spoken too states that they often feel as they're "going at it alone." They complain that their sales manager doesn't offer enough guidance, or that their company doesn't give enough support, so I tell them to "tap-in" to their own sources of guidance and motivation. What every sales person needs to do (you included) is to find a handful of people that you can call at almost anytime during the day. This is a tried and true method of getting and staying motivated from people who know exactly what you go through on a daily basis. They can also be a great source of ideas, resources and even referrals that you'll be able to benefit from as well. Now make that call!
3.5 Go Play: That's right- play! Grab a friend and throw the football or the baseball, play Frisbee, go play miniature golf, go to the fair and enter a 3 legged race! Why? Because by the time you're done with one of those activities, you'll be smiling, laughing and having a great time. (Ever done a 3 legged race? You'll love it! Or you can, at the very least, watch one- you'll be laughing you're ... off!) We all know the saying "all work and no play....", that applies to you too. Turn off the TV for a while, get outside and play!
Complimentary Offer: Unmotivated? Not "feelin' it" lately in your career of life? Give me a call or shoot me an e-mail. We'll get together and see what we can do to get you rolling full speed ahead to get motivated! 727-797-4528 or john@blackbeltliving.com
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
9.5 Ways to Fight Fat
Looking to lose weight? More specifically- are you looking to burn off body fat? If your answer is 'yes', then read on because winning the battle-of-the-bulge is easier than you think! By understanding and practicing the following 9.5 steps, you'll be well on your way developing the physical fitness level you've always dreamed of.
1. Eat less and more often: Your body is like a furnace, to keep it running moist efficiently, you have to stoke the fire regularly. Eating smaller meals five to seven times a day will help keep your metabolism constantly firing your internal furnace. Loading it down with three heavy meals like your momma fed you as a kid will only serve to slow your metabolism to a crawl.
2. Get Your Rest: Getting a good night's sleep will actually help you lose weight. Eight hours of sleep per night might be ideal, researchers report. Of the 740 people studied, those who slept eight hours per night were leaner than those who got five or six hours of sleep. Participants took blood tests that screened for leptin, a hormone that helps regulate hunger. The amount of leptin in the blood is proportional to body fat. Leptin is believed to reduce appetite. However, obesity is often accompanied by a resistance to leptin and its appetite-suppressing effect. Participants who slept less tended to have lower leptin levels. This loosely translates to: less sleep= less leptin= more hunger and eating.
3. Avoid Injuries: Nothing can slam on the breaks of you reaching your fitness goals than a training injury. When you are laid up with a sore back or a tweaked knee, the fat can accumulate quickly. So don’t go crazy with hitting the heavy bag or practicing new techniques only to sacrifice the form of the movement. Sloppy technique can lead to an injury faster than Santa can deliver presents. Also, avoid over training as this leads to fatigue which in turn creates sloppy technique.
4. Cardio is King: It’s called “fat-burning” for a reason. Doing cardiovascular training like what we do here at Clearwater Boxing Center, raises your core temperature and puts your body in a perfect zone for melting fat. By attending 3-5 classes per week (along with the other suggestions) you’ll see the fat melt off you in no time.
5. Your Scale Will Lie: Muscle weighs more than fat and your bathroom scale can’t tell the difference. While following a workout regime, your body could increase muscle by 10 pounds and only lose 5 pounds of fat. Your scale will show you as being heavier, yet that is not an accurate representation of where you’re at. If you want a real representation, get your body fat measured by a doctor, see how your jeans and t-shirts are fitting you and also take pictures each month. These methods will tell a more realistic story than your bathroom scale will.
6. Watch Your Carbs: As a nation we eat way too many carbs- like processed sugar, pasta, white bread, etc. I’m not saying drop carbs, I’m saying watch what kinds you put into your body. Try to choose quality carbs like brown rice, whole grains, colorful vegetables and oatmeal. Choosing carbs that are low on the glycemic index will help to insure a lower insulin demand, better long-term blood glucose and a reduction in blood lipids (fat).
7. Drink More Water: Water is the essential life giver and can help keep you lean. It keeps you hydrated while you train, flushes your system, suppresses appetite and your metabolic rate can increase with water consumption.
8. Eat Clean Not Fast: Don’t eat fast food!! Proper nutrition is paramount to reaching your fitness goals and fighting body fat. Choose lean beef, chicken, fish and protein shakes rather than a burger at Mcdonalds. Eating these healthy and clean sources of protein helps to increase your protein intake. Clean protein creates more quality muscle and (in case you didn’t know) having more muscle helps to burn body fat!
9. Pre-Pack Your Meals: By pre-packing your meals each day, your chances of having to cave-in and eat the cupcakes a coworker brought in will decrease dramatically! Depending on how many hours you’re at work each day, bringing 3 small meals (see step #1) with you, will help keep the fire stoked and those calories burning! Don’t have time? Bulls**t. Put down the remote at night and take 15 minutes and just get it done.
9.5 Get Educated: Not many schools today teach physical fitness the way it probably should be taught. So, perhaps the best thing you can do to reach your fat burning and fitness goals is to get educated. You need to understand that there is no one-right-way of eating food, or working out, or increasing your muscle mass as everyone’s genetic makeup is different. And because of that, you need to understand that what works for your best friend or that cover model on the magazine may not work for you. Your genetics are different from theirs and should be treated as such. Heck, that whole #2 Step about sleep and Leptin was taken from a muscle magazine called "Reps" that I trecently read! Who knew that getting sleep could affect fat lose huh? So take some time and read books or magazines and find out what’s out there. Now go get educated- and then get busy!
1. Eat less and more often: Your body is like a furnace, to keep it running moist efficiently, you have to stoke the fire regularly. Eating smaller meals five to seven times a day will help keep your metabolism constantly firing your internal furnace. Loading it down with three heavy meals like your momma fed you as a kid will only serve to slow your metabolism to a crawl.
2. Get Your Rest: Getting a good night's sleep will actually help you lose weight. Eight hours of sleep per night might be ideal, researchers report. Of the 740 people studied, those who slept eight hours per night were leaner than those who got five or six hours of sleep. Participants took blood tests that screened for leptin, a hormone that helps regulate hunger. The amount of leptin in the blood is proportional to body fat. Leptin is believed to reduce appetite. However, obesity is often accompanied by a resistance to leptin and its appetite-suppressing effect. Participants who slept less tended to have lower leptin levels. This loosely translates to: less sleep= less leptin= more hunger and eating.
3. Avoid Injuries: Nothing can slam on the breaks of you reaching your fitness goals than a training injury. When you are laid up with a sore back or a tweaked knee, the fat can accumulate quickly. So don’t go crazy with hitting the heavy bag or practicing new techniques only to sacrifice the form of the movement. Sloppy technique can lead to an injury faster than Santa can deliver presents. Also, avoid over training as this leads to fatigue which in turn creates sloppy technique.
4. Cardio is King: It’s called “fat-burning” for a reason. Doing cardiovascular training like what we do here at Clearwater Boxing Center, raises your core temperature and puts your body in a perfect zone for melting fat. By attending 3-5 classes per week (along with the other suggestions) you’ll see the fat melt off you in no time.
5. Your Scale Will Lie: Muscle weighs more than fat and your bathroom scale can’t tell the difference. While following a workout regime, your body could increase muscle by 10 pounds and only lose 5 pounds of fat. Your scale will show you as being heavier, yet that is not an accurate representation of where you’re at. If you want a real representation, get your body fat measured by a doctor, see how your jeans and t-shirts are fitting you and also take pictures each month. These methods will tell a more realistic story than your bathroom scale will.
6. Watch Your Carbs: As a nation we eat way too many carbs- like processed sugar, pasta, white bread, etc. I’m not saying drop carbs, I’m saying watch what kinds you put into your body. Try to choose quality carbs like brown rice, whole grains, colorful vegetables and oatmeal. Choosing carbs that are low on the glycemic index will help to insure a lower insulin demand, better long-term blood glucose and a reduction in blood lipids (fat).
7. Drink More Water: Water is the essential life giver and can help keep you lean. It keeps you hydrated while you train, flushes your system, suppresses appetite and your metabolic rate can increase with water consumption.
8. Eat Clean Not Fast: Don’t eat fast food!! Proper nutrition is paramount to reaching your fitness goals and fighting body fat. Choose lean beef, chicken, fish and protein shakes rather than a burger at Mcdonalds. Eating these healthy and clean sources of protein helps to increase your protein intake. Clean protein creates more quality muscle and (in case you didn’t know) having more muscle helps to burn body fat!
9. Pre-Pack Your Meals: By pre-packing your meals each day, your chances of having to cave-in and eat the cupcakes a coworker brought in will decrease dramatically! Depending on how many hours you’re at work each day, bringing 3 small meals (see step #1) with you, will help keep the fire stoked and those calories burning! Don’t have time? Bulls**t. Put down the remote at night and take 15 minutes and just get it done.
9.5 Get Educated: Not many schools today teach physical fitness the way it probably should be taught. So, perhaps the best thing you can do to reach your fat burning and fitness goals is to get educated. You need to understand that there is no one-right-way of eating food, or working out, or increasing your muscle mass as everyone’s genetic makeup is different. And because of that, you need to understand that what works for your best friend or that cover model on the magazine may not work for you. Your genetics are different from theirs and should be treated as such. Heck, that whole #2 Step about sleep and Leptin was taken from a muscle magazine called "Reps" that I trecently read! Who knew that getting sleep could affect fat lose huh? So take some time and read books or magazines and find out what’s out there. Now go get educated- and then get busy!
3.5 Ways To Increase Your Focus
Let’s get right to the point here: if you want to succeed either in the fight-game or in life, there are many, many things that you need to do. But one of paramount proportions is to increase your ability to focus because it literally affects every other area of your life. In the ring, if you can increase your skills of focus, your chances of getting hit, receiving a standing 8 count or getting knocked out cold diminish greatly. Likewise, in life, if you increase your capacity to focus, you reduce your likelihood to procrastinate, thus causing your chances of long-term success to grow exponentially.
That said, here are the 3.5 Ways to Increase Your Focus:
1. Focus Your Eyes- Any good fighter knows that he/she had better keep their eyes on their opponent at all times. Because as soon as they look elsewhere- bang! – they get hit! Now, you may not be looking to fight for the title anytime soon, but I’m sure that you can remember a time in your life when you took your focus off of an important goal only to find yourself suddenly far away from what you really wanted. I know scores of people who have allowed that to happen to them. They let someone or something else plan out their lives for them and years later, they felt unfulfilled and angry at themselves. All because they had lost their focus and taken their eyes off their target.
On a daily basis, you have to keep your eyes focused on what your goal or goals are, otherwise reaching them simply becomes an “I really wish I had…” statement later in your life. Fortunately, the “focusing your eyes” step is about as easy as it gets! Here a few simple ways to Focus Your Eyes on your goals:
· Write your goals on a piece of paper and keep them on your bedside table so you can see them each morning and each night.
· Tape your goals into your day planner or onto the visor in your car.
· Tape your goals on your bathroom mirror to look at each morning and evening as you brush your teeth.
· Tape your goals inside your closet door to see each time you change your clothes.
· Have your goals scrolling across your computer at work as your screen saver.
· Create your own focus exercise…..
2. Focus Your Mind- It does no good for a fighter to keep his eyes on his opponent if his mind is somewhere else. That not only gets a fighter hit, it gets him hurt! Each day your brain is bombarded with millions of different messages from other people, the media, the internet, billboard signs, etc. Companies try hard to get your attention and if you don’t know what you’re looking for, you’ll follow just about anything! You need to be sure that your mind knows exactly what is important to you and what you need in order to achieve it. Because when your mind does know, it will literally find those things for you. Don’t believe me? Look around your room right now and look for anything blue. You found several things and very quickly too, I’m sure. Now look for red. Quick and easy again, right? This is because once you tell your mind what you want, it will literally filter-out what you DO NOT want and give you what you have deemed important. So be sure that you send as many vivid pictures to your mind as you can so that it finds the things that are most important to you. Here are a few great ways to Focus Your Mind:
· Make a Vision Board- Cut out pictures from magazines of what you want and paste them on a large foam board
· Have a Vision Board at your office or cubicle at work and paste a reminder photo on your bathroom mirror at home, as well.
· Take time to meditate alone with your eyes closed and really imagine what your life will be like when you’ve reached those goals. (The sights, sounds, smells, feelings, etc.)
· Discuss your vision with your closest friends and family members and use the best verbiage to paint as thorough a picture of what your accomplishment will look like once you’ve achieved it. The more people you tell, the harder it will be to back out.
3. Focus Your Body- You show me a fighter who waits until the week before a fight to begin his training and you would have shown me the loser of that bout! A good fighter gets himself in shape LONG before he enters the ring! So, are you physically ready? Do you go to that job interview unshaven, unrehearsed and with a booger in your nose? Are your clothes wrinkled when they should be cleaned and pressed? Are your pants several sizes too small or too big because you’ve gained or lost lots of weight? (Either way, you look stupid, err, umm, I mean unprofessional.) If you’re looking for success in, let’s say the corporate world, then you need to dress like it. Not too many sloppy people get great promotions. For example, if you’re looking to be a success in the fitness industry, then you better look the part. People who are overweight don’t make good money as fitness trainers. As much as you hear the old saying “never judge a book by its cover”, no one ever practices it. You judge someone by the way they look as much as the next person. So with that in mind, why not try to make other people’s judgments of you more on the positive side? Here are a few hints to Focus Your Body:
· Gentlemen- Trim the nose and ear hairs. Why? Because even if it’s looking like a jungle, you’ll still never be Tarzan.
· Lose weight- recent studies have documented that obese people do not get hired as often as fit people do. Why? It has been shown that obese people can actually cost companies a greatb deal of money in health insurance, sick days, time off to see doctors, etc.
· Dress for success- like I just said, if they’re gonna pass judgment, try to receive a good one.
· Get in good overall physical shape- you’ll be able to enjoy your accomplishments much more without having to stop to catch your breath!
3.5 Focus Your Actions: This step is about as simple as it can get: take action. Just as a fighter is set – eyes, mind, body - and ready to go 12 rounds, you need to be ready for success by taking the action necessary to reach your goals. That’s right, get going on what you need to do to accomplish your goals because you can write and wish all you want, but if you don’t DO what you know you need to, then you’re finished before you even start. Each day, there should be some sort of routine that you go through that will help you get a little closer to your goals. These routines might include meal plans, exercise schedules, prayer & meditation, studying, or journaling. Along with establishing routines, on a weekly and monthly basis, you should engage in an action step; take a class at a local college; get involved in networking; clean the house and car from top to bottom; balance your checkbook. Likewise, there are other important action items that need to be taken care of on a yearly basis, like getting a physical, or taking a personal retreat for a few days. If you’re not sure what your exact actions should be, here are a few great ways to help Focus Your Actions:
· 1st, write out all of your goals- 5 year, 3 year, 1 year, 6 months, 3 months, 1 month, 1 week
· 2nd, write next to each goal every action that needs to be taken to accomplish that particular goal.
· 3rd, from those actions, create a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly task list.
· 4th, create a routine from that task list.
· 5th, find others who have done what you’re looking to do and see what they did to reach that level. Try to speak to them personally or e-mail them if possible.
· 6th, OK- NOW GET GOING!
That said, here are the 3.5 Ways to Increase Your Focus:
1. Focus Your Eyes- Any good fighter knows that he/she had better keep their eyes on their opponent at all times. Because as soon as they look elsewhere- bang! – they get hit! Now, you may not be looking to fight for the title anytime soon, but I’m sure that you can remember a time in your life when you took your focus off of an important goal only to find yourself suddenly far away from what you really wanted. I know scores of people who have allowed that to happen to them. They let someone or something else plan out their lives for them and years later, they felt unfulfilled and angry at themselves. All because they had lost their focus and taken their eyes off their target.
On a daily basis, you have to keep your eyes focused on what your goal or goals are, otherwise reaching them simply becomes an “I really wish I had…” statement later in your life. Fortunately, the “focusing your eyes” step is about as easy as it gets! Here a few simple ways to Focus Your Eyes on your goals:
· Write your goals on a piece of paper and keep them on your bedside table so you can see them each morning and each night.
· Tape your goals into your day planner or onto the visor in your car.
· Tape your goals on your bathroom mirror to look at each morning and evening as you brush your teeth.
· Tape your goals inside your closet door to see each time you change your clothes.
· Have your goals scrolling across your computer at work as your screen saver.
· Create your own focus exercise…..
2. Focus Your Mind- It does no good for a fighter to keep his eyes on his opponent if his mind is somewhere else. That not only gets a fighter hit, it gets him hurt! Each day your brain is bombarded with millions of different messages from other people, the media, the internet, billboard signs, etc. Companies try hard to get your attention and if you don’t know what you’re looking for, you’ll follow just about anything! You need to be sure that your mind knows exactly what is important to you and what you need in order to achieve it. Because when your mind does know, it will literally find those things for you. Don’t believe me? Look around your room right now and look for anything blue. You found several things and very quickly too, I’m sure. Now look for red. Quick and easy again, right? This is because once you tell your mind what you want, it will literally filter-out what you DO NOT want and give you what you have deemed important. So be sure that you send as many vivid pictures to your mind as you can so that it finds the things that are most important to you. Here are a few great ways to Focus Your Mind:
· Make a Vision Board- Cut out pictures from magazines of what you want and paste them on a large foam board
· Have a Vision Board at your office or cubicle at work and paste a reminder photo on your bathroom mirror at home, as well.
· Take time to meditate alone with your eyes closed and really imagine what your life will be like when you’ve reached those goals. (The sights, sounds, smells, feelings, etc.)
· Discuss your vision with your closest friends and family members and use the best verbiage to paint as thorough a picture of what your accomplishment will look like once you’ve achieved it. The more people you tell, the harder it will be to back out.
3. Focus Your Body- You show me a fighter who waits until the week before a fight to begin his training and you would have shown me the loser of that bout! A good fighter gets himself in shape LONG before he enters the ring! So, are you physically ready? Do you go to that job interview unshaven, unrehearsed and with a booger in your nose? Are your clothes wrinkled when they should be cleaned and pressed? Are your pants several sizes too small or too big because you’ve gained or lost lots of weight? (Either way, you look stupid, err, umm, I mean unprofessional.) If you’re looking for success in, let’s say the corporate world, then you need to dress like it. Not too many sloppy people get great promotions. For example, if you’re looking to be a success in the fitness industry, then you better look the part. People who are overweight don’t make good money as fitness trainers. As much as you hear the old saying “never judge a book by its cover”, no one ever practices it. You judge someone by the way they look as much as the next person. So with that in mind, why not try to make other people’s judgments of you more on the positive side? Here are a few hints to Focus Your Body:
· Gentlemen- Trim the nose and ear hairs. Why? Because even if it’s looking like a jungle, you’ll still never be Tarzan.
· Lose weight- recent studies have documented that obese people do not get hired as often as fit people do. Why? It has been shown that obese people can actually cost companies a greatb deal of money in health insurance, sick days, time off to see doctors, etc.
· Dress for success- like I just said, if they’re gonna pass judgment, try to receive a good one.
· Get in good overall physical shape- you’ll be able to enjoy your accomplishments much more without having to stop to catch your breath!
3.5 Focus Your Actions: This step is about as simple as it can get: take action. Just as a fighter is set – eyes, mind, body - and ready to go 12 rounds, you need to be ready for success by taking the action necessary to reach your goals. That’s right, get going on what you need to do to accomplish your goals because you can write and wish all you want, but if you don’t DO what you know you need to, then you’re finished before you even start. Each day, there should be some sort of routine that you go through that will help you get a little closer to your goals. These routines might include meal plans, exercise schedules, prayer & meditation, studying, or journaling. Along with establishing routines, on a weekly and monthly basis, you should engage in an action step; take a class at a local college; get involved in networking; clean the house and car from top to bottom; balance your checkbook. Likewise, there are other important action items that need to be taken care of on a yearly basis, like getting a physical, or taking a personal retreat for a few days. If you’re not sure what your exact actions should be, here are a few great ways to help Focus Your Actions:
· 1st, write out all of your goals- 5 year, 3 year, 1 year, 6 months, 3 months, 1 month, 1 week
· 2nd, write next to each goal every action that needs to be taken to accomplish that particular goal.
· 3rd, from those actions, create a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly task list.
· 4th, create a routine from that task list.
· 5th, find others who have done what you’re looking to do and see what they did to reach that level. Try to speak to them personally or e-mail them if possible.
· 6th, OK- NOW GET GOING!
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