What Will You be Doing?

A year is a long time.  Most people have a tendency to look back at their year and wonder where all the time went?  Just going day to day with their activities and wondering how it was already December again and why none of their Resolutions were even thought about after the first week of the year, let alone actually accomplished. 

This last year was a little different for me.  It started off like all the others.  I watched the ball drop, made mental notes of what I wanted to change in the upcoming year (tone up, make extra income, live comfortably, live in a great neighborhood), all the things most of us as Americans dream of doing one day eventually.  January went by, and nothing had really shifted.  February, March, April, all of a sudden I was looking up wondering where all the time went.

By June I was fed up with how the year was just slipping away and my feelings of accomplishment was lacking.  While hammering away at work I began to think of what it took to be a successful person.  Planning was something that came to my mind.  That night I sat down and actually wrote down what it was that I wanted to accomplish.  I set my Goals for the remainder of the year. 

I focused on the goals that really gave me happiness when I envisioned actually accomplishing them.  I mean I had so many, that for me to do them all, I would have to do things and never sleep in order to come close to doing everything.  My top 5 were as follows:

1. Form a business in giving back to others and helping them achieve their goals and change their life.
2. Be a better listener and try to make those around me happier focus on what they need to feel happy.
3. Buy a house in an area that is safe for my family.
4. Get back into the 160-pound range that I was in during my time playing in college.
5. Become personal trainer certified and learn more about the body to better help clients.

I am happy to say that in the months of June through December I have seen all these goals take place.  I am not saying it to brag.  I am merely stating that it all started with a simple task.  I wrote everything down and set dates to when I wanted to get them done.  Do I have Resolutions not checked off from this year’s list?  You bet!  More than I have actually checked off. 

The reason why I am so dang proud and happy, however, is because these top 5 were so huge to me and meant so much.  Take time right now and write down your goals for the New Year.  What would make you happiest to accomplish this upcoming year?  Make a change in 2011.  Accomplish what it is you really want to do in your life. 

Own yourself! Run Your Life!

My Shakeology Cleanse

I am on day two of the Shakeology 3 day cleanse and I am feeling better than ever.  I know that most people look at cleanses and think that it is really difficult to do considering there is no food involved.  Well this is really doable, even for a person like myself who loves food.  I am not going to sit here and tell you that it is the easiest thing to do, however every time that I start getting hungry again, it is time to take in another shake.  And these shakes are really filling.  I have tried a few shakes in my time, but nothing has been able to really satisfy my taste like Shakeology. 

I started doing Shakeology in late September.  It has been about 3 months now and really can feel the difference.  My mental clarity is a lot better and energy levels are higher now that I have it in my system.  There has been a few days that I have skipped my shake and can tell that my energy level is not near as high as the days that I do take it. 

What I really like about it is the taste.  The chocolate flavor is by far my favorite.  Even without the blender it is good.  I will say though that the blender is so delicious it is hard for me not to want to blend it everyday.  My favorite shake is the peanut butter with chocolate mix. 

I am anxious to see what Shakeology does for me with a full cycle of Insanity.  For those who are not familiar with this program it is the hardest workout program I have ever done (Including my pre-season workouts with the colleges I attended).  The main focus for me is to make sure that I start what I finish.  For now that is going to involve me getting done with this cleanse.  Baby steps add up to solid leaps.  I can’t wait to look back and see how far I have gotten. 

Own Yourself! Run Your Life!

Time is on Your Side

Patience:  Nothing happens over night. It takes time to see a plan fully blossom.  Waiting is never what is wanted, however it enables the seeds planted to sprout, and opportunities to occur.

If you ask any successful person, from business man to professional athlete, they will tell you that the journey to get to where they are today was not a quick one.  Take even a superstar, like Lebron James, who was receiving attention even as early as freshman year in high school.  Growing up with a single mother and bouncing around place to place for living, Lebron had to endure years of patience to get to where he has gotten. 

As a young kid he and his teammates would take cross-country trips in a mini van to compete in basketball tournaments.  He planted the seed to become the best basketball player he could be, however it was not until years after that the seed truly sprouted to a solid flower, as Lebron is now one of the NBA’s premier players.  At age 12 had he stopped playing due to a minor set back, or because his practices were too hard, or his skill level was not where he wanted it to be, then we would not see him today dominating the way that he does. 

Don’t stop just because you may not see the results you were expecting to see right away.  Anything worth having is going to take time to get.  Be patient and realize that you will get there if you continue doing the little things.  Striving for that goal day in and day out.  You will be amazed with what kind of progress you make when you stay consistent. 

Own yourself! Run your life!

What a Difference a Year Makes!

Prioritizing my life has made such a difference in just one year.  It has been a constant battle to make sure that I do what it is that really benefits my life and not focus on the million other things that are not as substantial.

So what is it that would make you happy and fulfilled with a great life?  Where do you want to be with your career?  Your Relationships?  Your health?  I know that one year ago I wanted one thing and did not have what it was that I desired.  I wanted to be really fit.  The kind of fit that you see on the beaches.  I wanted to actually run my own business.  I had all kinds of ideas when it came to ventures, but none of the ideas had ever been put into motion and nothing was planned for accomplishing anything.  I wanted everyone around me that I knew to have a great relationship that had substance to it.  Not just the phony hi and bye when we see each other, rather genuine happiness when we get around one another.

I looked at what I wanted and what I was doing.  Sadly the priority list did not match up with the want list. So slowly throughout time, day in and day out I worked on the list.  At first I focused on one of my wants and made sure that I did something everyday to strive towards getting my want to become a reality.  Working out became an everyday routine.  My nutrition also changed, knowing that it was going to be pointless if I worked out and did not do what was needed in the kitchen to achieve the want of a beach body.

Later, once my fitness was coming into place, I focused on my relationships.  I began really listening to others and making their happiness my happiness.  I made it a point everyday to make sure that I had a great conversation with someone close to me.  Not a shoot the crap type conversation.  One that had depth and meaning behind it.  One that involved discussions about life and purpose.  Slowly I realized that my connection with those closest to me evolved into something more than just hi and bye.  I began to know the people around me and really see what they wanted and what their goals and beliefs are.

Finally, I focused on my business wants.  I have always wanted to start something and watch it grow into a solid revenue stream.  In July I made the decision to stop thinking and start doing.  It is now just December and in this small amount of time I find that my wants are soon to become a reality if I just continue doing the little things everyday.  I focus on helping others get into the best shape and reach their goals.  What started as a thought has helped me reach more people already than I would have had I never took that first step or had I not put it high on my priority list.

So where do you go from here?  With the New Year coming up and the resolutions building in our head,   the first step is to get down on paper what it is that you really want.  What drives you?  What are you happiest doing, or better yet, if money was not an issue what would you love to do as a profession?  Are you happy with your relationships?  Are you wanting to lose weight or gain muscle?  If so give yourself an exact amount and a deadline to reach it.  It is time to start doing what it is that makes us feel happy and all you have to do is take the first step... WRITE IT DOWN.

Own yourself!  Run your life!

What Is The Reason?

Sometimes the door that closes opens the door that is needed.  As hard as it is to swallow, this pill is just the hard pill of life.  If everything we wanted came to us in the time frame that we wanted then it is safe to say that everyone would have it all and there would be no room for hard work.  In three years I have managed to work jobs in the college coaching world, retail sales, car sales, and the construction world. 

All of these jobs have led me to where I am today.  I love what I do for a living and cannot believe that I am on a path that is leading me to even more happiness than I could ever imagine.  The one thing I can say, however, is that during my times with all the different jobs, what I wanted to happen and what really did happen were two totally different things. 

I never really knew that what I wanted to do was help others reach their goals and use fitness as the leading engine.  I always knew I loved helping others, but never quite grasped the concept of making it a job.  By the time I reached my construction job I had began forming my philosophy of what it took to really be a successful person in life.  This philosophy has helped me dramatically with my own life and has put me in position to continue my happiness with life in the New Year. 

If I would have gotten the wants that I desired even a year ago my life would not be sitting where it is at today.  Just one year ago I was wanting so badly for a business venture to manifest and to my surprise it did not happen at that time.  Was I hurt?  Of course I was.  I was caught off guard with the fact that it did not happen.  If that door did open for me back then I would not be able to say that I was doing what I truly feel to be my purpose.  I would not be doing something that keeps me enthusiastic about life and keeps me excited for the next day.

If the want you desire does not happen today just be aware that it happened because something is waiting for you that is better.  You may not know what it is, however if you do the little things day in and day out and strive to be a better person, you will find yourself at the door you were destined for.

Own yourself!  Run your life!

Appreciate The Moment

 I am a person who always looks to the future.  It is a great thing to do, however it has a tendency to block the ability of focusing on the now.  Planning is essential of course and in order to do so we all have to look to the future.  Happiness lies in a present place. 

For as long as I can remember I was the person always focused on where I was going to be or where I wanted to be.  I never was able to appreciate where I was and what I had.  Just recently my time for reflection has allowed me the ability to start to acknowledge the present.

So many times I talk to my family and friends and so often our discussions lead us to what we do not have or where we would rather be.  In order to prevent myself from falling into the same negative connotation I ask questions like what do I like about today?  What am I thankful for having in my life right now?  I do my best to incorporate these questions into the conversation because what we focus on is what we become.

Happiness can only come when you focus on the positive.  Simple things are the easiest way to get me into a better mood when I am feeling a little on the negative side or focusing too much on what I want in the future or do not have right now.  I say things like “I am thankful for my vision.”  “I am happy to be able to walk today.”  The little things that are so simple in life that we take for granted daily are the very things that will supply you happiness if you are truly grateful for possessing them. 

Live in the now!  Appreciate the fact that you are able to do the little things.  Appreciate the moment, and your happiness will be right there by your side.

Own yourself!  Run your life!

Why I love life!

I sit here writing this and thinking to myself, it was only 5 months ago that I was doing something completely different and not following my dreams.  I know that everyone has a purpose in life and regardless what that purpose is the main goal is to find it and do that purpose at the best of your ability. 

What changed my life was when I took the time to actually sit down and reflect on what I was doing with myself, to meditate on why I was where I sat that very day, and what I wanted to really accomplish in life.  I made a decision that day to make sure that I pursued my dreams and what it was that I really wanted to do.

So what is it that I want to do?  That is simple.  I want to help get people healthy and help them stay fit.  I want to see people living to the best of their ability.  I want to make my time here on this earth worth something more than just a life filled with should haves or could haves. 

Sitting there on the bed praying over everything, I realized that I had everything required to make all of my dreams come true.  I had the choice.  I could choose to talk about it or actually move towards that dream.  So I decided to take any kind of baby step towards helping others get healthy.  I started studying for my personal training certification, I began taking my health and fitness much more serious, and finally I began forming my philosophy for what it was going to take to be successful and started following it. 

I am not saying I am at the point in my life where my dream is fully developed.  Lord knows I have a long way to go for that.  What I am saying is that since July, I have gone from not knowing how I could reach out to people, to teaming with a company that enables me to reach as many as I so choose.  And all of this stemmed from a decision.  I chose to walk the path and stop talking about walking it. 

What do you want to do?  Where do you want to be?  The answer lies in you.  If you don’t know the answer, all you have to do is reflect on what it is that makes you happiest.  What makes you feel fulfilled?  Once you find this you have found your purpose.  And all it takes to get to the place you want to go is to take your first step towards getting it, no matter how small. 

Momentum is a crazy thing.  Anyone who has ever had to push a car knows that the first pushes are extremely hard.  But over time the car begins to feel lighter and lighter, and before you know it, the momentum from the consistent pushing has picked up so much that there is a steady pace coming from the car.  Life is the same way.  Don’t worry about the end point.  That will take care of itself.  Worry about the first steps.

Own yourself!  Run your Life! 

The Engine To It All

Passion:  Without this in life there is nothing there to drive a person.   A love for a specific goal enables someone to look past so many obstacles and handle the adversity needed to be successful.

When a situation doesn’t seem like it is working there are two options to go with.  Stop doing it or push through and try a different route to get to where you want to be.  Passion is the engine that drives you to the location.  It is the only thing that can maintain someone’s ability to want to continue.  When times are looking bad and there is not much light into a situation, passion is what keeps a person’s spirits high enough to continue trying.  Manu Ginobli is a very good NBA player.  Before he was in the NBA however, he played in many different leagues to build his skill.  His passion helped him get to where he is at today.  It has also allowed him to maintain a driving force during each season regardless of his health.  His passion outweighs the pains and injuries that he endures from the amount of intensity in which he puts his body through.  The fuel to keep going is provided by passion.

How long will it take to get to your goal?  How much are you willing to sacrifice?  Your passion is what allows you to see the bigger picture.  The outcome of all your hard work will be how you want it.  Stay passionate about what it is you are doing and remember to take it one day at a time.

Own yourself! Run your life!

How Much Is Important?

Proportion:  It is not what you do necessarily that hurts, it is the amount in which it is done.  Too much of anything is not good.  Allowing yourself to limit the temptations of life builds a will power and allows for the development of self-discipline.

With self-discipline, a person is able to direct his or her own boat.  They are able to say no and move on as if the situation never presented itself in the first place.  Many people lack the ability to limit their intake of an activity.  A perfect example of this is eating.  Are cookies bad for you?  How about Soda’s? 

Although it is not the healthiest thing to eat, eating or drinking one once in a while is not what hurts the person.  It is the over consumption of these products that hurt the outcome of a persons performance.  The lack of self-discipline to tell yourself and whoever else around that you are not going to eat that cookie, or drink that soda is lacking and therefore you are unable to control yourself. 

Take something like working out.  Is it safe to work out 7 days a week two times a day?  Of course not, because it is just as important to rest your body as it is to work your body out.  If we went to school or work for seven days out of the week and never got a rest from it, our productivity would begin to drop, and general functioning would drift as well.  Our body is the same way with working out. 

With that being said, it is essential to be able to do our activities and live our lives with proportion.  Our greatest athletes have suffered from the lack of this ability also.  Mike Tyson was one of the best fighters to set foot on the earth.  His lack of proportion cluttered his performance and left what was once the greatest boxer ever to lose and get caught up in trouble continuously towards the end of his career.

So next time that you think about what it is that you are doing, first ask yourself if it is proportionally set up for you to have a successful life.

Own yourself!  Run your life!

The P's To SUCCESS

 Success: The achievement of something desired, planned, or attempted

When making decisions in life one tends to look for what will be the most successful for them.  In the moments where the public eye witnesses someone’s success it is easy to assume that it occurred over night.  Never realizing that the accomplishment was harder to attain than it looked.  I believe that a person needs a roadmap to success… the following p’s can guide you down that road of success:

Prayer:  Praying is important.  It enables a time for reflection and appreciation for the things that have already been presented.  It also allows for the seeds to be planted and a thankful spirit opens many doors in the world.  Religion plays a key role on the journey to success.  Denomination does not matter, what matters is your faith.  Faith is universal.

Persevere:  Success in life neither happens quickly, nor easily.  Those who succeed have had plenty of times in their life in which they were presented a situation that tested their ability to push through and overcome.  Without perseverance a person is liable to quit at the first sight of trouble.

Plan:  Without a proper agenda at hand a thought is simply that, just a thought.  If there is no plan to follow through on the idea or thought, the notion of action is never taken, thus allowing for a perfectly good seed to never be planted.

Power: The ability to own yourself allows for power from within.  If you are able to control yourself and the actions you partake in, then you are truly able to get the goals that you have planned accomplished

Purpose:  Everyone has a purpose in life.  When a person finds that purpose it opens a gate of unstoppable force.  The abilities are endless and the answer is never no!

Priority:  Learning to structure one’s life and setting the proper values on everything is key.  Without a good knowledge of what is really important can lead to a downfall, or not allow something to ever get off the ground in the first place due to the cloudiness the lack of value produces.  This hinders all ability to see the big picture.

Proportion:  It is not what you do necessarily that hurts, it is the amount in which it is done.  Too much of anything is not good.  Allowing yourself to limit the temptations of life builds a will power and allows for the development of self discipline.

Positive:  Attitude is key.  So many times many people make a mountain out of an ant hill.  Never giving themselves the opportunity to see past any situation.  Positive thinking allows for solutions to be processed and makes any mountain look like a fun hike.

Passionate:  Without this in life there is nothing there to drive a person.   A love for a specific goal enables someone to look past so many obstacles and handle the adversity needed to be successful.

Patience:  Nothing happens over night. It takes time to see a plan fully blossom.  Waiting is never what is wanted, however it enables the seeds planted to sprout, and opportunities to occur.

 

Planning for a good year!

Without a proper agenda at hand a thought is simply that, just a thought.  If there is no plan to follow through on the idea or thought, the notion of action is never taken, thus allowing for a perfectly good seed to never be planted. 

 So here we are, it is December 8th and Tis' the season.  This is the season of festivities and good food, of presents and last minute shopping.  It is time to visit with family, not to worry about our fitness and health.  There is no reason to be able to accomplish everything the month brings and still get healthy and stay fit.  Why start January 1st when today is a perfectly good time to do it.  What is holding you back from embarking on your "New Year's Resolution" a few weeks early?  Christmas and New Year's are both only one day.  Those are two days that are going to be days off.  Your body needs rest at least once a week and it just so happens they are 7 days apart.

So how are we going to do this?  I mean what do we really want to accomplish here?  Procrastination is not going to get us anywhere anytime soon.  What is holding us back? Perhaps it is the simple fact that we never really have planned out an actual goal that we wanted to reach and put a time limit on it. 

Planning is essential for any success to take place.  When you have something mapped out the bigger picture is always in sight.  Start with saying where you want to be in   February.  How many inches you want to lose or gain.  What is your goal weight?  How is your performance? I know that my fitness took off once I planned on where I was headed.  Make great detail about what you are planning with your goals, and always place a time limit for yourself to help you keep the pace.   

So what is holding you back from making the change today? At least start off slow, and build your momentum heading into the year.  Because this is going to be the year it is different!  And how do I know that? 

Because for the first time we are going to take advantage of this great month of December and start before the New Year; build the habit and blast off in the year of 2011!  The time is now.

Own yourself! Run your life!

Overcoming the Nay Say

Most of us tend to have great aspirations, and see our life at a higher quality of living than where we are currently living at that point.  Most of us however are also unable to ever see this "happy ending" ever truly take place.  Why?  Why are we so unfortunate to never see our happy ending?  You don't have to look far to find the answer. 

How many times have you sat around talking to someone about your plans and the other person replies, "there is no way that is going to happen", or "you fell for that", or how about "that type of thing does not happen in real life".  All this negativity is coming from the "Nay Sayer". 

Throughout my life I have been just like the rest of the world, surrounded by the Nay Sayer.   In their eyes I was always too small to participate in college sports, or not smart enough to make deans list in college, or believe i was not going to make a good father due to my past.  I was able to play college basketball just fine.  Made Deans list just fine, and I feel (even though it is a bias) that I am one of the best dad's out there a kid has to offer.  All of the negative comments that were coming my way were coming from so many directions.  The question is how do you keep all that negativity from ruining your long term goals? 


The answer is actually quite simple.  Refrain from telling people what you are going to do, and simply just do it.  Let your actions speak for you.  Leave your words in your mouth.  The less people know about your goals, the less chance there is for anything negative to come your way.  They can't find anything to latch onto and that in itself means you are set up for much more success whatever it is you are planning on doing.

Too many times I had found myself spilling my heart on what my goals and plans were, only to see the very thing I held so sincere get hit like a pinata during a birthday party.  I have learned to enjoy holding out what it is I am doing until I have already done it and when someone asks me "when did you learn to do that?" or "you never said you were going to...."  I know that my goal was accomplished before anyone could give their two cents whether or not it was possible to do in the first place. 

The key is to plan your goals and keep them for yourself to map out, not for the world.  Easier said than done, but if you can manage it your plans will take you to your destination!

Own yourself!  Run your life!

Purpose is key

 Purpose:  Everyone has a purpose in life.  When a person finds that purpose it opens a gate of unstoppable force.  The abilities are endless and the answer is never no!

How do you find your purpose?  This may not be something that is always known at the time, however the way to find your purpose is to do the little things daily and continue working on yourself.  The purpose will find you.  Five months ago I would have never thought that I would be blogging about motivational thoughts or trying to get people healthy and staying fit.  I really did not know what it was that I wanted to pursue.  I did however know that I wanted to live better, eat better, become smarter, and not waste my time on this earth just going at a half hearted pace.  I began taking matters into my own hands.  Learned about the muscles and bones in the body.  Became personal trainer certified, and all along the way I just let the momentum of doing the little things take me. 

Is it easy to do?  Yes!  So easy that it is also very easy not to do.  I could have easily just elected to watch TV instead of picking up the book and studying.  Could have decided to go out and eat instead of dedicating a time to workout and sticking to it.  Chosen to point the finger at society for being unfair and leaving me in a situation that I did not deem fit for me.  All could have been very easy to do, but instead I chose to do the little things.

Now don’t get me wrong, by any means have I accomplished anything yet in terms of what society looks at as to be a successful career.  Key word is yet.  I know in my heart what it is that my purpose is.  And with that I know that nothing can stand in my way now.  One of the keys to success is to find a purpose, from there you know the road you are on and your purpose grants you a vivid image of where it is you want to go.  

Purpose… How to get it???  Start with doing a little self-development, and let the momentum take you for a ride unlike any other.  One workout leads to two, and two to three, and before you know it you are on day 30 with a new habit of working out.  How did it all start?  By doing a little thing called starting.

Own yourself!  Run your life!