WEEK 66: KEEP ON KEEPING ON

WT = Waiting Time. DT = Development Time.

PLANNING (task, scheduling, and WT = DT):  I plan to write my Leap Year W36 post into the site Medium on Wednesday at 6 PM instudy. I plan to turn those small WTs into Grateful Time, where I look to see what I can be grateful for in those situations. For example, last week I thought how grateful I was for my dad teaching me how to drive both manual and automatic cars. 

EXECUTION (strategies used):  From week to week, I use a combination of many strategies. There are always some which are used more than others depending on what comes up, but I wanted to offer a link to all them at once. 

My advice is to identify the I CAN'T statement you tell yourself during the most. Then find a strategy below the statement which resonates with you, and then start using it. 

Enjoy!

STRATEGY LIST

REFLECTIONS (learnings and actions): This week I was reminded of the power of being 100% committed, and I read a great quote while writing my weekly post for the site medium from Deepak Chopra. 

Commitment is the ultimate assertion of human freedom. It releases all the energy you possess and enables you to take quantum leaps in creativity. When you set a one-pointed intention and absolutely refuse to allow obstacles to dissipate the focused quality of your attention, you engage the infinite organizing power of the universe.    

The purpose of the Leap Year process is to identify a passion so you can find the highest expression of your talents. This will allow you to achieve your dreams and create freedom in your life. I have mentioned in the past that freedom is created from discipline and discipline is produced from commitment. 

Andy Drish and Dane Maxwell, founders of multi-million dollar software companies say "100% commitment is easy, while 99% is a @%&$#!"

This quote supports the idea of being 100% committed. If you commit 100% there is no space for doubt to creep into your mind and there is no question when you are faced with a difficult decision. While, if you are 99% committed there is a 1% chance you will not follow through. This can easily open the door to uncertainty, which makes it difficult to stay disciplined to the key actions, ie completing your weekly tasks for your Leap Year process. 

Like I mentioned above I was reminded of why it is so important to be 100% committed. This was a super crazy week, as we got in an accident on Sunday, which required me to deal with the insurance company, rent a car, and get reimbursed from the parties at fault. In addition, my wife and I had to go to three different government buildings to get documentation prepared for our move to China in June. Furthermore, I had to administer and grade over 30 semester finals for my math classes. 

Oh right, there is also work in The Foundation I am completing in order to get my first SaaS business off and running. This all in addition to completing my weekly task of writing my W36 post in site Medium.

In the past, I would have been lucky just to complete all the things surrounding my family and work. Now, I am able to both juggle my responsibilities as a husband, father, and my 9-5, with the additional time going into finishing the book and starting multiple SaaS businesses. 

The Leap Year process has helped me cultivate 100% commitment, which in turn has produced the discipline to complete the meaningful tasks in my life. This in turn, will allow me to achieve my dreams and create freedom in my life. And, I hope the Leap Year process can help you cultivate 100% commitment, which will allow you to create freedom in your life.

What went well?

Weekly task completed in the face of tremendous life challenges. 

What is something we can improve upon? What actions can we take next week?

Taking a moment to pause in the middle of day instead of running from one task to another. Even if it is three minutes, take a moment to pause and calm both mind and body.

What is something to avoid next week?

Not drinking enough water. I definitely feel the difference both physically and mentally when I do not do this. 

WEEK 65: THE RESOURCE OF TIME

WT = Waiting Time. DT = Development Time.

PLANNING (task, scheduling, and WT = DT):  I plan to write my Leap Year W35 post into the site Medium onWednesday at 6 PM in study. I plan to turn those small WTs into Grateful Time, where I look to see what I can be grateful for in those situations. For example, last week I thought how great it was to finally have defined a life purpose. It has allowed me to add focus to my activities and maximize my useage of time. 

EXECUTION (strategies used):  W65 completed! Although I use a combination of many strategies throughout the week, there are always some that are used more than others depending on what comes up. For example, I relied heavily on the Be a Pro, Implementation Intentions, and TRUST strategies this week. The highlighted strategies that were used in the week are listed below along with the I CAN'T statements they help overcome. 

Procrastination....I CAN'T because I am not completely sure or am not qualified to...

TRUST: This is a strategy that took me over a year to finally internalize and came from the learnings from Benjamin Hardy, Dane Maxwell, and Seth Godin.

The path to achieving big things will always be hazy, unclear, and filled with uncertainty. This lack of clarity will bring about feelings of fear, but know this is a natural part of the process. Just have a "bias towards action" and embrace the dance with fear on a daily basis. Lastly, understand your comfort zone is but a small dot within your safety zone, so do something which terrifies you everyday for 20 seconds. This will help you to stretch your comfort zone and take on things you never thought possible. 

Procrastination...I CAN'T because I am not motivated or do not feel like it...

Be a PRO: I actually learned this strategy through insights from Jeff Goins, Tim Ferris, and James Clear. 

First, Jeff Goins mentioned in a podcast that “action will follow mindset.” Second, James Clear wrote that it does not matter what you want to become better at, the only skill that separates a “Pro” from an “amateur” is the ability to show up. Third, Tim Ferris said on his 4-Hr Work Week blog that “Practicing key habits when we don’t want to is the most key habit to all.” This reinforces this idea of being a “Pro” by having the mindset to show up consistently and completing the work.

The difficult thing about being a pro requires us to consistently follow through. Yet, we often let the challenges of everyday life get in the way and only attempt to do the work when we feel motivated. This produces small gains if any and leads us down a path of frustration. There will be days when you do not want to complete a key habit or activity, but develop the mindset of a “Pro” by showing up, sticking to your schedule, and then completing the tasks that move your forward.

Early Scheduling = Implementation Intentions: This is a strategy that I credit to completing my tasks consistently on a weekly basis. In this strategy, you first PLAN to complete a task at a SCHEDULED time (day and time) in a specific location as early in the week as you can. More specifically you fill in the following statement.

I plan to [task] on [day] at [time] in [location].

Three benefits are produced from doing this. First, you get a sense of accomplishment if you complete the task in the beginning of the week at the scheduled time. In addition, it allows you to devout more time to do additional tasks to reach your goals within the same week. Second, it provides more time to complete the task if life presents you with something that needs to be attended to during the original scheduled time. Lastly, research shows that you are 2X to 3X more likely to follow through on your actions. I learned about this strategy from James Clear, who is a great blogger that writes on the science of human behavior and how to build better habits. He shows the research on how Implementation Intentions help you follow through on your plans and achieve your goals.

REFLECTIONS (learnings and actions): This week I was gave a talk to a group of high school students about the use of time. I enjoyed the experience and it really helped me crystalize more ideas from the Leap Year process.

The talked centered around three main ideas. Purpose, Meaningful change, and Procrastination.

I first highlighted the power of having a purpose to maximize time. I started the presentation by asking for two volunteers. I instructed the first one to just walk around the room, where as, I told the second one to walk form point A to B. Once the second volunteer finished, I had them sit down, but I asked the first volunteer to continue to walking around the room. Then, I posed a question to the whole class

"...how does this situation represent how most of you use your time?" 

It took them a moment, but then they connected the dots. I explained, without a purpose you are like a hamster in a wheel, always working, but getting no where. Where as, with a purpose you are able to focus your actions and accomplish something in less time. 

Next we discussed meaningful change. Today we live in a world where we are bombarded with the results of fantastical stories. A person who lost X number of pounds in X number of weeks. A person who earned X amount of money in the shortest amount of time. Essentially, these stories provide us with quick fixes that focus on extreme results. 

The problem with this is we all get hooked by these results and become super motivated to go out and try to duplicate the results. We try to make drastic changes and try to do everything at once. This migt continue for a day, or even a week, but in the end, we usually quit and are in worse shape them when we started. WHY? We overwhelm ourselves with too many actions and are not able to cope with all the changes. Thus we revert back to our comforts or old habits. I explained meaningful change occurs, incrementally, and is produced with small actions taken consistently. 

This is where I highlighted the power of 1% and introduced the Aggregation of Marginal Gains. As you know this is a cornerstone of the Leap Year process. The idea is to start with a change and look how you can improve by 1%. Then once it becomes easy, you add another 1%. If done on a consistent basis it can produce meaningful results. This is the strategy which allowed the British cycling team to win its first Tour de France in the early 2000's.

Lastly, I explained there is no magic formula for success. It requires work. Unfortunately, most of us avoid it due to a common foe. What is the name of this menacing villain? 

PROCRASTINATION. 

We often times avoid doing the work, as we are not motivated, think we do not have enough time, or lack the skills to complete something meaningful. However, Procrastination is simply an excuse to put off the work that moves you from where you are to where you want to be.  

I then outlined three specific strategies to provide the steps when you tell your self common I CAN'T statements. These are the same I CAN'T statements I list above in the EXECUTION section. They are Implementation Intentions, Got-2 Minutes, and TIME. All three are strategies I have learned and apply today in my Leap Year process. 

What was amazing is this talk was centered around maximizing time, but it parallels the Leap Year process. Time is the golden resource. We can never get back time, where as money and other things, we can always get more. As I reflected this week, I saw the Leap Year process allows you to maximize time. It does this by clarifying a purpose to pursue and discover what you are passionate about. Next, it provides the framework to make meaningful change with incremental, small actions taken consistently. Lastly, it provides the strategies to overcome the enemy of creating the work to achieve your dreams, Procrastination.  

Call to Action

Want to maximize your time for the things which matter most to you? Use the Leap Year process to learn how to maximize time, and close the gap between you and you achieving your dreams. 

What went well?

Weekly task completed and making more connections with the Leap Year process and how it can help maximize your use of time. 

What is something we can improve upon? What actions can we take next week?

Being fully in the moment. I find myself always turning away when I talk to someone, as I thinking about where I need to go to next. 

What is something to avoid next week?

Not facing someone when talking to them. Face them squarely and listen, and be present to the conversation. 

WEEK 64: INCREASE AWARENESS

WT = Waiting Time. DT = Development Time.

PLANNING (task, scheduling, and WT = DT):  I plan to write my Leap Year W34 post into the site Medium on Wednesday at 6 PM in the study. I plan to turn those small WTs into Grateful Time, where I look to see what I can be grateful for in those situations. For example, last week I thought how grateful it was to be a father of two healthy children. Parenthood is not easy by any means, but there have been small moments that have taken my breath away.

EXECUTION (strategies used):  Weekly task completed. Although I use a combination of many strategies throughout the week, there are always some that are used more than others depending on what comes up. For example, I relied heavily on the Be a Pro, Implementation Intentions, and TRUST strategies this week. The highlighted strategies which were used in the week are listed below along with the I CAN'T statements they help overcome.

REFLECTIONS (learnings and actions): Last week I wrote what it entails to take on challenge. It involves having a pretty good idea of where you are going, but not the knowledge of all the steps which will take you there.

An important part of this process came to me as I was reflecting about the week, and I wanted add this to the learning from last week. The unknown, or the idea of not knowing exactly what the end result will be, can produce many uncomfortable feelings. Fear, anxiousness, anger, and awkwardness are but a few.

We are creatures of habit and love the comfort of certainty and love to do things where we know what is going to happen. For example, my wife and I love to go to our favorite restaurant, as we know we will get a certain level of food every time we go. Although it might be exciting to try something else, the possibility of not knowing deters from trying something new.

I have said before the path to your dreams will be hazy and unclear at times, and this is where the challenges arises. Which path do you choose? What actions should you take? Or, what decision should you make?

This lack of clarity produces unwanted emotions and we usually try to avoid them at all costs. However, this is where you have the opportunity to embrace the challenge and the uncomfortable feelings that come with it. This is a key part of the process. You must be able to sit with, learn from, and use these feelings in order to overcome the obstacles on your path to reach your final destination.

Tony Robbins has said

"The quality of your life is in direct proportion to the level of uncertainty you can comfortable deal with."

I have learned embracing challenge requires you to welcome uncertainty and the feelings that come with it. Is it easy, no. Do you want to quit at times, yes! The key is to know you will encounter these feelings along the way to your dreams. Do not try to avoid or change them, but rather interact with them.

Call to Action

When embracing challenge, know you will have to face uncomfortable feelings along the way. Do not try to change them, just recognize them, and use them to your advantage. For example, use the nerves before giving a big presentation to your favor. Nerves are caused from adrenaline, and adrenaline is a source of power to move you forward.

Next, break challenge down into simple actions, then focus on the process of consistently following through on them in order to make progress.

What went well?

Weekly task completed and crystalizing the steps to embrace challenge.

What is something we can improve upon? What actions can we take next week?

Increase awareness. Do not judge or try to control everything, but rather be present to what the current situation is offering. This will allows us to maximize the creativity in every moment.

What is something to avoid next week?

Resisting or controlling situations.

WEEK 63: EMBRACE CHALLENGE

WT = Waiting Time. DT = Development Time.

PLANNING (task, scheduling, and WT = DT):  I plan to write my Leap Year W33 post into the site Medium onWednesday at 6 PM in study. I plan to turn those small WTs into Grateful Time, where I look to see what I can be grateful for in those situations. For example, last week I thought how great it was to have my parents in town. It has been really nice to share with them our lives here in Brazil.

EXECUTION (strategies used):  W63 check. Although I use a combination of many strategies throughout the week, there are always some that are used more than others depending on what comes up. For example, I relied heavily on the Be a Pro, Implementation Intentions, and TRUST strategies this week, as I was not able to complete both tasks until Saturday. The highlighted strategies that were used in the week are listed below along with the I CAN'T statements that they help overcome. 

Procrastination....I CAN'T because I am not completely sure or am not qualified to...

TRUST: This is a strategy that took me over a year to finally internalize and came from the learnings from Benjamin Hardy, Dane Maxwell, and Seth Godin.

The path to achieving big things will always be hazy, unclear, and filled with uncertainty. This lack of clarity will bring about feelings of fear, but know this is a natural part of the process. Just have a "bias towards action" and embrace the dance with fear on a daily basis. Lastly, understand your comfort zone is but a small dot within your safety zone, so do something which terrifies you everyday for 20 seconds. This will help you to stretch your comfort zone and take on things you never thought possible. 

Procrastination...I CAN'T because I am not motivated or do not feel like it...

Be a PRO: I actually learned this strategy through insights from Jeff Goins, Tim Ferris, and James Clear. 

First, Jeff Goins mentioned in a podcast that “action will follow mindset.” Second, James Clear wrote that it does not matter what you want to become better at, the only skill that separates a “Pro” from an “amateur” is the ability to show up. Third, Tim Ferris said on his 4-Hr Work Week blog that “Practicing key habits when we don’t want to is the most key habit to all.” This reinforces this idea of being a “Pro” by having the mindset to show up consistently and completing the work.

The difficult thing about being a pro requires us to consistently follow through. Yet, we often let the challenges of everyday life get in the way and only attempt to do the work when we feel motivated. This produces small gains if any and leads us down a path of frustration. There will be days when you do not want to complete a key habit or activity, but develop the mindset of a “Pro” by showing up, sticking to your schedule, and then completing the tasks that move your forward.

Early Scheduling = Implementation Intentions: This is a strategy that I credit to completing my tasks consistently on a weekly basis. In this strategy, you first PLAN to complete a task at a SCHEDULED time (day and time) in a specific location as early in the week as you can. More specifically you fill in the following statement.

I plan to [task] on [day] at [time] in [location].

Three benefits are produced from doing this. First, you get a sense of accomplishment if you complete the task in the beginning of the week at the scheduled time. In addition, it allows you to devout more time to do additional tasks to reach your goals within the same week. Second, it provides more time to complete the task if life presents you with something that needs to be attended to during the original scheduled time. Lastly, research shows that you are 2X to 3X more likely to follow through on your actions. I learned about this strategy from James Clear, who is a great blogger that writes on the science of human behavior and how to build better habits. He shows the research on how Implementation Intentions help you follow through on your plans and achieve your goals.

REFLECTIONS (learnings and actions): Last week I wrote how you can actually "see more by looking at less."  For the Leap Year, it means focusing on consistently completing the weekly tasks, not the outcomes or the end result of the process. 

Challenge will always be a part of taking on worthwhile endeavors, and that is what I want to dive deeper into this week.

Often times we hear or tell others to

"embrace or take on the challenge of _____."

However, do most of truly know what that means? Really, what is required to fully take on challenge?

I have learned from the Leap Year process that challenge means you take on something where you do not have a complete understanding of what you will accomplish. You might have an idea, but it is not crystal clear what the end result will be. Additionally, I have gained the knowledge that the path to your dreams will be hazy and unclear at times, and challenge is as essential part of the process.

This understanding has come from all the experimentation, iterations, and even frustration I have endured over the past 63 weeks. It was very hard some weeks, but the key is I was able to consistently devote the time to pursue and discover what I am passionate about. Furthermore, I am now in a position if someone asked me

"What does it mean to embrace challenge?" 

I could tell them a response quite easily.

I have learned that to embrace challenge you must have a clear idea of your destination, but not all the steps to get there. For the Leap Year process, this means you focus on the Year and process of identifying what you are passionate about, not the results. If you do not know right now, that is totally ok!  

All you have to do is break a complex idea into simple steps and then iterate them until you master them. Then, you add more pieces until you master them. This process continues until you get to a point where you never thought possible. For the Leap Year, that means you consistently complete the weekly task. This might might start as one task a week, but then it turns into two tasks, until maybe you are working towards pursuing and discovering what you are passionate about on a daily basis. The key is to start small and only add pieces when you have mastered those actions. You do not have to know and do everything at once. Focus on the next few steps, as this will allow you to ask better questions and assess what steps to take next.

Call to Action

Embrace the challenge of taking on the Leap Year process to identify what you are passionate about. You do this by focusing on completing the weekly task. This will allow you to take the next few steps, in order to ask better questions and better assess what you need to do next. Trust me, you will be able to identify what you are passionate about reach places never thought imaginable if you can do this on a consistent basis.

What went well?

Traveling, hosting parents, everyday challenges, yet the weekly task completed!

What is something we can improve upon? What actions can we take next week?

Tracking the times when our will power is low or depleted. This will help in identify when to make better decisions, or bypass decisions for a better time. 

What is something to avoid next week?

Making decisions when will power is at a low. 

WEEK 62: WILL POWER

WT = Waiting Time. DT = Development Time.

PLANNING (task, scheduling, and WT = DT):  I plan to write my Leap Year W32 post into the site Medium on Wednesday at 6 PM in study. I plan to turn those small WTs into Grateful Time, where I look to see what I can be grateful for in those situations. For example, last week I thought how great it was to be able to speak multiple languages and communicate with various groups of people. 

EXECUTION (strategies used):  Although I use a combination of many strategies throughout the week, there are always some that are used more than others depending on what comes up. For example, I relied heavily on the Be a Pro, Implementation Intentions, and TRUST strategies this week, as I was not able to complete both tasks until Sunday. The highlighted strategies that were used in the week are listed below along with the I CAN'T statements that they help overcome. 

Procrastination....I CAN'T because I am not completely sure or am not qualified to...

TRUST: This is a strategy that took me over a year to finally internalize and came from the learnings from Benjamin Hardy, Dane Maxwell, and Seth Godin.

The path to achieving big things will always be hazy, unclear, and filled with uncertainty. This lack of clarity will bring about feelings of fear, but know this is a natural part of the process. Just have a "bias towards action" and embrace the dance with fear on a daily basis. Lastly, understand your comfort zone is but a small dot within your safety zone, so do something which terrifies you everyday for 20 seconds. This will help you to stretch your comfort zone and take on things you never thought possible. 

Procrastination...I CAN'T because I am not motivated or do not feel like it...

Be a PRO: I actually learned this strategy through insights from Jeff Goins, Tim Ferris, and James Clear. 

First, Jeff Goins mentioned in a podcast that “action will follow mindset.” Second, James Clear wrote that it does not matter what you want to become better at, the only skill that separates a “Pro” from an “amateur” is the ability to show up. Third, Tim Ferris said on his 4-Hr Work Week blog that “Practicing key habits when we don’t want to is the most key habit to all.” This reinforces this idea of being a “Pro” by having the mindset to show up consistently and completing the work.

The difficult thing about being a pro requires us to consistently follow through. Yet, we often let the challenges of everyday life get in the way and only attempt to do the work when we feel motivated. This produces small gains if any and leads us down a path of frustration. There will be days when you do not want to complete a key habit or activity, but develop the mindset of a “Pro” by showing up, sticking to your schedule, and then completing the tasks that move your forward.

Early Scheduling = Implementation Intentions: This is a strategy that I credit to completing my tasks consistently on a weekly basis. In this strategy, you first PLAN to complete a task at a SCHEDULED time (day and time) in a specific location as early in the week as you can. More specifically you fill in the following statement.

I plan to [task] on [day] at [time] in [location].

Three benefits are produced from doing this. First, you get a sense of accomplishment if you complete the task in the beginning of the week at the scheduled time. In addition, it allows you to devout more time to do additional tasks to reach your goals within the same week. Second, it provides more time to complete the task if life presents you with something that needs to be attended to during the original scheduled time. Lastly, research shows that you are 2X to 3X more likely to follow through on your actions. I learned about this strategy from James Clear, who is a great blogger that writes on the science of human behavior and how to build better habits. He shows the research on how Implementation Intentions help you follow through on your plans and achieve your goals.

REFLECTIONS (learnings and actions): I have finished and been re-listening to "The Art of Learning" by Josh Waitszkin for the past month or so and have gained multiple insights from the book.

Josh is an American chess player, who was identified as a prodigy and won the US Junior Chess Championship in 1993 and 1994. In addition, he has won world championships in martial arts, and become an author as well. 

I highly recommend this book for anyone who is fascinated and wants to improve how to they learn. He breaks down the learning process for both him, which allowed him to win world championships in in chess and martial arts.   

This week I had a revelation about some of the ideas from the book, which ties directly into the Leap Year process. 

Josh writes about an idea which he calls "Take a look at less to see more." The idea came from him learning the basics of chess by only focusing on a couple of pieces in less complex situations. For example, instead of learning about all 16 pieces and the multitude of choices you can take at the start of game, he focused on the Pawn, Rook, and King at the end game. Josh would learn all the combinations in these less complex situations until he processed them into his subconscious mind. Then he would add another piece until he mastered those combinations and processed the information into his subconscious. This process continued until he understood all the interconnections between all pieces on the board.  

This is quite different from how other talented young chess players learn how to play chess. Usually they learn each individual piece, what it can do, and how it interacts with other pieces before they even look at positions. Like I mentioned above, there are 16 pieces, so a young chess player already has a lot to consider even before they start. Furthermore, they have to learn how the individual pieces work interact with each other before they can truly grasp the strategies used in the game. As you can see, this weeds out a lot of players and only a small percentage continue to pursue playing at a professional level.

But this is where syntax, or the order, plays another huge role. Starting with learning situations requiring less complexity and mastering them until they become a part of your subconscious, or trying to memorize more complex situations with more pieces when you start can produce two different outcomes. 

I have connected this to the Leap Year process as, you want to start out with situations with less complexity, ie just focusing on small actions you can take on a weekly basis or completing the weekly task. Rather than, trying to know everything about the Leap Year process, ie knowing exactly what and how you are going to accomplish even before you start. 

The idea of starting with less complex situations also highlights the importance of focusing on the system or process, rather than goals or end results to achieve success. Only looking at the end result can be overwhelming and will mostly likely cause you so much stress that you will not even start. Where as, you can easily follow through by just by focusing on small actions you can take on a consistent basis. 

What does that look like for the Leap Year process? You focus on completing the weekly task to identify what you are passionate about. You do this week after week, until it becomes a part of your daily routine. Then you start adding 1% improvements, and then master those. The process will continue until you wake up one day and have a clear idea of what you are passionate about and take consistent steps towards achieving it on a daily basis. 

This is exactly what is happening for me in my Leap Year process. I only had a few ideas in the beginning, and I just focused on one, writing a book, and pursued it on a weekly basis. This allowed me clarify and improve my writing ability, and help me discover my passion for being an entrepreneur. Now my days are filled with actions helping me to write my book or launch my first software business. 

I would have laughed in your face if you were to tell me I needed to know what I was passionate about before I started my Leap Year process. However, just by focusing on completing the weekly task, situations of less complexity, I have been able to do just that. Identify what I am passionate about, and pursue them on a daily basis. Lastly, I know it is no longer if I can complete them, but rather WHEN. 

 

Call to Action

Stop worrying if you do not know what you are passionate about, or all the exact steps you will take to complete your Leap Year process. Just focus on taking a look at less to see more by focusing on consistently completing the weekly tasks. I promise it will take you to places never thought possible if you can do this. 

What went well?

Weekly task completed and a huge learning coming together combining the process of learning and the Leap Year process.  

What is something we can improve upon? What actions can we take next week?

Understanding when our will power is shot. There are times in the week when I feel exhausted at the end of a day, but then have to tackle an important decision. I need to be more conscious of these moments and defer them until I have a moment to collect my thoughts. Otherwise, I might be a little more curt than I want to be. 

What is something to avoid next week?

Not being aware of my will power level. 

WEEK 61: NOT SEXY, BUT PRODUCTIVE

WT = Waiting Time. DT = Development Time.

PLANNING (task, scheduling, and WT = DT):  I plan to write my Leap Year W31 post into the site Medium on Wednesday at 6 PM in study. I plan to turn those small WTs into Grateful Time, where I look to see what I can be grateful for in those situations. For example, last week I thought how great it was to finally have a new job! 

EXECUTION (strategies used):  Although I use a combination of many strategies throughout the week, there are always some that are used more than others depending on what comes up. For example, I relied heavily on the Be a Pro, Implementation Intentions, and TRUST strategies this week, as I was not able to complete both tasks until SUNDAY. The highlighted strategies that were used in the week are listed below along with the I CAN'T statements that they help overcome. 

Procrastination....I CAN'T because I am not completely sure or am not qualified to...

TRUST: This is a strategy that took me over a year to finally internalize and came from the learnings from Benjamin Hardy, Dane Maxwell, and Seth Godin.

The path to achieving big things will always be hazy, unclear, and filled with uncertainty. This lack of clarity will bring about feelings of fear, but know this is a natural part of the process. Just have a "bias towards action" and embrace the dance with fear on a daily basis. Lastly, understand your comfort zone is but a small dot within your safety zone, so do something which terrifies you everyday for 20 seconds. This will help you to stretch your comfort zone and take on things you never thought possible. 

Procrastination...I CAN'T because I am not motivated or do not feel like it...

Be a PRO: I actually learned this strategy through insights from Jeff Goins, Tim Ferris, and James Clear. 

First, Jeff Goins mentioned in a podcast that “action will follow mindset.” Second, James Clear wrote that it does not matter what you want to become better at, the only skill that separates a “Pro” from an “amateur” is the ability to show up. Third, Tim Ferris said on his 4-Hr Work Week blog that “Practicing key habits when we don’t want to is the most key habit to all.” This reinforces this idea of being a “Pro” by having the mindset to show up consistently and completing the work.

The difficult thing about being a pro requires us to consistently follow through. Yet, we often let the challenges of everyday life get in the way and only attempt to do the work when we feel motivated. This produces small gains if any and leads us down a path of frustration. There will be days when you do not want to complete a key habit or activity, but develop the mindset of a “Pro” by showing up, sticking to your schedule, and then completing the tasks that move your forward.

Early Scheduling = Implementation Intentions: This is a strategy that I credit to completing my tasks consistently on a weekly basis. In this strategy, you first PLAN to complete a task at a SCHEDULED time (day and time) in a specific location as early in the week as you can. More specifically you fill in the following statement.

I plan to [task] on [day] at [time] in [location].

Three benefits are produced from doing this. First, you get a sense of accomplishment if you complete the task in the beginning of the week at the scheduled time. In addition, it allows you to devout more time to do additional tasks to reach your goals within the same week. Second, it provides more time to complete the task if life presents you with something that needs to be attended to during the original scheduled time. Lastly, research shows that you are 2X to 3X more likely to follow through on your actions. I learned about this strategy from James Clear, who is a great blogger that writes on the science of human behavior and how to build better habits. He shows the research on how Implementation Intentions help you follow through on your plans and achieve your goals.

REFLECTIONS (learnings and actions): Tony Robbins has said "Activity without purpose is the drain to your life." 

The Leap Year process has allowed me to truly understand this quote. Let me explain. Before I started my Leap Year process I would complain I did not have enough time for the meaningful things in my life. The funny thing is, I really didn't know what was meaningful yet. 

I would have a lot of ideas or would make a lot of plans, but nothing really every came to fruition. It was like I was a hamster in a wheel, spinning around and around, but getting no where. 

As I reflect this week, I see the importance of having a purpose. This clarity truly adds focus to your activities, and helps you accelerate and make progress towards your dreams.

Take for example this week, I had a second interview for our "dream school", was chosen to be a part of a group of entrepreneurs launching the last Foundation class, editing my book, and still managing to stay on top of all my other daily challenges of being a husband and father. I find I am doing about 10X as much before I started the Leap Year process, but am able to manage and follow through on all of these activities with minimal stress.

I am not saying it is a walk in the park, but the Leap Year process has helped me identify what I am passionate about. This in turn, has allowed me to focus on my passions of writing the book, launching my software company, and providing for my family. This clarity has streamlined and guided the activities I complete everyday. 

The Leap Year process is not sexy and it does not fix all of your problems overnight. However, you will be able to find the clarity to add the focus to your life if you are willing to show up every week and put in the consistent work to identify what you are passionate about. This opens up more possibilities and allows you to create things you never thought possible.

Write a book, launch a software business, get a job at my "dream school", and improve all areas of my life...I have to pinch myself, but this is all happening and it is due to the Leap Year process.

My hope is it will do the same for you. There will be tough weeks when you do not feel motivated, but show up and do the work, as this will lead you to reaching places you never thought possible. 

What went well?

Completed the weekly task in the face of getting a new job, helping with launch of The Foundation last class, and following on my daily responsibilities as a husband, father, and my 9-5. 

What is something we can improve upon? What actions can we take next week?

Appreciate more. There is so much to be thankful on a daily basis, so I will make it a point to pause and truly appreciate all the amazing things in my life. 

What is something to avoid next week?

Judging or finding lack in situations. 

WEEK 60: IGNORE GOALS AND FOCUS ON SYSTEMS

WT = Waiting Time. DT = Development Time.

PLANNING (task, scheduling, and WT = DT):  I plan to write my Leap Year W30 post into the site Medium onWednesday at 6 PM in study. I plan to turn those small WTs into Grateful Time, where I look to see what I can be grateful for in those situations. For example, last week I thought how great it was to be married to such an amazing and beautiful wife! I do not tell her enough how awesome she is and how she is the prettiest woman in my life.

EXECUTION (strategies used):  W60 completed. Although I use a combination of many strategies throughout the week, there are always some that are used more than others depending on what comes up. For example, I relied heavily on the Be a Pro, Implementation Intentions, and TRUST strategies this week, as I was not able to complete both tasks until Saturday morning. The highlighted strategies that were used in the week are listed below along with the I CAN'T statements that they help overcome. 

Procrastination....I CAN'T because I am not completely sure or am not qualified to...

TRUST: This is a strategy that took me over a year to finally internalize and came from the learnings from Benjamin Hardy, Dane Maxwell, and Seth Godin.

The path to achieving big things will always be hazy, unclear, and filled with uncertainty. This lack of clarity will bring about feelings of fear, but know this is a natural part of the process. Just have a "bias towards action" and embrace the dance with fear on a daily basis. Lastly, understand your comfort zone is but a small dot within your safety zone, so do something which terrifies you everyday for 20 seconds. This will help you to stretch your comfort zone and take on things you never thought possible. 

Procrastination...I CAN'T because I am not motivated or do not feel like it...

Be a PRO: I actually learned this strategy through insights from Jeff Goins, Tim Ferris, and James Clear. 

First, Jeff Goins mentioned in a podcast that “action will follow mindset.” Second, James Clear wrote that it does not matter what you want to become better at, the only skill that separates a “Pro” from an “amateur” is the ability to show up. Third, Tim Ferris said on his 4-Hr Work Week blog that “Practicing key habits when we don’t want to is the most key habit to all.” This reinforces this idea of being a “Pro” by having the mindset to show up consistently and completing the work.

The difficult thing about being a pro requires us to consistently follow through. Yet, we often let the challenges of everyday life get in the way and only attempt to do the work when we feel motivated. This produces small gains if any and leads us down a path of frustration. There will be days when you do not want to complete a key habit or activity, but develop the mindset of a “Pro” by showing up, sticking to your schedule, and then completing the tasks that move your forward.

Early Scheduling = Implementation Intentions: This is a strategy that I credit to completing my tasks consistently on a weekly basis. In this strategy, you first PLAN to complete a task at a SCHEDULED time (day and time) in a specific location as early in the week as you can. More specifically you fill in the following statement.

I plan to [task] on [day] at [time] in [location].

Three benefits are produced from doing this. First, you get a sense of accomplishment if you complete the task in the beginning of the week at the scheduled time. In addition, it allows you to devout more time to do additional tasks to reach your goals within the same week. Second, it provides more time to complete the task if life presents you with something that needs to be attended to during the original scheduled time. Lastly, research shows that you are 2X to 3X more likely to follow through on your actions. I learned about this strategy from James Clear, who is a great blogger that writes on the science of human behavior and how to build better habits. He shows the research on how Implementation Intentions help you follow through on your plans and achieve your goals.

REFLECTIONS (learnings and actions): The Leap Year process has allowed me to learn so much in 60 weeks. From strategies to overcome all forms of procrastination, to tools to help overcome the daily "I CAN'T" statements we tell ourselves, it is all pretty incredible.  

During this process, I have learned there is a difference between something which is useful and something which will be transformative. For example, when I learned the idea about the "Aggregation of Marginal Gains" or the accumulation of small improvements, it totally changed how I approached the Leap Year process. Instead of looking for drastic changes, I looked for small, consistent 1% improvements to help me reach my goals.

Well this week, I feel I came upon another transformative learning. It actually connects a lot of what I have been doing already, but I was able to crystallize th learning when I read an article from guess who, James Clear.

James, is an expert on habit formation and has a following of over 500,000 readers. He wrote a great article outlining the difference between systems and goals, and why you should focus more on systems to make progress.

Usually we all make goals, then determine the system which will help us achieve our goals. Thus, the goals, or end result is our main focus, and the systems, or the process which gets us there, is our secondary focus. 

For example, if you are an entrepreneur:

Goal: create a million dollar business.

System: sales, marketing, and communication skills. 

Then James asked a very interesting question.

“If you completely ignored your goals and focused only on your systems, would you still get results?”

Answer, YES! James also writes full time and publishes two articles a week, and wrote over 115,000 words last year just by doing this. He wrote enough words to fill nearly two full length books (a book averages about 50,000 - 60,0000 words) just by focusing on his system of writing. Furthermore, James did this in 11 months, not even a full year. 

Now think about this, if he had started with the goal of writing two books in a year, would he have achieved that same result? I would safely bet no, as just the thought of writing one book in a year is already overwhelming. 

WHY is this? Well, here is a list of reasons James outlines, which highlight why it is so important to focus on systems, rather than your goals to make progress.

1. Goals reduce your current happiness. James writes 

“You are essentially telling yourself I am not good enough yet, but I will be happy when I reach my goal.”

This teachers you to push happiness away until you reach the next milestone, then the next, and so on. The solution, commit to a process, not the goal.

2. Goals foster Yo Yo like behavior.

Think about setting a goal to lose weight. Often times you will do all the hard work and then once you reach your goal, you stop being committed to your system which helped you get there, i.e. eating healthy and exercising. 

This effect of working towards a goal, and then stopping creates a yo yo effect, and makes it extremely difficult for you to build on progress for the long term. Solution, release the need for immediate results, and focus on staying committed to a system which help you move closer to where you want to be.

3. Goals do not account for the future.

We have no idea what the future will provide, but creating goals creates an illusion we can predict exactly what and when something will happen. Unfortunately, we have no idea of the situations or circumstances which will present themselves along the way. 

Solution, create a feedback look to monitor your system. Tracking your progress consistently will inform you if you need to modify your system. For example, if you are trying to lose weight and gain 3 lbs in a week, you need to identify an adjustment which will get you back on course.

James writes goals are not all bad, they are good for PLANNING your progress, but systems are good for MAKING progress. The key is to be committed to the process. That is it! 

What went well?

Another week where I was not able to complete the weekly task until Saturday, but felt minimal stress as I incorporated my strategies to help me complete the weekly task. 

What is something we can improve upon? What actions can we take next week?

Eating better food. I found I felt tired and lethargic during the week, even after I had a good 7.5 to 8 hours a sleep a night. As I reflected, I remember eating some extra carbs, with cheese, and with... 

I guess the saying "Garbage in, equals garbage out" is quite true. 

What is something to avoid next week?

Eat the best fuels for the body. 

Thanks for tuning in and see you in W61.

WEEK 59: APPRECIATE MORE AND EXPECT LESS

WT = Waiting Time. DT = Development Time.

PLANNING (task, scheduling, and WT = DT):  I plan to write my Leap Year W29 post into the site Medium onThursday at 6 PM in study. I plan to turn those small WTs into Grateful Time, where I look to see what I can be grateful for in those situations. For example, I thought how great it was to travel for work, as I was able to fly to Santiago, Chile for the week. 

EXECUTION (strategies used):  W59, check! Although I use a combination of many strategies throughout the week, there are always some that are used more than others depending on what comes up. For example, I relied heavily on the Be a Pro, Implementation Intentions, and TRUST strategies this week, as I was not able to complete both tasks until Saturday. The highlighted strategies that were used in the week are listed below along with the I CAN'T statements that they help overcome. 

Procrastination....I CAN'T because I am not completely sure or am not qualified to...

TRUST: This is a strategy that took me over a year to finally internalize and came from the learnings from Benjamin Hardy, Dane Maxwell, and Seth Godin.

The path to achieving big things will always be hazy, unclear, and filled with uncertainty. This lack of clarity will bring about feelings of fear, but know this is a natural part of the process. Just have a "bias towards action" and embrace the dance with fear on a daily basis. Lastly, understand your comfort zone is but a small dot within your safety zone, so do something which terrifies you everyday for 20 seconds. This will help you to stretch your comfort zone and take on things you never thought possible. 

Procrastination...I CAN'T because I am not motivated or do not feel like it...

Be a PRO: I actually learned this strategy through insights from Jeff Goins, Tim Ferris, and James Clear. 

First, Jeff Goins mentioned in a podcast that “action will follow mindset.” Second, James Clear wrote that it does not matter what you want to become better at, the only skill that separates a “Pro” from an “amateur” is the ability to show up. Third, Tim Ferris said on his 4-Hr Work Week blog that “Practicing key habits when we don’t want to is the most key habit to all.” This reinforces this idea of being a “Pro” by having the mindset to show up consistently and completing the work.

The difficult thing about being a pro requires us to consistently follow through. Yet, we often let the challenges of everyday life get in the way and only attempt to do the work when we feel motivated. This produces small gains if any and leads us down a path of frustration. There will be days when you do not want to complete a key habit or activity, but develop the mindset of a “Pro” by showing up, sticking to your schedule, and then completing the tasks that move your forward.

Early Scheduling = Implementation Intentions: This is a strategy that I credit to completing my tasks consistently on a weekly basis. In this strategy, you first PLAN to complete a task at a SCHEDULED time (day and time) in a specific location as early in the week as you can. More specifically you fill in the following statement.

I plan to [task] on [day] at [time] in [location].

Three benefits are produced from doing this. First, you get a sense of accomplishment if you complete the task in the beginning of the week at the scheduled time. In addition, it allows you to devout more time to do additional tasks to reach your goals within the same week. Second, it provides more time to complete the task if life presents you with something that needs to be attended to during the original scheduled time. Lastly, research shows that you are 2X to 3X more likely to follow through on your actions. I learned about this strategy from James Clear, who is a great blogger that writes on the science of human behavior and how to build better habits. He shows the research on how Implementation Intentions help you follow through on your plans and achieve your goals.

REFLECTIONS (learnings and actions): I was thinking I am six weeks into my second Leap Year, but have learned it is all a part of the one big process. There has been so much I have learned, but one of biggest benefits has been the ability to learn and ingrain all the strategies to move past everyday "I CAN'T" statements I tell myself. 

In the beginning, I would stress and get frustrated trying to complete the weekly task, while still attending to the everyday challenges life would present me. Where as now, I know I can do both with minimal stress, no matter what life presents me. This week was extremely challenging, as all aspects of my everyday life were altered. Furthermore, I did not publish my article on the site Medium and draft my W59 post until Saturday morning, which is two days later than I usually do this. But no worries, the key thing is I was able to finish both of them. 

The Leap Year process is now integrated into my daily schedule and I know I will always be committed to it. Completing the weekly task is no longer a matter of whether I will complete it, but rather when. This is night and day when I reflect about earlier weeks in my Leap Year process when I would get totally stressed out due to unforeseen challenges. 

Don't get me wrong, it is not like it is a walk in the park, but I am much more comfortable when things get a little crazy or uncertain. Also, this is an idea I have been writing about in the past few, and I have been able to clarify an affirmation you can tell yourself about these times.

The path to your dreams will be hazy and unclear at times. Embrace the dance with fear and know your comfort zone is but a small dot within your safety zone. Just have a bias towards action and keep moving forward. 

This is where I hope all of you can get to, a place where everyday challenges do not stand in the way of your Leap Year process of pursuing amazing things in your life! 

What went well?

Weekly task completed with minimal stress in the face of travel, work, and various other everyday challenges. 

What is something we can improve upon? What actions can we take next week?

APPRECIATE more and expect less. I want to cultivate a higher sense of gratitude and look for the aspects to be grateful for in every situation. Replace the phrase "Have to" with "Get to."

What is something to avoid next week?

EXPECTING everything to turn out a specific way, and then getting upset if they do not. 

WEEK 58: FOCUS ON THE PROCESS OF WHAT YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT

WT = Waiting Time. DT = Development Time.

PLANNING (task, scheduling, and WT = DT):  I plan to write my Leap Year W29 post into the site Medium onWednesday at 6 PM in study. I plan to turn those small WTs into Grateful Time, where I look to see what I can be grateful for in those situations. For example, last week I thought how great it was to be able to have weekly date nights with Meggo. They are the times when we can connect, share, and laugh about the week. 

EXECUTION (strategies used):  W58 in the books. Although I use a combination of many strategies throughout the week, there are always some that are used more than others depending on what comes up. For example, I relied heavily on the Be a Pro, Implementation Intentions, and TRUST strategies this week, as I was not able to complete both tasks until Saturday. The highlighted strategies that were used in the week are listed below along with the I CAN'T statements that they help overcome. 

Procrastination....I CAN'T because I am not completely sure or am not qualified to...

TRUST: This is a strategy that took me over a year to finally internalize and came from the learnings from Benjamin Hardy, Dane Maxwell, and Seth Godin.

The path to achieving big things will always be hazy, unclear, and filled with uncertainty. This lack of clarity will bring about feelings of fear, but know this is a natural part of the process. Just have a "bias towards action" and embrace the dance with fear on a daily basis. Lastly, understand your comfort zone is but a small dot within your safety zone, so do something which terrifies you everyday for 20 seconds. This will help you to stretch your comfort zone and take on things you never thought possible. 

Procrastination...I CAN'T because I am not motivated or do not feel like it...

Be a PRO: I actually learned this strategy through insights from Jeff Goins, Tim Ferris, and James Clear. 

First, Jeff Goins mentioned in a podcast that “action will follow mindset.” Second, James Clear wrote that it does not matter what you want to become better at, the only skill that separates a “Pro” from an “amateur” is the ability to show up. Third, Tim Ferris said on his 4-Hr Work Week blog that “Practicing key habits when we don’t want to is the most key habit to all.” This reinforces this idea of being a “Pro” by having the mindset to show up consistently and completing the work.

The difficult thing about being a pro requires us to consistently follow through. Yet, we often let the challenges of everyday life get in the way and only attempt to do the work when we feel motivated. This produces small gains if any and leads us down a path of frustration. There will be days when you do not want to complete a key habit or activity, but develop the mindset of a “Pro” by showing up, sticking to your schedule, and then completing the tasks that move your forward.

Early Scheduling = Implementation Intentions: This is a strategy that I credit to completing my tasks consistently on a weekly basis. In this strategy, you first PLAN to complete a task at a SCHEDULED time (day and time) in a specific location as early in the week as you can. More specifically you fill in the following statement.

I plan to [task] on [day] at [time] in [location].

Three benefits are produced from doing this. First, you get a sense of accomplishment if you complete the task in the beginning of the week at the scheduled time. In addition, it allows you to devout more time to do additional tasks to reach your goals within the same week. Second, it provides more time to complete the task if life presents you with something that needs to be attended to during the original scheduled time. Lastly, research shows that you are 2X to 3X more likely to follow through on your actions. I learned about this strategy from James Clear, who is a great blogger that writes on the science of human behavior and how to build better habits. He shows the research on how Implementation Intentions help you follow through on your plans and achieve your goals.

REFLECTIONS (learnings and actions): Last week I highlighted a shift in focus which will allow you not to feel overwhelmed 

"If you do not know your passions."

It came from Benjamin Hardy and he wrote:

Rather than worrying about what you are passionate about, invest in yourself in something you believe in. You will grow to love what you put your energy into. You will love what you have sacrificed for. Love comes from work. It is not a feeling. It is committed action. 

I was able to connect this to a learning I had in W46 about "Growth Mindset", or the belief your mind is malleable and is always able to grow and learn. The speaker, Eduardo Briceno, outlined the differences of being either "Fixed" or having a "Growth" mindset, and one of the main difference is the placement of focus. 

Those who are "Fixed" in their beliefs focus more on the result. For example, needing to know what you are passionate about. Where as, those who posses a "Growth" mindset focus on the PROCESS or finding out what they are passionate about.   

58 weeks into my Leap Year process, I have learned what matters most is the action you take everyday (PROCESS), not what you do every once in a while. You are in you current state, either positive or negative, due to all the small, repeated actions you have taken over an extended period of time. It is not one event or one action which determines this.

Take for example your weight or health. You are not overweight because you overate last night, but rather because you overate at breakfast, lunch, and then dinner. Also, you are not in shape because you had a great workout yesterday, it is because you have consistently worked out everyday for a couple of months. 

The key is to focus on the devoting consistent time to the PROCESS, not the results. This is why the Leap Year PROCESS is so great. It allows you to focus on the PROCESS of finding out what you are passionate about, not knowing what you are passionate about before you start.

I admit in the beginning of my Leap Year process I had this backwards and thought you should follow your passions, which meant you knew what that possibly could be. This is where syntax, or order, makes a huge difference. It is overwhelming to think about following your passions if you have no idea. However, I have learned this is totally ok and this is exactly where you should be. The key is to focus on the PROCESS of finding out what you are passionate about, so you can find the highest expression of your talents to share with the world.

Thus, release the thought you need to know what you are passionate about before you start. Just focus on the PROCESS of devoting consistent time to pursuing and discovering what that is. The committed action will cultivate Love and bring amazing things you never thought possible into your life.

What went well?

Traveling, off schedule, but still completed the weekly task! 

What is something we can improve upon? What actions can we take next week?  

Appreciating more, expecting less. Do not get upset if things do not work out exactly as you planned. It is ok to set high expectations, but have low expectations to the results. Tony Robbin has said 

"change your expectations with appreciations and your whole world becomes a miracle."

Thus, I plan this week to appreciate more and expect less.  

What is something to avoid next week?

Getting upset if something does not work out exactly like I thought. 

Thanks for tuning in and see you in W59.