WEEK 41: RESIST NOTHING, WELCOME EVERYTHING

WT = Waiting Time. DT = Development Time.

PLANNING (task, scheduling, and WT = DT):  I plan to write my Leap Year W12 post into the site Medium onWednesday at 6 PM in BRECKENRIDGE, CO. 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 travel and be able to see family. 

EXECUTION (strategies used):  W41 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 Implementation Intentions, and Got 2-minutes strategies as I was traveling to see family this week and had to take advantage of small pockets of time to complete the weekly tasks. 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 motivated or do not feel like it...

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.

Procrastination...I CAN'T start because I do not have enough time...

Got 2-minutes: I learned the 2-minute rule from James Clear and it helps you initiate a task, as usually this is the most difficult step. This strategy helps you focus on what you would do in the first 2 minutes of starting a task and then completing those actions.  Often times do this and then look up at the clock and see that I have been working for well over 2 minutes. I have now merged this with the "Got a Minute" strategy, which is used to turn any amount of free time into productive time. It comes from Vierordt's Law, which states that when estimating a previous task, people overestimate short durations and underestimate long ones. Simply, we regularly overestimate how long it will take to accomplish meaningful tasks. Often times they can be accomplished in a short amount of time, so don't judge if you will start something by how much time you think you have, just start! 

REFLECTIONS (learnings and actions): I am now more than 3/4 of the way through my Leap Year process and definitely feel a stronger pull towards the completion of the task. I am not sure where I heard this, but once you cross a certain point, the need to complete the task is greater than giving up. There are11 weeks left and although I felt getting to this point was near impossible when I started my Leap Year process, I am now wondering if I have enough time to get everything that I want done in the remaining time.

This sense of unknowing would have stressed me out, but I have learned that there will always be a level of uncertainty in whatever you try. You just have to "Trust that you will figure it out" and have a bias towards action. The steps that you will need will always appear at the right time.

What went well?

I was able to complete the weekly task not on the first scheduled date, but used two Implementation Intentions to complete it on Thursday. In addition, I was able to maximize my small pockets of time (when everyone was napping or eating breakfast) by incorporating the Got 2-minutes strategy.

Like I mentioned above I am  currently traveling in Colorado visiting family right now. I am grateful to be sharing these moments with my wife and son. Whether it be sharing conversations with my Great Grandam TuTu (she is 96 and is able to do more things than people 10 years younger) or driving through the Rockies and seeing the beauty of these majestic mountains. 

Additionally, I am a big supporter of technology, but nothing beats being physically in front of someone and being able to touch and converse with them. My son Tae has only really seen or communicated with his grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins through Skype and Facetime, so it has been great for my family to interact with him and Megan in person. 

That being said, I have also learned that traveling with a 15 month year old also requires a lot of planning. Where will he sleep, what happens when he gets sick, what foods will he eat, what objects do we need to look out for....the list never ends. Furthermore, there is the task of packing, unpacking, and moving three suitcases and endless other small bags every couple of days from one house to another. Quite difficult and stressful at times to say the least.

I have mentioned this in earlier posts, but in the past I would have let these everyday challenges stress me out and I would not devote the time to meaningful tasks in my life...ie my Leap Year. I would complete these "To Do's", but this would leave me frustrated for not attending to the things that really mattered to me. I would be frantically trying to accomplish what was an immediate priority, while also trying to answer the nagging question in my head "When are you going to get back in shape, get your finances in order, or write that book?" 

Today, I am much more at ease and able to take on both the everyday challenges, while still devoting time to pursuing, discovering, and achieving my dreams. Hopefully the Leap Year process can provide you the strategies and tools to do the same for you. 

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

Not judging the WHATS, specific outcomes, of life. I often catch myself reacting to everything that is happening around me, which often leads to an unhealthy dose of judgement. For example, when my son fell and scraped his head, I thought "Who's fault was it, who was not watching him....?" But then taking a moment to think about it, I realized he could have and has fallen in front of me before. Truth of the matter is that kids will fall, even if you try to plan around every situation. 

This is but one instance where I judged a specific WHAT, and was not thinking of the WHY. For the example above, my WHY is that I love my son and he will fall from time to time, no matter how much I plan in advance. I just have to support him the best I can and trust others to do the same. This will help me move away from judging myself or others when he does fall. 

This situation also reminds me of a quote from Dane Maxwell. He says to "Resist nothing, and welcome everything" in life. In simple terms, you will be far more able to succeed if you don't react to every WHAT (judge the result) and welcome everything as an opportunity to learn and grow. 

What is something to avoid next week?

Judging...people, situations, and myself. 

WEEK 40: DANCING WITH FEAR

WT = Waiting Time. DT = Development Time.

PLANNING (task, scheduling, and WT = DT):  I plan to write my Leap Year W11 post into the site Medium and meet the Josephs on Wednesday and Tuesday at 6 PM and 12 PM in study and in my room, respectively. 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 am for having an amazing wife! I truly love her more today, than when I married her 4 years ago and my love for her grows everyday. 

EXECUTION (strategies used):  W40 check! Another week and another set of weekly tasks that have been competed. 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 Implementation Intentions, and 3-Bucket system (for writing) strategies this week, as I was able to complete both tasks and write three articles this week. 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 motivated or do not feel like it...

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.

FEAR...I CAN'T because it is not perfect..

3-Bucket System: I learned the 3-Bucket system from Jeff Goins who breaks up the process of writing into three easy steps. First, create a place (physical or digital) where you can collect ideas. Second, schedule a time to draft the first version without the pressure of making edits. Third, edit your draft after you have taken time away from it. This process makes writing much easier and I find myself producing better writing in a shorter amount of time. 

REFLECTIONS (learnings and actions): 10 months...that is right 10 months complete! I could have never imagined that I would have close to 40,000 words written in my book, 40 posts completed on my Leap Year blog, and another 11 posts written in the Medium site, in addition to launching my first app this week. Wow!

Although these milestones have been great, I wanted to reflect this week on the PROCESS in which I got to W40 and identify what factors have led to this success. Fortuitously, I was able to read a great article on the site Medium that fits perfectly with this idea of success and I will share the ideas below.  

What went well?

Like I mentioned above I have now completed 40 weeks of my Leap Year process, where I have completed at least 40 actions that have taken me closer to pursuing, discovering, and achieving my dreams. Additionally, other parts of my life are also falling into place and I am seeing the fruits of my labor. Although I am enjoying reaching these milestones, I have learned that one must reflect and process how they achieved success, so that they can duplicate it in the future.

Other successful people such as Josh Waitzkin, the basis for the book and movie "Searching for Bobby Fischer" also validate this idea of reflecting on the process. He said that "Value the process, before the results."  Furthermore, Tim Ferris, pioneer in lifestyle redesign, said that trying to achieve success without understanding the process that got you there is a recipe for failure.  

Another person is Benjamin Hardy, who writing great "life learning" and "self improvement" articles on the site Medium. In addition to publishing helpful weekly posts, he also is pursuing his Ph D in I/O Psychology, while also being a husband and a father to three foster kids. Definitely a person that is succeeding in pursuing, discovering, and achieving his dreams in the face of everyday challenges. He wrote in his article “The Primary Barrier Stopping You From Everything You Want in Life” that there is only one thing stopping you from having the life of your dreams.

Well, what is it? Is it skill? Is it resources? Is it a coach? The perfect set of outer circumstances? Although these factors might help, none of them are the solution. Benjamin mentioned a quote from Jack Canfield, the author of the NYT best selling book series “Chicken Soup for the Soul”, that “Everything you want is on the other side of fear.” Benjamin agrees, but takes it one step further and says that the only thing staring in your way of the life of meaning, fulfillment, success…your dreams is "AVOIDANCE of the feelings that cause you FEAR." That is it!
Think about it for a second, when was the last time you stopped pursuing something that you truly wanted just because you did want to feel pain, discomfort, shock, boredom, awkwardness, being wrong, failing, looking stupid or simply because you were afraid? I can definitely put my hand up here. The ironic thing is that these are the same feelings that we constantly try to avoid on a daily basis, but are the same feelings that will must endure along the path to success.

Benjamin goes on to say that 99% of people are not willing to feel difficult emotions on a regular basis, but could reach a level of satisfaction never thought possible if they did.
Tim Grover, the author of the book “Relentless” said, “When you crave the end result, the hard work becomes irrelevant.” And Benjamin says it perfectly when he said "when the WHY is clarified and strong enough, you will be willing to do any HOW."

The great thing is that the Leap Year process already helps you clarify the WHY for you, to pursue, discover, and achieve your highest expression of yourself. This means that you will have to face these uncomfortable emotions along the way, but enduring them and still pushing forward will allow you to live a life beyond your wildest dreams.

So what went well for me? I finally understand that uncomfortable emotions are on the path to your highest expression of yourself and the more comfortable you are with dancing with them, the easier it will be for you to reach the life of your dreams! Will this be easy, no, but the they key is to be aware that this a part of the process and find the courage to push through those uncomfortable situations. 

Lets dance FEAR!

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

Still wanting to laugh more during the week. Currently, the following inequality describes my current situation: 0 < me < a lot of laughter. I will continue to look for 1% improvements that will allow me to laugh more. 

What is something to avoid next week?

Not planning and setting Implementation Intentions, as I will be traveling and away from my normal routine. Second, not judging the WHATs (outcomes) of life. 

Thanks for tuning in and see you in W41.

WEEK 39: BE PROUD OF THE NOW

WT = Waiting Time. DT = Development Time.

PLANNING (task, scheduling, and WT = DT):  I plan to write my Leap Year W10 post into the site Medium onWednesday at 6 PM in study. Also, I plan to meet SJ and the Josephs on Monday and Tuesday at 1:45 PM in my office. 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 walk and go buy fresh groceries everyday. 

EXECUTION (strategies used):  Week 39 finished and I was able to complete two out of the three tasks on the original planned date. 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 Implementation Intentions, and Got 2-minutes strategies this week, as it there was a lot of things that I need to complete at school. 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 motivated or do not feel like it...

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.

Procrastination...I CAN'T start because I do not have enough time...

Got 2-minutes: I learned the 2-minute rule from James Clear and it helps you initiate a task, as usually this is the most difficult step. This strategy helps you focus on what you would do in the first 2 minutes of starting a task and then completing those actions.  Often times do this and then look up at the clock and see that I have been working for well over 2 minutes. I have now merged this with the "Got a Minute" strategy, which is used to turn any amount of free time into productive time. It comes from Vierordt's Law, which states that when estimating a previous task, people overestimate short durations and underestimate long ones. Simply, we regularly overestimate how long it will take to accomplish meaningful tasks. Often times they can be accomplished in a short amount of time, so don't judge if you will start something by how much time you think you have, just start! 

REFLECTIONS (learnings and actions): Another week and another big X being added to the Leap Year calendar. Here are my reflections for the W39.

What went well?

I was able to complete the weekly task and one of the two other tasks that I set for myself. Although I was not able to complete the third task, I am proud that I was able to complete at least two meaningful tasks that I set for myself. 

Like I mentioned above there were a lot of tasks that needed to completed at school, as this was the last week with students. I had to prep students for IOC's, monitor their Extended Essay study area, and still teach my 10th graders. This all on top of being a husband, father, and preparing for a 10 hour international trip to return to the states for the summer. Just a little busy to say the least. 

In the past, I would have definitely felt overwhelmed with all of these "to dos" that life presented me with and would have not attended to the other meaningful tasks that I wanted to complete. Although I would have a sense of accomplishment for completing these necessary "to dos", I would also feel frustrated and unfulfilled because I did not get to my meaningful tasks. I would tell myself "tomorrow I will do it, or I will have a break soon, I will do it then." The truth of the matter is that I would never do it, thus the accumulation of the "I will do it later" statements kept adding up over time and created a huge sense of unfulfillment in my life. I was merely surviving, not LIVING! 

I read a great quote a friend sent me this week and it said "Be proud of the NOW." I have learned so many great things this year, but I finally understand the process the success. We all strive for success in our daily lives both professionally and personally, but most of us, including me, find it very difficult and elusive. 

I have mentioned in previous posts a quote about success from Dane Maxwell, Co-founder of The Foundation. He says "Success is mechanical." I have truly learned this in the past three weeks and actually have built upon this statement. Here is my definition "Success is mechanical. Be 100% committed and be disciplined to actions that move you closer to your goals." That is how you can succeed in any area of your life. 

That is why I am proud of the NOW, as the Leap Year has given me the tools and experiences to finally understand this. It took me close to 40 weeks, but I have learned a valuable lesson that I can apply in any realm to succeed and I promise that you will be able to do this as well. All you have to be is 100% committed and disciplined to your Leap Year process. That means you show up and complete your weekly tasks no matter what! 

You might not see outward growth every week, but know that you are putting in the work to help you grow exponentially. This is how the Chinese bamboo grows up to 90 feet, 30 meters, in the fifth year alone. There is minimal to no growth in the first four years, but they are necessary in order to provide itself the elements it needs to grow exponentially in the fifth year. This is the same for you, so stay committed and be disciplined to completing your weekly tasks, knowing you are laying the groundwork to grow to heights never thought possible. 

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

Laugh more. As adults we tend to laugh less than our children. There are studies that show how laughter improves brain and physical health. I am grateful to have cultivated a laser like focus during my Leap Year process, which has led to me being serious more of the time. I realize that I need to find balance and take time to relax and laugh more. 

What is something to avoid next week?

Not laughing at all. :(

Thanks for tuning in and see you back in W40!

WEEK 38: LET GO AND BE PRESENT

WT = Waiting Time. DT = Development Time.

PLANNING (task, scheduling, and WT = DT):  I plan to write my Leap Year W9 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 speak another language. This ability has provides so many opportunities and allows me to communicate with more people than I ever thought possible. 

EXECUTION (strategies used):  W38 completed and it was done so on the first scheduled time. 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 Implementation Intentions and Got 2-minutes strategies this week, as I was able to follow through and make use of small pockets of time to create meaningful results. 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 motivated or do not feel like it...

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.

Procrastination...I CAN'T start because I do not have enough time...

Got 2-minutes: I learned the 2-minute rule from James Clear and it helps you initiate a task, as usually this is the most difficult step. This strategy helps you focus on what you would do in the first 2 minutes of starting a task and then completing those actions.  Often times do this and then look up at the clock and see that I have been working for well over 2 minutes. I have now merged this with the "Got a Minute" strategy, which is used to turn any amount of free time into productive time. It comes from Vierordt's Law, which states that when estimating a previous task, people overestimate short durations and underestimate long ones. Simply, we regularly overestimate how long it will take to accomplish meaningful tasks. Often times they can be accomplished in a short amount of time, so don't judge if you will start something by how much time you think you have, just start! 

REFLECTIONS (learnings and actions): W38 check! Another week and another completed tasks. Below are my reflections from the week.

What went well?

I was able to complete the weekly task on the original scheduled time for the second week in a row and it was due to using Implementation Intentions. I realized the power of using them when I was talking to my Master Mind group from my software business. 

We were discussing how often times we place important task to be completed at the start of the day or either at end after work. Unfortunately, the temptation to sleep in another 45 minutes or the feeling of exhaustion after work pushes these important tasks, ie completing the weekly task, off until another day. Usually we all have a mental argument in our heads about whether to even start the task. Here is sample of internal conversation that I have sometimes.

(4:30 AM as the alarm goes off) 

ME 1: Hey you need to write 400 pages this morning!

ME 2: Yeah, but it would be great to sleep in for another hour. We did not go to sleep until 11 PM last night.

ME 1: I know, but we know by writing 400 words a day will make it easier to get to our goal of 37,000 words for the book before mid-June.

ME2: Yeah, but I can write 800 words tomorrow to make up for it.

ME1: You know you will never do that. 

ME2: No I promise I will do it, now please let me go back to sleep.

ME1: I know just as much as you that you are not going to write 800 words tomorrow slacker...

The conversation would probably continue, but you get the point. An important fact to point out here is that you are expending valuable will power during the process just to decide whether you will take an action. This in turn causes stress, which in turn creates a fertile setting for us to revert to our old habits (going back to sleep for me in the example above).

This is where the power of  Implementation Intentions comes in. Like I mentioned above you are 2X or 3X more likely to follow through on actions just by picking a [day] + [time] and [place] to complete your tasks. That is it! There is no catch, all you do is fill in that statement and complete the action. 

Now I know some of you are probably saying how can just picking the [day] + [time] and [place] help me do that? I thought  the same thing, and I didn't really see the power when I started using this strategy in the first weeks of my Leap Year process. But, what was the breakthrough? Well, even thoughI have added more things to do in my life recently, ie writing additional blog posts in the site Medium and starting my software company (and everything that entails to do that), and writing my book, I am able to follow through easier now then at the start of my process. Why? Because I use Implementation Intentions on tasks that I know will move me forward. There are weeks when I have to use multiple Implementation Intentions, but this reduces the strain on my will power because I have less mental arguments on whether I should complete the task. Which in turn,  puts less strain on the brain and allows me to focus my will power on more important things...like writing this beneficial post for you. 

This strategy is ingrained in my process now and has allowed me to be accountable for 38 straight weeks and it can help you too! So use IMPLEMENTATION INTENTIONS to complete your weekly tasks on a consistent basis!

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

Resisting the current situation. I often times want to control so many things in my life and this often leads to frustration. For example, I was preparing my 11th grade students for their end of the year exams and wanted to briefly review a past topic so that we could get to the more advanced material. Unfortunately a lot of them wanted to review the past topic more in depth. I was not present and did not listen to the current situation. Instead of using this valuable time together being productive, I guilted them for not knowing the material. :(  MRK...I know, a bad teaching moment. 

To remedy this I will take the advice from Dane and Andy, software consultants from The Foundation, and "Resist nothing, and welcome everything!" in order to be present, listen, and help others be understood.

What is something to avoid next week?

Not try to control everything and resisting what the current situation is presenting. 

Thanks for tuning in and see you in week 39!