WEEK 175: ONE SECRET WEAPON

There is too much life to be lived for you to hit the snooze button. In fact I believe it is "seize the day" not "snooze the day!"
Hal Erod 

REFLECTIONS (learnings and actions): So what is the answer?

Is it habits?

Is it meditation?

Is it breathing techniques?

Yes all of these elements are useful, but there is something which lies as the foundation of all of these actions which allows you to win the day.

And by winning the day, you can win the week, and then the month...and so on!

So what is this secret weapon?

We will get to it, but think of it like the immortality all Greek gods possess which separates them from the mere mortals. 

But before we get started wanted to ask if you have ever gotten lost while traveling?

I have many times, and although you might be in some beautiful and exotic locations, you end up frustrated and stressed when there is an easy solution to this problem.

This past week, my family and I were able to travel to Chiang Mai Thailand (highly recommend you going) to see Asian elephants in their natural habitat.

We had a few days before our reservation, so we decided to explore the city.

One day, we decided to go in and explore some temples in an older area of the city and get a bite to eat. 

So, we got directions from the hotel concierge and he outlined where we should walk and go. 

Before I left he asked if I wanted to take the map and I said "NO" we can figure it out...

So thus, off we went to explore some beautiful temples in the middle of Chiang Mai.

Getting there was no issue and finding the main street where all the temples were no problem.

Here is the caveat, traveling with kids and without kids is night and day in difference. 

If you have kids (especially young ones) you know they can change from super happy to meltdown in a matter of minutes. 

Well, we hit that point when my daughter fell and scraped her knee.

Thus, we needed to find the restaurant and find it fast.

So I retraced the streets in my mind and we were off in search of food.

Small problem...

Seeing streets on a map and actually walking them is a slightly different.

In my mind I knew what street I was looking for, but did not know how far ahead it was.

Problem. Our daughter was losing patience with every step we took. 

We walked one block, then two, then three...

I started to doubt my memory and asked myself why I did not take the map.

I thought about just turning around and going back to the hotel, yet decided we should go a little further.

It took a few more blocks, but we were able to find the street finally, albeit after what seemed like an eternity of our daughter whaling away wanting to sit inside somewhere. 

Now what does this story of getting a little lost tie to the ONE secret weapon all uber-successful professionals use daily?

Well, it starts with choice (always does).

Now, I want you to imagine how this scenario would have been different if I just took the map?

Although we would have met some difficulty in the distance, there would certainty in the fact I knew how much further we had to go.

We could have avoided the doubt, the frustration, and the stress of not knowing.

Now, this ties into how you operate on a daily basis. 

On the path of realizing your potential and achieving amazing goals you will encounter difficulty and challenge. 

Givens, by the way.

But you have a choice.

And that choice is how you start your day.

Now, I did not say waking up early (some say just by waking up super early ensures your success...false).

I said how you START your day.

Do you have a ritual in place to help you sequence your state for success?

Thus, allowing you to manage the stress and challenges you will face in the day? 

If not, it is like going out into a foreign city and trying to navigate to an area of town without a map (raising my hand here).

Yes you might get there, but once there you will endure unneeded frustration and stress, or note even get there at all.  

This leads me to the ONE secret all uber-successful professionals use to ensure winning the day.

A Morning Routine.

Again, it does not mean you wake up in the wee hours of the morning, but do you have a mechanism in place to get you focused on who you are and what you need to accomplish that day?

If not, then you set yourself for failure, as leaving it to chance gurantees you will fail.

It is like trying to win the mega millions lottery.

Yes, there is a chance you might win, but the probability is so low the odds are against you.

It is simple (all powerful things usually are). 

Win the morning. Win the day. Win the day, win the week, Win the week, win the month. Win the month, win the quarter. Win the quarter, win the year. Win the year, win the decade!

You might think it is something small, but this simple activity is what all uber-successful professionals use to win the day.

Want to level up and become more productive so you can realize that immense potential inside of you?

Well, set a morning routine so you can start the day with intention so you can win.

Delay No More,

J

WEEK 174: AVERAGE OF 5 PEOPLE

You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.   Jim Rohn

REFLECTIONS (learnings and actions): Who do you hang out with the most?

Seriously, take a moment and think about the five people you spend the most time with?

Next, think about each person and identify if they are winning or not?

By winning, I mean what are their routines?

How do they tackle each day? 

What language do they use (Not English or French, but how they talk about pressure)?

How do they make decisions?

Lastly, do they believe anything is possible...even if they can not see all the steps?

There are a few more questions you could ask, but these are some general questions which you can use to identify the state of your environment.

As you might have guessed, I want to talk to you about the power of environment today.

To do this I want to share a story about hockey.

You are probably thinking, how can hockey explain how environments can shape us?

Sit back, as I am about to tell you.

Today Canada is considered one of the top nations to produce elite hockey players on the planet. 

Makes sense as the whole country experiences chilling winters. 

Also, they have produced hall of game players like...Wayne Gretsky, Mark Messier, and Sidney Crosby to name a few.

But how is it that Canada produces so many elite hockey players year after year?

Well, if we take a closer look it depends on birthdays.

More specifically if a player is born in the first quarter of the year - January to March versus the last quarter - September to December.

Really?

It is not just being born in those months, but the birthday triggers a chain of events which leads 40% of those players to become elite players in the NHL. 

Why is this?

Well, a study showed that when a player was born in the first quarter of the year, they have a 9-8 month advantage over their peers.

This leads to a life long advantage.

First, they are bigger and taller.

Second, they are selected to more elite teams.

Third, they get better coaching.

Fourth, they get more ice time playing against better competition.

They are pushed harder and faster and given the support to progress faster in all aspects of the game. 

Thus, being in this elevated environment from a young age allows them to accelerate the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and mindsets versus their other peers.

Thus, the environment plays a crucial role in the entire development of a young hockey player.

Of course there are exceptions to the rule, but 40% of players born in the beginning months of the year have a better shot (no pun intended) of becoming an elite player in the NHL.

***

Now going back to your life and the five people you hang out with most...

Do they provide an environment for you to accelerate your growth or do they stunt it?

Going to tell you right now this could be a major reason you are STUCK at your current level of play.

Think about it.

If your goal is to lose weight and get in the best shape of your life, but have a choice to hang out with one, five friends who love to eat, versus, five other people who have their fitness on point, which group (environment) will help you accelerate in achieving and maintaining your goal?

The answer is pretty clear.

Environment. Environment. Environment.

Mega!

Going to tell you it is one of the easiest things you can vet and change in order help you get unstuck and start making progress towards achieving your goals. 

Now, there is so much more to environment than just the people you hang around and I could rap about that in a whole other post, but will leave you with this to process. 

Delay No More

WEEK 173: PUSHING THROUGH PERCEIVED LIMITS

All difficult things have their origin in that which is easy, and great things in that which is small. Lao Tzu

REFLECTIONS (learnings and actions): Have you ever felt like quitting?

No serious, you wake up and ask what I am doing all this for? (Par the course if you are doing something worthwhile)

Well, today I am going to explain 3 insights which will help you push past your perceived limits while avoiding burnout. 

And burnout is no joke, as I have seen it take a lot of talented and driven people out of the game.

So what are the insights?

We will get into it, I promise.

But wanted to ask who in here likes to run?

I am going to tell you I do not love to run and neither enjoy 100% the time.

Serious, there are times when before I don't even want to do it even before I start. 

Yet, let me tell you 3 insights about running which will allow you to push past your perceived limits.

INISIGHT #1

The feeling of not wanting to do difficult things.

This is >>NORMAL<< as that amazing tool we call the brain likes to make big deal out of everything when it is pushed out of its comfort zone.

I have been running consistently for over a year or so now, but there are still times when I do not feel like running half the time before I even take my first step.

INSIGHT #2

Somewhere along the run I will feel my first shot of pain in my left knee.

Often times the first sign of pain is connected to the idea that you have reached your max, however...

Pain is just feedback you need to change something.

Usually not drastically, but a slight modification.

INSIGHT #3

Third, I get past the half way point and feel tired and a voice says you "done enough, or you have done more than others at this hour."

The first couple of times you hear this voice is just the "Governor" kicking in.

What is the "Governor?" Make sure to read David Goggin's book CAN'T HURT ME.

Essentially feeling those first initial moments where you think you have done enough represents you have reached 40% of your potential.

That means you have 60% still left in the tank.

So there you have it.

Three insights to help you push past your comfort zone and breakthrough your perceived limits.

I have said this many times before, but AWARENESS is key.

Without it you move blindly from one action to another and complete actions for actions sake.

It is like you are a hamster in a wheel. A lot fo action, no real progress.

This leads to you getting in the middle of the process and where you start to battle yourself.

And that never results in good things.

Awareness is half the battle.

Love all of you.

Delay No More,

-J

WEEK 172: TWO KEYS MILLIONAIRES USE TO PRODUCE GROWTH CONSISTENTLY

Strength and growth come from continuous effort and struggle. The journey is never-ending.   Napoleon Hill

REFLECTIONS (learnings and actions): Do you want to grow?

Business, relationships, health, life?

(I am going to assume the answer to that question is a yes). Next question.

Do you know how growth feels like?

No seriously, do you know?

If I were to ask you, would you be able to explain it to me?

The reason I ask, is if you do not know what growth feels like, then you will not know when you are experiencing it. Thus, making it nearly impossible for you to actually attain it.

Now to highlight what growth feels like I want to tell you about my "growth spurts."

I still vividly remember those 4-5 months where I was growing like a weed.

(If you know me, you know I am not the tallest of people, so these were glorious months).

I still remember those times when all I wanted was to be "just a little bit taller" in the words of Skeelo. 

And then it happened, I started to grow.

Then continued to grow.

Yet, throughout the process, I realized that it was quite painful.

My hips really hurt, to the point that I had to kneel down because the pain was so intense.

I can remember that I actually had to lay down one day as I thought both my hips would burst out of skin.

Yes I wanted to be taller, but in the middle of those "growth spurts" I did not enjoy it.

But how does a story about my "growth spurts" relate to growth in real life?

Well, you must first know what the definition of growth is.

Napoleon Hill said, "Growth comes from continuous effort and struggle."

The truth is, people want growth, but they forget that growth requires a payment. 

Do you know the payment you must make? 

COMFORT.

This is the first crucial part you must understand. Growth is umcomfortable and requires a payment of your current level of comfort. 

But this leads to a second key about growth which often times is overlooked. 

And you know what happens if you are not aware of this?

Burnout...and that is no joke. 

Well what is the second key.

SEASONS.

You know like, spring, summer, fall, winter. 

The key is to know if you are in a season of growth. 

This is MEGA important as if you know it is, then you know the cost you will have to pay.

Comfort. 

Awareness of this wins half the battle already.

Just like plants usually sprout int he spring, blossom in the summer, and wilt away in the fall growth follows the same cycles. 

There must be seasons where it is the focus, and there are seasons where it is not.

Otherwise you are looking at burnout city.

So two keys about growth.

1. Define it properly and know what the payment is required. Comfort. 

2. Identify what season you are in, so you can dig in, or recharge.

Guaranteed to grow consistently by following these two keys.

As always, Delay No More....J