A Great time to be Different

The Carols were playing; gift wrap was everywhere; and kids got to go to sleep as late as they all wanted to. It's one of the best things that any adult could ask for. Sure, we'll never have enough money to do what we want to do, but all in all being with the ones that you care the most about is something to marvel.

Growing up I have received big gifts, little gifts, and all of the sizes in between. The strange thing about it was that I could never remember those gifts, but I could remember who was there. Just being there was what it was always about for me. To tell you the truth I could have cared less about receiving any gifts at all. It was nice to get some things, but it was just STUFF. Stuff that would be temporary. Looking back there are clothes that I have outgrown, toys I have broken, and jewelry that I've lost along the way.

It's amazing how I can remember the people that were around me during those times. I can remember the trips home from college and the weirdos that I saw on the Greyhound Bus along the way. I remember the kids that were once close to me that gave me rides to the stations. All of those things meant something to me that could never erase my mind. They were concrete memories. I can also remember the times that were not so good around the holidays. I still remember that feeling of not being around anyone when my finances were too tight to travel. But, those are the times that made me that much stronger. It made me battle tested! I was now a veteran of the life process. The hard times were necessary and there was nothing that was going to change that. They had to come. They needed to come. And I'm glad they came. There wasn't nothing more gratifying for me moving forward for better; or for worse. It was movement. The process of maturity that helped me develop. And I remember those people that gave me a couple dollars here and there along the way. Sometimes, it was just having someone help me get a load of laundry done.

Those were the true gifts to me. They were shorts visitors into my life that have had long lasting impact upon me. Sure you may not have had the holiday season you were dreaming about. It may have not been spent with the person you have envisioned. But, why not be the person that everyone wished they could be with? You be the gift. That's what Accurate Step is all about. We love being the ones that would love to be a gift to you. We are personable, dependable, and reliable to give you the honest truth with all of our interactions. I dare you to be the gift. Be the gift. And I believe that you will find yourself wanting to do it over. And over. And over again. Celebrate the holiday, but make sure celebration doesn't become a habit. Train yourself to be a gift to those that may come in contact with you.

Sometimes Being Busy is What We Need

I can remember my old band director reminding me. "Ahmad, if you need something done, ask someone who is busy." As I have grown older that statement could not have grown to be any more true. People ask me to do a lot and I am not one to always want to volunteer for a lot of things. But, if I don't do it. Who will? And if it's done by me, will they care as much to put in the effort. A Scripture that I have carried with me throughout my adult life is Colossians 3:23, "23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters". 

To insert this type of work effort into any of our lives will do more than give us greater value, but will make us do more meaningful and joyful work. I have practiced being so busy that I love being busy. I had a time in my life when I used to love to relax all of the time. Life was stagnant and there wasn't much motivation to complete the next task that was at hand. I want to keep taking naps; taking breaks; waiting for a later time to do something. 

I finally came to the place where I had to change some practices in my life. There had to be purpose; meaning; poise; and a prolific work ethic. I had to get busy. I thought about all of those hours that I wasted watching Netflix, Hulu, and just constantly being entertained. I wasn't producing, but I was constantly consuming. I wasn't thinking like a million bucks, but wanting to spend a million bucks. 

Whatever our calling is there has to be a higher purpose for your life. You may think you are busy now. But, what if you aren't busy enough? It may just be that you have a little more to give and haven't tapped into that source. Sure you can do. You just don't know, because you haven't tried. There is always plenty of opportunity to do something new. Start letting go of the self proclaimed restraints. Forget about not getting enough sleep. You don't fall right to sleep at bedtime anyway. Forget about over-training. You haven't went past the 4 sets before. The life you live is not a "one size fits all" type of contract. You are different for a reason. There is more to you than you really think. Do you know that the average human only taps into using 10% of their entire brain in their lifetime? 10 percent! The mind controls everything. Whenever there is more work to do, that means more meditation for me. It sounds counterproductive. But, when I get to work there is no one that can touch me, because my mind is geared for the task. The task you used to be an energy drainer. Now...it is my fueler. I can't wait for something to me think. It keeps me sharp. It keep me fluid and well-rounded. It's the new wave of conditioning. 

This is the caliber that Accurate Step is geared toward. Getting busy for our clients. We will never short change any one. If it takes a day and a half to get something corrected. It is no problem to go to great lengths to satisfy one customer. That is what we do. That is the standard. 

So if you are feeling sluggish. Do something crazy. Like go for a run or a long walk. You may find your new adrenaline rush! 

Be Accurate!  Keep pounding

Throw the Change Up!

It's October and you know what that means...yes the MLB World Series! It's the time of year where the weather gets a little bit colder and the two teams that have been training since March have survived long enough to see the fruits of their labor.

I have seen some amazing hitters in the playoff run, but even better pitchers. You need pitchers in the post season. It's the key to any successful postseason. I don't follow it nearly as much as I do basketball or football. But, there was something that I could see from every successful pitcher....they were all versatile. In other words, they were not just one trick ponies. As anyone that we would deem successful there was something about their ethic that made them different. Think about it. When Jordan developed his 3 point shot near the end of his career; he was unstoppable. Before then, he was just known as the driver to the hole with some sort of fancy dunk. Then came the post moves...the jumpers... then the three!

Then we had Randall Cunningham. Arguably the greatest athlete to ever play quarterback. He was known as a running quarterback...then, he threw a 100 yard pass in Giant Stadium! As if he couldn't surprise me anymore...he punts the ball over three quarters of the field! He just had range.

When I think of Eddie Murphy he started out in one genre..comedy. But, he worked so hard he began to play in dramas, then family movies. Not only did he act. But, he wrote and produced.

Could you imagine if they just stuck to only way to make a living? There is no way in the world. These guys knew that if they didn't add something to the mix; they would be short lived. Neither should you let that happen to you!

Life can be monotonous. We wake up. Go to work. Come home. Go to sleep. Repeat. Sounds pretty dull to me. So why not throw that change up? How about waking up earlier? Adding something to bucket list? Create a new goal? It doesn't have to be anything drastic. But, throw some change in there. Make everyday a FRIDAY. Living to just see the weekend is a horrible way to live. So get on with it! Sometimes I stay up late at night to pen novels. Yeah, I have an early morning, but I feel amped up after feeling so accomplished! So the morning drag doesn't affect me. I created something to get excited about. Accurate Step is designed to keep innovation going. We are constantly thinking of change ups and throwing strikes. So as the weekend approaches do something that you have never done before and show life your range!

How to Eliminate Excuses

I think we live in a world of endless excuses. There are those out there that are into almost everything when in conversation with others and they sound like the perfect person. Everyone's an expert on eating right...everyone's an expert on fitness. But, sometimes when I look at their appearance...I have to shake my head at times. The way they described their regimen as the greatest thing since sliced bread. It all sounded so eloquent and precise that I thought they may have eaten soy burgers from birth!

Then, when I happen to follow up with others it is a complete 180 from what I previously heard. Some people are just prone to speak a good game. That's why there are very few that achieve goals that are brought about. Sure, there are setbacks some days. But, that's part of being human. It's all about defeating yourself day in and day out. Fight those urges that tell you to sleep a little longer; I just need a little more rest; I deserve a cheat meal, etc. Get it out of your head now! That's just laziness trying to creep back into your system. There's no room for it. You have no room for laziness. If it came down to it today, what would you have to say about your life? You woke up. Went to work. Then went to sleep. BORING! Don't be that person. It's lame and not an exciting obituary for your kids to read.

As I continued to listen there was one common theme. These great things they boasted about wasn't a priority. Whenever you don't workout, do that business venture, or whatever it is. It's just that...it wasn't a priority. It reminds me of when I was younger and I had a bill to pay. So I would go out and get a job real fast to help offset the cost for my insane lifestyle I really couldn't afford.

I live by the Loose Screw Theory. There are some things that you just shouldn't care about. So what you didn't get enough sleep. Look at what you achieved being awake! Once I started pushing my limits I learned that I truly only need about 5 hours of sleep. Some days only 4! I have been getting so much done that I am on a lifetime high! There's no feeling like it. It will turn into an adrenaline rush that you would want to keep feeling over and over again. We Accurate Step would like for you to get that feeling too.

When it feels like everything is caving in...

I spoke with someone today who was on the edge. Not literally on the edge of anything. But, on the edge of life. He lost his son just a month ago; best friend within the week; and his mother was recently diagnosed with cancer. When it rains it pours and it felt like an avalanche to him. He doesn't want to do anything.

He was recently prescribed antidepressants to help himself sleep. But, it is not helping to no avail. The only thing he can do is go to work, go home, drink 2 beers, pop a pill, then go to sleep.

We all know that there is nothing good that can come out of this practice. Life is hard. I honestly don't think that it was projected to ever be easy. Some people don't believe in miracles. But, when I think about how fragile life is...whoever is moving around today is a walking miracle. There are over 6 million ways to die and there wasn't one that touched us as of yet.

Now just think about that...you are a miracle. You are here to do something great. There is no one that has your fingerprint to put on this world. No one can talk like you, walk like you, or even eat like you. You were made different for a reason.

It just happened to be raining outside and it was pouring. So my word to him was that even though it was raining. It meant that something was going to grow. I have never seen anything produced so beautifully without some sort of struggle. I was studying the Bible and I found the Greek word gymnazdo. It's where we get the word gymnasium from. It literally means to be stripped naked. Think about it. The gym is designed for us to struggle. The gym is designed for us to work on our weak spots. No matter what we do, the gym doesn't lie. If you are in there long enough there will be some weak points exposed. You can't wear the same clothes to work that you workout in. You have to change to get the maximum flexibility. Some may try to wear big clothes to cover muffin tops, etc. But, eventually you will have to look at yourself in the mirror for real progress....or not. There is something that needs to be said about being stripped naked. The gym as it is in life is there for us to not only struggle, but to power through. Of course, it's not easy. But, you are the miracle that is supposed to make it look that way. Enjoy the process of being molded into something new. Life's challenges are here for you to constantly evolve into someone new. If you are willing to take the risk of being constantly uncomfortable. I believe that you will be more successful than you have ever believed. Now get to work...Keep pounding.

When you are sick of being tired

We hear so much from people that they are tired of being fat. They are tired of living paycheck to paycheck. They are tired of looking at debt in the face.

I get it. Been there. Done that. Multiple times. There is nothing more demoralizing than living in the same rut year in and year out. The thing about it is that it doesn't have to be that way. We live in a robotic world. But it doesn't have to remain your way of thinking. There is a reason most successful people are referred to as being counter cultural. Being counter cultural doesn't mean that you stop looking at fashion trends, stop eating pizza, or not do the movies every now and then. It's simply changing your mind. Once your mind is changed it's over. There is nothing in the world that will be able to stop you.

Some examples are:
1. Not drinking every single week
2. Stop thinking that someone owes you something. The world could care less about your wants.
3. Stop doing the same things over and over and expecting different results
4. Mix up your daily routine. Instead of waking at 6am try waking at 430. You'll have more time to work. Do something that matters to YOU, and not have to worry about other people chipping away at your time. There won't be anyone awake to throw email traffic at you. No social media distractions, and no one to call you in the middle of a workout.

I know what you are saying. "But, I have class. But I have to work all day. I have kids to take care of." All of those are valid EXCUSES not to do the extra. You have to keep in mind that Kobe was in the gym numerous times for 8 hours. 8 HOURS! ON NUMEROUS OCCASSIONS. I can't sleep 8 sometimes and he was working.

One thing my father taught me growing up was, "everyone appreciates hard work, no matter where you finish".

I was reading about this famous Special Forces giy who also was a UFC fighter. Before working a 12 hour day he would have already put in a 2 hour workout. His motto was that he wanted to be fit to fight. Any time. Anywhere. That 's the attitude we all need to have . Yes we are going through this thing called life. It calls for us to get tough with it. It may require working 2 jobs for a time period. It may require late nights, early mornings, no bar, no parties, and no television. But you have to ask yourself. "Did I make myself the priority today?" And if so, "How?" Keep pounding....Accurate Step!

But I'm too tired to work out! I'm on vacation!!

There I was... traveling on vacation and no destination in sight. The road is starting to get blurry and all I can think about is how good that bed is going to feel when I get there. The more I thought about the palm trees, pools, and fresh seafood. The more I felt like going to sleep at that steering wheel. I had to pull over and get some rest. I tried to get comfortable and I just couldn't get it right in the van. The kids were whiny and the highway food we packed was on empty. I wanted to drink more water, but that would make me stop more and prolong the trip. 

Then. Alas!!! I made it almost 12 hours later! Then we had to check in, get our food, and then the many trips back and forth to get all of the bags in. So this meant that I would need to help get the kids settled, fed, and then finally rest. Right? Wrong! 

Anyone will tell you that to promote energy you need to get moving. I have never been in a car when the heat or air conditioning worked best sitting still. Your body works the same way. Yes I was extremely exhausted and hungry. That's where your mind needs to be counter cultural. Meaning, get out of the leisure mindset. So what did I do? I did what I had to do and hit the gym! After all of the driving, unpacking, and a little fluid. I hit the gym! Was it a long workout? No! It was an effective one. I ran 20 minutes on the hotel treadmill on a very high incline....very fast. Until I couldn't take it anymore. The high intensity took me to sweating in about 7 minutes. Most workouts will take me 15 minutes just to warm up. But, I was on a time schedule to meet family so I squeezed it in. 

The feeling after was complete rejuvenation! I felt like a brand new man and I was ready for 11 more hours of family fun. I felt accomplished so psychologically I was hyped like no other. We went on boats, saw dolphins, and I felt like a responsible adult of taking care of myself. Heck, I even went and raced my teenage son in the pool a few times before bed. 

Here are the benefits:

1. Extra energy

2. A Psychological Boost

3. A great time with family of me being actively involved and not cranky

4. QUALITY SLEEP: Never underestimate how exercise will give you quality sleep. Not just lying in bed rolling for eight hours. But, being out cold for 4 hours will give you all of the energy you need for the next day. The fountain of youth is upon us!

Check out this informative study here.  #TNDO

What is your movie?

I have always been a bigger proponent of struggle. Not struggling just for the sake of struggle. But, to struggle with progress. I often think back to times growing up and seeing how hard the necessary resources were hard to come by. There was always some sort of sacrifice and that really bothered me. I would always ask the question. Why are we always struggling? Shouldn't some of these things come easy. It looks like everyone is succeeding except us!

There was a woman who I went to visit in the hospital one day who told me. "No test, no testimony." Without any struggle there was no progress. There could have been many things that could have transpired to make things easier at the time. But, I would have just become weaker as time progressed.

I often thought about the movies that I liked...they had some struggle included in all of them. There was a hill to climb and there was victory at the end. Life is mandated to have conflict. There needs to be an element to the story that requires us to have some sort of hurdle to clear. I often wondered if people were to see my movie; what would it be like?

I don't think our movie is designed for us to have a silver spoon in our mouths and then go on being that stagnant throughout the rest of life. I want my movie to look like there is something impossible to overcome. I want to see a movie where I would have to live in a dumpster for awhile, eat some food from scraps thrown away, and have people look down on me for a time period. Then, I would want to climb from the bottom and have people inspired to hear and never get tired of my story. I've been homeless. I've washed paper plates in my apartment. I've had ketchup and syrup sandwiches. Those are stories that I keep near and dear to me as I grew up in my early 20's. They were like hell, but I could smile through them. Why? Because I made up in my mind early that I wouldn't stay that way. And I made sure of it! Now that's a movie that I believe anyone would pay money to see. You have a mission. And it might just be to inspire others. The weekend is here and this is where the normal will be celebrated with leisure and drinks. But, there will be those who will make it a work day and keep grinding. Keep pounding.

For those of you that can't wake at 4:30 in the morning.

I find a lot of people don't like to wake up at 4:30 in the morning. But, I believe it sucks. And it should suck. On the flipside of that. I never ran into anyone that was successful because something was easy. The easy thing is clocking in and having someone else tell you what to do on a daily basis. I can't stand having a boss. And whenever I did have a boss...I was taking the initiative of taking MY priorities of work to him/her and there would be no reason for them to be on my back, because I am mission oriented. I have goals, sub-goals, and time hacks.

4:30 when you think about it is just around mid morning. 6AM to be exact. I can remember I used to work in manufacturing and I would get there at 4:30 in the morning. Why? Because, I was the supervisor and there was no way in the world that I would let any of my subordinates tell me where pieces were at and where we were on the production schedule. The normal time to come in was 6:30 and from there the first break was at 9am. There was no way that I would be worth a grain of dirt in production meetings if I didn't have enough information on where pieces were; the status of those scheduled to ship; and how many pieces I got out the door. There was just no way in the world. I was embarrassed in a meeting ONCE. And that's all it took for me to start waking up early.

What I found was astonishing. I was getting to work faster, because there was no traffic. I could walk around the facility at will due to me being one of the few there. My actually work day would be shorter, because I did all of the dirty work early. So I could cruise for the remainder of the day.

The amount of work that I could get done with it being quiet is second to none. I would guarantee that anyone who ever hit the gym early or on a Friday night to explain their experience. It's empty and the quality of work to get done is exponential. There is no way that anyone who has the gym to themselves not have enough time to get the work in. If it's 4 in the afternoon the gym starts to get crowded. And when it's crowded. It backs you up and you have to wait for others to finish sets, etc. That's annoying to me. When my heart rate is pumping I don't want to have a downer by trying to rejuvenate my heart rate.

This method to life works exceptionally well if you are someone who has children. I found that I could never get anything done after 8am. I would have to wait until late night to do entrepreneurial work and then go to work tired as all get out. That didn't last long. And neither will you if you try to go full force everyday. It's just that simple.

Part of the trick is to get to bed early. Taking sleeping pills if you have to. But, get the cycle started now. Forget the fun stuff. You've already done all of that. There is no more time to be wasted. It's time to be a producer and not a consumer. Stop the Netflix and Hulu binging. Save that for days you are breaking. Which shouldn't be anymore than 1 or 2 days a week. Max. Why watch people make money when you could be making it? I never understood that. I know people that have worked numerous hours just to spend it to watch someone else work. With DVR and the social media sites there is no reason that anyone can be out of the loop on what's going on. If you are not ready to kick entertainment to the side. Then, you are not ready. Go with the regular people and make regular money. Check out my friends here on this clip and see what they have to say.

Exercising Your Mind

Happy Sunday and I know it’s late, but I just finished reading an amazing book about the Comanche warrior Quanah; in Empire of the Summer Moon. There are really some great books out there that need to be read and I can’t even remember how I came across this one. I’m pretty sure that it was the cover. It had a picture of a Comanche warrior that looked like he was ready to kill and take over any white men that wanted to step to his tribe. I read this thing in a week and leisurely reading for me that is fast! I usually leave all of my intense reading back to my days in grad school, but this was definitely grad school reading material. Not only could it have been a history text book on the American West it also told a great story that kept me interested.

So Ahmad, what the hell does this have to do with me? Well, I’m glad you asked! Most days are spent watching television by most Americans and all we ever do is listen to cable news or sports stations babble about how in some crazy way they are an expert on the government shutdown or the next Super Bowl winner. In other words, they exercise their minds to twist some angle to justify their stupidity of consciousness. They crazy thing is we watch it everyday! Yes we are all suckers for the same thing and the producers know it. It’s our crack!

With this knowledge I took the opportunity to do something new this final quarter of the year. I plan on reading 50 books. Not just some comics, but 50 real books. As a writer it is a rule of thumb that we all read four to five times more than we write in order to stay sharp. And it works! Reading just makes you smarter. It stirs creativity, expands vocabulary, and creates new ways of wanting to live. I can’t explain the feeling of turning on the Easy Listening station on Pandora and sitting back with a great book to read. It really does slow down the rest of the world and really makes you feel a sense of accomplishment once completed. How much better can life get? So the next book I have on the list is The Red Rooster by Michael Wallace. Nothing like a great thriller novel to read.

But all in all, get your brain turned up. We only get one and it’s one of the best ways to keep yourself sharp into your older years. Happy Reading and see you next Monday.

What if you were to quit today?

Goals are precious. They're sacred. No one posses them except you. Once they are obtained, they are yours to keep forever. The road along the way seems dark, bleak, and even unobtainable. Unfortunately, for most people when this part of the road is seen, there is a tendency to put everything on hold.
Putting things on hold makes us stagnant, dull, and inept. Goals are great. They make us great. They separate us and helps us give value to the world. That goal may make us look so great, what if you were to stop? What a waste? After all of those hours thinking, fantasizing, and bragging to your closest friends about your anticipated feat. They might actually believe in your crazy idea. Those are people who support you no matter what. Even when you explain your goal, it feels good. But, there might be some doubt in the back of your mind. Shut this train of thought down! Quitting never could more demoralizing. Half of the time we talk ourselves into quitting. We look for affirmations of something being crazy, justifying why we didn't pursue the dream that hour we were supposed to.
Where is the glory in quitting? There isn't any. Then all of the blood, sweat, and tears, will all be a waste of energy. It may take a week or a year. But, you will never get there by quitting. Maybe it's that job you hate going to. Always reporting, always listening, always being told to do something. The focus should be on the income and the means of why you are doing what you are doing. Understand the "why". Never forget it. Because once you do; you will be deterred by anything that steps in your way. All of that great emotional thought would be left there dead and nothing to show for the time that you invested in it. It's yours. Keep it alive and DON'T LET IT DIE!

Being in Shape = More Money?

What I have always liked about the military is that if you don't stay in shape...then you are out! If you stay in shape, your chances of getting promoted are raised exponentially. Sure its something that is easily maintained as a teenager or those challenging years. But, the real challenge is staying in shape in your later years of life. Now this doesn't equate to the fact that you may not die. But, your chances are a lot greater of living rather than not. What if I were to tell you that being in shape is your best promotional tool and greatest employer prospect? Being in shape is the latest status symbol of promotion in America. Why? Because so many Americans are out of shape and don't even know it. It's why there are so many fad diets that over saturate this place and still continues to thrive. There's a snap gym here and there. There's a monthly fee to workout, there are DVD's, walking groups, and anything else that you can think of. When you walk into a door. People are sizing you up. The first thing an employer or potential partner is going to look at first is your physique. I can't tell you how many times someone has said something about how big my shoulders were. Or, "look at the size of his calves and traps". It was what jumped out at them. Now, if you walk into a building and are fifty pounds overweight. Then, chances are they are going to remember just that. You could have the greatest speech, a brilliant mind, but they aren't going to listen to you. Why? Because, you look like that you don't love yourself or care to take time out to invest in your body. It's sounds cruel, but it is a simple fact. Have you ever looked at most people in leadership positions? They are meticulous about what they digest and how their clothes fit on them. They take notice and make changes as required. Take Skip Bayless for instance. The last I heard. The man runs about 7 miles a day minimum and can keep up with former athletes that have long since retired. His energy on the morning shows are impeccable and there is no one his age touching him. In turn, it empowers him to continue to have value of what he brings to the table. Now, we see his on FS1 making more money than most people would in retirement age. His voice has no new inflection from weight gain or sound like his throat is raspy from taking in too many cigarettes over time. Let's take Mark Cuban, the owner of the Dallas Mavericks. He is very successful and has the confidence to be in front of cameras and boast however way he would like.

There are a myriad of athletes that have weight maintenance in their contracts if they still want to maintain their revenue. If they start to constantly gain weight, not being disciplined year round, then chances are.. there will be a trade for less money.

Sure, Kevin Hart is big in the movie industry now. But, look at what he does off camera. He gets off a 8 hour flight; gets 4 hours of sleep, but still makes it to the gym to do what he has to do to remain lucrative for more movie roles down the line. Putting the camera to the side, he even can pose for GQ, Mens Health, etc. He just opened up his base for more than just comedy. It has changed his entire circle. Now he's around more people that want to be in pictures with him and even make fun of him from time to time. So, now he has garnered more publicity than he would have if he were just telling jokes. If you are struggling to find some motivation then check out this video from one of my old heroes, C.T. Fletcher. He motivates people from all over the world. I even had the pleasure to work out with him when he came to our gym during the Arnold Classic in Columbus, Ohio. This guy is almost 60 and stays ripped all year round. His story is compelling, but his consistency and drive to serve others is what gives him more of a sell. Check it out!

NOW GET IN THE GYM AND GET YOURSELF TOGETHER!!

You May Have to Start Early

I tell my wife all of the time, "I live a fast paced life and you better keep up." Well the truth behind that is that I do. I am always on the go, doing something. If it's not one hurdle, it's something else. Sometimes I feel like I am just living on a shoestring, just threading along. My wife and I raise eight children, with one on the way out the door. Still, it's bigger than your average American family and we love it. It's never been a problem for us to throw our all into our children. Between the doctors, dentists, teachers, and coaches; we're out all of the time and in some cases we've become the adults of the neighbor. Of course this doesn't have it's drawbacks. I wear at least 3 different hats and that's not including knocking down my own hurdles. I have obligations and sometimes, I may even get frustrated that there aren't enough hours in the day to get things done. I know some you out there are the same way, because you've told me! So for a busy and gainfully employed parent here is what I would suggest. Get started early in the day. No, not the typical 6am early. I am talking about looking at your clock for what it is. 24hours. That's a very long time. Something I've done before was wake up at 4 a.m. It may sound crazy, but the day for me went by even faster when I started at 4 a.m. Think about it, 6am is halfway towards noon! By the time you actually wake up as a "normal person" almost half your day is gone. It waking up early has a multitude of benefits: You have more energy to get things done You have more time to accomplish/work toward your goals Most the world is still quiet. So you can actually hear yourself think. When everyone else is awake you're stuck with dealing with other people's emotions and personalities. I did some research and every successful person that I have read about, gets up at 4am. The Rock for example, wakes up at 4am everyday to do his morning cardio BEFORE doing his 12 hour shoots. But, hey don't take my word for it, try it and let me know what you think. Just a little incentive for you to cut out that TV time and actually get to work.

The Rock No excuses gym motivation Compilation

Some Friday Motivation Here!

I get a lot of questions about success. Like, “what makes me successful?”Or, “Who did I talk to in order to get where you are?” And I get, “Man how can I be like you?” These questions inevitably send me into a paradox. Why? Well for a couple of reasons. For one, it’s a shock to me. I am usually taken aback by the individuals who typically ask me because they are usually more talented than I am. Maybe it’s just something that I see in them that they don’t see in themselves. I have had poets ask me these questions and I don’t think that they would have any problem flourishing if they put the work in. It really looks that easy to me. But that’s the problem. The answer is that I see it in them. It doesn’t do them any good if they don’t see it for themselves. I could talk until I am blue in the face and it could all be for naught. The difference between really seeing the fruits of their labor and someone who hasn’t is the dedicated hours placed into passion. It’s not enough to just sit and dream. It means sacrifice and work. It means jumping on a flight to meet someone; not getting a few extra groceries; spending some gas money; stop vacationing; and even turning off the cellphone and cease to exist in the world for a time period. Everyone is just not willing to do that. That’s it! It’s just that simple. Anyone can sing a ballad on Youtube, but are they putting in necessary hours to skill their craft? Anyone can write a book. But is the time being put in to make it a profession? No one wants to own anything. There are many crafts out there to own. Sure the kids may get upset and the wife or husband may miss you. But, it’s up to you to let them know why you are doing something that may seem so crazy to begin with. Then, they will know what it takes to become part of a working process. It will also be a lesson for them to know what work ethic is just to get a little bit. No one ever gets a lot starting, but eventually you will get paid for the work that you have already done. This is called value. Anyone has a value to this world. It’s all over social media. There are amputees lifting weights, people flying, people doing unthinkable things all of the time. It’s just a matter of getting started. Second, keep it at one. Many people are simply not focused. There needs to be a road map designed on how you are going to obtain your objective. What is your objective? Once that is identified one will have to use all of their time and energy towards it until it is obtained. Some people are just interested in too many things. So resources are spread and then room is developed for disinterest. If money is the motivation, then you will never last. It has to be something that makes you whole. For instance ask anyone who has ever been involved with two people at the same time. The time and dedication is nothing but stress and there is no room for fullness. Some people work 2 jobs and there is no way that they last very long. If they do I guarantee there is something lacking in other areas of their lives. The same applies to your success. Find one thing! Once you find it, everything else is just a hobby. Bo Jackson loved baseball and football was his hobby. He did them both full time and eventually got hurt. It was sad to not see him at his full potential even though he was one of the greatest running backs to ever live. Don’t be that. Go to the day job and be the business owner at night. Don’t go to the gym, but get to work. After working on your craft I guarantee you that you will have more energy. Because, when you do something that you are passionate about you will be on a high like you wouldn’t believe. It’s like being in love all over again and there is no one who can tell you anything about it. Remember there is a difference between being motivated and committed. Motivation will get you to the gym and hyped up for a week. But, commitment is that wedding ring that will drive you to do it again; even when you don’t feel like it.

Lebron James 'Long Live The King' Motivational Workout