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.
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!
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!
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.
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 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!
