Dominate in 2016

   Well you survived this year and get yet another chance to become a better version of yourself. Did you really get out there and live this year or did you just simply exist. Getting caught in the mundane cycle of life and having little to show for it. I recently overheard a gentleman say: "That another year down is just that much closer to the grave." My rebuttal to him was: "everyday above ground is a good day." In this message I want to examine how you see yourself in the year ahead.
  
   Is the glass half empty? Are you pessimistic about what these next 365 days will bring or think it's going to be a repeat of last year. Does the thought of resolutions or goal setting discourage you from facing the new year? You shouldn't be fearful or anxious when the ball drops at midnight in Times Square. If that is the case then you need to examine why and take steps to create a more compelling future.
  
   Is the glass half full? Are you optimistic and want to start the new year mach two with your hair on fire. Do you look at the coming year as an opportunity to be better and enhance your life. This perception of the future gives one the ability to design how their lives will play out and to adapt faster when unexpected circumstances arise. People who choose positive outlooks and good attitudes have everything to gain and nothing to lose.

   In conclusion, nothing is gained by negative or pessimistic thoughts about the coming year. Choose to embrace the "glass is half full" mentality towards your future. The year 2016 is yours for the taking, so get out there and DOMINATE!

Going the distance

    At last the holidays are upon us and the countdown to 2016 has begun. You could probably guess the gist of this message is one that battles the overwhelming temptations of the holiday season. It's so easy to say: " The hell with it I'll get back on track in the new year," but my argument is why would you want to start the new year with shame and guilt. I've seen a lot of clients in the past undue a lot of their hard work during this time of year.
     There is usually two reasons why this happens; the first is careless overindulgence. Now I'll be the first to say enjoy yourself, but don't do it at the expense of your goals and well being. The second mistake is disengagement from their training regiment completely. This is an optimal time to train to mitigate the damage that will likely be done by all the festivities. Cutting back on training due to holiday travel or family obligations is completely understandable and I myself take a sabbatical this time of year to rest and reflect. What's important  is that you remain engaged even on a subsistence level to continue progress toward your goals and start the new year with forward momentum.
    With all that said this is an extraordinary time of year to take inventory of all the things to be grateful for and to be with the people we love. That's what makes the holidays my favorite time to be able to enjoy all the hard work put in throughout the year. Most people believe it's an "either or" scenario, but you can have both with a little preparation and discipline. My wish for all of you is that you make the end to 2015 one that rewards you for all the great work done and emboldens you in the new year!

Limitless

   I'll begin this post with a question: If your life was completely absent of fear what would it look like? What is your ideal self image or what is the contribution that you want to make in this world? The answers to these questions reveal your purpose, which gives life a much different meaning.  Most people fall significantly short of their potential due to the fact they ask the wrong questions and establish low standards for themselves. The good news is that you are your biggest problem and greatest solution.
    What we all crave in life is progress and the ability to be give more of ourselves to the world. When you help someone it feels much more gratifying than ever achieving something just for yourself. The same is true for when you push yourself outside of your comfort zone and confront your fears. That in my opinion is truly "Good Livin" and it's what inspires other people to be better.
     My sole purpose is to optimize other human beings, while making my own life a masterpiece to be celebrated after I move on to higher ground. Life isn't a spectator sport; you might as well play the game, because your not going to make it out alive. Someone once told me the best moments of our lives are when we were born and the day we find out why...

Fueling Your Body

   When it comes to achieving optimal health what you put into your body plays a vital role. The area of nutrition is one where most people struggle and possess the least knowledge. What few understand is that food has an enormous impact in all of our lives. We often grow up believing fallacies regarding diets and how to have a healthy relationship with food. I inform all my clients that you cannot out-train bad eating no matter how dedicated you are to exercise.
   Now lets discuss some common sense solutions that can be implemented into our everyday lives. The first is controlling the portions of every meal that we consume. It's not so much the types of foods that we eat, but the amount of calories we ingest. Another important aspect is the psychological dependency people have towards food. It's nourishment for the body and is essential for us to stay alive. Think of food like medicine to keep us experiencing life in peak state. Never use food as a friend, companion, or stress relieve. This leads to destructive behaviors that will have adverse effects on your well-being.
   The final point is setting ourselves up for success by planning out meals and prepping them for the week. So many of us are in a reactive mode when it comes to our daily meals. This leaves us susceptible to taking the path of least resistance and consuming foods that are nutritionally deficient (i.e. fast foods).  Understand that health affects every aspect of our lives, so we owe it to ourselves to start making decisions that will make us feel and look our best...    

 

What trips you up?

   I want to devote some time in addressing some common beliefs people have that keep them from getting what they want. We all have committed self sabotage at some point in our lives and seemed bewildered every time we do it. Human beings are creatures of habit and we all function on daily rituals that guide our lives. What is the negative commentary that plays out in your mind?

* What if I fail...
* I can never achieve that...
* I'm not worth it...
* Success is for other people...
* I'm afraid of my own potential...

   Does this sound familiar to you? How many times have we all caught ourselves saying these statements and then wondering why our circumstances never change. What has worked for me is whenever I start to doubt myself I tell that voice in my head to SHUT THE HELL UP and replace it with an empowering narrative. The only way to conquer what we fear is taking action doing what we dread. Then fear and self doubt have no more power over us and we can breakthrough our limitations. This is my definition of fear:

Feeling
Excited
And
Ready

   Now get out there and do something that scares the hell out of you. You'll be glad that you did...