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Three Reasons Why You Must Have a Fitness Goal This Year

Spring is almost here. The weather is starting to break in Chicago and I’m more than ready to get out and get my outside fitness groove back on.

I’m what you call a fitness junkie. I love to talk about it, read it, try new things, and have it as part of my routine.

But there is one thing I had never done before last year.

This one thing did more for me than I ever thought it could do and believe me, I had my doubts.

But one year later, it’s something I will try and do every year for the rest of my life.

What is it? A Fitness Goal.

Now, I’m not talking about a certain number of workouts a week.  (although important – do that!)

I’m talking a good old fashioned physical goal to do something you’ve never done before.

[tweetthis]What is a Fitness Goal? It’s a fitness experience that will push you beyond your limits.[/tweetthis]

I’ve always been an athlete. I absolutely love any sport and the competition that naturally comes with it.

But I’ve also played it safe. I know my limits and have never really tried anything new.

Until last year.

I decided to do a Sprint Triathlon. Mind you, this is NOT an Ironman but the 100 level in triathlons. (remedial for the professional triathlete)

But it would push me to do something that didn’t have a ball required in the activity.

The year started off by running my 1st 5K (3.1 miles). I’ve always been allergic to running unless it involved sports or I was running for my life. But it was part of a bigger fitness goal: the sprint triathlon.

My wife had done two the previous two years and I was SO incredibly proud of not only her accomplishment but the level of training she had committed to in order to accomplish this goal.

So, last year I committed to doing this fitness goal knowing it would absolutely push me. And what I found out were these…

1. The Challenge

If you’re anything like me, you need a challenge. You’ve accomplished a lot but possibly hesitant to push yourself to the next level. (especially the older we get – the excuses just get that much more convincing)

For me, the challenge was a sprint triathlon because of the endurance required and the pushing myself beyond what I knew I had ever done before.

I had always done something safe. Something I knew I could not only complete but excel. And THIS was definitely out of my comfort zone. (like out there and take a left)

And exactly why I needed this to be my fitness goal.

I had watched my wife train and knew this would be a great challenge for me.

Some of us just simply need a challenge to go after in our lives right now. Why not push our body with this need for a challenge?

2. The Motivation

Once you accept the challenge, you acquire the the one thing you will need to actually pull it off. Motivation.

For example, once I knew the date of my triathlon, I became VERY motivated to begin my training process to pull off what I just committed myself to doing in a few months.

And I needed motivation because I was NOT a strong swimmer. I had never biked the required distance. And I definitely had not run 3.1 miles simply for the sake of running.

Do you see a motivational pattern?!

And here’s the kicker: they were all one right after each other when I had never completed just one! The Big Mo of motivation HAD to be present in order for me to actually pull off this fitness goal.

And you know what? The more I began to train, the more my motivation kicked in. And it was needed on days the weather was rough or my body was sore.

Another thing about motivation. It was deeper this time because of the challenge I had accepted. I had made it known this is what I was going to do and I did NOT want to go back on my commitment to pull off this fitness goal.

One added bonus that came out of the training. I used my time wisely by choosing not to just listen to music but intentionally planned and chose to listen to audio books while riding and running.

Can you say mobile classroom?

Sometimes my motivation wasn’t physical but knew I could finish an audio book or start another one with today’s training. Gotta love that extra bonus!

Big Mo came in with a huge payoff. I was ready for my race physically and had grown mentally (at no additional charge, of course!)

3. The Reward

For those of you have accepted a challenge, and rode the motivation until the end know exactly what I mean with the reward.

I worked SO hard for my 1st triathlon. That morning I was nervous and just wanted to finish strong.

I struggled through the swimming portion (which was my weakest of the three areas) but lived to tell and made up the time on the bike.

I could actually enjoy the challenge because I was prepared. I remember a couple of moments that were surreal that I would think “I’m actually doing this and going to pull this fitness goal off!”

My last mile was exhilarating. I could hear the crowd as I made my last turn and sprinted with everything I had left in the tank.

Then my moment came of crossing the finish line and seeing my family SO excited for me.

Triathlon Pic with Fam

We need these moments. But they never come unless we accept the challenge and feel the motivation.

Do you need that feeling of a personal reward of something you’ve accomplished that pushed you past what you thought you could do? (but knew you should do)

Some Ideas

There are many possible Fitness Goals you could do this year. I hope your mind was working through some ideas as you read this post.

Some of you knew right away because you’ve been putting off the challenge like I did in past years.

But no longer. This is your year. Are you going to run your first race? Or do it again since it’s been so many years and prove to yourself you can still do it?!

Or are you going to improve on previous accomplishments (ie: 10K this year instead of the 5K last year)

Do you need the challenge of a Triathlon or a Spartan Team Obstacle Race?

Chances are something came to mind. Follow that inkling of an idea. Do some research.

In the End….

I HAD to consciously choose to do the following 5 action items:

  • choose the challenge
  • put the date on the calendar
  • train like mad
  • show up and put up
  • celebrate

I’m calling you out. If you’re a high performer, you like the challenge to be better for your sake not compared to everyone else.

So, it’s YOUR time. Are you willing to leave your comfort to push yourself this year with a fitness goal? Did this challenge, motivate, and inspire you to do something out of your comfort zone?

I would love to hear about the following three things:

  • your fitness goal
  • when is it
  • when you accomplish it (pictures encouraged)

Let’s make something of this year. Of course I have to repeat and improve on my Sprint Triathlon. Then I’m on to a 10K then half marathon this year. Bring it on, baby!

I want you to have this moment below…

Triathlon Pic with Boys

Closing Question:

What is going to be your Fitness Goal this year?

Why So Many Successful People Aren’t Happy at the End of the Day

The average motivated professional has every intention of having a good day but yet something goes horribly wrong by the end of the day.

And then the next day. Why does this keep happening? (Of course to everyone else, not you, right?!)

Aren't Happy Image

I’ve learned through the years the following statement:

A new day does not mean you’re fully energized to make the most of the new day.

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Many people start tired and end drained.

So… the best case is to start tired and hope to be happy at the results of the day? Holy Bad Math, Batman!

There just has to be a better way.

My discovery of this cycle was only after going a mere 100 mph ALL the time for decades as a Type A, high performer. It was only after my body completely crashed with Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome that I learned the power in these three key areas that can dramatically change not only your happiness at the end of the day but your productivity and effectiveness.

The reality is we’re unhappy at the end of the day because we’re tired, maybe even exhausted and not done our best work.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Here is how to live in the Energy Cycle:

  1. REST

This is the area we STOP FOR NOW.

Just the word sends chills up the spine of a high performer. How can I get everything done AND rest?

Here are the three focus elements:

  • Sleep – Our bodies are designed to leverage sleep in ways we either don’t realize or prioritize. This is the time where our bodies rest and our minds re-charge.  There are SO many ways to enhance the quality of our sleep if we learn to make sleep a priority. Once we value sleep as restorative, it’s an amazing resource of rest that will recharge us in exponential ways.
  • Breaks – It’s amazing what just 10-15 minutes of unplugging from work can do to re-engage for another round! Or for some, just not doing Desktop Dining would be a huge improvement. But few people utilize this short productivity boost that a break that shuts the mind down and gets the body moving.
  • Downtime – Most performers say, can you spell downtime for me? Never heard of it. The reality is we need small and large blocks of time to do nothing that requires work or thinking. Most don’t take it but those who do often find their creativity comes to them the most during these times. Our body and minds need this downtime to slow down and catch up with our pace.

Remember, the goal is to change the reality that…

Many people start tired and end drained. – Bryan Paul Buckley

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  1. REFUEL

This is the area we PUT BACK IN.

We know we need to do something for energy but somehow rarely leverage the power in a proper refueling. We willingly choose to put in cheap gas, avoid maintenance, and request a quick and low cost repair on the high performance car called our body. Not cool, man. A proper refuel has these three key elements:

  • Nutrition – We eat every single day, which means we have numerous opportunities to refuel our bodies with the right foods that will give us the energy to perform at a high level. For too many of us, we consume processed foods to being over-caffeinated and we don’t even give our bodies a chance. But it’s amazing how quickly your body will respond to putting the right type of food at the right time into the tank.
  • Fitness – Movement and activity are usually the first things to go when you get busy. Yet our bodies are meant to move far more than we allow them to on any given day. Do you remember back to the last time you were in great shape? I mean you felt and looked good! You had SO much energy and felt like you could conquer the world. This is anything from standing more, walking, or running to going to the gym or a workout program (i.e.: P90X3 or Insanity Max: 30)
  • Personal Development – refueling the mind is vital to growing. We must be constantly learning and the best way is with a plan. Creating a Personal Development Plan (PDP) is a pre-determined system that is implemented into the rhythm of your life to maximize learning times with pre-planned content. You don’t leave your learning to chance.

 

  1. RE-ENGAGE

This is the area we GO BACK OUT.

Everyday we wake up; we have a chance to start all over again. When we implement the proper elements of REST and REFUEL, we regain our health edge to exponentially increase our professional and personal effectiveness. This happens in three ways:

  • Plan – What gets scheduled, gets done. For something to change, something needs to change in our schedule. This is where planning comes into the picture. It’s scheduling the important elements of REST and REFUEL so we guarantee they happen and not left to chance. This small investment of time produces the results we long to have to make our lives in the areas that matter most. Plan for the best case but ready for the worse case.
  • Implement – Planning gives us the best shot to make it happen but is useless without implementation. We must execute once we’re prepared. And our day offers numerous opportunities to implement the plan. This is the fun part of the process because if you’re truly ready, you’re going to see results. And with The Energy Project coaching program and future online course, you’ll get there faster and more effectively.
  • Evaluate – Everything will not always go as planned with implementing. Imagine that. But taking the time to evaluate what worked, what didn’t and why will take your changes to another level. It’s critical we’re completely aware of our energy so we can continually make the necessary changes to reach our highest level of effectiveness. They key is adjusting until it provides you with the energy edge you need to perform at an optimal level.

Here is The Energy Cycle Visually

The reality is everyday is new and a chance to start over and build on the good of yesterday.

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Conclusion

I’ve yet to meet a high performer who does not want to end the day not happy. Every single one wants to have made a difference both professionally and personally.

By learning to redesign the rhythms of your life with the cycle of REST, REFUEL, and RE-ENGAGE, you will reach a level of happiness and true fulfillment you’ve may not experienced in a long time or ever.

But it’s possible.

5 Ways Busy Professionals Can Do the Hard Work of Rest

I’ve always viewed rest as a sign of weakness. “You go and rest while I work and get ahead” has always been my arrogant attitude.

To be honest, I looked down on those who would stop and rest.

Hard Work of Rest

You see, I’m a Type-A, hard driver who’s always moving and on the go. I’m known for my unlimited energy and ability to get things done.

Until I crashed.

The Energizer Bunny lost his energy. Not cool.

I was like a high performance car going 100 down the interstate who took an exit at 70 with a curve marked 30.

I was forced to rest. My body shut down and simply had enough.

My arrogant view of rest was humbled and I learned to truly do the hard work of rest.

Rest is defined as a cease of work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recovers strength; to refrain from using for a short time.

Easy to say, near impossible to do for high performers. (That’s a challenge for you over-achievers…)

As busy professionals, it starts with sleep, breaks, and down time.

 

Here are 5 Ways Busy Professionals Can Do the Hard Work of Rest:

1. Recognize Rest is the Super Power of Your Energy

The reality is to most high achievers, rest is a waste of time, a luxury they simply cannot afford. It’s an “if I get to it” response and therefore simply never happens.

I can have all the time in the world and no energy, little to nothing gets done or done well.

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So, do I need more time or more energy? Is it possible that if I prioritize energy, I’ll gain more time..?

Sleep recharges you like nothing else and allows you to regain focus, clarity, and productivity. But few maximize this super power of your energy.

 

2. Value a Good Night’s Sleep

It simply starts with sleep. When you’re tired, it affects you physically, mentally, and emotionally. Just ask those who have to deal with you!

But sadly, many people are either sleep-deprived and don’t realize it or view not sleeping as a badge of honor.

Ironically, most high performers are horrible sleepers. Their hours are inadequate and inconsistent. In fact, here are Three Decisions That Will Make or Break a Good Night of Sleep.

Sleep is restorative to both our body and mind. We guard what we value and do what we value.

Once committed, there are numerous ways to improve your night of sleep. Here are three excellent book resources:

Sleep Smarter by Shawn Stevenson
The Sleep Revolution by Arianna Huffington
Sleep Your Way to the Top by Terry Cralle and W. David Brown

Pro Tip: Start adding just 10 minutes to your sleep by going to bed 10 minutes earlier then again until you begin to feel rested. Begin to pay back that sleep debt you have and may not even realize how much you owe…

 

3. Break Up Your Day With Productive Breaks

I NEVER use to take breaks. Why slow down? Keep the gas on and get to where I need to go.

Now, I’m not talking about hanging out wasting time at the coffee area or watercolor. I’m focusing on a scheduled, productive break.

I’m also NOT talking about desktop dining for lunch. Just simply taking an actual lunch “break” may be the first and best place to start.

Pro Tip: Unplug for lunch or choose a time in the morning or afternoon (or preferably both) to take just 10 minutes to stop what you’re doing, completely unplug to rest your brain (no email or social media) and stretch your body. Move, man.

 

4. Sign Up for Some Downtime

I’m sorry, did I just read downtime? I didn’t even know THAT existed let alone what it was or how to implement it!

We may feel we don’t have enough time in general let alone down time.

Downtime is a period of time when one is NOT working, not available, or engaged in a planned activity.

Sadly, my only downtime in the past was when my body completely crashed and oh was I down for a time! Not the point of downtime.

Ironically, my most creative times come out of downtime. When my brain is “free to roam” and not tasked to focus, it’s a breath of fresh air that revives me in a way like nothing else.

Pro Tip: Think SMALL on the weeknights and LONG on the weekends. Who knows, your next BIG idea may suddenly appear.

 

5. Schedule Rest As One of Your Most Important Appointments of the Day

As the saying goes, “what gets scheduled gets done.” It’s not something you get to when you “have time.” It must be a priority.

Once you recognize the value of rest, you can no longer leave it to chance. Whether you’re forced to slow down like I was due to my Adrenal Fatigue issues or you’re pro-active in implementing rest (good for you and impressive), rest must become part of your daily rhythm.

Schedule your bedtime and arise time. Schedule your lunch break to rest the mind and move the body. Schedule one or two short breaks as an actual appointment.

Guard this time like your life or at least your energy depended on it!

 

Conclusion

Rest, if done properly, is the little invest that yields big results. The perfect formula for high performers.

Your Energy is the source of your productivity. – Bryan Paul Buckley

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Making these changes are a process. You must commit and seek to make the most of the time.

If you truly believe rest is needed and beneficial, you’ll do the hard work of rest and see the incredible benefits.

Question: What could you do today to begin the hard work of rest in your own life?

How Often Have You Said THIS Phrase?

There is an epidemic that overtakes every single person. It’s no respecter of persons.

Age, gender, race, and nationality is subject to this issue.

And it shows up almost always when you’re making progress.

It’s called OOTRO but most people don’t recognize it by its acronym. They know it by these five words:

Out
Of
The
Routine
Of

We’re a society of routines. We do something and the next thing you know it’s the the way we do it all the time now. It’s how we live our lives.

But how many positive things have you been doing in your life that you somehow find yourself “out of the routine of…”?

For me personally, I can easily have an on again and off again love affair with two specific things: eating healthy and workouts. I can go strong for long stretches and the next thing you know…

Here Are Four Realities About OOTRO

1. Realize How Easy It Is to Get OOTRO

You don’t have to pay for it, know anyone special, or even do anything at all to be infected with OOTRO.

The reality is just as easy as it is to get INTO every routine, it’s just as easy if not even easier to get OUT of the same routine. It’s part of life:

  • You get sick
  • You’re traveling
  • You get injured
  • There’s a holiday
  • Work gets busier

Something in your “normal” routine changes, and the next thing you know, you’re… OOTRO.

It just naturally happens and SO easy.

 

2. Realize OOTRO Is Incredibly Subtle

OOTRO is like a cold. It slowly sneaks up on you and the next thing you know you have it.

You look back and realized, “huh, I haven’t done X in a few days…”

My wife had the stomach flu last week and suddenly my routines were subtly affected. Days went by and I was OOTRO. It wasn’t intentional. Life showed up.

It’s not an intentional decision, boycott, or rebellion, it sneaks its way in.

We think missing “just this one day” won’t matter that much.

Then you miss another day.

And the next you know, you’re… OOTRO.

 

3. Realize OOTRO Is Simply Overpowering

Oh you can fight it but it’s like kryptonite. It knows your weakness and will take you down.

Once OOTRO has you, it has amazing power that is far stronger than you think.

Not sure? Try breaking OOTRO when you’ve been WAY out of the routine of something.

  • It’s been a few weeks since you’ve ran or worked out
  • You were eating healthy 10 + pounds ago (trying to go light on you)
  • You used to read in the morning or before bed

You need to respect the incredible power of OOTRO.

 

4. Realize OOTRO MUST Be Battled

Once you have OOTRO it’s not like it will naturally go away. In fact it will take residency and not leave until it’s kicked out.

Most it becomes their excuse, they’re mantra. “I used to… but…”

Not you if you’re a high performer. You must battle OOTRO with all your might.

The longer you settle for OOTRO, the harder it will be to overcome.

It must end. Right now. Not another day must pass that you’re OOTRO.

 

The ONE Remedy for OOTRO…

There is only one remedy for OOTRO. It looks and sounds very similar but could not be more the opposite with the change of two simple but intentional words:

Back
In
The
Routine
Of

Love me some BITRO.

This is the game changer that is the remedy for every kind of OOTRO.

But BITRO requires something of you: ACTION.

Something must change for BITRO to work and I don’t mean your excuses.

 

Two Key Questions To Beat OOTRO…

  1. What are you OOTRO?

Chances are you’ve been thinking of a number of things as you’ve read this post and those are your OOTRO.

Here are just a few examples:

  • Certain bedtime
  • Eating healthy
  • Going for a walk
  • Taking a break within your work day (move the body / rest the mind)
  • Working out
  • Reading
  • Listening to a podcast
  • Writing

The list is endless but the point is not. List your key OOTRO activities and then answer question two:

2. What is the very 1st step to get you BITRO (back in the routine of) on your list?

You don’t need a massive reboot and a complete overhaul of the plan.

“If you want to do something you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.” – Jim Rohn

What you do need is a step in the direction that gets you back in the routine.

  • Plan your evening so you’re in bed at 10pm
  • Make the healthiest choice on your next meal
  • Schedule a 15 minute break immediately
  • Locate your book and the place you left off
  • Get your workout clothes out and in sight
  • Find a pen / paper or open a writing program along with an idea
  • Look through your podcast and choose one

 

In the End…

Most of the battle is realizing OOTRO is real, it’s subtle, overpowering and must be defeated daily. It’s not a one time victory.

But you can do this now that you’re aware of OOTRO and it’s defeater, BITRO.

So, it’s Go Time and on you now.

What are you “out of the routine of” right now? And what is the very 1st step to get you “back in the routine of…”

How to Create Your Own Afternoon 5 Hour Energy Hack

Afternoons can be the drudgery of any person who controls their day. It’s like the right of passage from a productive morning to getting to our evening. We have to go through it but most of the time it’s simply a means to an end.

For many, the attack of a lousy choice of lunch haunts us and others combat the afternoon with caffeine, sugar, or a 5 Hour Energy drink. This is NOT the answer and will only delay and compound the energy problem later.

In fact, energy is the LAST thing it gives us. We need it just to stay neutral and not crash.

Not exactly an energy boost. Is neutral really the best case scenario?

But what if we looked at the afternoon differently and chose to create our own hack that is healthier and actually more effective?

I’m overly productive in the morning so many times my afternoon pays the price. But I’ve learned to ask three quick questions when my energy begins to drop in the afternoon:

 

Ask Three Quick Questions:

Q1  Why is my energy low right now?

Often it may be as simple is it’s 2pm and you’ve not stopped for lunch. Or what you ate for lunch is sitting in your gut like a 20 lb. dumbbell because it was a poor choice. Or you realized the only movement you’ve had in numerous hours were your fingers on the keyboard and multiple yawn reps. C’mon man.

But sometimes it’s bigger like running on little or low-quality sleep. This cannot be solved in the moment but can be in a few hours by getting to bed on time or even earlier to bank energy for tomorrow afternoon. Finding the why of your energy drop is key to solving the problem and not repeating it day after day. STOP the bleeding.

 

Q2  Is there anything I can do to change my energy level?

Once you know why your energy level is low, you can actually do something about it. Go eat something healthy. Stand up and stretch. Take a break and go for a quick walk to move the body and rest the mind. You’ll be surprised at just doing something different that puts positive fuel in your body or even gets you moving, will do for low energy.

And every once in awhile I’ve just stopped and taken a nap. I know, right?! I’m not talking 2-3 hours but 20-30 minutes. But instead of pushing through with little to no results, I actually accomplished more in that last two hours than most afternoons. Find what you can do to change your energy level immediately. Stand. Stretch. Walk. Just move, man.

 

Q3  How can I match my tasks with my energy?

Sometimes a small tweak is just not going to change your energy level. So, I pick a low energy task that requires more time and dedicate the time to that task. I have a list of low energy tasks that I can turn to at any given moment that need forward motion. These are the no-brainer, little to no thinking tasks that need attention but definitely NOT during high energy moments.

Often, just working on a few of these tasks for 15 or 30 minutes is all I need to snap me out of the low energy funk.

Other times, I’m going to ride the low energy tasks out for the remainder of my day because it’s just one of those days. Not a big deal mid to late afternoon. Major concern if it’s 1:05pm. Learn to match energy with task.

 

Three Changes That Can Give Me a Natural Energy Boost:

1. Change of Position

Stretch / stand / walk / push-ups (seriously, try it!), just move. Our bodies aren’t designed to sit in one place for long periods of time and ironically zap energy out of us even though all we’re doing is sitting.

 

2. Change of Location

What if I worked in a different location? It may mean moving to a different room or possibly a different location with a completely new environment to make the most of the afternoon.

 

3. Change of Activity

Learning to have a pulse on my energy is huge for productivity. It’s SO easy to try and force something when the reality is your energy is just not there. Don’t force it. Adjust and evaluate. Sometimes the worst thing is to force something that ends up taking twice as long and half as good. Holy bad math, Batman.

 

Let’s Wrap This Up…

You have more control of your afternoon crash and need for an energy boost than you realize.  We respond in one of two ways:

  • Reach for a quick unnatural fix in caffeine or sugar
  • Just try to push through it with limited results

I challenge you to ask the three questions to find out what’s going on before you reach for a sub par solution.

Change your position, location, or activity then measure the results. Create your own afternoon 5 hour energy hack and your afternoons will never be the same!