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One Change Every Business Traveler Must Make on the 1st Day of Every Trip

I was on a flight out of town one week from Chicago and once I found my favorite seat, which just happens to be the emergency aisle on the right side, I started chatting with the guy in the window seat.

Once we took off I began to eat my homemade scrambled eggs, sautéed spinach and kale, cut up bell peppers and cucumbers with cherry tomatoes. I do this every flight out of town – BYOM – bring your own meal AKA: MTHC (make the healthiest choice)

On the other hand, I was sitting next to Egg McMuffin Man. Have you seen him? He was inhaling an Egg McMuffin, hash browns, and washing it down with a jumbo Diet Coke. Diet, of course. Hey Ed McMuffin, you’re dripping ketchup all over your shirt, man.

Does that make me better? Well… I’ll let you be the judge. And for the record, his real name was Ed so give me some credit for precise facts.

The point is we were both on the 1st day of a business travel trip and we both made a key decision how we’re starting off our trip. Mere moments later he was in a coma like he hadn’t slept in days while his phone was still playing a movie. Mind you, this is the very first day of the trip, the first MORNING of the trip!

I was choosing to read then work. Again, you be the judge.

Unknowingly, he was making decisions that were setting the tone for the rest of his trip. I see this kind of guy ALL of the time when I travel and I’m using GUY generically – girls, you’re out there too and I’ve caught you in the act, but to your credit, not as often. And not to call out Ed here but there’s a reason he’s overweight, possibly marginally effective, and obviously lacks energy. His habits revealed something about himself.

Now, here’s a question for you to consider right out of the gate and quite possibly even an airplane gate:

Would you consider yourself a Creature of Habit? Meaning, you function primarily out of your routine, aka: your habits.

For me, If I start a habit, I’m all good and will continue the habit for all that it brings. Both the good and the bad.

And if I’m out of my habit, which I call OOTRO (Out of the Routine of), that becomes my new habit. NOT doing something. We live by our habits far more than we realize especially on the road for the good and the bad.

The challenge is getting out of the bad habits we’ve found ourselves in especially after years of travel.

I meet more and more road warriors who are on auto-pilot with their “road routine” and often need to be woken up and rewired to make some necessary changes. They’re so far from elite and don’t even realize it.

I was there and can relate.

I recently picked up a book from a familiar author Daniel Pink of Drive and To Sell is Human.

In his latest book, When, he talks about Beginnings – Starting Right, Starting Again, and Starting Together.

He addresses the need for Fresh Starts.

For example the 1st day of the year, or month, or week are what social scientists often call a “temporal landmark.”

Just as we use landmarks to guide us as a visual marker, we leverage these “Stand Out Days” from what Daniel Pink calls, “the ceaseless and forgettable march of other days, and their prominence helps us find our way.”

It’s easy for our road days to just blend in and become this forgettable march of other days. Just another day, another city, another hotel, another unhealthy meal.

Here’s some research to prove the point:

In 2014, three scholars from the Wharton School of the University of Penn published this breakthrough paper in the science of timing that focused on the use of temporal landmarks and how we can leverage them for new beginnings or fresh starts.

These scholars analyzed 8.5 years of Google searches. They found that certain word searches spiked dramatically on key “fresh start days” and triggered a predictable motivation in people.

Daniel Pink noted in his book that there are two types of Temporal Landmarks: Social and Personal.

  1. Social – those everyone shared: Mondays / New Month / New Quarter / Holidays
  2. Personal – unique to the individual: Birthdays / Anniversaries / Job changes

Interestingly, two things happened whether social or personal temporal landmarks were used:

  1. They allowed people to open “new mental accounts” in the same way a business closes the books at the end of one year and opens new books in the next year. It’s a break from past mistakes and imperfections and leaves us confident about “what could be”. Key Marker: New Years Day or Birthday
  2. They also interrupt attention to the everyday minutiae causing people to take a big picture view of their lives and focus on achieving their goals. As the Wharton scholars concluded, “People can strategically create turning points in their personal histories.”

Here is where this relates to the business traveler. The goal is to find what potential days could be your own Temporal Landmarks on the road.

One Change Every Business Traveler Must Make on the 1st Day of Every Trip

Anchor Days

Here’s my definition of an Anchor Day:  Key behaviors done on a specific date to serve as a kickstart for a period of time.

The power is in the word: ANCHOR.

What does an anchor do? Webster defines anchor:A device used to prevent the craft from drifting (due to wind or current)

We’re the Craft in the analogy and the drift is ANYTHING that takes us where we DON’T want to go!

You think about an Anchor. When it drops and takes hold, you aren’t going anywhere or anywhere soon. We’re notorious for drifting especially if we don’t start out strong. Hence the Power of an Anchor Day.

 

Let’s breakdown the key aspects of an Anchor Day…

There are THREE Key Aspects of an Anchor Day to be effective and be powerful:

  1. Set Date – there must be a CLEAR starting date – This is the WHEN
  2. Catalyst Behavior – Key actions you need to do – This is the WHAT
  3. Specific Triggers – reminders or cues / IF this, THEN that = WHERE

All three aspects are critical for an effective Anchor Day that gives you sustainable energy and incredible results.

Anchor Days require Intention and Discipline. They don’t “just happen.”

You must INTEND to do them. And they cause you to exert effort which requires discipline. But the payoffs are absolutely huge.

Back to the book, When, for a moment. Daniel Pink offers the potential of 80 + days in the year when you can make a fresh start:

  • 1st day of the month (12)
  • Mondays (52)
  • 1st day of Spring / Summer / Fall / Winter (4)
  • 1st day of an important religious holiday (1)
  • Your Birthday! (only 1 thankfully)
  • A loved one’s birthday (1)
  • 1st day of school or semester (2)
  • 1st day of a new job (1)
  • The day after graduation (1)
  • 1st day back after vacations (2)
  • Anniversaries (7)

Here are my own personal on-going anchor days on a consistent basis:
1. Mondays
2. New Month
3. New Quarter
4. 1st day of a business trip

Now, let me drill down on one that makes the biggest impact for me on a consistent basis:

Business Travel

Every single road warrior has this one thing, the same thing in common for absolutely every one of us and on every single business trip.

The FIRST DAY of the trip.

  • No matter what we do.
  • No matter where we go.
  • No matter if it’s our 1st month on the road or our 2nd decade.

We all have the first day of a business trip.

As a result, having an Anchor Day is absolutely critical to becoming an Elite Road Warrior (ERW).

We are on the road to PERFORM which is the 4th of the 6th energy habits.

Why? Because how the 1st day goes, the rest of my trip usually goes.

A creature of habit.

If I can establish an “anchor” of certain behaviors on my 1st day, they will be my anchor keeping me grounded for the rest of the trip. On the flip side, I witness business travelers with shallow or no anchors and their 1st day of the business trip is inconsistent and all over the place.

I’ve watched it play out so many times as each day of the business trip continues. Their energy, and as a result, their effectiveness and productivity dramatically decrease. Simply put, They’re “getting by” NOT “getter better”

Let me stop and get personal. Is that the case with you? – Are you getting by or getting better on your trip and specifically on the 1st day of your business trip?

And I’ve learned, once the train leaves the station, or in my case, the plane leaves the runway, I need to work my Anchor Day Plan.

Not going to be THAT guy anymore. Sorry, Ed McMuffin Guy, you’re on your own on this one, man.

So, let’s work through the three aspects of an Anchor Day in my example of a Road Warrior:

Set Date – 1st day of my business travel – this is my WHEN

Catalyst Behaviors – these are pre-determined actions I need to do – This is the WHAT

And here are some examples for me personally:

1. Taking my Breakfast with me – don’t leave to chance (AND if I have a healthy breakfast I’m FAR more likely to have a healthy lunch/dinner)

2. Move – moving at the airport / standing and walking on the flight / stretching

2. Snacks – bringing / buying (stopping somewhere to get fresh snacks) – finding a Whole Foods / Trader Joe’s, etc.

3. Hotel Room – I found this to be a big one for me because it’s my Home Away From Home on a trip.

4. Connect – Check in with those at home – this is done by early morning videos / audio / text messages so my family has received them from me before they even wake up

5. Rest – Early Bed Time – this is SO key the 1st day because most of the time I have an early flight and changing time zones AND if I start out sleep deprived on day one, I rarely if ever make up that sleep and we all know where that leads – affecting our performance, then coming home absolutely blitzed and exhausted, useless to anyone back home and our 1st day back from a business trip.

Now, remember, after the Set Date and Catalyst Behavior, is the 3rd aspect of the Anchor Day which is…

Specific Triggers reminders or cues / IF this, THAN that = WHERE

  •  Water bottle / tupperware / snack bag out the night before
  • Apple Watch alarms – stand / drink water
  • Hotel Key hitting the room door – trigger for the H.O.M.E. acronym to kick in

 

So, I challenge you to think about your very next business trip and what you could do to create an anchor day. Start small and build on it!

Five Reasons Why Personal Development Is A Challenge on the Road

Kevin is always reading. When he’s not working on emails, he’s got his phone out, absorbing content.
The problem is, nothing Kevin is reading is really sharpening his mind. It’s more of an escape. There’s nothing wrong with that except Kevin has become an escape artist. He’s consuming content, but it is not the right content that will actually help him develop.
He wonders why he’s stuck in his career. Imagine that. He has simply stopped developing in a way that sets him apart. Kevin is missing a huge element, which is the fifth energy habit: develop. I’m amazed at how little most business travelers actually read. What? Doesn’t scrolling social media count as reading? C’mon, man. I’m talking about a good old-fashioned book. I’ll even count an educational article or blog post.
The key here is to LEARN.
I can already hear the pushback. When do I have time to read, especially on the road? Let me remind you of the quote from the Elite Road Warrior book:
If you want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.
You make time for things that are important to you. I sit by guys on the plane every single flight who waste hours and miss opportunities to develop, even small amounts of time like 30 minutes. Dude, you can get back to binge- watching Game of Thrones or Ballers or ladies, back to This Is Us or Love It or List It.

Five Reasons Why Personal Development is a Challenge

  1. Desire

Most people I’ve found simply don’t see the value. They’ve learned what they’ve learned and are okay with where they’re at in their life. If they don’t care, personal development is simply not going to happen.

  2. Time

This is usually the number one reason I hear. “When could I possibly fit this luxury into my life?” I argue if you desire personal development and value it, you will MAKE the time. If our attitude is “when I find the time” it will never happen. By the way, I’ve never ever “found time.”

  3. Inconsistency

If we have the desire to personally develop and find the time, being inconsistent can be a huge challenge. We start and stop then start again and never gain momentum because we’re just not consistent enough.

  4. Random

 I have found this one is ultimately the downfall to someone who values personal development. We have SO many interests so we bounce around from one thing to another. Nothing gets completed and although we’re developing personally and growing, it’s limited because we don’t have a plan.
If you leave your growth to randomness you’ll always live in the land of mediocrity – Brendon Burchard

  5. All-Consuming

 Someone who is “too much” into personal development which can consume all of your time and overwhelm everyone else. Instead of encouraging it becomes over-dominating.
If learning is a priority for you, then you will make, not find, the time. (Seriously, when has anyone FOUND time and if they did, can you let me know where?) Most people don’t like to read because they were scarred in school being forced to read content they did NOT want to read and didn’t see the relevancy. I’ll give you that, but they’ve kept that mindset decades later.

Two Keys to Sharpen the Mind by Reading

1. FIND SOMETHING YOU ENJOY
This is entry-level reading. This could be absolutely anything. It could be an autobiography. It could be a book that’s been made into a movie.
Let me give you an example. I’m a Chicago sports fanatic, so when the Cubs won the World Series in 2016, this city became absolutely unglued. The celebration parade in downtown Chicago was the fifth- largest recorded gathering of mankind in history. So, I wanted to know more about the back-story of the complete rebuild of the team. I found a book called The Plan by David Kaplan, and I was absolutely lost in the book. It was a blast to read because I enjoyed the subject.
If you’re just starting out, find something you enjoy to get you INTO the habit of reading. Even when you become an avid reader, finding a book like I found on sports is a good escape, especially before bed. But don’t stop there. There’s a ton of money left on the table if you don’t do the second key…
2. FIND SOMETHING YOU WANT TO LEARN
This is next level, kiddos. It could be for your job/career or to develop a new skill. The topics are endless, and this is where most business professionals wonder why they’re still stuck in their job, like Kevin. Most only read what is required of them instead of reading to get ahead.
Here’s the Key: They Learn for Survival Not Success.
If and when you change your mindset to reading for success, everything changes. You’re automatically ahead of almost everyone since almost no one reads. So, find a subject you want to learn and crack open that book!
How do you pull this off while on the road? You need to answer these four questions:
1. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO READ?
You need a plan. Find what you enjoy and what you want to learn, as mentioned above, and then dive into the book. Consider it part of your road thing.
2. WHERE CAN YOU FIND WHAT TO READ?
I love this question! There are a few ways to acquire this intel:
Online Research – go to Amazon, Barnes and Noble site or iBooks. Find a genre and start doing some simple research. With the Amazon tracking intelligence, in a matter of moments, you’ll be fed “You May Also Like” recommendations. Due to the vastness of the online market, you can find a number of book possibilities without having to go anywhere.
Traditional Bookstore – Go old school. I absolutely enjoy going to an actual Barnes and Noble on the road as a downtime activity in the evening. I’ll take an hour, find my genre favorites (business/psychology/health/nutrition/sports), buy a hot tea (de-caffeinated), find a chair, and flip through the pages. I could easily lose an hour and it creates SO much energy for me. Another low- hanging fruit option is an airport bookstore. The selection is limited but you’d be surprised how many new books will catch your interest. I’ll often go into these stores for 5-10 minutes during my walk time before a flight or on my way to the gate. It’s another way to find additional book options. Don’t limit yourself.
3. IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN LISTEN TO AUDIBLY?
I’m a HUGE fan of audio, mostly because of the convenience. I’m usually on the move more than I am sitting down, so why not make the movement an advantage for me?
As a result, I’ll find whatever book version I can and listen to the audiobook. Often, I’ll get both the book and the audio. Sounds redundantly redundant, but hang with me. If I’m traveling, I can often crank through a ton of audio, but I’ll want to go back and grab key concepts. This is where the printed version comes into the picture. I can go back and do a quick review of what I’ve listened to because it’s fresh in my mind, and I can easily find the key concepts I want to record for my notes. Make sense? As the saying goes, “Don’t knock it till you try it!”
There are also some great podcasts that can serve as a learning platform. They work great because of the shorter length, and you can find specific topics that interest you so you can dive right in and learn. If you’re not listening to the Elite Road Warrior Podcast, this is a great place to start! Episodes average around 30 minutes so you can get in and out.
PRO TIP:
Audible (owned by Amazon) is an audiobook library that is absolutely amazing. For a monthly subscription, you can get credits and choose books. They’ll send you a free credit for an audiobook from time to time and they will offer discounts for 3 credits if you’re an Amazon Prime member. This is definitely worth the investment to develop both personally AND professionally on the road.
In fact, the Elite Road Warrior book is available on Audible and has been the #1 way business travelers are reading the book due to the convenience.
4. WHEN CAN YOU MAKE TIME TO READ?
Did you catch that? MAKE time to read.  Create time blocks to schedule your day so you can tackle reading.
Let me give you an example. I have at least two reading times each day: first thing in the morning during my energy hour; then, if I’m flying that day, I use the flight time, usually the first 30 minutes, as my second reading time. If it’s not a flight day, I’ll carve a second reading time block in my day where I know I need to conserve energy and a reading block will be a good break for me to develop.
Another reading time was referenced in the last point with audiobooks. As road warriors, usually, our schedules are rather predictable. Let me give you my predictable audio times to develop:
  • In my car driving to the airport.
  • Walking to security and to my gate.
  • Walking around before I board since I prefer NOT to sit down but to a MOVE action item.
  • If I rent a car, I’ll choose something audio to learn rather than getting lost in sports or talk radio, which is SO easy for me to do.
  • Many road warriors have a territory and do a ton of driving. They often drive between to cities (I often fly into Cincinnati, then drive to Columbus, then to Cleveland). This is a perfect time to knock out an entire audiobook. This type of road warrior can seriously leverage their windshield time with a mobile classroom.
  • Standing in line is a short but great opportunity to catch a few paragraphs. I’ve knocked out chapters of a book just waiting. I have the Kindle app and sometimes will choose certain books JUST for such times. I can quickly pull up the book on an app and be reading in seconds. Note: this also dramatically helps my impatience during these times when I sadly analyze the inefficiency that is causing the wait!
James Clear has a perfect article called “Seven Ways to Retain More of Every Book You Read,” which I highly suggest checking.
BABY STEP TO SHARPEN THE MIND
I realize you’re more likely to go to bed early or eat brussel sprouts than you are to pick up a book. So, if that’s the case, simply find something you like to read and start there. The fact that you are reading this article is huge, so you’re on your way. Now, keep the momentum going and create a plan.
THREE-POINTERS
1. Find something to read that you enjoy and want to learn.
2. Determine when you will make time to read and what you can listen to audibly.
3. Download the free Personal Development Plan (PDP) when you request it.

What Every Elite Road Warrior Does the 1st Hour on the Road

I’ve been humbled and honored by all the feedback, support, and positive takeaways from so many people who’ve read my book, ERW – Six Energy Habits to Master the Business Travel Life.

This book would NOT have hit #1 best seller in two categories (business travel reference and work-related health) without your incredible support so know how much I really do appreciate it.

I try to bring you tangible and practical strategies based on the six energy habits, the premise of the Elite Road Warrior book, that make a difference on your business travel day.

My challenge is two-fold:

1. Don’t think “this will never work” and never even try it
2. Don’t say “I’ve already tried it” and discount the content

The goal of this blog and the ERW podcast is to leverage the road and what it CAN give to you not let it limit you and what it can’t give to you. That’s old school and why most people on the road are just existing road warriors simply getting by.

We’re here to get better not get by.

I’ve seen MORE than my share of existing, sloppy road warriors and it breaks my heart. They can leverage the road to transform their work, health and home life! It’s possible and I’m living proof.

So here’s a question for you right out of the gate (and quite possibly an airplane gate for you):

Do you consider yourself a morning person?

Just hearing the word “morning” can often cause a mixed reaction of joy, excitement, anticipation.

Some people are HUGE morning people. They wake up with the sun and the morning is their best friend. “Give me that early morning sunlight and let me attack this new day!”

Then, there are the others…

I would say they’re described in this famous quote, “I’d like mornings better if they started later say, after lunch” by the great philosopher, Garfield.

Regardless if you’re a morning person or not, every single one of us on the road from executive to regional manager have one specific thing in common:

We ALL have the FIRST hour of the day. But here’s where it changes: how we spend the 1st hour is dramatically different.

I’ve found most people’s mornings are one of the following:
1. Lazy (do whatever I feel like doing) – meander
2. Reactive – check email, text messages, phone calls

Do either of these sound like your morning routine?

You roll over and immediately check your phone. In Bed. You check your email and start reacting to everyone else’s false emergencies and needs.

You eventually stand up and stumble over to the tiny coffee maker in your hotel room and gulp down as much coffee as possible, rush to get ready for the day and then start working based on what’s in your inbox.

By checking your email upon waking you have just hijacked your day. You are now reacting to what everyone else wants from you versus proactively setting the direction for your day.

I love this quote by productivity specialist, Carson Tate: “The first 60-90 minutes of the day is your opportunity to lay the foundation to achieve your goals and dreams. Yet, for many of us, our morning routine is undermining our achievement. Instead of setting up the day for purpose, success and enjoyment, we become reactive slaves.”

Jeff Sanders of the 5AM Miracle says, “the norm for most people is starting off each morning with the decision to procrastinate by smacking their alarm clock and delaying the decision to bounce off to bed and dominate their day. Snoozing inadvertently becomes a reactive choice, which leads to further reactivity.”

I love this Hal Elrod quote: “Most people just focus on getting through the day, taking the path of least resistance, and pursue short term, short-lived pleasures along the way, while avoiding any pain or discomfort that might cause them to grow.”

I can hear the pushback already: Alright Mr. Self-Proclaimed Elite Road Warrior, you don’t know my travel schedule or how long my evenings are or….

You’re right… and wrong.

You’re right, I don’t know your exact schedule.

But you’re wrong in that when you pushback you already are in a defensive mode and the more road warriors I talk to, the more I learn this is Pandora’s Box where there’s a lot more involved:

  • working too late with your laptop lover over dinner then in your room and it’s taking you twice as long and your work is half as good
  • hanging out too long at the hotel bar
  • catching one more inning or quarter of the game or mindless binging on streaming services

Shall I go on?

But the most successful are both of the following in the morning:
1. Intentional – They have a plan
2. Focused – They execute the plan 

And THIS is regardless if they’re a “self-proclaimed” morning person or not.

They use the 1st Hour to do one specific thing: take care of me first (it’s all about me, baby!) – but in THIS instance, it’s a GOOD thing!

How do you use the FIRST hour of your morning on the road?

Lazy and Reactive
or
Intentional and Focused

My goal is for you to be willing to experiment with your first hour of your morning on the road and ask how you can maximize it to be a catalyst for the day ahead.

Spoiler Alert: the KEY to a successful 1st hour of the day begins the night before: getting a good night of sleep

Most people struggle in the 1st hour of the morning simply because they’re just too tired, maybe even exhausted. They’re just not getting enough sleep.

George Lorimer had a challenging quote: “You’ve got to wake up each morning with determination if you’re going to go to bed with satisfaction.”

And how do you do that? By leveraging the power of the first hour of your day. What can you do each morning that will create energy for you for the day ahead?

That question is intentional and focused and what gives the high achiever an energy edge.

So, Why the 1st Hour of the Day?

1. Blank Slate – the day has not taken over just yet
2. Your Mind is Clear
3. Nobody else’s agenda yet
4. What you choose to do will give direction to the rest of your day

But this is assuming you’ve not had only a few hours of sleep, and waking up a little hungover or feeling like you swallowed a half dozen cotton balls.

Here are some Definite Don’ts right from the start:

  • Don’t email
  • Don’t check my phone
  • Don’t turn on the TV
  • Don’t waste time

Now, everything is viewed through the Six Energy Habits on the Road, so the ideas are to encourage you to implement as many of the six energy habits when you leverage your first hour of the day.

2nd Spoiler Alert: You can hit 4 of the 6 Energy Habits in the 1st hour of your awake time.

So What does every Elite Road Warrior do the 1st hour on the road?

Here are 8 Practices to Creating An Energy Hour Before Your 1st Minute of Work:

Two quick details:
1. You don’t have to do every single one – they’re practices, ideas for you to pick and choose what works for you
2. The 8 are in no particular order except the 1st one:

1) Drink

I don’t mean alcohol or even coffee.

Chances are you don’t drink enough water during the day and/or have an adult beverage or 3 close to bed and you have that feeling when you wake up that someone stuffed a cotton ball in your mouth multiplying every hour!

  • Water is absolutely critical to get your high performance vehicle, aka: your body, the fluids it needs to run at an optimal level.
  • You need to add water into your body immediately to wake your system up and ready for the day ahead and this means before Coffee (which is morning booze to most road warriors)
  • But what does an ERW do? – My morning drink – room temp water / lemon essential oil / hymalayan pink sea salt / greens powder

Two Quick Tips:

  • Set a goal of how much water you’ll consume within the 1st hour – if your only water absorption is from water hitting your body in the the shower or rinsing your mouth after brushing your teeth, set a goal of 8 oz. If you’re taking the Morning Drink then set a goal of 16 oz.
  • Think Convenience – have it set out or made the night before – ease will help set the habit

Drink falls under FUEL Energy Habit #3

2) Learn

Read or listen to something for personal/professional growth. The 1st hour of your morning on the road is a perfect time to “get your read on.”

What if you reserved time (30 min / 20 min / even 10 min) to learn – activate your brain and put something good / challenging in the 1st hour of the day? You could read, I don’t know, maybe a book called Elite Road Warrior. There’s an audio version too, so no complaints, man.

Learn falls under DEVELOP – Energy Habit #5

3) Meditate / Pray

This is time to be mindful. This could be a spiritual practice or just a stress release, centering practice.

Meditation can be simply clearing the mind and finding a place of peace. Prayer is well, prayer. Talking to God. I’m not trying to sell either concept but a reminding you of their value especially the 1st hour of the day to give you energy.

Many do breathing exercises as they meditate. Others use Guided Meditation.

I recommend the 10% Happier App –  but there a number of other apps.

Prayer reminds me life is not all about me. Just think through which one would serve you during the 1st hour of your road morning. Just 5 minutes will make a big difference.

Meditate/Pray falls under DEVELOP – Energy Habit #5

4) Write 

Journal / think space

I realize this is a big step for most road warriors and definitely higher up in the Elite Road Warrior levels.

But it needs to be on your radar and hence one of the options.

This could be as simple as writing one line, the concept from Scott Mawdesley which says it doesn’t matter what you write but that you write. It could be something reflective, a way to process your past day, something you’re learning, etc. Here are Scott’s Write One Line Journals: www.WriteOneLine.com

Or consider the ERW Branded Journal

THINK SPACE – this is putting your thoughts on paper. I’ll take even 5 minutes with my Think Space Journal (TSJ) to “get things out” (it could be work-related, ideas for connecting with my family, writing ideas, anything)

I love looking back at the end of the quarter for trends and where my list has gone the past few months in both my quarterly journal and my think space journal.

The point is trying something that works for you and give it a real shot

Write falls under DEVELOP – Energy Habit #5

5) Move

We simply don’t move enough when traveling. The road does the moving for us but we’re usually sitting down. On a plane, in a rental car or RideShare, in a conference room or restaurant.

We need to be intentional about adding movement into our day and we do that by Increasing movement in 4 ways.

  1. Stand – up on my feet not down on my butt
  2. Walk – take that stand and move forward
  3. Run – think cardio
  4. Lift – think strength training

And the morning is a perfect time to “get your MOVE on” You can even combine energy habits with MOVE and DEVELOP – listen to this podcast or an audiobook as you go for a walk or run or workout

Moving creates energy in your morning and gets you ready to perform.

Move shockingly falls under MOVE Energy Habit 1

6) Connect with Family/Friends

Connect focuses on not being a check-in guy or girl but a connect-in guy or girl and this is done in a Block & Tackle time like now.

This may be a text banter with a spouse, child, or friend.

But the purpose here is to have real purpose that moves the relational needle

Connect: Intentionally / Thoughtfully / Creatively

In the ERW book in the Connect chapter, I dive deep into each one of Connect: Intentionally / Thoughtfully / Creatively so that may be your best reference.

Ideas:

The point is taking time to connect with those back home in an intentional, thoughtful, and creative way.

Connect with Fam/Friends falls under CONNECT – Energy Habit #6

7) Eat

This is an absolute MUST to get something healthy to refuel your body especially if you don’t know when you’ll eat next or exactly what.

Control every meal you can on the road with CLEAN & GREEN. Clean and Green is a process.

Remember: Add first then reverse. Get the good stuff in then begin eliminating the bad stuff.

Too many people have a coffee and donut/bagel breakfast and wonder why their energy tanks mid morning or make a bad lunch decision.

Not the ERW.

Remember, food is fuel and fuel is energy. Most mid to high level hotels have a good breakfast selection but you need to “select” the right food.

We must make smart choices that increase and almost guarantee our success for the day ahead and that 1st hour means fueling the Ferrari!

Drink falls under FUEL – Energy Habit #3

8) Plan / Review

Sadly, most of us go into reactive mode for the day ahead. We put it little to no thought of where our day is headed and then we wonder why didn’t get much of anything done especially of any importance.

But what if we took even a few minutes to plan our day and really think through the Top 3 tasks that need to get done?

We know the value of planning but how about making it part of your energy hour that affects the rest of your day? If you don’t plan the night before, this could be your time so you know where your day is heading before it officially begins.

I choose my Big 3 – Must Do No Matter What most important tasks. I ;ist my appointments for the day which include appointments to myself to Block and Tackle (discussed in detail in the ERW book).

Review is looking at who you’re meeting with today, do some research on LinkedIn, review your presentation, pitch, etc. I want to be sharp and on my game by not only knowing people’s names but a little about them, the agenda, and what I want out of the meeting. This all comes out of a quick review.

Take a few minutes to plan your day and to review. It’s a must to becoming an ERW.

Plan / Review falls under PERFORM – Energy Habit #4

 

So let’s make some changes!

1. Choose which of the eight options we just discussed that you want to begin to implement
2. Create two versions. Why? Because some mornings you’ll have more time than other days and you want to be able to do something, anything, just not nothing! (heard THAT line from me before?!?)

Long Version (ideal)
Short Version (bare minimum)

Here’s a Personal Examples of My Normal Routine:

1. Drink – 1 min (make and drink)
2. Read – 20 min
3. Pray and Meditate – 15 min
4. Write – Journal – 15 min
5. Move / Listen – 30 min
6. Connect – 10 min
7. Fuel – 15 min
8. Plan (my day / names and research of the people I’m meeting) / Review – presentations, etc. – 15 min

My long version is 2 Hr
My short version can be 30 min or preferably 1 Hr

Leverage that for road for YOU to become an ERW today.

You Got This!

How to do more than survive a trade show on the road

One of the aspects of business travel for many road warriors is trade shows, events, conferences, etc.

Whether you’re working them or just attending them, they can be an absolute grind that becomes even more of a challenge.

Those very long days and sometimes even longer nights expose many of our already bad road habits on the first day let alone an entire event!

I remember my very 1st large trade show that I was “working the booth” as we often say.

It was in Orlando in the early spring so I was thrilled by the weather coming from Chicago. Silly me to think I would get to enjoy ANY of that Florida sunshine. The show hours were ridiculous, then the customer dinners and corporate events/parties at night.

I was young, ambitious, foolish, and did NOT know how to pace myself in those early days.

For someone who’s never worked or attended these type of events, they somehow seem more glamorous than the true reality.

I rarely saw the sun, ate whatever and whenever I could. I was unable able to enjoy the hotel except crash on the bed in a complete coma which seemed like a nap then wash-rinse-repeat.

My voice was shot, my feet hurt, I was tired of giving the same elevator pitch to people who too often could care less, and I had my fill.

And the more my role changed and my title increased, the more responsibilities I had on any given day of an event.

At one point, I was working the booth, in meeting rooms, hosting dinners, attending 2-3 corporate events into the wee hours of the morning, then having to get up early for key breakfast meetings.

Day after day after day after day.

I did NOT know what I didn’t know and just grinded myself through the trade show / conference season not knowing there was any other way.

Here are three of the Most Common Challenges I Faced

1. Food-Related = how do I find a decent place to eat on a trade show floor or conference? And it’s a challenge with going right to an event after the show to a corporate event that only serves appetizers.

2. Sleep-Related = I get more sleep at home with an infant than I do during the week of a trade show event or conference!

3. Health-Related = all I do is stand and I’m wiped out. No time to workout and even if i did, I wouldn’t have the energy.

But…

 

 What can you do to not only survive a trade show or event on the road but really thrive?

I mean the kind of thrive where you stand out as the show goes on while others are tanking big time?

Three Event Realities:

Reality Number One – Only you can take care of you – most barely do on a normal travel week but all the more the week of a trade show and/or conference

Reality Number Two – You don’t have to attend every event or be there every moment

Reality Number Three – Winging it is a horrible plan – too many business people just “go with the flow”

So, how do you do more than survive a trade show on the road…?

CREATE A PLAN…

Four Thrive Plan Essentials at an Event

1. Sleep Schedule

I start with this because on these grueling weeks, this is the 1st priority to go. You look at the average person on day two not to mention day three and they’re a walking coma.

Sleep is our biggest performance enhancer on the road but it seems to become even less of a priority with a brutal morning-to-night event schedule.

We MUST prioritize sleep and remember reality #1 – only you can take care of you I know the amount of sleep I need to be sharp – not just coherent – so I need to do whatever I can to guard that sleep time.

When you’re tired you make tired choices that are the path of least resistance and are only convenient, rarely healthy or the smartest choice.

Michael Hyatt often says, “the more tired I am, the dumber I get.”

I’m starting with the biggest ask in guarding your sleep, but it’s the biggest difference maker to your energy especially at a trade show or an event.

You need even more sleep at trade shows, conferences, events because you’re consuming far more of your energy so make sure you guard your sleep ESPECIALLY your 1st and last night.

Why those nights? Get your event off to a good start and the last night you want to start removing the sleep debt you put yourself in and you don’t want to be a complete train wreck and useless to those back home.

Event Tip – if you’re at an event, don’t make a HUGE DEAL when you decide to leave. No one ever really knows unless you make a huge deal that you’re taking off. I’ve found when I used to make this BIG ANNOUNCEMENT, this is when the peer-pressure came in full force – and… I often caved. But if you just slip out to go to the bathroom then head out the door instead of back into the madness, you’ve just pulled off a masterful escape.

An ERW (Elite Road Warrior) knows when it’s time to go and is shameless about it. They know who they need to see at a corporate event or party, they know the end goal of that conversation and when they’re just hanging around just to hang out. Look at the bigger picture and what an extra hour at a late night event will do for you in the long run compared to an hour of quality sleep.

2. Water

We normally don’t consume enough water on an average day, but Continually Hydrate is a key focus area.

You need to be responsible for your own water which starts with carrying your own water bottle. I don’t know, maybe an ERW branded water bottle with a slick handle? Just sayin.

You need to stay hydrated if you’re up on your feet and talking to people all day. There are often places to “fill up” water but rarely anything to put water in more than a toddler dixie cup so BYOWB (bring your own water bottle)

Also, for you “adult beverage drinkers”… you absolutely must join the free 1:1 Match Program – create a rule that you won’t have a 2nd drink until you finish your glass or bottle of water.

This alone is a game changer for those who decide to get the happy hour drink and I don’t know, 4pm when they start serving it, hit 1-3 corporate events/parties and a customer dinner!

And shockingly, you don’t have to drink everything offered to you. Often, I save it for the “better stuff” later – you can take a pass just don’t try and make it all up later.

Another tip, know when you’ve had enough and just switch to water. Nobody there knows and to be honest, nobody really cares. They may actually like you better if you stopped a beverage or three ago!

The point? Get watered down, man.

Have water be your companion all throughout the day but especially the last hour before bed.

3. Meal Planning

I used to consume the worst food that was so overpriced and did absolutely NOTHING for my energy.

I inhaled it and felt like I ate nothing, but was reminded a couple hours later when my body’s trying to process it. I’m stinking up the joint looking around like it was someone else.

Remember, Food is FUEL and FUEL is ENERGY.

When you don’t eat or you eat poorly, it’s a direct correlation to our energy and that’s exactly what we need to not just survive but thrive at an event.

As a result, control what you can control and that starts with breakfast. Make sure you’re taking time for a Clean and Green breakfast to at a bare minimum set up your day guaranteeing you have a strong base if you don’t know what will happen the rest of the day.

Do whatever you can to guard your lunch break. If you’re working a booth, you’ll get a lunch break. Maximize it.

I always and I mean always do intel on my options, how long it will take to get there and what food will be available for me.

If I’m not working a trade show floor, I have even more control and less excuses. Many conferences offer a lunch so MTHC (Make the Healthiest Choice).

Remember, food is fuel and fuel is energy. Where most people crash is in the mid-to-late afternoon depending on what they had for lunch.

Don’t be THAT guy or THAT girl.

Take control of your food because Food is Fuel and Fuel is Energy

4. Maximize Your Breaks

You have breaks at an event beyond your lunch break. Ask for them. Guard them.

Make the most of them – find or do something that brings you energy not consumes more energy

1. Snack
2. Go Outside
3. Watch or Read Something
4. Meditate

These sound crazy and require effort but remember, you’re NOT everyone else. You’re an Elite Road Warrior and your behavior is different as a result.

Here’s a Tip that combines #3 Meal Planning and this one, #4 Maximize Your Breaks:

Create a Snack Bag – I have a certain small lunch bag I carry with me to “Carry a Controlled Substance” and not be caught off guard. Normally I use these on the road but especially for the Trade Show / Conference / Event Week.

And even more so if I’m working a trade show. I’m a captive audience and that mid to late afternoon crash can be avoided and this is one of the biggest ways – having a healthy snack that is easily accessible.

You need to take control of your day. Let me give you a recent example.

I was in Vegas at a trade show after walking the show floor and had an event to attend in the early evening before a client dinner.

In the past, I talk myself out of going back to my hotel room due to all the effort and choose the path of least resistance and just stay at the event and drink cheap beer or wine and eat unhealthy appetizers.

This time, though, I choose to make the effort to go back to my room, workout for just 10 minutes in my room for some energy, FaceTimed with the fam, had a healthy snack (since I had a kitchen in my room and that was done on purpose!).

At that point I was more than ready for my evening with two corporate events and a dinner.

It can be done.

Let’s Land This Plane

There is a way to do more than survive a trade show and/or event whether your working or just attending it.

I want to challenge you. You have more choices than you realize when you’re at or working an event such as a trade show, conference, etc. Most “go with the flow and react” but not an ERW.

We have a THRIVE PLAN then execute it no matter what those around us are doing or not doing. If you can learn to take control in the toughies like an event, you’ve got this for the normal business travel trip.

Leverage that for road for YOU to become an ERW today.

You Got This!

How to Know If You’re Stuck in a Road Rut and How to Get Out of It

Energy Habit #4 is DEVELOP – and we develop on the road in three ways –
1. Sharpen the Mind
2. Process the Thoughts
3. Monitor the Heart

Sharpen the Mind – is what we put in to sharpen us in multiple ways
Process the Thoughts – is getting out of our head all that we put in
Monitor the Heart – is keeping a pulse on how we’re REALLY doing

One of the best ways to sharpen the mind is to read content that teaches and challenges you to develop personally and professionally.

And one of the most influential books I’ve read in the past year was written by someone I’ve interviewed before and followed his writing, James Clear.

His book, Atomic Habits, was pivotal in curating and translating my habits in helping business travelers and is the foundation of the content in this episode. So, all the content kudos goes to James Clear.

There are seemingly no bigger creatures of habits than someone who works on the road: aka – a Road Warrior.

We’re the essence of creatures of habits. We have our way of doing our “road thing.”

Habits make or break your ability to become an Elite Road Warrior. The irony about our habits is that if we have good habits at home, we’ll most likely have good habits on the road.

But….

If you don’t have good habits at home, the road will absolutely expose you.

Now, I’m not talking about taking a business trip once a twice a year and it feels like vacation but when the road is your vocation.

If you eat lousy at home, few turn it around on the road.
If you don’t sleep well at home, you rarely sleep more or better on the road.
If you don’t workout at home, you rarely turn into a gym rat on the road.
And I can go on and on and on.

According to researchers at Duke University, habits account for about 40 percent of our behaviors on any given day. [1]

Here’s the goal or the win of this episode – to get you to think about your Road Habits and find out where exactly you’re in a Road Rut with your habits.

I’m a psychology nerd and have the degree to prove it but it’s important to understand the process of building a habit to start the Road Habits conversation.

A habit is a behavior that is repeated enough times to become automatic.

It can be divided into four simple steps:

1. Cue. A piece of information that suggests there’s a reward to be found, like the smell of a cookie or a dark room waiting to light up.
2. Craving. The motivation to change something to get the reward, like tasting the delicious cookie or being able to see.
3. Response. Whatever thought or action you need to take to get to the reward.
4. Reward. The satisfying feeling you get from the change, along with the lesson whether to do it again or not.

The cue is about noticing the reward.
The craving is about wanting the reward.
The response is about obtaining the reward.

If a behavior is not sufficient in any of the four stages, it will not become a habit or automatic.

In summary, the CUE triggers a CRAVING, which motivates a RESPONSE, which provides a REWARD, which satisfies the craving, and, ultimately, becomes associated with the cue.

This is key: All behavior is driven by the desire to solve a problem.

Sometimes the problem is that you notice something good and you want to obtain it. Sometimes the problem is that you are experiencing pain and you want to relieve it.

Either way, the purpose of every habit is to solve the problems you face.

So, let’s get practical.

Many of my road habits are to relieve stress and make life on the road easier – not necessarily better.

  • I order what I want that I either can’t get at home, not willing to pay for on my own, or eat because it’s front of me.
  • I don’t drink on weeknights at home but I almost always do on the road.
  • I’m connected with my family more at home because they’re right there in front of me but on the road, I sadly find it a challenge to even text or call and it’s always on the time that is best for me.

Do you see what I mean?

Then, over weeks, months, and years of doing things that relieve my stress and make my life on the road easier, I develop certain habits that help me get by, not get better.

And this is why the Six Energy Habits are vitally important.

They challenge us in six key areas to leverage the road and what it can do for us, not look at only the limits and what it can’t do for us.

On the road, it is so easy to overestimate the importance of one defining moment or massive change and underestimate the value of making small improvements on a daily basis.

Too often, we convince ourselves that massive success requires massive action. And as a result, we do nothing.

Improving 1 percent isn’t particularly notable – sometimes it isn’t even noticeable – but it can be far more meaningful in the long run.

Unfortunately the slow pace of transformation also make it easy to let a bad habit slide.

  • If you eat an unhealthy meal today, the scale doesn’t move much.
  • If you work late tonight and ignore your family they will forgive you.
  • If you procrastinate and put your project off until tomorrow, there will usually be time to finish later. A single decision is easy to dismiss.

But when we repeat 1 percent errors, day after day, by replicating poor decisions, duplicating tiny mistakes, and rationalizing little excuses, our small choices compound into toxic results. It’s the accumulation of many missteps – a 1 percent decline here and there – that eventually leads to a problem. Over the span of moments that make up a lifetime these choices determine the difference between who you are and who you could be.

“Success is the product of daily habits – not once-in-a-lifetime transformation.” – James Clear

What matters is whether your habits are putting you on the path toward success, and this is where most road warriors are wasting their years on the road.

They’re the most over-worked / stressed / burned-out / unhealthy / and disconnected they’ve EVER been in their lives.

I know because this was my Road Life for way too many years.

Time magnifies the margin between success and failure. It will multiply whatever you feed it. Good habits make time your ally. Bad habits make time your enemy.

I love this quote by James Clear: “Few things can have a more powerful impact on your life than improving your daily habits.”

So, how do you know if you’re stuck in a road rut and how do you get out of it?

Maybe you’re saying right now in your head, “I definitely need to change some of my road habits and I’m in a road rut – thank you Dr. Obvious”

But how do you make those changes?

The book Atomic Habits offer Four Laws of Behavior Change:

1. Make it obvious. Don’t hide your fruits in your fridge, put them on display front and center.
2. Make it attractive. Start with the fruit you like the most, so you’ll actually want to eat one when you see it.
3. Make it easy. Don’t create needless friction by focusing on fruits that are hard to peel. Bananas and apples are super easy to eat, for example.
4. Make it satisfying. If you like the fruit you picked, you’ll love eating it and feel healthier as a result!

Sometimes a habit will be hard to remember and you’ll need to make it obvious. Other times you won’t feel like starting and you’ll need to make it attractive. In many cases, you may find that a habit will be too difficult and you’ll need to make it easy. And sometimes, you won’t feel like sticking with it and you’ll need to make it satisfying.

This is how I applied what I learned about the four laws of behavior change:

I used the statement: When I do _______, Then I’ll do ____________.

After (CURRENT HABIT), I will (NEW HABIT).

This required me to think about what I wanted to do and when I’m going to do it.

One of the best ways to build a new habit is to identify a current habit you already do each day and then stack your new behavior on top ~ Habit Stacking

The key is to tie your desired behavior into something you already do each day. Once you have mastered this basic structure you can begin to create larger stacks by chaining small habits together. This allows you to take advantage of the natural momentum that comes from one behavior leading into the next.

Habit Stacking allows you to create a set of simple rules that guide your future behavior

Exercise Example: WHEN I see a set of stairs. THEN I will take them instead of using the elevator.

The secret to creating a successful habit stack is selecting the right cue to kick things off.

Habit Stacking works best when the cue is highly specific and immediately actionable.

The two most common CUES are time and location

Creating an Implementation Intention Strategy pairs a new habit with “I will (BEHAVIOR) at (TIME) in (LOCATION).”

With our bad habits, the immediate outcome usually feels good, but the ultimate outcome feels bad. With good habits, it is the reverse: the immediate outcome is unenjoyable but the ultimate outcome feels good.

“The cost of your good habits are in the present. The cost of your bad habits are in the future.”- James Clear

When the moment of decision arrives, instant gratification usually wins.

KEY: “The most effective form of motivation is progress”

The first mistake is never the one that ruins you. It is the spiral of repeated mistakes that follows. Once is an accident. Twice is the start of a new (bad) habit.

Anyone can have a bad performance, a bad workout, or a bad day at work. But when successful people fail, they rebound quickly. The breaking of a habit doesn’t matter if the reclaiming of it is fast.

Too often, we fall into an all-or-nothing cycle with our habits. The problem is not slipping up; the problem is thinking that if you can’t do something perfectly, then you shouldn’t do it at all.

You don’t realize how valuable it is to just show up on your bad (or busy) days.

KEY: Lost days hurt you more than successful days help you.

Sluggish days and bad workouts maintain the compound gains you accrued from previous good days. Simply doing something – ten squats, five sprints, a push-up, anything really – is huge. Don’t put up a zero. Don’t let losses eat into your compounding.

It’s not always about what happens during the workout. It’s about being the type of person who doesn’t miss workouts. It’s easy to train when you feel good, but it’s crucial to show up when you don’t feel like it – even if you do less than you hope.

Atomic Habits gives five ways get out of road rut

1. Start with an incredibly small habit.

“Make it so easy you can’t say no.” —Leo Babauta

When most people struggle to stick with a new habit, they say something like, “I just need more motivation.” Or, “I wish I had as much willpower as you do.”

This is the wrong approach. Research shows that willpower is like a muscle. It gets fatigued as you use it throughout the day. Another way to think of this is that your motivation ebbs and flows. It rises and falls.  Stanford professor BJ Fogg calls this the “motivation wave.”

Solve this problem by picking a new habit that is easy enough that you don’t need motivation to do it.
Rather than starting with 50 pushups per day, start with 5 pushups per day. Rather than trying to meditate for 10 minutes per day, start by meditating for one minute per day. Make it easy enough that you can get it done without motivation.

2. Increase your habit in very small ways.

“Success is a few simple disciplines, practiced every day; while failure is simply a few errors in judgment, repeated every day.”—Jim Rohn

One percent improvements add up surprisingly fast. So do one percent declines. Rather than trying to do something amazing from the beginning, start small and gradually improve. Along the way, your willpower and motivation will increase, which will make it easier to stick to your habit for good.

3. As you build up, break habits into chunks.

If you continue adding one percent each day, then you’ll find yourself increasing very quickly within two or three months. It is important to keep each habit reasonable, so that you can maintain momentum and make the behavior as easy as possible to accomplish.

Building up to 20 minutes of meditation? Split it into two segments of 10 minutes at first or four segments of five minutes
Trying to do 50 pushups per day? Five sets of 10 might be much easier as you make your way there.

4. When you slip, get back on track quickly.

“The best way to improve your self-control is to see how and why you lose control.”—Kelly McGonigal

Top performers make mistakes, commit errors, and get off track just like everyone else. The difference is that they get back on track as quickly as possible.

Research has shown that missing your habit once, no matter when it occurs, has no measurable impact on your long-term progress. Rather than trying to be perfect, abandon your all-or-nothing mentality.
You shouldn’t expect to fail, but you should plan for failure. Take some time to consider what will prevent your habit from happening. What are some things that are likely to get in your way? What are some daily emergencies that are likely to pull you off course? How can you plan to work around these issues? Or, at least, how you can bounce back quickly from them and get back on track?
You just need to be consistent, not perfect. Focus on building the identity of someone who never misses a habit twice.

5. Be patient. Stick to a pace you can sustain.

Learning to be patient is perhaps the most critical skill of all. You can make incredible progress if you are consistent and patient.

If you are adding weight in the gym, you should probably go slower than you think. If you are adding daily sales calls to your business strategy, you should probably start with fewer than you expect to handle. Patience is everything. Do things you can sustain. New habits should feel easy, especially in the beginning. If you stay consistent and continue increasing your habit it will get hard enough, fast enough. It always does.

I want you to define Two MAJOR Categories of your habits:

Keystone Habit – this is the game-changer habit. When you do this habit, everything else gets better.

Tombstone Habit – this is the game-killer habit. When you do this habit, everything else gets worse.

Let me give you personal examples:

My Keystone Habit is SLEEP – when I sleep and really protect and optimize my sleep, it dramatically affects the following:

  • I make better food choices
  • I workout more consistently and have better workouts
  • My Energy Hour in the morning of reading
  • I’m more motivated to connect with those back home

My Tombstone Habit is DRINKING – when I drink without strict boundaries, it dramatically affects the following to the bad:

  • I stay up later and the quality of my sleep is affected big time
  • I make lousy food choices – usually ends in something sweet and I always overdo it since I don’t eat sweets much anymore
  • I’m sluggish in the morning and my workouts always suffer

So, what is your Keystone Habit? What is your Tombstone Habit?

 

What’s the difference between the best athletes or top performers and everyone else? What do the really successful people do that most don’t? – beyond genetics, luck, and talent, they must be able to handle the boredom of training every day, doing the same things over and over.

Really successful people feel the same lack of motivation as everyone else. The difference is that they still find a way to show up despite the feelings of boredom.

Mastery requires practice but the more you practice something, the more boring and routine it becomes.

The greatest threat to success is not failure but boredom. We get bored with habits because they stop delighting us. The outcome becomes expected. And as our habits become ordinary, we start derailing our progress to seek novelty.

On your next trip or possibly the one you’re on right now, observe your road habits. Do you have more good habits than bad? Which of your habits can improve?

Your Road Habits will make or absolutely break you on becoming an Elite Road Warrior. The best performers have the best habits. They know their Keystone and their Tombstone Habits. And so do you.

Now, wherever you are on the road, do something, anything, just not nothing to master the business travel life.