The Power of Community in Your Success

I've been thinking a lot about the role "community" plays in my life. It's a term that gets thrown around so much that I wonder if anyone has internalized a definition for themselves and embraced it?

The deeper I've gone into my own communities, the more I see the profound role they play in my life. In fact, I can quickly identify six distinct communities that I actively participate in on a daily basis. Whoa!

Professional
This seems obvious, yet my focus isn't that I have a cool job and am able to do interesting things. It's all about the relationships and trust I've built that makes the difference.

Social
All hail the power of social media. Yes, I'm serious. Some of my most important social relationships (and my Personal Board of Directors) were born out of my connections on various social media channels.

Faith
This is a huge part of my daily life, and I am absolutely grateful for it. Whether I'm leading small groups, or prepping for a big mission trip later this summer, my faith community has been tremendous.

Fitness
Staying healthy and reasonably fit has been an important part of my life for a long time. Investing in a professional trainer last Fall has helped me take my game to the next level. Now, a new facebook accountability group around fitness and motivation helps keep me on track as well.

Music
When my friend Michael Carty asked me to write about how I feel about "my" music, I was both humbled and a bit intimidated. But alas, my music is not only one of my greatest passions, it has also brought me to one of the most welcoming, nonjudgmental communities I have ever experienced. Here's the post if you're curious.

Family
Last here...but certainly not on my list of priorities, is my amazing family and those close personal relationships that make all the noise of the world seem insignificant. To say I feel blessed would be a massive understatement.

How About You
What are the communities that mean the most to you? How do they make a difference in your life?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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My New Career Strategy

Today is my birthday. Some people bemoan their birthdays because it means they are getting older. Others don't want to share their age because our society has a "thing" about numbers. 

I'm happy to take as many birthdays as possible.

I'm Going To Live to 100
My Dad used to tell me he was going to live to be 100 years old. He was serious, and for a long time I thought he might make a run at it. How we get from our very first day, through each birthday, and land on our last day is a combination of genes, luck, and hard work.

Since Dad didn't have the chance to hit his magic number, I've decided I need to finish the job for him.

Today I'm just about half way home.

Hard Work
I don't have much control over my genes, or the luck that is (or isn't) headed my way, so I've decided that if I'm going to live that long I need to focus on the hard work part of the equation.

Today begins a new commitment to hard work. A new way to think about fitness and food and sleep and health.

I already enjoy working out, and I am quite disciplined with what I choose to eat. But I haven't been thinking big enough about how far I can go...about how much I can achieve...and how much harder I can push myself.

How About You
Oh, and one more thing. One of the most powerful benefits of my fitness journey so far is the incredible amount of energy I have at work. Think about that for a minute. I'm now making health a central part of my career strategy. Maybe it could be part of yours too.

Now it's go time! Dad, I've got your back.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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The Enemy Inside

"I'm running from the enemy inside..."

I go through periods of time when life seems to be moving so fast, hitting me from every direction, and at a pace that could be considered too much to handle. Some might even think that retreating and shutting down would be a reasonable response.

Except I've recently discovered I'm not wired to let all of that action become a distraction. What happens though is probably not a sustainable response...even by my somewhat skewed  - shall we say 'uptempo' - view of the world.

Overdrive

When life hits me hard...I hit back. It takes a variety of forms ranging from working harder, writing more, working out multiple times per day, eating even more clean than I already do, and thinking bigger about the future.

 

So I've been processing about whether or not my "charge into battle" response makes sense or not. The deeper I go with this...the more I'm realizing that I don't retreat...ever. Candidly, I don't think moving 100 mph every day is necessarily the best plan. Was I always this way?

"...looking for the life I left behind..."

When do my mind and body rest? When do my big plans, punishing workouts, and obsession with every gram of food (literally) get put to the side so I can rest and recharge?

What is the proper response when you are accustomed to handling things in a certain way?

Habits Are Hard to Break

I'm not going to lie. I am absolutely dialed in to going full throttle when challenges come at me. I need to find the balance between an all out epic battle with life; and instead, pivot and use downtime for my mind and body as an intentional strategy.

Always getting fired up about kicking ass when life is in your face may sound cool, but sustaining a constant battle-ready mindset just doesn't work 24/7.

"...these suffocating memories are etched upon my mind..."

How About You

What do you do when life comes at you from all sides. Have you figured out how to take some time each day to collect your thoughts and regroup? Or, is it an all out epic struggle for supremacy?

"....and I can not escape from the enemy inside..."

For me, I love the battle, but I'm going to start integrating some downtime too. It just might help me kick life back even harder than before.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Toxic Sleep

I've spent years working out....and stopping...then starting again. It's not an uncommon cycle for many of us. I tried various strategies, programs and tricks to keep myself motivated. None of them had the staying power to help me move from being a "talker" about fitness to actually becoming committed to my health, until the summer of 2013.

Physical Health Is Not Enough

If you asked me if I knew working out and eating clean were good for me I would obviously answer yes. But if you asked me if I knew how to commit to being healthy I would only recently be able to answer.

That's the funny part. My brain knew the right answer, but I did not fully realize the powerful difference eating clean and regular exercise would make in my life.

For the last fourteen months I've had a different answer when I'm asked about health and fitness. 

Life Is 90% Mental

My transition from knowing I needed to workout, to understanding that I needed to be committed every day has changed me.

Completely.

My world starting moving faster than ever before. Yours may have picked up speed too. Balancing the many hats we wear in life, managing nonstop changes in the workplace, and pushing myself to take on new challenges for the first time in my career all happened during this period of time.

...but I couldn't figure out how to quiet my mind when it was racing with so many thoughts, ideas, and pressures.

...but I couldn't find the right formula to balance my energy for the responsibilities I had to deliver on.

...but I couldn't "do fitness half way" and find any peace.

Peace.

So I went all in. I realized the combination of eating clean, a decent amount of sleep, training at a high level, and pushing myself harder than ever before actually brought a sense of calm I had not experienced in the past. 

Think about that for a moment. My commitment to health actually slows my life down, gives me some control, and brings me peace each day.

How About You

What techniques do you use to quiet your mind? Do the vices in your world include a commitment to building energy through hard work in the gym or at home with a DVD or workout routine? 

Is your network part of your fitness lifestyle? Do you fuel your body to build the energy you will need to be successful? Or, do you allow stress to be a convenient excuse to sit on the couch and make unhealthy choices.

Find some peace today.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Headbanger

As you look at your task list or calendar each day, what goes through your mind? What emotion hits first? Does your competitive side see a challenge; or, does your heart race as you realize it will be nearly impossible to accomplish all of those items in one day? 

DERAILERS

Lately I've been wondering how that first rush of emotion impacts our mindset at work. Is it possible that our style leaves us susceptible to a first impression that will be a derailer on our outlook for two, six, or even twelve hours?

If so, what strategies do you use to counter this load of negativity? Banging your head against the wall may be tempting at this point, but I recommend head-banging for something very different. 

FIND YOUR RHYTHM

I have three approaches for dealing with work, personal, and often times in-my-head stress that can derail me and put me into a bit of a tailspin. These won't work for everyone, but in my world they have made all the difference.

1. Reach out to my network

This may feel a bit awkward, particularly if you're not calling to "talk shop." We can all slip into the "work is stressful can you believe what she said in the office" discussion. I'm talking about opening up...being vulnerable...and letting your network actually offer some perspective.

It's powerful. It's important. It works for me.

2. Workout like a beast

Okay, I realize not everyone is into getting fit. That's okay...life is about choices. For me I need to workout to stay sane. I'm not embellishing here. Exercise has become such an important part of my mental health that I can not go more than a day without it.

It's powerful. It's important. It works for me.

3. Find the music that brings me peace of mind and play it every day 

I don't know too many folks who do not enjoy music. Check out the #HRMusicshare hashtag and you'll find all sorts of people sharing the music that is helping them get through the day. My personal tastes are at the fast and heavy end of the musical spectrum. So what?

It's powerful. It's important. It works for me. 

HOW ABOUT YOU

How do you react when the day ahead looks like a train coming straight for you? Do you give up before you even get started...accepting failure as part of the routine? Or, do you make an intentional decision to do something that works for you?

Rock on friends!

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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