Cut the Crap!

Recently I’ve been mindful of the difference between “wants” and “needs” and in the midst of a declutter, it was amazing (perhaps as I’ve got older) to think how much more you are aware of a) a requirement or b) a ‘want’. 

This process has equated into a reduction of possessions and a desire for more experiences.

Whether this will be more beneficial to having a bigger space or more so to ease decision making in the future we shall see, but it has been liberating. The bigger the declutter, the more you realise that you really don’t need a lot to make you happy – AND it means a) someone one will benefit (eg an old book) or b) you’ll enable yourself to evolve and create more experiences.

The Idea Train…

Where do we start?

An idea, a small idea can blossom, I’ve been writing and learning a lot more recently. I’ve previously feared what do I write?  To whom? about what?

The very existence of this blog originally was to generate a positive window on the world and it will continue to be that – a place where I could share the good news and views & solutions to problems, rather than barriers.

Then I thought will I ever run out of ideas? I shouldn’t have feared that. There is something to be for grateful everyday. Something will happen every day that can remind us of how good the human nature can be. Ideas and good deeds happen all the time, it’s how we allow ourselves to see them & be open to them / failing that – creating it ourselves!

A quite brilliant animation from the team at Headspace (meditation app…check it out) suggested thoughts are like cars…are we chasing them or letting them pass through on the side observing?

Ideas are similar I feel – it may take ages for one to stick, some maybe great, others daft (at first) but the very process of writing down idea & going with the flow is quite liberating.

Have a great evening folks…

👍☀️😀

“Limiting Self-Belief”…

Self Belief…
It’s a challenge for everyone at some point. I have had to manage massive doubts – a lack of confidence, uncertainly, fear of feeling am I good enough?

I think it came from a personal pressure of not having ‘experience’. How could I hold crediability without experience? Eventually, the penny dropped – how do get experience without it?
I found you just learn, apply that learning, repeat. You plan mastery at a topic that excites you, and you never stop learning. I remember the very day I finished Uni, thinking that’s it, my academic learning is complete! How naive that now sounds.
Even now in my 30’s, some experience behind me, I don’t want to fall into that thinking again that learning is done – does anyone ever stop learning? The answer is No! 
It is of no co-incidence I feel, that I the last 24 hours I’ve heard/read from 3 regular different sources of inspiration – Tony Robbins, Darren Hardy & Tim Ferriss discuss how best to conquer “limiting self belief” – So, it made me think reminded once again, what is holding me back, now? How can I do better, now, Where do I want to go, now?
It powerfully reminded me to always stay open to learning and keep going & never give in.
Have a great day folks…

Resting Resting 1 2 3…

Taking stock where you want to go is as good as the delivery of action.

“Rest day”* presented itself with two opportunities…

1) The need to food prep the night before as with the rest of the week could be relaxed AND

2) The mechanical alarm didn’t need to be set

A 9 hour sleep has recharged the batteries ready of the week. By my own admission, I don’t often get more than 6 hours sleep, this works for me but a little more discipline lately has stopped a lot of sofa dozing!

That being said, it’ll be interesting to how those extra hours affect training performance in the coming days…

*Far from sitting on the sofa it’s been actioned packed day 😂, but no training, as such!

Keep going folks and…

#BreakYourBarriers

Change?…Scary?

Changes that you can make can be as big or as small as you make it. It’s often been said the rest is how you react to it.

We are always in a flux of change in some way, our body, our world around us but it is how we react to the things we cannot directly change that is additional key. 

I want to live my life in a way that affects a positive change. How can I be better, how is my time better spent, how am I adding value to where I am and where I want to go,  can I do more, do less and be more aware of my impact?

Notwithstanding the need to be present and enjoy the moment, I want to learn how to better and that shouldn’t be scary…

#BreakYourBarriers

The Fitness Sponge…

The 1.25kg plates, the endless salads, the single Olympic bar…

…All starting points once upon a time (And I will never forget it). Training and knowledge of my chosen sport will continue to evolve, I’ve only just begun. 

We all have a thirst for knowledge in some capacity – the strive to get better, develop new skills, mastery of a subject(s). 

Be like a sponge & keep soaking up as much knowledge as a possible! By all means apply your own practices, this a must to find what works for you BUT never shut out an opportunity to learn and grow from those that have been there before you…

🙌💪

#BreakYourBarriers

5/6/7/8am Steps to Success

Step to it! (Yes I grew up in the 90’s/2000’s – BUT no I haven’t got a reunion tour ticket)

I’m talking about how people start their day…

I’ve been taking onboard lots of differing opinions of what folks go for in the mornings to start their day, successful business people, athletes etc.

There are some common traits around meditation and training. I am fascinated by what makes people tick. I learn and grow by listening, reading, and whilst I want to find my own ways and routines, there is a reason why so many do the aforementioned.

But going deeper, why do they do it? What is their goal – that is the real fascination for me – how does it set them up for the day, how does it the affect their approach after –  I have felt some real benefit to using meditation without it having a long term goal at the moment, enjoy being present – I’d imagine that’s beauty right there – as with life / it will continue to evolve…

I’m currently mixing pure silence, classical music and Headspace. 

See where this goes..

The 200 in 1 Book…

It was meant to be so well timed. A book a month, a commitment to self improvement, an obsorbing period learning from a host of authors….And I’m still on March’s text. And I am thrilled that is the case…

Why? Because the book in question is Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss – The review was supposed to be fully published on here by now, but there’s good reason it isn’t! (other than the enlightening 600 page chest of insights into some of the greatest minds living today from his 200 and counting podcast series) The value this success bible brings to the reader is the seemingly endlesss of feeds into the minds of those that Tim interviews…

Without developing into the full blown review, the glory of the book thus far is that it draws you to a) instinctively long to know more about the interviewee – The quickest way is to start loading your device with their full podcast interviews, which will more than likely be well over an hour and half of rich content b) you subsequently subscribe to Tim’s show if you aren’t already (it’s that damn good!) and c) it nudges you in all different directions – books, podcasts, articles & leading to further insights of those that were interviewed for the show in the first place (e.g. I now subscribe to The James Altucher Show, via iTunes, regularly read his excellent articles on LinkedIn & his ‘Choose Yourself’ book is now on my list this year….

…if I ever finish Tools of Titans 😉

I’m delighted to be reading such a valuable text – one in which I already know I will be refer back to for inspiration. So one book has created hours of food for thought and open up more doors than I could possibly imagine, in little over a few weeks…

To be continued!!

The Extra 1/5/10%…

How much further can we go? How far do we want to go, or even allow for?

The desire to push and break new ground in many areas of our lives is often encouraged, it’s the type of structure which enables us to grow, to explore and discover new possibilities.

Once thing that can be said, is that no matter of the goal we set out to achieve, how far we can go is down to one person – YOU.

The question is how much can we and should we apply to achieve this goal.

I’d love to deadlift 125kg – I’m not going to get there today, but slowly and surely, over a scheduled timeframe I’ll do it – pushing an extra 10% would possibly lead injury today, but an extra rep in the right direction consistently will change the game over time…

Whatever it is, decide the timeframe, where you can provide that extra % and put your all in, you’ll surprise yourself, EVERY day.

It’s down to you…

#BreakYourBarriers

To do vs To Schedule…The Time Changer…

It was brought to my attention recently by the GREAT author & Success mentor, Darren Hardy,  via his early morning video caffeine shot ‘Darren Daily‘, to rethink my ‘to do listing’.

I’ve created a habit at work to allocate time rather than to-do’s which has worked extremely to this point, but Darren’s advice went further for me.

 I’m a big one for the creation of habits into a routine with a positive end objective, it jumpstarts me out of bed – but instead of a mountain of to-do’s which inevitably get longer throughout the day / week – switch it up to scheduling time! Easy to do – Just allocate everything – it’s incredible how much more productive the days have become, it can be as specific or generic as you need to be – but it’s a success filled day as a result, overestimating helps at the beginning too, but I would highly recommend it, so I had to share it!
Have a great day folks!