Reprogram Yourself

I never knew I was a techie.  I didn’t think of myself as an overly geeky guy, I just knew how to do a few things that involved modems, and internet connectivity from when I was a cable installer years ago.  Turns out I’m quite gifted at a lot of technical stuff, not as much as some, but I know enough to at least understand what mega-nerds are talking about.  I can even program my VCR (what’s a VCR?) and more interestingly, I can program ….myself.

It’s interesting when you start actively engaging your mind.  I get into a habit of challenging my mind to change the way I feel about certain things I experience.  If you re-associate different emotions during the performance of actions they can take on that different sensory experience.  This will create all new worlds for you as you experience them. 

This can have positive ramifications as well as negative.  For example, a restaurant patron eats his favorite meal, and then ends up with food poisoning.  For a long time he may never eat that meal again because the emotional imprint left in his memory will have his stomach turn every time the food is mentioned.

This can sometimes work against you but it can also be used as a tool to aid you.  This tactic is related to a previous blog I wrote about Playing Games to become more productive.  It’s all about perception, and you can take it even further.

We have so much mental programming in our heads that most of life is lived subconsciously.  Statistics have shown that in a given day we only perform our daily tasks with about 5% of our conscious mind.  Think of it as a good thing.  For instance, we don’t have to take conscious effort to make our hearts beat, stomachs digest, to blink our eyes or to even breathe.

Can you imagine how exhausted you would feel if for every function of life you had to consciously make a decision to take a step, say each and every word?  What if you got distracted and forgot to make your heart beat or expand your lungs to breathe?  I’ve got ADD, I’ve have been dead long ago. 

We are highly sophisticated computers, ultimately. We have thousands of preset filters, behaviors, beliefs and constructs that reside below our conscious level that dictate a lot of our daily lives.  The power of controlling the direction of your life rests in your ability to program your subconscious thoughts to work in the way that’s most beneficial to your goals.

When you apply yourself there’s nothing too far out of reach for.  You are only limited by your own mind and what you belief you can do.  I’ve learned this truth over the past few months.

In just a short time, I started reprogramming myself.  I became more effective at making moves both consciously and subconsciously to become more who I want to be.   

These are just some of the ways I’ve made my programming work for me.

• Waking at 5 a.m. giving me more time to complete tasks
• Exercising 5 hours a week
• Lost 25lbs. (so far)
• Started this blog
• Began public speaking and lecturing
• Gotten more disciplined and organized.

Look at the ways you can improve yourself through your own reprogramming, then start making one change at a time.  Just one is all that it takes to make a world of difference.

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit" -Aristotle

Why You Want to Fail

Don’t tell anyone, but, years ago I was a -gulp- telemarketer.  I was in telesales.  I called you during dinner and interrupted prime time television to sell you something you didn’t know that you didn’t need. 

What’s worse?  I was good at it.  I was a huge success, and was pulling down big commissions.  I was getting paid more than all the other telemarketers around me.  (We kept our sales stats on a whiteboard as we worked.)  How did I do so well?  I had to fail… a lot. 

Columbus failed to find a western route to the Indies.  Thomas Edison had over 10,000 attempts that failed before he invented the light bulb.  Walt Disney went bankrupt in making his first cartoon production.  Each of these men were met with astounding failure, (Edison repeatedly) before reaching the height of their success.    

In life you’re going to fail.  If you ever attempt to do something worthwhile, you’re going to fail a lot.  Every road to success is paved in failures, but every one is a chance to learn from the mistakes and refine your methods making you a better version of yourself.   

Making mistakes is the means of great innovation.  With every “No” you’re a single set closer to making a “Yes”.  Sales people look at statistics.  If one in every hundred people says “Yes” to a sale, then how quickly do they want to fail 99 times?  I’d say as quickly as possible. 

Back in the phone-farm (as I called it) it was a simple principle.  The more calls I make the better my sales will be.  I would fly as quickly as I could through my screens to get to the point where I’d get a bite or hung up on.  Then press on.  It kept the time moving and the paycheck heavy. 

I’m not suggesting you go out and be reckless in pursuit of your goals.  If you aren’t going to bring your “A” game then don’t show up until you’re ready.  However, know that you aren’t always going to succeed at everything you do. 

You can build failure into your plan.  If it’s expected there’s no reason to fear it.  It’s going to happen, get over it and anticipate it.  Then learn the lesson and move on. 

This is how to fail your way to success. 

If you’re wondering, I eventually walked out of the telemarketing position.  The self loathing I felt for myself crushed my heart and soul I couldn’t do a job that I hated.  No amount of money is worth the feeling that I eventually developed in doing that.  But that’s for another blog.

Simple Fitness: How to Start Exercising

When you are first getting started with exercise it’s important to start off with the basics.  You’re likely out of shape and if you try and start to aggressively with your exercise program you will run the risk of injury.

I suggest doing what I have done this past week.  Just start walking.  Months ago before it got cold I was walking nearly everyday and I had gotten up to 5 miles or more a day, but the cold set in and I stopped then I lost track of exercise and am just now getting back into it. 

So, this past week I started walking again.  I started off pretty light.  I walked 2 miles in the morning before work 3 days last week.  Start by taking a 30-45 minutes out of you schedule and take a walk, it’s good exercise and a great chance to unwind and clear your head.  Walk as far as you can in half the time you set aside and then turn around and walk back.  As you get used to the routine walk a little further to continue to push yourself and you will progress your fitness greatly.

This week, I’ll push a little more and walk a little further.  The point is to keep pushing your limits and continuing to advance your exercise regimen to advance your health.  I have looked into the caloric expense of walking for an hour at MyFitnessPal and at my size/age/health level walking for an hour at 3 mph burns over 400 calories which is about the same calorie count as I consume in a meal. 

In addition to walking, I’ve been sticking to a simple diet and limiting myself to 2080 calories per day.  I consistently keep my carb intake low as well and all this has allowed me to knock off 5lbs (Down to 280 lbs!) so far.  All and all it’s been pretty easy so far.  

If You Find Me...

"To whom it may Concern;

I am chronically human.  If the following signs are observed, I am not emotionally disturbed or dying:

• If you find me stumbling and falling, I may just be trying something new – I am learning.

• If you find me sad it may be that I’ve just realized that I have been fooling myself and making the same stupid mistakes over and over again -- I am exploring.

• If you find me terribly frightened, I may just be in a new situation – I am reaching out.

• If you find me crying, it may be because I failed – I am trying.

• If you find me very quiet, it may be that I am planning –I will try again.

• If you find me angry, I may have just discovered that I was not really trying – I am erring.

• If you find me with a strange self-satisfied smile, I may have just discovered that I have everything I need for growing – I am knowing.

• If you find me ecstatically happy, I may have finally succeeded – I am growing. 

These are life signs of beings of my nature.  If prolonged absence of the above indicators is observed, do not perform an autopsy without first providing a fertile opportunity for life to emerge. "

This is from Personal Achievement Skills Training, at the Arkansas Rehabilitation Research and Training Center at the University of Arkansas.  I thought it captured a certain openness of the emotional human condition.  I had to share.  

How Playing Can Make you More Productive.

My daughter is six years old.  She’s got tons of energy she’s always playing, running and jumping.  As soon as she’s asked to do something she doesn’t want to do she’s too tired.  She sounds pretty childish, right?  But adults do this all the time. 

On a beautiful sunny Saturday afternoon, you’ve worked hard all week and you know that there’s a lawn that needs mowing. But you’re just too tired because you worked hard all week and just need to relax. You’ll mow tomorrow, right?  But when you buddy calls telling you he wants to put together a pick up game of basketball you’re up and out the door.  Why? 

Because playing breathes new life into us.   We draw greater energy for playing than we do for labor.   The keys are amusement, lightheartedness, and challenge.

There’s so much resistance to do work because we’re tired. But it’s because we’re thinking about things the wrong way.  Have you ever wondered why sales departments hold contests for highest sales, and other businesses hold competitions for performance.  

A long time ago, someone figured out if you make it a game you get better results.  People get psyched about playing games and competing.  They bring more from inside themselves if they are excited about what they are doing.

It’s all in how you view what you’re doing.  If you change how you view required tasks it will alter your performance. 

If you are a filing clerk, see if you can file all the files in that bin in the next 15 minutes.  If you a part of a sales team, see which team member can sell more in a day.  If you are an executive challenge yourself to complete as much of your “To Do List” before lunch as possible. 

Anything that you can do to make your day more playful will transform the grudgingly difficult work into a game.  Take it less seriously.  Become more childish. 

Goal achieving can become a game too.  The goals of our lives are set on the back of smaller achievements and each is accomplished one at a time.  If you challenge yourself in a playful way to achieve the tasks that get you to your goals, getting there will be faster and also more fun. 

When my daughter resists cleaning her room or doing other chores, I’m always quick to make it a game.  I challenge her to timed trials, or a race to see if she can beat me to complete it.  She gets to have fun and the gets the job done.  

Apply this mentality to your workday and see what fun you can have accomplishing more.  Life's a big game anyway.  

Have fun!

The Simple Guide to Dieting

I’ve always wanted to get down to the basics in my life.  I know it doesn’t have to be complicated.  I’m a simple kind of man.  So, as things go, in conjunction with resolutions to be a better kind of man, comes being a healthier and thinner man.  (Less of me is simpler, right?) 

I didn’t become a large man by using my resolve to deny food in the past.  I need structure to do it.  I will strive to be more active, but will power alone, I have to accept, will not always achieve the desired results. 

Fad plans and structure programs are fine but they can be to complex.  Eat this, not that lists, Atkins, South Beach… it’s all too complicated to try and keep up with. 

The problem with them is that they don’t account for reality.  For instance, tell a 5 year old little girl, who is holding out a piece of birthday cake, you can’t eat it because it has too many Weight Watcher points and you’ll have to skip dinner tonight if you eat it. 

I’ve had great amounts of weight loss in my past, and I owe it all to a strategy that’s not too complex.  Watching what I put in my mouth and journaling it.

I’ve had a lot of success at counting calories because no matter which philosophy you follow be it carbs, sugars, or points counting.  My doctor gave it to me straight.  It’s about calories in calories out. 

Weight loss is about expending more calories than you take in.   It is that simple.

So I have help using MyFitnessPal because I can log on and journal my food which keeps track of my calories consumed and burned.  They offer an app for my iPhone so that I can be anywhere and just add it to my diary. They give me an option to check in on my weight so I can chart my progress.  It’s very helpful.

Weight loss doesn’t have to be some new fad plan.  If you start to count calories and be conscientious about what you eat you’ll be surprised at your own behavior, but you’ll also be surprised about how much weight you’ll lose. 

It’s as easy as watching what you eat and being consistent.  Truly the least complex way to diet and exercise is to just journal it. 

As a part of my dieting I will let you know how this continues to go for me.  This week I weighed in at 285 pounds.  I’ll make regular posts concerning weight loss and my progress so stay tuned.   

Job Loss Survival Plan

At some point or another we’ve all experienced a job loss.  With the economy being in the state that it is and unemployment at an all time high, it’s likely that you or someone you know is in threat of losing a job.

This can be a traumatic experience, because we closely identify who we are in large part by what we do for a living.  It’s the first thing we ask other who we’re just meeting, and tends be how we define and rank ourselves in society.  

We put so much pressure on ourselves about our work that anxiety and depression related to job loss is common.  To keep anything like that from happening I have outlined some steps below to aid in surviving the transition from newly unemployed to successfully hired.

Don’t Panic - Apply for Benefits 

It’s important to keep your head straight as this separation is occurring.  The shock of learning that you’ve been terminated from your job may cause you to overreact.  Keep a level mind and immediately apply for benefits.  Remember, every state has benefits for the newly unemployed.  Check the laws in your state about how to apply for benefits that will cushion your fall as you transition between jobs.

Go Through the Grieving Process

You’ve put a large portion of your time, energy, and emotions into your work, and now it’s gone.  You have spent time with co-workers, bonding and building relationships that going to break apart.  No one expects you to take this lightly.  It’s alright to morn the loss of the routine and familiar.  It’s completely natural.  Express the emotions to friends or family and let them be a shoulder for you during this tough time.

Empathize with Your Former Employer

It’s very important not to harbor resentment toward your former employer.  Begin letting negative emotions go because bitterness, and anger kept inside of you can damage your future employment opportunities.  No potential boss wants to hear about how awful your former employer was because you might eventually say the same thing about them. 

Put yourself in the position of your former boss.  It was likely a “numbers game” and had nothing to do with you personally.  Times change and they had little choice in the matter. 

They must feel awful for eliminating your position but decisions have to be made.  Keep an amicable relationship with your former employer if possible because you never know what the future might bring.

Don’t Question Your Worth

I’ve mentioned this above but it’s worth restating.  You’re going to go through questions of your own value.   Remember that it wasn’t easy to let you go.  You provide value to a company through the work you do. 

Remember that there’s more to life than your job. You also have family, friends and a life to lead when not working.  Those are the things make you a valued person not the job you do to earn a living.

Remain Positive

A negative view is dangerous because it will permeate to every area of your life.  Keep a positive outlook and a good disposition.  No one wants to hire someone who’s harboring apparent negativity about their former jobs. 

Ask Yourself “What’s Next?”  - Catalyst for Change

Perhaps it’s time for a change of pace?  Consider the possibilities of going back to school or changing careers.  If you were employed in an industry that is going through mass layoffs, the economy may be going through a transition with limited employment options. Competition is going to be stiff.  The time might be right to continue your education or change career paths all together.  Search your soul.  This opportunity might be right to pursue new unexplored options.

Cut Down on Creature Comforts

Until you regain a job it might be necessary to cut back on the little luxuries in your budget.  Reduce the amount of spending you do until you know for sure where the mortgage payment is coming from next month.  It’s time to be cautious and frugal. 

Think of this sudden change as opportunity.  It’s a fork in the road full of options.  You will press on and thrive.  Take from the experience what lessons you can and stay optimistic.  The only thing that stays the same is that everything always changes.  

5 Thoughts to Improve Your Luck

So we’re starting out the New Year right.  We’re focusing on feeling and living better.  Cutting out the excess stress in our lives are all apart of that.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you had a little more luck this year too? 

I find myself to be a very lucky person.  Now, of course, I don’t win all the time at gambling and I’ve never stumbled over large duffel bags of unmarked cash or anything like that.  I’m referring to the natural tendency to have good things happen to me, having the life I want, and having it feel accidental at times.

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Luck is believing you're lucky. - Tennessee Williams
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Belief that you are lucky makes you alert to the opportunities.  Studies have shown that those who think they are lucky tend to have experiences that make them feel luckier. This

research shows lucky people exhibit some common traits which I’ve listed below.  Take on some of these traits and watch you’re luck skyrocket.

Risk trying new things

Lucky people are more apt to try new things, giving them new chances to create fortunate opportunities.  By continuously subjecting themselves to new situations they create more and more chances for good things to happen.

Intuition

Lucky people are more intuitive.  They feel their way through situations without over thinking them and live their lives making decisions on instinct.  Listen to the little voice inside you, and feel your way through certain decisions.  Don’t let fear cause you to shut the door on opportunities for fear of the outcome. 

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I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it. - Thomas Jefferson

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Diligence

The more time one spends in preparation for a task the better they will be in its performance.  It’s easy to see actors and musicians on stage and think they had it easy getting to the top and therefore they must be luckier people.  But we don’t see the work and effort they put into getting where they are today.  Sometimes having the best luck is just being as ready as you can be when the opportunity presents itself. 

Generosity

This is a common trait of lucky people.  Lucky people are more giving of their time and money and this opens them up to the possibilities of also receiving good fortune in return.  They’re generosity puts them in front of new people who can open new doors to them. This gives them greater chances for enhancing their good fortune.

Positive Disposition

People who have better luck are likely to shrug off moments of misfortune easier and move beyond it faster than those who do not. They also tend to take steps to improve their condition on their own and don’t spend time suffering from their pasts.  Keeping a good attitude also makes lucky people attractive to others and this creates greater networking opportunities. 

A lucky person is merely a person who meets at the crossroads of circumstance and opportunity with the best possible attitude.  You too can be lucky. If you change your thoughts, you will change your luck.

The Investment of a Life Time

A dad, one evening rested into an easy chair with a new book on investing.  Hardly a few pages in, his daughter bounded into the room and stopped at his side.

“Daddy, will you read to me?” she asked in a precious tiny voice.

He looked at his book, which promised life long wealth, and then the book tucked under his daughter’s arms, The Velveteen Rabbit. 

“Hop up here sweetheart, and let’s find out what The Velveteen Rabbit is up to.” 

Giving occasionally means putting your own desires aside for the desires of others.  This father realized that the time he spent investing into his daughter would pay a higher reward than the time spent reading his book. 

Seek the simple rewards in life, they pay higher dividends.  

Top 11 New Year's Resolutions of 2011.

Happy New Year, my friends!

As self improvement goes, New Year's Resolutions are the greatest time for change. As a culture there’s a lot of talk about resolutions because they can be a clean start, allowing us to make better use of our time and energy in the coming year.  To kick off this wonderful clean slate, below I've listed the Flip Flop Philosophy Top 11 Resolutions of 2011.

11.  Lose Weight/Bulk Up- Battle the bulge or beef it up. Just feel better about being you, now.

10.  Better Job- Get that promotion or get out of Dodge, Chrysler or General Motors.  

9.   Save Money- Build up that nest egg.

8.   Reduce/Eliminate Debt- It's hard to feel at peace when the bill collectors call during  meditation. Get you debt under control.

7.    Break the habit- Cut out the addictions be it tobacco, alcohol, caffeine or PCP 

6.    Learn Something New- Knowledge is personal power. Take an opportunity to grow.

5.    Enjoy Life More- We work to live, not live to work.  Work less, have more fun.

4.    Stress Less- In the immortal words of Bobby McFerrin, "Don't Worry, Be Happy.".

3.    Get Organized- Simplicity is the best philosophy. Get rid of the excess and continue from there

2.    Volunteer- Giving your time is the most precious gift to give because it's limited.

The #1 resolution of 2011 is... (Drum roll)

 1.    Leave a Legacy- Our impacts on others will eventually be the story of our lives. Make sure that in every action you are authoring the best story possible

*** I want to thank a great friend of mine, Andy Buth, for teaching me the importance of leaving a legacy.  He lived his life pursuing his dreams.  He overcame all obstacles to be where he wanted in life, and it took him to the most remote places on Earth.  Unfortunately, Andy died a few months ago but what remains are his loved ones and the legacy he left behind.  "Live Fully".  God rest him and look over his family. ***