Pep Talk ———— A friend sent me an inspiring comic book clip that read, “So what will this new year bring us...?”
“365 opportunities.”
2019 is out there, waiting for you to grasp it...all you have to do is reach for it. Spread your wings, and fly! There is a common misconception that joy and satisfaction emanate solely from other people, that how we are defined, our self-worth, and how we carry ourselves should be based on the way others view us and what society labels as “success.” There is nobody in this universe that can tell you you’re not good enough, you’re not worthy, or that you’re not beautiful. You do not need your friends, parents, or anyone around you to bring you down or lift you up. All of this energy, it is within. It’s sitting, waiting for you to grab it, and all you have to do is believe — and step. The only person we will ever fight is ourself and our reluctance to do what we know in our hearts is right. Your value comes from who you are, not from what you do. How do you define yourself? Is it by the clothes you wear, the friends you associate with, the sport you play, or your job? It is very easy to get caught up in identifying our value with something temporary, a goal, fame, etc. Becoming fixated in this mentality, and placing your identity in volatile/turbulent nouns can be a recipe for spiritual and emotional disaster. Never let your identity be defined as something as minuscule as a sport or a job. Be a part of something bigger and channel long term energy towards making others lives better. Looking back on 2018, can you tell yourself, “Yes, I gave my absolute best. 100%, dialed in, towards bettering myself and making a difference in others lives?” Self reflection is an effective tool for setting the tone for the new year. Celebrate the victories, congratulate yourself on how far you’ve gotten, new goals you may have accomplished, and all the adventures you’ve taken. Identity areas of improvement, ask yourself the tough questions, “Is my health where I want it to be?, Are my heart and mind in the right place?, Am I doing everything I can with the time I’ve been given?” Learning from our mistakes, observing patterned behavior, and reflecting on decisions made throughout the year is essential and cannot be done without self reflection. Every day, in every way, find a way to get better and better. If you’re not excited about it, it isn’t the right path. People ask the question of wanting to be happy or successful? We all need to get to a position where we are already happy, and can place a singular focus on being the absolute best we can be. Just be hungry, put your head down and hunt. So what is today? A new opportunity to excel, another chance to make a difference, a shot to live out your dreams...a gift. Setting Goals ——— Begin with the end in mind. Such a large focus of our posts is on developing the physical, but more times than not, performance optimization comes from activating the mind first. There are four pillars to being in the “optimum performance state”, or the mental and physical state in which you feel your best, act your best, and have total self-control, regardless of the external environment. When sitting down to set out your goals for 2019, it is important to gain awareness of what actions and decisions bring out your best mental state, and which decisions or conditions detract you from feeling/performing your best. Identifying these keys and barriers to success help to promote efficiency when selecting goals for the new year. An efficient way to outline your goals is to use the four levels of development: spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical, and write down a few things you want to do or be, by the end of the year in each category. Once you have identified each goal, follow it up with a simple one or two line statement about why it is important to you. Having emotional attachment and importance will aid in holding yourself accountable to these goals, even when it gets tough. Lastly, jot down a few notes on how you plan to achieve that goal. Be specific and direct in the steps you’re going to take to make these come to life. Put these somewhere you can see them every morning, and get after it. Taking Relentless Action ——— “Real leaders take matters into their own hands.” “Talk with get you nowhere. Action will get you anywhere.” 2019 won't happen unless YOU make it happen. Below are a few steps you can take every day to set yourself up for success, prevent injury and illness, and come closer to achieving your vision: -Develop a mantra, memorize it, and come to it in challenging times, or times of necessary gratitude. An example could include: “The grind will not give you anything you have not earned.”
-Implement a daily transcendental practice that can be executed first thing in the morning. This can include meditation, breathing exercises, 50 pushups, going for a quick run, etc. For me, it is meditation and breathing.
-Celebrate progressive victories. You don’t have to wait until you hit the jackpot, find the love of your life, or win the national championship to recognize the little wins. After you’ve knocked out your morning practice, let yourself know that you’re doing well. Keep pumping yourself up as the day progresses.
-Elevate the heart rate and stretch every day. It doesn’t have to be a full workout. We all get busy. There are ways to workout in an 8x8 box. Get the blood flowing and stay loose. Your body will thank you. Nothing will work, unless YOU do. Continue to put consistent, committed, and genuine effort into being a better person with every decision you make, and you can NEVER fail. “Get 1% better every day, and in 100 days you will be 100% better.”
Commit. Grind. Fly.