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Are you missing these subtle hints from your body? Simple wisdom for higher achievement.

A little Simple wisdom for the morning -
 When walking for a long time while carrying a heavy load sometimes people feel a little pain or "Hot Spot" on their feet.  That the pain in your foot might soon lead to a blister.  That blister will hurt and make the walking all that more painful.

9 times out of 10 though people will just keep walking - head down and suffering.  WHY? 

Stop and treat it. 

Don't get sucked into just "pushing through the pain" - The pain is going to come anyways, in one way, shape or form.  Why add to it when you can simply just stop and treat it.

Take this simple example into any other area of our life. I think we too often "push" our way through life, not listening to the subtle hints that our bodies tell us. We GO, GO, GO, trying to reach the imaginary finish line rather than just enjoy some of the moments along the way.

Take an extra second today to LISTEN to your body, your loved ones or your coworkers and see if there is a way you can STOP and "TREAT" something that needs your attention...as you might just be racing too hard for that finish line.

What simple tips do you have to share?  What's effective for you?  I want to know, so share in the comments section below.

Have a spectacular day.

As always, I welcome any comments and thoughts. If you are finding "The 365" interesting come say hi on Twitter @the365effect and share this blog with others.

365 Days to Change your life - A small amount of time for a lifetime of learning

More and more people are now starting to ask "what is The 365 Effect"?

How did you come up with it? What has it done for you? Why are you doing this? How does it work? All good questions so I thought I would answer a few of them.

Let's start with the WHAT? "The 365 Effect" is a customizable blueprint that YOU create, follow and honor over 365 days. It focuses on an area of your life that you want to change and consists of 4 commitments that you make to yourself and want to focus your life on. These commitments can be in relation to your job, your finances, your health, your relationships, your golf game, whatever? It's the CHANGE that you want to make.  It's your Life and your "The 365 Effect"......  Let's expand on this a bit.

"The 365 Effect" is a framework which individuals adapt and custom design based on their own specific goals and objectives. It's a self directed blueprint for achieving personal success on your own terms. "The 365 Effect" is easily adaptable for businesses, couples, families or  groups wanting to achieve some sort of change in their lives. "The 365 Effect" at its core is an individual committing to 4 things that they will follow through with for 365 days. 

My "accidental" first "The 365 Effect" back in 2009 was this:
 
My Change Goal - Get in the best shape of my life (mentally, physically and emotionally) for when I turned 40yrs old (July of 2009)

My 4 commitments:
1) Not drinking any alcohol
2) Not eating any junk food
3) Not eating after 8:30pm
4) Exercising with high intensity 5 times a week.

Like any other "program, training system, course etc", "The 365 Effect" is a process and it consists of steps and strategies that guide you to its completion. What is singularly unique about "The 365 Effect" however is its time commitment. It is 365 days. No more, no less. The commitment is fixed, the variables are not. It is up to you to craft your own specific "The 365 Effect" plan and adapt it to your life challenges, goals and directions. I can help anyone do this and the viral and community aspect of "The 365 Effect" also helps in this process.

So what the heck does this mean?

OK, you have a basic understanding of what "The 365" is but what does this mean to you? Chances are that if you are reading this blog you either know me, have been referred to it by someone or even better yet, the word is spreading and Viola...viral success has been achieved. 

Also, if you are reading this, then it is most likely because the thought of making some changes in your life is appealing to you. You're probably in a place in your life where you NEED some type of change. You may not know what that change is yet , but you're "feeling" like it has to happen or at least you're "open" to exploring what this change could be.

This is what "The 365 Effect" can mean to you. This is the "So What". Here is your chance to explore, question and pinpoint areas in your life that you are willing to direct a years worth of time into. 

Simple right?  

It is all good and easy to say all this stuff, but without some sort of plan, support system, knowledge base and guidance, it is all for naught. So here's the "Now What".

First off pat yourself of the back for getting this far. I am serious. We all spend way to much time recognizing the achievements of others rather than giving props to ourselves now and then. So when I say give yourself a pat on the back I mean acknowledge yourself for getting this far. Look at your life a little bit and instead of looking at all the negatives, take a little while to look at the positives. You may have not won a Nobel Peace Prize but I am 100% sure that somewhere in your past you have inspired, delighted or made another persons life better by the way you have interacted with them. 

You've achieved "Greatness" in one way, shape or form. It's the degrees in which we measure these successes where people get all messed up. I want you to acknowledge the fact that a simple act of kindness can mean more to someone that any global or financial achievement that the "Media" may deem noteworthy. So once you have stopped patting yourself on the back the next step will be to start figuring out what 4 commitments you might entertain honoring for an entire year. 

The Big Question - "What is it about my life that I want to change"?  
  
If your 4 commitments aren't immediately clear to you I suggest you try out this method.  

Step 1: Start by first asking yourself this question - "What is it about my life that I want to change".   

Here is the key though - ask that question in this specific way - For 7 Days and at "5 ceremonial times a day" (a ceremonial time is one that you do everyday - brush teeth, get into your car, eat lunch etc) simply ask yourself the question and write down immediately what comes into your head.  Don't judge, question or react to the answer, simply write it down and move on with your day.  

Step 2: After 7 days of doing this, then take some serious time to look at your 35 answers to the "What is it about my life that I want to change" question.  The data you collect is unbiased, honest and current with who you are and up to date with really what it is you want to change.

Step 3: The answers you get from the data become the foundation for your 4 Commitments that you choose to honor for the year.  Start working out your commitments while keeping in mind the S.A.M. principle and then 3...2...1... GO. start your "The 365 Effect".

Lots to think about... If you get stuck, have any thoughts or just want to share this with others Tweet the link, post to your Facebook and as always comment below. 

If you are finding "The 365 Effect" interesting say hi to me on Twitter @the365effect and share the effect with others.

Ambition killers - 5 goal destroying distractions to avoid at all costs

How many of you wake up rip, roaring and ready to take on the world?  You spring out of bed, rush through your morning ablutions and feel ready to get at er... and then WHAM..

Your first call of the day comes in...

You look at your emails and they're like bunnies multiplying on a spring day...

Your phone is blowing up with text messages...

Your kids, wife, Mom, Dad or coworkers are excited to see you and to be in your greatness, trouble is they WANT you... NOW.

Do you see a pattern or trend occurring here?  Of course you do because at times you're the one living it.

Here are 5 Goal Destroying Distractions that are sure to sap away at your ambition.  How many corrupt you each day?

1) The Internet -  It's the biggest time waster ever invented.  It grabs you by the eyeballs and sucks you in.  It can take you to places you never imagined as well as destroy any hope of meeting a deadline.  It's heroin for the non-drug user.
     - Helpful Tip - Turn it off.  If you absolutely don't need it to accomplish your current task then shut the darn thing off.

2) Clutter - Taking a page from comedian Jeff Foxworthy - If your Inbox is flowing into your Outbox - you might be a Clutterneck.  If your office looks like it's ready for the next episode of "Hoarders" - you might be a Clutterneck.  If your desk looks more like a "Office Depot" 50% off sale - then you might be a Clutterneck.
     - Helpful Tip - Clean yourself the heck up.  Remove everything and find a clean, tidy place for it.  Stick to one project at a time on your workspace.  Too many "shiny bits" in front of you or in your line of sight are sure to distract.

3) Noise - It's everywhere.  The "Chatty Cathy" in the cubical next to you or the constant sound of the Barista brewing the next 1/2 cafe Moccachino.  Noise is one of the worst distractions out there.
     - Helpful Tip - Choose music to play in your headphones or over your home system that is without lyrics. The lyrics make you want to join in and sing along and that can kill your train of thought.  As my wife loves to do you can also just put your headphones in without anything playing in them.  It makes you look like you are listening to something and appear less likely to want to join in any distracting conversations or interactions

4) Loved Ones - Yup...  Those amazing people who make it all worthwhile.  Your wife, kids, friends and even co-workers - they're deadly Ninjas who come in and toss throwing stars into your productivity.  You don't want to interact with them but they are so convincing and stealthy that you can't resist.
     - Helpful Tip - Set boundaries.  You can't shut yourself into a room for 8 hours at a time and expect to be productive.  Most people are only good on any project for a maximum of 2 hours at a time anyways.  Set a boundary and let them know that you are not to be interrupted for the next 2 hours.  Meet that goal and then go get some love, let them refresh you and pump you up for another 2 hour block to come. 

5) Cell Phone - Possibly the biggest baddest wolf of them all.  It beeps, it rings, it sings and it vibrates, all the while taking your attention off what you really need to be doing.  Do you really need to respond instantly to every one's whim and request?  Turn it off and be done with it while you are in that focus time.
     - Helpful Tip - If you have voicemail let people know that you rarely check it and respond much quicker to a text message so please send one rather than a voicemail.  If you can't quite get the hang of turning your phone off completely then make sure that your all important "emergency contact" (your wife or husband etc) has a unique ring tone.  Make it stand out so you know that out of all the calls to take, this one is a must.

As always, I welcome any comments and thoughts. Share some thoughts on your best tips for beating the distractions in your life.  If you are finding "The 365" interesting say hi on Twitter @the365effect and share this blog with others.

Taking a "Bite" sized chuck of life each day - Don't let it eat you.

Do you wake up with the intention of taking the world by storm?  Do you say your daily affirmations the moment you get out of bed?  Do you recite in your head all the positive "Self Talk" that is supposed to make a difference?  How do you prepare to meet the your day?

Crazy isn't it.  I am asking you; how many of you prepare to meet the day!  Sounds super simple; Right!   But how many of you actually prepare for your day and I mean cognitively prepare, plan or create a mindset for meeting the day before its gone?

The days go by quickly and we often reach the end of the day looking back and saying "Where did it go?"  Often we crawl into bed for that too brief respite, head filled with thoughts of all the things we didn't do, rather than a quiet, calm and fulfilled mind.  

We also forget that we can't get a day back.  Once your head hits the pillow and you wake up, it's gone - forever banished to the memory bank or just simply gone.  It's up to you to ensure you have made the most of it. But how?  You have to prepare.  Try this and take one simple step towards taking a bite of life each day - whether that's a nibble, a gnaw, a chomp or even a slurp.

Just as your head hits the pillow or the moment after you hit your snooze button the next morning visualize taking a bite out of an apple.  Simply SEE in your mind yourself taking a bite out of a red, green or apple color of your choice.  When you take that bite associate it with taking a "Bite of life".  Make the mental connection and that's it.... all you need to do then during the course of the day is to find one moment to realize that "Bite of the apple".  That "BITE OF LIFE".

Do something new - walk a different way to work, read a different section of the news, say hi to someone new, drop change into a beggars cup, try the special for lunch, ask your boss for advice, poke your head into the yoga studio, sit on a spin bike, learn a new joke.... the situations are endless and without limit.  The most important thing to remember though is to associate it with "taking that Bite of Life".

The connection is unbelievably powerful in your subconscious mind and will lead you to having experiences you might never of had before. 

Have an amazing day.

As always, I welcome any comments and thoughts. If you are finding "The 365" interesting come say hi on Twitter @the365effect and share this blog with others.

A New Year but is it a New you? Be who YOU want to be!

A couple of different thoughts for you to think about as you kick off the New Year.

If you are one of the millions of people who have set out to "CHANGE" an aspect of your life this year then - CONGRATULATIONS -  Way to go!
Cheers to you and good luck in 2013.

While thinking about that new road that you're on, here are just a few simple thoughts to keep in mind.



1) Don't be one of the people who "talks about it" - BE about it - be your change this year and BE and example for others.
     - Show others you can do it.  Be an example for them and let your success rub off on them so everyone can be part of your journey.  Success breeds success.....surround yourself with it.

2) - Remember to question yourself constantly.  If you don't who will? 
     - The QUALITY of the questions you ask yourself, dictate the QUALITY of your life. I can't say this enough and it's as simple as looking yourself in the mirror as soon as you get up in the morning and saying to yourself "What will you do today to be successful"? -  It's that simple - Look yourself in the eye and ask the question and give an answer.  Give ONE answer and make sure you execute on it during the day.  Viola - Success.  Is that really so hard?  Is that too much to ask yourself?

3) - Simplify! 
     - If I can leave you with just 1 thing at the end of this year it is this - Keep your goals and objectives simple.  Make them simple! Make them small!  Craft them with success in mind not with the end goal in mind.  Example - "I will lose 30 pounds by summer" - Instead try "I will learn about what foods are best for my body and I will increase the consumption of those quality foods VS the ones that don't serve me".   The underlying goal of wanting to look better, feel better and live healthier is still there but the Tone, Look and Execution of the goal is more powerful and simpler in the second example.  If you make the choice to honor your goal of identifying the good foods VS the bad foods and simply make 1 choice a day you have honored your GOAL. 

Remember - Success breeds Success and you are building the mental advantage by achieving everyday.  Each day builds on the next and pretty soon you have months of success behind you that will fuel and inspire you through the "dark times".

Have an amazing, safe and joyful New Years and I wish all of you the best in 2013 - it's going to be a fantastic year.

As always, I welcome any comments and thoughts. If you are finding "The 365" interesting come say hi on Twitter @the365effect and share this blog with others.

What are you really Thinking, Saying and Doing? - 3 Pillars for living a more productive life.

Ok, So you want to live a better life.  Who doesn't?  The trick though, is to make sure you have a plan as well as a solid foundation for living that better life.

Too often, people set out on the road to change with great intentions only to be found discarded, spent and used up on the roadside covered in skid marks caused by the people who had a plan (think of all the "lose weight now fad diet sellers", "gym club membership sales teams",  "ShamWOW salesmen").  These people had a plan - GET YOUR MONEY!  How about you?  How are you going to insure success in your latest chapter of life?
A good start might be with thinking about how these 3 Pillars - Think, Say and Do can help you to build your success foundation.

Here is the formula to remember:
What you Think + What you Say + What you Do = Success (as long as they are all aligned and working in harmony).


Here is a quick little test that you can do in less than 5 minutes.  Get out your trusty Moleskin notebook (I never leave home without mine).

Step 1: Write down on one page of your notebook your next challenge, goal or intention that you want to achieve and keep that firmly held in your mindset.

Step 2: Ask yourself this question. Are what I THINK, what I SAY and what I DO in alignment with this particular objective? 

Step 3: On the opposite page to your objective split it into 3 sections and title each section "Think", then Say, then DO.

Step 4: Write in what you are Thinking, Saying and Doing towards achieving your goal and be BRUTALLY HONEST with yourself.  The key to this exercise is you must not say what you "intend" to do as you've been doing that your whole life, "I intend to do this, I intend to do that".   That cycle doesn't serve you but cripples you and doesn't help you reach your goals.  In this exercise you simply write down what you are actually thinking, saying and doing.

Here is a quick example -
GOAL - write a blog post about "X" everyday.

THINK - All the titles for upcoming posts, People who will read them, Expanding my reach, Gaining more followers, How my platform will increase with a successful blog

SAY - I tell people I write, I am all over the place with what I focus on, My self talk in my head is defeating, I share my "idea nuggets" before they are fully formed

DO - I start multiple projects at once, I surf the net instead of write, I stay up to late making me tired in the morning, I sporadically write, Network with like minded folks across social streams.

When you're finished take a look at the 3 pillars and ask yourself if they are in alignment.  What is out of sorts? If you are thinking one way and doing another you are not going to get anywhere.  The simple truth is that if you want to succeed these three pillars have to be working together.  If they're not then figure out why and make the adjustment.

As always, I welcome any comments and thoughts. If you are finding "The 365" interesting come say hi on Twitter @the365effect and share with others.