On Fire

The small changes are making a difference in my life.  I just started my fifth book of the year, "On Fire," by John O'Leary.  Click here to get your copy on Amazon.  They say if you want to get something done, give it to a busy person.  Well, I'm just about tapped out on my level of busy.  The only way I can take on something new is to give something up.  Watching TV is pretty much a thing of the past now with the exception of an occassional movie with my wife.  I prefer reading books that help me improve my mind.  This new habit also comes in handy on long layovers at the airport.  For me, there's no such thing as down time unless I'm sleeping 8 hours a night to restore my body.

Every morning when you wake up you have a decision to make.  Do you want to be on fire or just go through the motions?  I know the answer to this question in my life.  For me, it's about breaking through those barriers that prevent you from becoming the person you are created to be.  I ask myself, "How is it possible to go an one more vacation without breaking my promise to pay our mortgage off early?"

Make wise choices today.  Keep in mind that those small choices that may appear as insignificant are the ones that can provide the kindling you need for a life that's on fire.  Have a great day.

Combine Your Goals to Experience Supernova

One goal all by itself won't do it.  Two goals aren't enough either.  I don't really know the exact number of goals needed, but I do know that when you get it right, you will experience some kind of explosion similar to a supernova.  It takes hard work and determination.  You will want to quit.  All I can say is stay in the game.

My supernova experience already happened.  It wasn't some specific moment on a calendar, although the preplanning and preparation helped.  It had more to do with setting goals for each area of my life and then pursuing them with every fiber of my being.

When you go supernova, people around you notice.  They ask questions.  Don't tell them.  Show them.  Be the example.  Your first step is to decide you want a better life.  Set goals.  Achieve them.  All of them.  Let the world see your light.  Have a great day.

My Dream of a Debt Free Hut

Eight months ago I shared my dream to pay off our mortgage in three years.  It was definitely a stretch outside our comfort zone.  I created a game called Par for the Course.  I made fancy charts to help me keep track of the progress.  The goal seemed borderline impossible but I added something to the mix that the original Mike Mulligan (& his steamshovel) did to help him do the impossible – spectators.  For those of you who don't know the story, Mike Mulligan operated a steam shovel named Mary Anne.  He challenged himself to dig a hole for a new town hall by sunset to prove Mary Anne's worth.  The more people that watched, the faster Mike Mulligan dug.  He made the goal by sunset.  Unfortunately, he dug so fast that he forgot to leave a way out of the hole.

All of you on this blog are my spectators.  I'm digging.  The goal is to finish this job by December 31, 2021.  When I say digging, I mean I'm digging my way out of the sand traps on the course.  I'm also swimming underwater for my balls that managed to land in the hazards on several of the first holes.  The first seven months of the game have been mostly bogeys.  That's okay.  As the game progresses, I'm learning how to budget better and improve my golf swing.  Like the original Mike Mulligan, I'll need to pick up the pace in order to win the game by sunset on New Year's Eve in 29 months.

The most important lesson I learned about goals is that you must stay in the game no matter how many times you find yourself in the sand traps.  If you choose to quit, you lose.  There are no shortcuts.  My dream of a debt free hut remains alive as long as I keep swinging.  This Mike Mulligan has a plan to find a way out of the hole.  Spectators are welcome.  It may look ugly now but I promise you the game will get really exciting by sunset on the last day of the game.  Stay tuned for more progress reports.  Have a great day.

Caveman Choices Help Improve Your Health and Wellness

There's a reason I've cut back on many of the modern conveniences in my life.  Some of them are actually harmful.  The chair, for example, seems like a nice improvement.  Sit too much and you may find yourself overweight with added aches and pains in your back.  There's something else our caveman ancestors did that helped them with their health.  They walked.  It wasn't something reserved for the lunch hour.  Walking was a way of life.  They didn't need gym memberships either.  Everything they needed for a good workout was in their natural surroundings.

When I'm making my food choices, I ask myself, "Is this God made or man made?"  The caveman didn't need to do this because everything he ate was free of those labels you find in the grocery stores.  God made was the only choice.  The more God made food choices I make, the better I feel.

Try living like a caveman for 30 days and see what happens.  Have a great day.

The Secret Ingredient to Help You Get Healthy

How is your exercise routine going?  Is is working?  If not, you need my secret ingredient – fun.  Yes, fun.  If your workout program is boring, you will soon lose interest and miss out on the long term benefits of a healthy life.  I found this ingredient by accident in Aruba and everybody I met is consuming it in megadoses.  They don't even know they're exercising because they're having so much fun they don't consider their activity as fitness.  They play beach tennis, a variation of something I've been doing since before I entered high school.  You don't need to go to Aruba to find your ingredient but you do need to discover something fun in your life that will help you get more active.

You probably already know deep down what kind of activities bring you joy.  Please don't tell me you are missing out because you're too busy.  I promise you that if you make the time for something fun that also helps you get more fit, the time you invest in yourself will somehow help you get more efficient with all your other tasks.  Happy people tend to have healthier bodies.  It works like vitamin D.  Spend time in the sun and see how your body responds.  Spend less time outdoors and observe how your body becomes more lethargic.  The bottom line is to make sure you put more fun in your life and find activities that bring you joy.  Have a great day.

A Simple Method for Eliminating a Bad Habit

The urge to watch TV is so engrained in our life style as Americans that we don't even think about it anymore.  In my opinion, the worst bad habits are the ones we believe we have no control over.  Don't fret.  I found a way to get rid of it and it's working.  My TV time has been reduced by over 90% since late April.  If you're serious about doing this, decide on something you would rather do instead of your current bad habit and then focus all your energy on what you are replacing.  For me, it's reading self-help books.  My TV time is now reading time.  The ideas in the books are helping me to improve in every area of my life.

Bad habits don't really need to die.  Just upgrade to something better and your old habit will be out of your life.  Give this idea a try and stick with it for 30 days to make your replacement activity a permanent habit.  Have a great day.

Today is a Good Day to Start a New Habit

Why wait until next year to reflect on the changes you want to make in your life?  Your new habits don't need to depend on a calendar.  Personally, I like the first day of the month as a starting point because I know if I stick with my new goal until the end of the month, I have a new habit for the rest of my life.

Choose something that will make you a better person.  Remember, it doesn't have to be something big.  The small habits can be life changing if you don't give up.  Go for it.  Have a great day.