Author: Kevscott1

When you want to change and become someone different, you must develop new habits and consistently execute them. 

Consistency Wins!

• If you want to become stronger, you must lift weights consistently
• If you’re going to get leaner, eat better, not for a short duration, but consistently.
• If you want to get fitter, move consistently.
• If you want to have better skin, stay hydrated consistently.
• If you want to feel better, stay hydrated consistently.
• If you want to feel better, stronger, and smarter, sleep consistently. 
• If you want to sleep better, go to bed at the same time consistently.

What you aim to do and then repeat with consistency is who you will become.

Strive to be the best version of yourself by being consistent with the necessary habits.

Just Be Better

Stay Strong, Stay Healthy

The other day, we held the joyous event of a baby shower for one of our colleagues. About halfway through the event, the expectant mother asked us to play a game. She wanted to go around the room and have each of us give her advice about being a parent. A lot of people had great advice, but in the end, it was good advice about their own babies. When it was my turn, I said, “Everyone is going to give you advice about how to raise a baby, but only you, the mother, is the expert on your baby.”

I remember when our children were young. Everyone would offer advice as if they were the experts on raising “our” children. What they often forgot as they were overstepping their bounds was that they were the experts of their own children. If someone does not ask for advice, don’t give it. If they do ask for advice, remember that you need to communicate the context and the environment that advice is coming from. Just because it worked for you does not mean that it will work for anyone else. And one last thing, just because you give the advice does not mean that the other person has to take it. Be humble.

Just Be Better

Stay Healthy, Stay Strong.

As a family, we look forward to the Superbowl each year, more for the food that my wife prepares and the family time we get to spend together. My wife, who is no fan of football, had the best insight when she asked me if this was a commercial fest or a football game. I told her that this was normal for the Superbowl. She thought it disrespectful to the players and coaches that their game was constantly interrupted for some ads. She said, “If this is the most crucial game of their careers, shouldn’t the game come first and the ads come second?”

My wife was right… again.

Just be Better

Stay Healthy, Stay Strong

An ongoing series of what really annoys me

There is nothing worse than getting in line behind someone who is not ready to check out. When the person finally starts to check out their items, they realize that they forgot something on their list (if they even have one), or cannot find enough coins to pay without getting any additional change back, or do not have their credit card ready, or they cannot do the mental math to determine the total cost resulting in the sticker shock that leads to a loud discussion with the cashier who has no authority to change prices, or the dreaded “I didn’t know this coupon was expired! I’ll have to take something out of the cart.”  

Get organized

I like going to a store knowing what I want to buy. I know how much I want to spend how much I will pay, and I have read the small print on my coupons. It is not that hard. Get organized—respect other people’s time. 

Just be better

Stay Strong, Stay Healthy

Neil Young

I love Neil Young. He has written some of the most influential songs of my youth. He was one of my favorite songwriters, and I tried to emulate him as I became a songwriter and a musician.

Recently, he wanted to dictate what gets broadcast on Spotify. He gave the company an ultimatum and said either Rogan’s podcast or my music. I understand his disappointment with the message that Joe Rogan broadcasts, but that does not mean I agree with censorship. Do what you do best, write a song about your issues with Joe Rogan, Eric Clapton, and any other anti-vaxxer you wish. People are more likely to listen to your message for a longer time in your songs than they will in your protest. You can even have the music played on Spotify, the same company you are trying to fight.

Don’t make emotional decisions, and do what you do best. It is not about making a stand; it is about getting the message across to others. Neil should have written a song rather than lost a fight.

Just Be Better

Stay Healthy, Stay Strong.

How are your New Year’s Resolutions? It is a few weeks into the year and it is time to assess your progress. First, are you still keeping your resolution(s)? Are you still making the changes you wanted to make a few weeks ago? 

Next, do you have new changes that you want to make? Are you going to wait until next year? 

If you want to be successful, the answer to the last question is a resounding NO. If you’re going to be a success, you will make those changes now, not later today, not tomorrow, and definitely not on New Year’s Day.  Do not wait for the great lie (New Year’s Resolutions) as most people have already given up their resolutions for the year, and we have not even finished the month of January. Do not wait. Make the change now.

What is your change going to be? Let me know. You are more like to keep the change if you write it down and share it with others. 

Just Be Better

Stay Healthy, Stay Strong

I hate the phrase “Practice Makes Perfect”. If you have a “perfect” practice, the session was too comfortable. You need to make it harder.

Ideally, the practice should be harder than the game. The more challenging your practice session, the more likely you will overcome challenges.

The downside to practice makes better is that what you practice will get better. If you practice with poor technique, you will improve at the poor technique. You must practice with integrity and look to improve the proper technique and skill.

Just Be Better

Stay Strong, Stay Healthy

A wise professor once told me, if you want to look like Arnold, you have to lift the weight. You cannot just buy the weight set and let it collect dust. If you want to play like Eddie, you have to play the guitar. You just can’t buy the guitar and hang it on the wall and let it collect dust

Do you have a dream? Do you have the basics to get started? Are the basics collecting dust?

Dreaming is the first step. Doing it is going to make your dream a reality.

Keep Dreaming, but Start Doing… Now!

Just Be Better

Stay Healthy, Stay Strong.

I regularly wear my Spartan Shirts to run, work out, get things done around the house, etc. I earned them by finishing each Spartan Race I ran. Unlike some of the other races I compete in, you have to cross the finish line to get the shirt. Every once in a while, someone will ask me if I finished a Spartan race while wearing a Spartan shirt. The snarky side of me wants to say, “No, I just wear one to be a poser.” 

Why would someone wear a Spartan shirt when they have not run the race? I can’t do it. I do not want to be a poser.

I wear a Slayer concert shirt because I saw them in concert. 

I wear a Black Label Society concert shirt because I went to a bunch of their shows.

I do not wear a Rolling Stones shirt. I never went to one of their concerts. I love the band, but the ticket is too expensive.

I never saw Iron Maiden. The Number of the Beast is my favorite album of all time, but I never saw them live. I do not wear their concert shirt.

I believe that if you did not experience it (the concert, the race), don’t wear the shirt. 

Represent what you do, not what you think looks cool.

Just Be Better.

Stay Healthy, Stay Strong.

The problem human beings face is not that we aim too high and fail, it is that we aim to low and succeed – Michelangelo 

What may be perfect today needs to be average tomorrow. Aiming for perfection is only a benefit if you have extremely lofty goals that will most likely lead to failure. 

You may be perfect in what you do for a short period of time. It is something to strive for, but do not stay there and get comfortable. If you have a perfect performance, it means that you need a tougher challenge. Do not let the desire for short-term perfection get in the way of your long-term growth. If you do not have a new set of goals when you reach “perfection”, you will not continue to grow.

Just Be Better

Stay Healthy, Stay Strong.