Improvement – Everyday is an Interview

Force the Future #3

The best route to success is forged with your preparation. Preparing has significantly influenced my accomplishments, and not preparing is one of the biggest reasons for my failures. I believe in “Force the Future” because it encourages us to prepare for the future we want by working today to develop the habits we need to be successful. No matter what you desire for your future, the better your preparation, the better your chances for success. If you want it in the de, force it by preparing for it today.

#Just Be Better

# Stay Strong, Stay Healthy

Force the Future #2

People continually tell us to learn from the past. I agree with this but to a point. So often, I see people spend so much time learning from the past that they forget to focus on the future, much less the present. Sometimes, you must put aside learning from the past to force the future.

In working with an individual who was unhappy with last quarter’s results, we mapped out strategies to help him reach his goals in the next term. At the end of the meeting, he told me how much the previous results had affected him. I informed him this was an excellent opportunity to learn from the past and develop the skills and strategies to succeed moving forward. However, we were not going to dwell on the past and address what had happened in the previous quarter until we saw the results of the following two terms. You could see the relief on his face, knowing he could put the past behind him and focus on forcing the future.

When you have negative results, learn from them, but not at the expense of forcing the future.

#Just Be Better

# Stay Strong, Stay Healthy

Force the Future #1

Too often, people tell me they are scared of what the future will offer them. Maybe they will get an awful disease; they will not find the “one” to spend the rest of their lives with; they will not reach their goals; they will not be able to afford the future they want; they will not get into the school of their dreams, etc. These concerns are legitimate, but worrying about the future will not help you thrive and survive. To have a better chance of succeeding in the future, you must start those habits today that will influence your future most. I term this idea as Force the Future.

How do you force the future? The solution is easy: develop those habits and skills today that will force the future. Forcing the future does not mean you will get everything you want, but it does mean you have more say in influencing your future successes.

Case in point, if you are worried about living your future life as a fat person, spend the time now to develop healthy eating habits. If you are worried about financial security, start putting money (if you already do, add more) aside in an interest-bearing investment. If you are concerned about the effects of a bad habit you have, start doing your research on the habit to find the best strategies for stopping it before it influences your future. None of these guarantees success, but it forces your future to work harder to overcome the foundations you have laid for it.

#Just Be Better

# Stay Strong, Stay Healthy

Resolutions (Repeated)

It has been a few weeks into the new year, and it is time to assess your resolution(s). First, are you still keeping your resolution(s)? Are you still making the changes you wanted to make a few weeks ago? Most people have failed to keep their New Year’s Resolutions as of this week. Change is hard. You have to be smart (one change at a time), and you have to be focused, not on the goal, but on the reason for the goal.

Next, do you have new changes that you want to make? Are you going to wait 351 days until next year?

If you want to be successful, the answer to the last two questions is a resounding NO. If you want to be successful, you will make those changes today, not tomorrow, and not on New Year’s Day. Do not wait for New Year’s Resolutions, as most people have given up their resolutions, and make the change now.

What is your change going to be?

Just Be Better

Stay Healthy, Stay Strong

Your Body Tells All

I prefer experts who practice what they preach. When discussing health and nutrition with others, I sometimes encounter those who need to realize what they are talking about and what their body shows needs to be aligned. They fail to recognize that one’s body is the best food journal. Feed your body correctly, consistently keep your nutrition on point, hydrate well, and in the end, your body will preach your health and nutrition to the world.

Just Be Better

Stay Healthy, Stay Strong

Stick to the Plan

I hope you are enjoying the New Year.

Did you make any resolutions? If you did, take comfort in the fact that many are navigating the challenges of their New Year’s Resolutions. It is never easy to make change permanent, and permanence is the point of a New Year’s resolution. The key is to take incremental steps. Desmond Tutu, who I had the privilege to see speak, once said, “There is only one way to eat an elephant, one bite at a time.” The same goes for making changes permanent. You cannot do it all at once. You have to take small, continual steps. You have to be consistent. You have to be patient. You have to stick to the plan. (The better the planning, the more permanent the change)

Now is the time when self-doubt about this year’s change will creep into your mind. Find strength in the reason why you want to make this change and visualize what life will look like for you once this change is made. Stick to the Plan

Good luck.

Happy New Year.

Just Be Better.

Stay Healthy, Stay Strong.

Resolutions

I hope you are having a safe and happy holiday season.

This is the time I start hearing people talk about resolutions. The number of people discussing resolutions beginning on the New Year is exhausting. I do not waste my time engaging in these conversations. If someone wants to change right now, I will engage and support them. I have a workout partner who wants to be a black belt by the end of 2024. This person is not unhappy that they are “only” a brown belt, but they want to build on their mastery and understanding of Taekwondo.

I am not trying to be a ”Scrooge” to others who do not understand that postponing change is a predictor of falling short of one’s goals. I struggle with engaging with those who write resolutions based on their unhappiness. They develop goals mired in negativity. Establishing goals on a negative is another method to set yourself up for failure.

I hardly hear people speak about setting resolutions based on a good thing they want to improve. I want to listen to people develop their resolutions on growth, not unhappiness. Resolutions from a positive perspective are more likely to succeed. For example, “I want to lose another 10 pounds.” is based on negativity. It includes the word lose and implies that one is fat. It does not focus on anything they are doing well. Another way to state this goal is to say, “I want to be 10 pounds lighter so I can fit into my size 32 jeans.” This statement is based on two goals: 10 pounds lighter and 32” waste. This statement is a much better design. They want to build on the positive things they have accomplished and be more successful. You cannot base your future on positive results when you are mired in a negative present and hope to be successful.

If you are making a resolution, base it on positive things. Take what you are doing and look to make it better. Base the resolution on positive outcomes and refuse to use any negatives in the development process or the final statement. You are doing things well and want to improve on them, which is the best perspective.

Send me your goals. I would be happy to provide feedback.

Happy New Year, and Good Luck with your Goals!!

Just Be Better

Stay Healthy, Stay Strong.

I am So Busy!

I hate when people tell me, “I am so busy!” If they are looking for some sort of “victim reassurance,” I am the wrong guy to talk to.

Do you know what busy means?

It means you are employed.
It means people want your services.
It means people want to be in your presence.
It means you have interests.
It means you are developing talent.

Do not tell me you are so busy. Stop whining, embrace it, and move forward.

Just Be Better

Stay Strong, Stay Healthy

Just Be Better (JBB)

It is the start of week 5 of the “ Corona Virus-lockdown” in New Jersey and I have to take advantage of the huge opportunity of time that I have to improve myself. Thus far, I have done a decent job of getting things in order. During the first few days of the lockdown, I had the time I needed to grieve a friend and colleague who passed away on the first day of the lockdown after a long illness. I felt bad that I was not physically there at the funeral or able to be with my staff to help them through the grieving process, but there was nothing that I could do. The time away from everyone allowed me to put things in perspective and move forward, even with a heavy heart. I still think about him every day. It was a devastating process to go through. During the next two and a half weeks, I got used to working from home, setting up a virtual learning environment, having meetings when no one was in the room, having the 1-to-1 talks that I needed to have with my staff and students, and getting consistent with my workouts, my meditation, my Taekwondo, and my guitar. Last week, I spent most of the time getting my staff and students ready for spring break. My family and I had a nice Easter. My wife even put little masks on the chocolate bunny rabbits. You have to include humor no matter the situation. My family and I are in a fortunate (healthy) place.

Now it is time to move forward. I actually have off this Monday and I plan to get two major work-projects completed by the end of this week. Now that I have everything in order, it is time to focus on taking things to the next level. My goal, to “Just Be Better”, whether as a father, a husband, a musician, a school administrator, an athlete, a writer, a reader, a sleeper, a gardener, a martial artist, a weight lifter, a folder of laundry, a bathroom cleaner, a coach, a mentor, a friend, and most importantly, as a person.

Whatever your situation, good luck, stay healthy, and “Just Be Better” (JBB)