Tag: JustBeBetter

Force the Future – Start Messy

After a lot of thought, research, and meetings, I finally broke down and hired a trainer. I chose Naylor Body Design, and I couldn’t be happier with the decision.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned so far is that you can’t do everything at once. Each new action my trainer gives me is designed to build a new habit — not just a quick fix, but a lifelong skill. That requires patience. It demands focus. It challenges me to slow down, master one thing at a time, and accept that starting messy is part of the process.

Sure, I would love instant results. If it were easy, I would have already hit all my body composition and fitness goals. But lasting change doesn’t come from doing everything perfectly right away. It comes from embracing the messy start, showing up, and committing to the slow build.

Force the future — even if you have to start messy. It’s the only way real growth happens.


#JustBeBetter
#StayStrongStayHealthy
#IOwnTheMorning
#WWKDD

Frustration or Lesson?

This morning started with a small panic.

I was trying to get out the door early for a workshop over an hour away. I knew traffic would be heavy, so I planned ahead. Shoes on, bags packed, ready to roll.

Except for one thing—I couldn’t find my phone.

Ten minutes passed. I retraced every step. No phone. I needed it for navigation and communication—non-negotiables when heading into unfamiliar territory. I started to feel the frustration creeping in.

Finally, I found it.

Tucked neatly into the pocket of the weight vest I wore earlier during my walk with Kix. The walk was productive, the vest did its job—and so did my forgetful mind, apparently.

Now I had a choice:
Be annoyed that I misplaced it… or learn from it.

Could I have gotten angry? Sure.
But would that help me improve? Not likely.

Instead, I chose to take the moment as a lesson. Put things back where they belong. Build better habits. Keep it simple.

The more we treat mistakes as feedback rather than failure, the faster we improve.

#JustBeBetter
#IOwnTheMorning
#StayStrongStayHealthy
#WWKDD

Driving Lessons from a Commute: Stay Safe and Sane

My wife and I had the rare opportunity to drive to work together. I am glad we did. We kept each other calm as one driver decided to use the morning commute as a tryout for a live Frogger event. She weaved in and out of traffic. Each time she would reenter a lane, she cut off another driver. At one point, she was so frustrated with the speed in the left “passing” lane that she darted into the right lane without looking, forcing the driver in the right lane to veer off the road.

There is no excuse for this. 

Driving recklessly in an emergency will not improve your chances of reaching your destination. The priority should be arriving safely, not on time.

If the person was driving recklessly because they were late, they should have front-loaded their day better not to endanger the lives of those around them.

#JustBeBetter

#StayStrong, StayHealthy

#iownthemorning

Balance

There is much talk about achieving and maintaining a work-life balance. I do not believe in work-life balance. Work is part of my life. Over the years, I have determined when it should be a priority. I also know when it should take a back seat. 

Each person struggles with balancing their priorities. I need to be prepared for any situation. At the same time, I strive to be a minimalist and not take more than I need. I do not like bringing more than I need to an event or task. But I also hate being unprepared. One reason for my minimalist approach is that bringing backup supplies starts a chain reaction. I end up with too many things I do not need. 

Here are some examples

I have a gig where I need a guitar, a pedal board, an amp, and cables. I prepared the packing list. Before I knew it, my car had four guitars, three amps, and two pedal boards. Despite all of the gear, I will end up using one guitar, one pedal board, one amp, and some cables.

The same thing happens when I go on vacation or play golf. I over pack and end up carrying things I do not need. It is one thing to have an extra pair of socks. Having an extra suitcase or golf bag you will never open is another. Also, I should never bring extra “toys” to golf until I learn to hit the ball straight. At that point, I will not need the “toys” anyway.

I preach the minimalist approach to my private students. Only take what you need to take a high-stakes test. There is no need to bring large equation sheets when three equations will solve over 95% of the problems. A large equation sheet will not finish the quest for the other 5%. One can only achieve such success through meaningful practice, AKA preparation.

How do I find balance? I review everything I need and do not need after each event. I am ruthless. Did I bring something I did not need? Did I forget something (once is human, a second time is unacceptable)? What challenges occurred that I was not prepared for? In doing so, I developed running lists for different events. These include an extended vacation and a short vacation. Other events include a beach trip, golf with my friends and family, small gigs, and practice. This ongoing process has allowed me to balance being a minimalist and being prepared.

Balance is an ongoing process. You have to work on it. It must be important to you. You must learn from what you do. Good luck with your balance.

#Just Be Better

#Stay Healthy, Stay Strong

#Be prepared

#Iownthemorning

Effective Team Meetings: Keeping Discussions On Point

At the end of every work cycle, we have too many meetings. Some are important, but most are not. I hate meetings that have no point. Too many people feel they are powerful when holding a meeting. It is true that when someone calls a meeting that I am compelled to attend, the person has power over my time. However, I will only give them the power to use my time effectively. 

Meetings should be on-point and concise. The leaders should encourage discussion and debate but be focused enough to keep the discussions on point. Some teams I am part of have members who cannot stop talking and going off on a tangent because they feel or believe. These time wasters are an issue. If you “feel” or “believe” something is true, take the time to explore it and bring a concise summation of your research to the meeting. Unless it is a brain-storming session, the ramblings do not belong. This is ineffective, gives the unprepared power over my time, and does not belong in an effective team meeting. I’ve seen too many meetings devolve because the leader is either reluctant to address or fails to recognize this issue. It takes a creative participant to redirect the conversation.

Do not waste other people’s time. Come to a meeting prepared and ready to work. Expect your colleagues to do the same.

Just Be Better

Stay Healthy, Stay Strong.

User

Genuine

Everyone likes a compliment. However, if you want the compliment to be valued by the recipient, it has to be meaningful. We all know the person who compliments us like there is no tomorrow. Over time, people react similarly to the comment as they eventually did to Little Boy Blue.

Give authentic compliments. The idea is to help others feel good about themselves. The best way to do this is to give a compliment based on effort, based on the reality of their results, and only when deserved. It is great to be a nice person, but it is better to be an authentic person.

#Just Be Better

#Stay Strong, Stay Healthy