This post is short and simple. I’m sharing four of my favorite quotes. These quotes are written on the white board, opposite my desk in my office. I literally see them and think about them everysingleday.
Here they are:
Be Active in Your Own Rescue
Inside the Acorn, Lives the Oak
Thoughts Become Things
Want + Do = Have
Be Active in Your Own Rescue
I think about this quote both financially and physically. No one is coming to save me, and no one is coming to save you. It’s not that I don’t think people care about me, it’s that they’re dealing with their own shit. So am I. That said, I’ve got to take responsibility for my path today and into the future. I’ll also say the word “ACTIVE” stands out because it means action must be taken. No one is going to achieve my goals for me and I have the ability to “create my own luck”! No one else is going to usher me into early retirement and no one else is going to do the reps for me to have the health and body I desire. Am I taking responsibility and taking action?
Inside the Acorn, Lives the Oak
I can’t recall exactly where I read this or heard it, but I love it. An acorn sitting on a desk has epic potential to be a strong, sturdy, centennial oak. But the only way that potential is harnessed, is if the acorn is planted TODAY and watered consistently. If you missed planting today, the next day is the best day to start. I think acorns are all around us if we choose to see them. Something large, and strong and successful today, started small and insignificant. What needs starting today?
Thoughts Become Things
Much love to Tony Robbins here. Thoughts absolutely become things. I’m incredibly mindful of what I think about, what I say, and what I put into my mind. What is thought about and ruminated on, becomes manifested in real life. Why does this happen? I have no idea, except to say this. If a person consistently talks about and seeks opportunity, they’ll always be on the lookout for it. Conversely, if a person is always, “down on their luck” and feel like the ball never bounces their way, an opportunity might walk right by and it’s missed because the person’s head is down complaining about how bad they have it. I know these people. You know these people. Former Navy Seal and ultra-distance competitor Chadd Wright calls his tongue and language he uses his “Rudder”. Chadd is ALWAYS mindful of his rudder!! Who knows more about this than a SEAL and Ultra athlete? Am I being intentional with my thoughts?
Want + Do = Have
A newer follow for me is Michael Chernow. Since listening to him on the Rich Roll podcast, I’ve really enjoyed Michael’s content and brand Kreatures of Habit and the KOH podcast. I even make a homemade version of his overnight oats and it’s delicious. He ends his podcast with the reminder, “Want + Do = HAVE” and it certainly stuck with me. It makes sense doesn’t it? Above I talk about being “active” in my own rescue. I also write about “Wants” and how, “thoughts become things.” The life I “HAVE” today is a direct reflection of what I’ve stated I wanted, and the actions taken (DO) to get it done. Having is a reflection of gratitude. Am I willing to do what it takes to live a big life and the appreciation to know when to appreciate it?
These simple quotes guide my journey every day to being better with my: Faith, Family, Finances and Fitness (4 F’s).
I spend time every single Sunday with focused thought on on trying to answer one question.
Zac…What do you want?
For probably the last 15 years, or in the time since getting married I began being much more intentional about where life would take me. Actually, I take that back, as that speaks to having more control than likely exists. How about, I spent more time thinking about where I’d like to go and thinking it into existence.
What was important to me?
Where would I live?
Would I live extravagantly or frugally?
What did I want to do with my time?
Who were my close friends?
How did I want to feel? (This one is often overlooked)
Who were my teachers? Who would I learn from?
What would I look like? (Yes, I can be a vain person, but this is part of how I think about spending my time)
Today writing this post I’m 42 years old. Sometimes I can’t believe this, as it feels like yesterday I was 30, with no kids and a few dreams written down on one of my many notebooks. Back then, I wrote down many dream lines to pursue. I wanted to live on a golf course, own a business, sell a business (for profit), create a life of financial freedom, drive a Ferrari (why not right??), and the list goes on.
Having achieved a few of these dreams by 40, my focus shifts as I’ve moved into a new season of life. I find one word driving more of my thoughts and actions more than ever…
FREEDOM
This word plays itself out in a myriad of ways as I think about the 360 degree picture that is life. Below I’ll explain how I’m thinking about FREEDOM. It helps to mention a quote I’ve been loving from retired Navy Seal Jocko Willink. That quote is, “Discipline = Freedom”. The more discipline I can build into my life and follow with determination on the THINGS THAT REALLY MATTER. The more freedom I have in the rest of my life.
Financial Freedom
Financial Freedom: One could easily say I think about this too much, but it’s important to me and part of who I am. I want the ability to not worry about a “paycheck” from an employer. In order to do this, I started asking different questions in my early 30s.
Where would this additional income come from? What would I need to save to be set free? What would I need to own that paid me consistently? How “early” could I really retire? These questions led to study, planning and executing on a strategy to [exit the rat race] as Robert Kiyosaki describes it in Rich Dad Poor Dad. Around 2012 or so, I landed on an aggressive date of 2027. I call it my “Freedom Date”.
The disciplines at play here are relatively simple. Save a great deal more than our expenses (goal 2x or more). Therefore, every months’ income also buys a month of Freedom (or more). I Invest that capital into avenues that produce income or buy time backward from a retirement age of 60. If I’m going to ‘retire’ at 45 in 2027, I need to buy 15 years. To do so, I invest in real estate, have brokerage account with Vanguard, Life Insurance, Roth IRAs, IRA, 401k, high-yield savings account (oxymoron) and business ownership. Some provide monthly cash flow, others are true retirement vehicles.
Physical Freedom
Physical Freedom: This is about vitality and freedom of movement. In Norman Vincent Peale’s book, “The Power of Positive Thinking” the author frequently refers to the power of prayer and its impact on vitality. After all, what good is an early retirement or complete flexibility if it can’t be enjoyed fully? A few years ago I got much more serious about my fitness. During COVID we had a new baby, I was stressed from work, by body was inflamed and I was mentally zapped. I was anxious and my body shuddered at the stress. I needed a physical reset to get back on the path to physical freedom I’d fallen off. Again, “Discipline = Freedom” and my plan was to transform myself via sweat. In late 2021 I invested in a Peloton and boy am I happy we did. But it didn’t start out all roses. The first day I climbed on the bike with ambitions high, my heart rate skyrocketed and a moment of panic hit. I felt weak and ashamed. Was this really my reality? I’ve always been an athlete for God’s sake. But I kept riding and stacking wins. In the three years since I’ve completed nearly 1,000 rides and poured gallons of sweat onto my basement floor (sorry Beth). In the same time, I used this momentum to complete thousands of pull-ups….probably 30,000 in the past 3+ years. I sleep better, my joints feel better, and the outcome is a better looking body. My kids are now 5 & 10, and I need the energy to keep up with them and their endeavors.
Emotional Freedom
EmotionalFreedom – In my 30’s I began reading a book titled, “The Daily Stoic” by Ryan Holiday. I like it so much, I’ve gifted it to many friends. The book is composed in a way that each day, the reader digests one page of stoic philosophy from thousands of years ago. One page a day, every day. Not zero. Not two, or twenty. One Page (discipline). The accumulation of pages helped rewire my thinking and I’ll still turn the pages of this classic 10 years later.
Nothing is promised. Nothing is permanent. All we have is the present. When I was younger, I thought a stoic was one who showed no emotion. Ever. Stone faced and emotionless. Reading the stoics, I realized that’s not the case at all. The greatest of the stoics felt ALL THE FEELS. They experienced all the human experience has to offer, but being a stoic meant they had an ability to separate themselves from the emotion and didn’t allow the emotion to overrun their operating system. A stoic can see the situation for exactly what it is, and nothing more.
People will lie or deceive you. You’ll be cheated. Something will be stolen. Hearts will be broken. Sickness will hit. Life presents numerous challenges. The pragmatic approach is, to see it for what it is…nothing more, nothing less. This study helped me mentally in a big way. I’m a world-class grudge holder and can easily get lost in the “story” I tell myself. I’m guilty of holding on too tight and letting that stress live with me too long. The path to emotional Freedom won’t end on a date. It’s a journey that will last a lifetime.
Conclusion
I’ll conclude to say, the items and goals listed above are mine. They are NOT yours nor should they be. Every person must go on the journey of finding out what they want on their own. My only advice is to be sincere in your approach and don’t fake it. You want what you want, and it’s not for someone else. But changing your mind is ok too. It’s quite likely your goals and thinking will evolve over time. They should, we shouldn’t remain static as people as we age and gain knowledge and experiences.
On this journey we call life, it’s important to have a compass. Wandering endlessly day-by-day will leave us in the same spot we started (which is unacceptable). As Tony Robbins says, “progress = happiness” and who doesn’t want more happiness?
So what am I thinking about or pursuing in 2024?
Health
My number one pursuit in 2024 is to find remission from my auto immune disease…by any means necessary!! Recently in November I started a new trial drug (Zeposia) which is designed to better regulate, or down regulate my immune system to trigger fewer flare ups or responses by my body to fight itself, and in so doing, cause harm. In evaluating options, the next choice of treatment was: a pill, a bi-monthly shot, or infusion every 8-weeks. We chose the daily pill.
But over the holidays, I flared again on the new drug. Talk about a downer!! Today, I’m currently taking about 3-4 different pills a day to combat symptoms and I’m in a desperate pursuit to bring this number to ZERO!!
I’ve grown tired of the ups and downs from the unpredictability. I’m tired of the anxiousness of the disease impacting my movement patterns, sometimes limiting travel (which I love) and just overall life. In early January I’m headed to Mayo Clinic for a second opinion on how to best rid myself of these symptoms and hopefully dial back on medication.
I’m attacking the disease from many angles: diet, fitness, and overall mental well being. I tell myself I know how the disease was initially triggered. It’s lovely cocktail mix: A great deal of hard living in my 20’s accompanied with amplified stress from being a tireless overachiever likely sent my body and immune system into a tail spin in the late 2000’s. But is this true?? Or is this story??
Fact vs. Story. That’s what I’m really looking to explore. I’m not looking to only treat symptoms, instead I’m Indiana Jones in search of the root cause. I’m told there is no “cure” per se to Ulcerative Colitis. I don’t buy it. I’m somewhat convinced the medication doesn’t work, otherwise why would I continually experience flare ups a few times per year, which are then resolved by steroids? So what’s the answer?
Is Diet the Answer?
I don’t know this either. Here’s what I do know. I know in 2023 I ate better than I have in my entire life. I consumed more vegetables, smoothies and pounds of spinach than I ever have. I consumed less alcohol than ever and I’m on the verge of calling it quits entirely. But still the symptoms. Is diet the answer?
Is Fitness the Answer?
I’m in better shape now at 41 than I was at 31. It’s not even a comparison. My body composition is better and I’m even hitting the golf ball further as a result. In 2023 I completed over 250 workouts and cycled nearly 8,000 minutes this year. In a quest for 10,000 pull ups, I completed 14,000. I am no iron man, but I am in good shape…but the symptoms remain. Is Fitness the answer?
Am I too type A?
I can only imagine being a reader of this post and reading my thoughts. Zac, of course you think simply changing the variables noted above (or by simply doing more) you’d step into remission and all would be well. It’s not that easy, and I’m coming to grips with that. So what’s the next phase?
Is the next phase Surrender?
In listening to recent sermon from Orchard Hill Church, the pastor spoke to surrender, and a season of waiting. I must admit, just hearing those words send me into toxic shock. I suck at waiting…and yet maybe that’s the larger lesson in all of this? I’ve tried searching for solutions via the mechanism of control. And yet, that’s not working. So maybe surrender is?
In almost every year in my adult life I’ve thought about goals and planning for the following year. It’s exciting, it’s ambitious, it’s challenging!! Every single year these include financial targets to hit and investments to make. While 2024 will likely include these goals, my #1 concern and focus will be on getting truly healthy.
You can have all the riches and success in the world, but if you don’t have your health, you have nothing.
Let me be very upfront. I never thought I’d be here. It wasn’t part of my being, upbringing or belief system. Here means, writing these words and more importantly…sharing what is to follow. But if I don’t share, who will know? And sometimes all it takes is knowing someone else’s path to change yours!
It’s also important to know WHO I’m writing this for. Albeit, I hope this message can help 10s or 100s of young men, or fathers not feel alone in their feelings, there is one in particular I’m on the lookout for. My 8-year old son…who is yet to become a man. We are SO MUCH alike, I understand he may walk a similar path in his 20s, 30s or 40s and I want him to know where Dad was at a shared time of life. Love you Landon!
How did we get here?
This is a post about the dichotomy of security and vulnerability. Let me first say I’m incredibly hopeful and grateful in writing this post. I’m hopeful this message will reach another human (likely a male) who is looking for support or structure in uncertainty. I’m secure enough as a person to know I can share these thoughts without fear, and vulnerable enough to get to the truth in the process.
I’d like to be abundantly clear that I thought mental health and a person seeking ‘help’ were W-E-A-K when I was in my younger years. I’d experienced a few people around me who struggled with depression or anxiety, but I just didn’t get it. I couldn’t rationalize or empathize and like any young and arrogant 20-something I thought “toughen up” and “move through it” were the answers. I’m sorry I thought that. I’m sorry I was so naive.
I guess the old saying, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear” is at play here.
The Additive Components
As I get older, I’m becoming more of a thinker and try to put the pieces of the puzzle together. I don’t think the melancholy “feels” I had in 2021 were merely a result of COVID. That said, COVID may have been the great accelerator in the process! I believe the following stressful components were all at play over time:
Multiple Rounds of IVF to have our two kids (these are definitely stressful times and they added up)
Battling Ulcerative Colitis Flares – This is definitely a source of trauma for me since I was 27. I’ve gone through enough to know what to expect…and it isn’t pretty.
Never Ending Ambition and Achievement – I’m wired this way! Hard to shut it off.
Lockdowns and Kids at Home – Juggling a business that immediately took a turn into a ravine while having kids at home was flat out hard. Trying to find balance amongst it all was very challenging and I suck at balance.
COVID layoffs – One is hard, two is enough. I think I participated in three in total including 2020 and dealing with the wake of COVID. This left me feeling entirely hallow. Lives were being upended and as a leader, I felt responsible.
Resentment – I held this in a large capacity due to an expectation of a business deal/payoff that was likely floundering and consequent relationships left in that wake. Both put me in a sour and grumpy state quite regularly. The more I thought, the more betrayed I felt.
Relationship With my Wife – We weren’t in an awful state, but we weren’t good from the notable life changes we were both juggling above. Most days felt more like survival in a weird sense and everyone was on edge. She was trying to manage the kids while I looked after the business that was running poorly.
Daily Dose of Bad News – Every day upon waking from a Princess and the Pea “less than restful” night of sleep it was like I was waiting for impending doom. How much money had we lost? What clients disappeared? Who resigned? Who is sick? What can I do about any of this anyway?????
Add all these components up and you’ve got a toxic fear-based cocktail being consumed multiple times daily.
Falling into the Gray
A few weeks ago I stumbled on to the Unbreakable Podcast with host Jay Glazer after hearing it promoted. I was drawn to his very first guest and a man I have a great deal of respect for, Sean McVay. Together, they discuss what Jay labels as “the gray” and unpack what it means to both of them to be more vulnerable in their mental health journeys. I really encourage the listen as I thought it helped add a ton of context to what I was feeling and experiencing. It’s different for every person, but similar all the same. Jay also gave me the motivation to be “man enough” publish this post.
It All Took a Toll
The most meaningful steps I believe I took in my 30s were the steps toward more self-awareness (the good and the bad). Two years ago, I was self aware enough and at a point where I knew I just needed some help. Every day I seemed to feel worse and worse both physically and mentally. My physical body was taking a toll and I couldn’t continue on without a radical shift in behavior. I needed someone else with whom I could speak with who was unbiased and could rationalize a path forward.
Let me also be very clear that I never once thought about hurting myself or others around me. I’ve never been there and I can’t say I know anything about those feelings, but I’m undoubtably respectful of those who are in this place! I empathize with you. Seek help. Talk. Michael Phelps said it here, “It’s ok, to not be OK!”
I Raised My Hand – I Need Some Help
I’m not sure I can identify the mechanism of “how” I found betterhelp, but I’m incredibly happy I did. It may honestly have been the social-distancing necessity of the pandemic and the virtual nature of all things meant this guy didn’t have to sit down across from someone I didn’t know and pour out my feelings(in person). I don’t know if my pride or ego was ready for that. Moving forward, it felt like the right answer and I was assigned a therapist based on a questionnaire they provided. We were off. My first session was scheduled…and I was nervous as hell.
~PAUSE~ Holy Shit…am I really doing this???
Oh my god. Was I ready for this? What did I just sign up for? What questions would she ask? Would I be vulnerable enough to tell the truth? (yes, us men struggle with this if it means violating our “manhood”) What if I needed more help? What if I cried? What if…
What if…This Was Exactly What I Needed?
I took notes on the process and found the back-and-forth journaling exercises from betterhelp to be very helpful. My journey started with some EMDR therapy to slow me down (My words, not the therapist’s). I needed to unwind all that had become fiercely tangled up. Next, we truly unpacked each of the elements leading up to why I was there in the first place. One by One. Every experience. Every element of PTSD I was laboring over. I was caught in a feedback loop and the merry-go-round was spinning too fast to get off or even let go.
After only a few sessions I feel like I changed my tone from “fix me, I’m broken,” to a much more curious person ready to explore who’d I’d become as a result of all the elements noted above. I’d been able to gain control of what I was experiencing and talk through it. I was still stressed, but I felt like the possibility of feeling better (not stressed 24/7) existed again. I once heard meditation described as, being able to look at the washing machine, from the outside, while it is running. I feel this way about my experience with therapy.
After a few months, some serious self care and inner work, I was starting to feel like myself again. I was getting my swagger back. I think part of this was timing of how the world was coming out of the pandemic, but I also believe I’d become much more at peace with what I could and couldn’t control. After all, that’s what all of this is about isn’t it? Control and expectations!
Looking Forward
I’m not perfect and don’t pretend to be. I have many thoughts, but don’t own all the answers. This is yet another example of life happening to me and being vulnerable enough to know I needed guidance. I hope this message can find someone in need of help and know a stubborn, sometimes overly-confident and prideful person like myself walked a similar path to find resources.
My therapist left me with these thoughts. “Life will most certainly get hard again at some point. Lean on these experiences to get through it smoother than you did last time and know you have tools at your disposal to slow it all down. It’s very likely you will encounter another Colitis flare in life…and you can work to get through it, just as you have the rest of them.”
I don’t know if ALL THERAPY works. What I know, is that I’m incredibly grateful to the betterhelp team and my therapist who helped me get through a tough patch in my life. You removed any stigma I had around the thought of seeking help and I hope others can follow a similar path if needed.
To Landon, should you be reading this years from now, know that it’s ok to talk to Dad openly about it and what you may be experiencing. I’ll listen!
“I’m starting with the Man in the mirror, I’m asking him to change his ways”
I am the Man in the Mirror. The reflection of the results I see, are a direct output of my intentions from 2022. David Goggins in his book, Can’t Hurt Me, spoke to himself through the reflection of his Accountability Mirror. The mirror doesn’t tell lies or have feelings or stories. The mirror and the reflection it produces only reflects the truth.
As I move forward into a new year, I will NOT be stating a New Year’s Resolution.
Instead, I’ll be writing down and reinforcing my intentions for the days and weeks ahead. Sum all these efforts together and I’ll have a year’s worth of progress.
Tony Robbins has a wonderful saying and I think it jumps off the page in relationship to this post.
We don’t get our shoulds…but we get our MUSTS!
Although this is obvious and I love it, I feel like intentions can sometimes be more subtle. Here are a few examples:
I “Never” miss an episode of ______________________ (that’s focus intention)
Wednesdays are my boys night where we meet up and have a cocktail (that’s time intention)
I’ve got to have the newest _________________ (that’s spend intention)
I always have a beer watching the game (that’s body/diet intention)
The 2nd Thursday of every month is date-night for my wife and I (that’s balance/relationship intention)
Wednesday mornings I time block to study and look deeper into my business (that’s time intention)
July is the month we always take a week-long family vacation (that’s balance intention)
I try to never miss a day without a green smoothie (that’s diet intention)
None are good. None are bad. They are simply focused choices.
We all have the same amount of time.
That’s the mindf*ck of it all. If you want to get super deep in the idea of time management listen to this Ed Mylett podcast [Respect and Protect Your Time] with guest Rob Dyrdek. Rob has gotten maniacal with the focused distribution of his most valuable resource: Time.
As I head into 2023, I’ll be refining my intentions for the the Warrior’s Way and making daily progress on: Body, Being, Balance, and Business.
If I start a post with MJ, I’ll end with MJ.
If you want to make the world a better place, better look at yourself and make a change
I know what I want and I’ll get after it with intention. Results are certain to follow.
I hope this message finds you relaxing on this national Labor Day holiday. As a reminder, this holiday was put in place to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United States.
Makes me wonder…where did all the “Laborers” go? It’s time to get back to work America! Time to get back to making contributions to America’s strength, prosperity, and well-being.
Back to the purpose of this post, the 5 Thoughts on Labor Day
GRATITUDE – I heard it earlier this week and it hit me as very profound. If you looked back 10 years and told yourself, what you’d doing now, 10 years later…what would you say?!?!? For me that’s pretty simple. I’d say, “DAMN, That’s terrific!” I’m overly ambitious and an avid goal writer. Ten years ago I wanted to accomplish the following things: Have kids, own a business, build a house on a golf course, own income producing real estate, sell a business (for profit), income targets, etc. I can put a BIG FAT CHECK MARK next to all of these, with a special THANK YOU to the University of Iowa Hospitals and their reproductive team. I’ve heard Tony Robbins say, “people often overestimate what they can accomplish in a year, and underestimate what they can accomplish in a decade.” Today is a day to reflect and be grateful because that is absolutely true!!!
NUTRITION – As I move past that magical milestone of 40, I’m paying more attention to what I put into my body. Look I’m not perfect and I’m not counting every calorie or turning down every cookie. I’m still enjoying myself, but I’m paying very close attention to what I eat an how it makes me feel. With special attention being paid to limiting: sugar, gluten and alcohol. I’m also beginning to follow The Wahls Protocol (although not with militant vigor) as a way to keep my autoimmune condition in check. I will say, so far so good. I am feeling an increase in energy and better sleep.
SLEEP – A good night of sleep is EVERYTHING to me now. To be fair, I don’t know if I’ve ever been a great sleeper. I guess it’s my restless mind and sometimes overly ambitious personality at work. But, even if my 3-year-old wakes up a couple times a week in the middle of the night, I can feel it. I can also tell how I hit the hay based on what I ate/consumed for the day. Getting old does suck, but I’m trying to find ways to make it suck less. For me those include: A Sleep Mask, paying attention to alcohol and caffeine consumption, and overall diet. Few things feel better than an uninterrupted 8+ hours of restorative sleep. < – – – – – – That’s pure gold at 40!
ECONOMY – No silver bullets here or Nostradamus like predictions. But I do think about the macroeconomic factors frequently as an investor and business builder. Where are we? How did we get here? The most immediate thought I have is printing $7 Trillion is going to have lasting effects on where we’re going. There is TOO much supply given to those who created little or no economic value (Hence back to my tongue and cheek comments on “Labor” day). All that said, I still believe the United States is a terrific place to do business, and if you can stay away from tax crazed states, your chances grow considerably. I’m also wondering how we can have such low unemployment, yet sooooo many jobs available everywhere you look? Did that many people really retire or just exit the workforce? In the near term, I’ll continue investing in cash flowing real estate and I’ll keep a nest egg set aside for just in case scenarios.
NO NEWS – I’ve largely stopped watching the news on TV. The funny part is, I still know what’s going on in the world without having to hear about the day’s last looting, shooting, or riot. The only part I really tune in or fast-forward to is the weather. There’s too much shock and awe to start a day for me and the hyperbolic tone is over the top. I remember back to going to my Grandma’s after school and hearing Walter Cronkite deliver the news. Although I was very young, I felt like he actually reported the news and it wasn’t delivered with an agenda. Simpler times I guess.
As a final takeaway, I do a goal review/pacing every Sunday. Being that the calendar just rolled over to September, it means we still have 1/3 of the year left to accomplish big things, or re-establish momentum. I’m happy to say I’m well on pace for my goal of 250 Peloton rides in 2022. I also completed the goal of purchasing (2) income producing properties in 2022. As for other goals…I’ve got 4 months to make a big impact and a lot of pull ups left to conquer.
January 2022 started off sulking my Iowa Hawkeyes bowl loss on New Year’s Day with a few icy blue Coors Lights. Alas, the next day I started dry January (a day late) with a renewed purpose and new goal pursuits for the new year.
If there’s a word I’m really leaning into for this year it is CONSISTENCY. I think the image below sums up it up pretty well. Less of the left…more of what’s on the right. [Relying on Motivation vs. Consistency]
Moreover, when I’m operating more on the right…I find rhythm. This leads to momentum and I’m ALL FOR steering momentum vs. trying to generate it from a dead stop. I wrapped up 2021 completing over 5,500 pull ups (with a goal of 3,650) and I’m hoping to continue the momentum from the back half of last year into 2022 (already at 1,100+).
My SCORECARD is about vitality metrics. It’s not a specific workout or calorie counting exercise. It’s about momentum, feeling good and the power of a great night of sleep (even when my 3 year old comes in from time to time).
Below are the elements I believe helped me generate and maintain a ton of momentum in January and ultimately led me to crush my goals.
January 2022 Momentum:
Consistency – Simple as it sounds, daily work and focus wins out. Even if it’s just a little bit. Not trying to over do it and win the war in a day. Showing up for battle after battle produces progress. Progress leads to momentum – – – – > Forward
Peloton – We invested in a Peloton in 2021 and I’m loving it. I booked 20+ rides in January. What else are you going to do when it’s -20 and dark outside? It’s a terrific sweat and something I honestly didn’t think I’d be so into. So far I’m partnering the rides with their meditation classes, which I think are REALLY solid.
DryJanuary – This has been a really good reset for my body. I don’t think I’ll be giving up alcohol indefinitely, but I will be paying more and more attention to how it makes me feel and also the impact on sleep.
Sleep – I’ve mentioned this before in a previous post. Sleep is the ultimate lever for how I feel. I do think alcohol is playing a role here to the point above. I’ll also add that if I meditate, stretch, or a combo of both before bed, a great night of sleep is almost certain to follow. As are some crazy vivid dreams!
Wim Hof Method – I’ve been sprinkling in Wim Hof Method breathing exercises with my meditation practice. Here is a quick YouTube link to a beginner session (it’s only 11:00). And yes, I’ve also started ending my morning shower with a couple mins of cold, COLD water. I guess I’m a sucker for self-improvement.
Checking ALL the Boxes – I’ll reiterate, my scorecard is about creating and maintaining VITALITY in life. Success breeds success. Hitting stride in one platform, leads to progress in another. Fitness + Spiritual + Knowledge.
Finding Momentum in February
As January comes to a close and we wave goodbye to frigid temperatures, there is a good chance many are also waving goodbye to well thought out “New Years Resolutions” promised just 30 days ago. So What!!! Inaction finds us all. Flush it and move on. Don’t dwell.
I beg of you, I implore you, start February anew and find progress in the smallest effort in the right direction. Look to the image above from Liz Fosslien and embrace this. Everyone starts at the bottom left stair. Everyone.
Although the title of this post SCREAMS politics, there isn’t a single political position or statement in this post. Exhale. I’m thinking about an entirely different state. The difference in mental states.
Tranquilo
A good friend of mine (a teacher & successful coach) recently gave me the book Legacy, 15 lessons in leadership from arguably the most successful rugby team in history: the New Zealand All Blacks.
Chapter nine of the book is all about PRESSURE —> Keep a blue head. Control your attention.
More specifically, chapter nine outlines the impact state of mind has on championship level talent and competition when pressure sets in. Many championship finishes come down to the final minutes, efforts and decisions of equally matched opponents. The complete, the divide between winners and losers is colossal. So is the separation in mental state.
Red State vs. Blue State
Legacy defines the two mental states:
Red State = Tight. Inhibited. Anxious. Pressing. Results Oriented (I found this one perplexing). Aggressive. Desperate.
Blue State = Loose. Flowing. Expressive. In the Moment. Calm. Clear. On Task
I can tell you unequivocally when I’ve experienced wins in my life, I’m BLUE State nearly 100% of the time.
I can also tell you when things aren’t running smoothly, or “going my way”, I’m likely in RED state
Legacy goes on to outline the impact of “triggers” and getting back to a Blue State from a Red State. I’ve written about confidence triggers previously on the blog and what I specifically do to get back into rhythm.
What is a trigger? Since it’s Masters weekend, I immediately think of the 12th tee box for Jordan Spieth at Augusta National Golf Club. The 24 year old Masters champion would be a two-time green jacket winner and amongst the history of legends had it not be for one simple 145 yard hole and finding the water (twice) to card a state-altering seven. It cost him the victory.
I estimate he’ll play the Masters at least 25 more years. He’ll face hole 12, likely 100 more times in competitive rounds. This screams RED state if there were ever to be one. What a powerful trigger he must face every April in the swirling winds of Augusta National Golf Club.
Would you like more examples? Here are two I’ve read.
Kevin Love’s story of his panic attack earlier this NBA season. Players Tribune article His job is basketball (82 games a year).
As I’m reading Legacy laying in my bed, I couldn’t help but think about my friend Tony Robbins and his demand to “operate in a peak state” to his audiences around the world. I’ve watched 100’s of his videos and almost all of them reviews in detail the power of understanding and controlling your state. Here is an example Peak State Video, or here is a link to a more visual representation from Tony.
One of the things you’ll notice with Tony is the soul-pumping music he uses at his events. Music creates movement. Motion = emotion. To change your state, change your body.
The biggest point of impact I’d like you to take away from this post is entirely focused on the HOW. How do I get into a peak state? Not surprisingly, states are controlled by triggers.
Good states = good triggers.
Bad states = bad triggers
I’m the first to tell you, bad triggers are guaranteed to build up in life. It is inevitable. Inevitable as life and the experiences that come with it. Just look at the examples of the highly talented individuals noted above. Red states escape no one.
All that said, how do I do it? How do I get from RED —-> BLUE
There is a word Tim Ferriss says to himself in the audio version of The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich as he’s preparing for the Argentine Tango World Championships. Tranquilo. Tranquilo. I don’t know why, but it stuck with me. I use it when I meditate to calm my racing mind, and I use it every day when things get moving too fast in a bad direction.
It’s my RESET button.
Tranquilo
ACTION ITEM: There is a lot in this post, but I didn’t want to scale back from what I thought was very meaningful background. I think these are REAL issues many face today. Red state vs. blue states of mind. Too much operate all day in the red, almost analogous to a car operating at redline. Use Dan’s advice, Tony’s teachings, and above all…Tranquilo.
You ever have that challenge staring you in the face and you can’t seem to see it any other way? Problems are many, solutions are few.
Impending doom sets in.
Our thoughts have a way of owning us. Our thoughts drive our actions and even the intentions for those actions. At times, you may feel powerless over them. In all likelihood, we are.
All the great thinkers in history carried with them the great ability to separate, or have a seemingly out of body experience with their thoughts. A freedom to look at their challenge from the outside, free of tension, anxiety, and pressures of the moment.
This isn’t easy to do.
But that doesn’t make it impossible, does it?
Would you eat at the diner of your own thoughts?
Let me set the scene…
You’re standing outside…probably in the rain. It’s always in the rain isn’t it? Not a downpour, but a gentle, annoying, cool, but not cold drizzle.
The rain is context for making it a little harder to see things completely clearly. If this moment in life were the weather, the forecast would be a gray dreary rain settling in for the foreseeable future.
Do you see him standing outside? What is he looking at?
He sees this lonely soul, nestled cozily into a booth at one of those 24/7 diners, caressing a luke-warm cup of black coffee. You know this kind of diner, the kind with the quintessential neon [OPEN] sign in the front door. The coffee is just ok, but at least it’s warm…and the pie is taunting you.
Do you see him?
He’s there, lost in thought, or maybe buried in a world of problems, regrets and uncertainty. More than anything he’s looking for one of two things.
Answers
Courage
Who is this person?
It’s me. Both actually, are me.
I’m the guy standing out in the rain, and the guy in the restaurant represents my thoughts.
This odd exercise and viewpoint helps me see what can’t be observed otherwise. It provides separation from the dangerous feedback loop of my own thoughts.
You ever have a friend ask you for advice?
I sure have. Many times. The answers come rolling off my tongue rapid fire, like tennis balls from one of those sick American Gladiators guns. Man those were awesome! Bang Bang Bang. Idea, idea, idea. Each a solution.
Point is, it’s not MY problem when my friend asks for advice. It’s my friends’, therefore my answers carry zero weight or anxiety. It’s not my life. I’m simply providing direction and logic.
This is the answer.
Separation.
If you can’t dine at the restaurant of your own thoughts, you can’t change the angle of looking at your challenge, or opportunity for that matter. See it for exactly what it is, but never more than it is. I think my friend Tony Robbins said that. [digital fist bump Tony]
ACTION ITEM:
In solitude (a walk, a quiet room, a flight) I don’t care where, get alone and outside yourself. Joe Rogan says, “be the super hero of your own movie. What would he do?” Play it out and be the hero!
If nothing else, sit quietly in the diner and enjoy a slice of pie.
I took a few months off to evaluate the direction of a few things in my life and this blog was one of them. To be completely candid with any of you readers, I wanted to know if it would be missed. Spending 50+ hours a week running a national media agency, trying to be a good dad & husband, time with friends, etc. All hours need to be evaluated.
Again, would the blog be missed?
If it wasn’t, or no one brought it up in 90 days, I knew a couple things. One of them was I wasn’t really impacting the lives of my tribe. In all reality, there wasn’t really a tribe if there was no appetite for consuming the content. Removing emotion from these findings was going to be key. My Ego wanted the work to continue, but we all know Ego can be quite the adversary.
Secondly, I needed to recommit. Commit to continued ideation and thought sharing. Commit to pushing myself into new thoughts/ideas/strategies. Commit to sharing the ideas and impacting lives of my readers. In the end, that’s what it is about. Impact. Even if it is just one person.
I have this fear deeply ingrained in our office culture. We are a tight knit group, and If we part ways with a team member, or visa versa, my biggest fear is the following day…everyone moves on. They’re not missed. You need a team, a culture, a product that if removed…there is a void. Otherwise, you didn’t have anything to begin with and the end is near.
On another related topic, I had a friend tell me I should start A Keen Mind podcast. Can you imagine listening to episodes of my boyish voice?!? Still evaluating that idea. To be totally honest…I’m really in love with it, because i think my talents are better suited for audio and storytelling than writing. That, and one of my favorite “jobs” would be sports talk radio host. Why not do it on my won, with the format I choose?
I actually considered turning the primary driver of the blog into podcast form. However, as I’ve said before in learnings from Derek Sivers (founder of CD Baby), if it isn’t a “HELL YES”, then the answer is “No.” I’m still evaluating.
PS – If any of you have strong feelings on this topic, please share honestly with me. Good or bad.
In the downtime I also took the time to consume some new content. A couple pieces specifically impacting my current mindset are:
As a Man Thinketh (audiobook) – 55 minutes of simple, yet, deep thinking
The Joe Rogan Experience – This guy’s commitment to his show, his craft, and the litany of guests/topics is energizing. I’m listening every morning to 5-10 minutes. Here is a link to some of his simple genius
A phrase you’ll hear me use around the office frequently with our team is “PLAY OFFENSE” – take the fight to the enemy. That’s what I’m here to do with A Keen Mind.
, 15 lessons in leadership from arguably the most successful rugby team in history: the New Zealand 
as he’s preparing for the Argentine Tango World Championships. Tranquilo. Tranquilo. I don’t know why, but it stuck with me. I use it when I meditate to calm my racing mind, and I use it every day when things get moving too fast in a bad direction.
about 1-2x per week as well.