What would you do?

For most of us, our formal education and other life experiences don’t give us any information about crisis management, problem solving, or even problem recognition. Sometimes those first moments of a crisis can be crucial. One way to explain this is to think about what happens between a mugger and his unsuspecting victim.

When you’re being mugged, the number one edge that your attacker has over you is those first few seconds when he steps up to you and pulls a knife, holds up, or takes a swing at you. That moment of shock is a state of mind that he is actually counting on to give him the time he needs to victimize you. Now imagine if you knew your attacker was about to strike. If you saw him coming, he wouldn’t have this advantage. Of course, you would never be totally calm in this situation you would definitely go into high alert and arousal. But the difference is, you wouldn’t panic and fall apart — not with the mugger and not with your life.

The fact is that despite our best-laid plans and deepest desires, real life isn’t always easy. It isn’t a success-only journey for any of us. Going through life can at times feel like going through a wind tunnel. Sometimes life comes at you in a steady breeze; other times it’s like a category five hurricane. The storms of life may not always have happy endings, but they can at least be dealt with and sometimes even put you in a better place on the other side.

We are all products of our learning history, and if there were never any challenges, we wouldn’t develop mentally, physically, emotionally, or spiritually. Its been said that if you face adversity in life and you don’t learn from it, it’s a penalty. If you learn from it, at least you can consider it tuition. I’m not saying that changing your attitude of approach or having an action plan is going to keep you from having problems or keep you from the challenges that life is going to serve up. It won’t. You may still hit the same bumps but the way you walk through this world will be different.

It’s sort of like this: Imagine someone who is a black belt in martial arts walking down a dark alley late at night. Then imagine someone who doesn’t have that training going down that same alley. The difference in their experience of that walk is huge.

The List

This is not a new concept but certainly an important one. The topic has been discussed at length in the past but I would like to share my own personal experience and perspective. Many of us have heard about bucket lists or even completed the process of writing one. Whether you want to call it ‘bucket’, ‘before I die’, or ‘while I’m alive’ doesn’t really make a difference but I personally prefer the latter because I think it reflects the glass half full mentality. After some sharing and communication on the weekend amongst teammates I finally sat down and hammered out my very own list. I found the process to be a lot of fun because it allowed me to reflect on where I’ve come from, where I currently am and where I want to go. I debated whether I should incorporate things that I have already accomplished and concluded that these items should definitely be included. After all it allowed me to stir up some great memories and take pride in the fact that I’ve accomplished some things that others wish to do. If you already have a list I encourage you to revisit, modify and reflect because it should never be stagnant.

So what is the next step for me? 1. Sharing and 2. Planning.

1. As a team mate mentioned to me, “Don’t keep it a secret. You will be amazed how many people (teammates & customers) might have similar goals and want to organize something”. Who knows… maybe someone has a relative who works at the Old Head golf course in Ireland and can save me the $500 green fee. We are incredibly fortunate to be a part of an amazing company that embraces destination fitness. Perhaps someone can assist me in achieving one of my items or maybe I can help someone attain one of their goals.

2. ‘If you fail to plan, you plan to fail’. In this case not exactly fail but more like ‘plan to accomplish nothing’. I was given the advice a while back to always write down plans because they will be much more likely to happen. After completing my quarterly plans I’ve definitely found that this is the case. Instead of having a bunch of ideas stored up in my head I had a tangible list to constantly revisit and check off once completed.

Over a year ago I stated, “My previous experiences with my two passions, team sports and travel, have always been independent of each other. As a member of Team Average Joe I intend on pushing myself outside of my comfort zone and leaving footprints where I had never dreamed possible. This will allow me to take the next step and combine my two passions by surrounding myself with a group of like-minded people who are on the same path as me”. There is no doubt that I have had an incredible year. I look forward to remaining in this positive atmosphere and checking items off of my list. He/she who dies with the most toys still dies but he/she who dies with a completed ‘while I’m alive’ list lived one hell of a fulfilling life and that is what it’s all about. Leave your mark and have absolutely no regrets.

Lasting Lessons

Part I:

When I was 19 years old, I bought my first car. It was a sweet, 1979 Honda Civic with a manual choke. Living in Edmonton, the winters led to a rather elaborate process needed to come to a stop until she warmed up (a good 15 minutes), because she'd stall if I didn't keep the gas going through her fuel lines by keeping my foot ever so lightly on the gas - but she'd also stall if I left the manual choke out for too long. So as I was pulling up to the stop light, I'd pull out the manual choke, gear down to neutral, come to a stop, move my left foot from the clutch to the brake, move my right foot onto the gas and push in the manual choke. I'd keep my eye on the lights, and time it so that I did the exact reverse process just at the right time to start driving when it went green.


Now - this is more for background information prior to the actual point (necessary to understand the depth of my idiocy, you see...)


I began dating this girl in January of my winter term that year. In retrospect, she wasn't a very nice person, but hey... she was a swimsuit model. Don't judge - we've all made that mistake before, especially when we're young. Anyway, things were pretty much winding down between us by February, but I was still dating her... we were driving around at about 12:30am on a Tuesday night, trying to find somewhere still open that served vegetarian food (for her, not for me), and I had reached the end of Whyte Avenue. Knowing that there was nothing beyond 104th Street, in frustration I swung a u-turn... and as I finished it, found myself looking square in the eyes of a cop that was in the cruiser directly behind me just prior to turning around. I looked in my rearview and saw them flip on the lights and turn around to follow me... (to be continued)

~Guy

1:14:34

My first real ride was just over an hour long…

Since it’s really what’s on my mind 24/7, Ill share again about my knee. This is the version of my first real ride this year…without that terrible pain of a flap of meniscus getting in the way, turning off my VMO and generating painful friction in the joint…

After a great sleep-in on Saturday, I was up and eating by 9AM. The knee was a little stiff and a slight limp was in my step. This seems to be the norm these days. Almost two weeks after surgery and I can’t ask for anything more because I’m healing fast but the constant reminders are humbling. The reminder of the knee being swollen, sore and even the swelling hindering the full extension of the knee. Let’s not even talk about the flexion. I normally can sit right down on my haunches quite comfortably, but not lately. I am excited to gain my flexibility back and this is improving daily so this is great.

Back to Saturday… After laundry and putting some things away I had sorted out some bike gear that needed to go back into my bike bag (where I keep my jerseys etc.) I sorted out some gear and ended up putting together everything I needed for a ride. I must admit, after sunscreen and pumping my tires, it must have taken me 45min to walk out my door (I am way out of practice!)

Before I knew it I was out on my street and slowly riding away. I even walked up the driveway at my building and started on the flat ground. I was in my full kit with one water bottle… I knew I should be under an hour. I cruised down 6^th and turned down Main. I was flying! I pulled the brakes and zipped to the west and headed towards UBC. A solid ride from my place any way you slice it…

I came to Cambie but ended up finding myself on the Cambie Bridge going into town. I didn’t really know where I was going but I didn’t want to go downtown (this is where I go to case cars and lights – I didn’t want to push that hard today – but I was getting really excited) I made a couple turns and came back over the Grandville Bridge. There were lots of cars and people out only Cornwall. The sun was hot…maybe the leg warmers were overkill… but I had a short sleeve top so all good. As I climbed up the hill away from kits beach towards point grey a truck pulled up within my peripheral and I noticed Sasha from Kits! Guy must have been in there too – it was Guys truck. A quick wave before they made their left hand turn…

All and all, I looped around UBC and had a little fun. I kept it in the small ring up front and tried to keep it under 200watts…well maybe I went over once…

The next morning I was up earlier for the NS Bike Fest and the knee felt…not bad. I am stoked that there wasn’t any major inflammation.

Bone Crushing Rides by July!

See you out there!

The School of IF

This week is Josip's last week with us here at Innovative. He has played a big role on our team at West Van by providing us knowledge about the human body, feedback on our coaching techniques and insight to his own personal growth/achievement through his life. I wanted him to share his experiences, thoughts and wisdom with the rest of you.

The School of IF

As I embark in my next chapter in my life I’m starting to reflect on my experience with innovative fitness. What a concept! “work, travel and play”, I can truly say this was my experience at Innovative fitness. From walking the sandy beaches of the west coast trail, to running through the mystical temples of Cambodia and climbing the spiritual mountains of Machu Picchu. I truly had the full experience at Innovative, but why?


However, life unfolds one must take full advantage of opportunities that are presented during their journey. To think one individual or one single experience does not shape you or I is ignoring the product that is shaped by life experiences.

The school of IF starts with team work and finishes with personal growth. I can say that IF has given me the confidence to accomplish anything and everything that I’m willing to sacrifice for. I would of never thought of being a doctor but IF introduce me to the experience that changed my life. Although I didn’t choose innovative fitness as career path I was truly amazed by ownership and the leadership with in our company, they helped me transition into to my next chapter.


They took the time understand my decision and promoted my vision with continual feedback in allowing me to leave on a high. Thank you! Innovative Fitness and my west-van teammates you have been a major influence on my personal growth and future success.

Pura Vida
Josip Maras

When to Pull the Chute

Sometimes it’s important to know when enough is enough, and when a decision definitely needs to be made.

Everyday, we push, and we pull and we weave through the many obstacles in our lives. Inevitably, there is going to come a moment in time when everything accumulates and there is just too much to handle. No matter how strong, how hardheaded or how determined we may think we are, there comes a breaking point and we need to pull the chute and take a timeout.

Yes, it is important to continuously challenge, and push ourselves, however, when we start to question ourselves, our decisions and the situations we surround ourselves with, it is then we need sit back, reflect and re-evaluate. We should always feel like every decision and action we make is the best one, and the only one possible.

We are the only ones who are going to be responsible for own actions… no one else. Take the time to think about making the right decision for you. The process is not always easy - life is not meant be easy – it’s all about the journey.

~ Nina Mathers

Loving It vs. Being Lead

What level of service are you offering to your customers?

Retention is a critical topic for our business. While it is important to be aggressive and creative when it comes to seeking new business it is more important to retain the customers that we already have. Two weeks ago we saw 8 customers drop their times on the master schedule in White Rock. The reasons behind this were varied (financial, conflict with work, they want to try training on their own) but the lesson learned in each case is the same. We have the ability to prevent customers from leaving by convincing them that they need our services. They may need the push and accountability to rehabilitate an injury successfully, lose weight or re-invent themselves and tackle an extraordinary destination. We can dictate the path that a customer will follow.

There are two levels of the 'Innovative Fitness' experience:

1. The customer is receiving the base level of service and they are loving it.

• Consultation & follow-up


• Pre-call & 1st session


• Profile & results printed/discussed or a follow-up e-mail


• If necessary, referral to an alliance such as physio


• Program is delivered on the 3rd session. The program is detailed, individualized and includes periodization towards a destination


• Intense, smart sessions, 100% of logs completed, tabs updated regularly


• Follow-up e-mails sent on a regular basis to check-in, ask for feedback, etc.


• Accountability. If a customer is late for a session, they are called 15 minutes past the hour. If a session is missed, they are contacted and advised to book a make-up session


• Consistent execution of the little things. No elaboration needed

Nothing is being offered by the training coaches that is going above and beyond. Good workouts and the basic systems are being followed. If we do not execute this entire list consistently and drop the ball on a single step the probability that a customer will find a reason (excuse) to stop training with us are that much greater.

2. The customer is being lead. This entails all of the above AND...

• The customer is training towards a destination with a real focus and goal behind it. For example, losing x percent of body fat in a certain period of time with a prize/punishment component. Or shaving x minutes off of their personal best time in a race with a bet attached.


• A continual progress report. This could involved a weekly weigh-in, a monthly profile, time trials leading up to a race or lactate testing.


• Workout with them during sessions to provide a push and take your rapport to the next level. Plan training runs/hikes/rides and take charge. Monitor their heart rate, provide advice and motivation and offer to stretch them out afterwards.


• Communicate with other teammates that train the customer. When an injury tab is updated or a program is tweaked, discuss the what/why/how with their other training coach(es). Talk about progress such as what needs work and what the customer is improving upon.


• Send e-mails that are helpful and educational. Not simply "great work today". Forward MPL clips, pass on a good blog post or a journal article that is relevant to their training.


• The list goes on.

If we are not leading our customers and consistently executing every single step mentioned above they are not receiving the true IF experience. We may not have the time to be everything to absolutely everyone but as a team we can collaborate and engage every single customer. Don't sit back and be content that a customer will be fine and keep renewing their training package because "they are loving it". Truly make a difference in their life by leading them!!!

The Burden of Being a Role Model

It's not easy being a role model.

Just ask Michael Phelps. On the one hand - a 24 year old guy, goes to a frat party and takes a hit off of a bong. Hardly earth-shattering, and hardly unique.

On the other hand - winner of 8 gold medals at the 2008 Olympics, on the box of Kellogg's cereal, and looked up to by many big-eared, outcast kids who have a special and unique talent that may earn them the respect they deserve, rather than simple derision because they don't "fit in".

Unfortunately - the latter trumps the former. It wasn't the choice that Phelps made that deserves to be criticized... but rather, his lapse of judgement. Whether you think what he did is wrong or not, the biggest issue is not taking a toke... but rather, letting down all of the people who had looked up to him as the type of person that they want to be.

So, the next time you're out with your kids, your friends, your clients or your customers - consider how they look at you. Maybe right at that moment, ordering that double cheeseburger with onion rings isn't the best decision; or perhaps getting cross-eyed drunk and showing off your breakdancing moves in the middle of the dance floor should be best saved for another time. Maybe, just maybe - you should order the grilled chicken sandwich with a salad, or pull the "Houdini" and vanish after a couple of drinks.

It's not easy being a role model. But once you're in the position, you need to make a choice - commit to it, or remove yourself from it. Because walking the fence will only serve to hurt you, and those around you.

Don't take the responsibility lightly - you never know who's watching, or what they're going to do themselves based on what they see from you.

Step up - or step out.

~Guy

.my R knee.

Well, for fun, here’s a little piece of my last week. Starting on day0 (the day before surgery)

Day 0 - Mon11

Up early today. Heading in to train 5hrs before my assessment at 12noon with Dr. Day

Day 1 – Tues12

Well I’m sure this is the last comfortable sleep in that I will have for awhile so I took advantage of it. I don’t have to be at the Cambie Clinic till 11am and I’m not allowed to eat or drink so getting ready will be a snap.

A quick cab and I’m there – a very posh clinic by the way. I was right on time to wait…sounds funny, but it’s true. I remember walking into the surgery room at 12:45, that room was high tech - wow. Anyway, by the time I realized this one nurse was distracting me from what the anaesthetist was doing I was out. I remember smiling and telling them that I was falling aslee….

I woke up in this room…actually I was woken up and brought back to reality. Right away I could feel my knee…well, I was out of it, but my leg was bandaged and I couldn’t bend it. I hung out for a bit and then a nurse got me dressed.

My sister came to pick me up. They wheeled me out and I got in her car. I must have bent my knee too much because when I got home, my bandage was bleeding a bit. So I took a couple pain pills and started to ice my knee. A little while later I realized that 2pills was a bit too much because I was a total vegetable. I couldn’t get around very well and the leg was stiff. Lots of phone calls for support and funny emails.

Day 2 – Wed13

Oh ya, that sleep sucked. I had my mum call me at 3am (I wasn’t supposed to be home alone after a general) anyway, I was fairly uncomfortable last night.

9am – front door – Canada post – care package, thanks linda!

Crutches were key for the morning. Food, ice and elevation. Very sore and stiff today.

Once I got moving the knee really started to feel good. Very sore, but I can kinda put weight on it. Humm, interesting. Can’t bend it very far and anytime I use it I need to sit and elevate it right away.

The clinic called to check in. Great customer service from those guys – just like us – a follow up the next day.

Day 3 – Thurs14

The pain when I woke up today was intense. I didn’t have my crutches by my bed so in the morning I actually had to hop over to where they were. Even walking around for the first little bit, the knee was really sore and stiff. Wow, the leg was full of fluid and tight. I spent a lot of time massaging it and working the range of motion.

It took a long time but the knee warmed up and I was able to walk up and down the stairs in my building. Well I had to because I drove to get some ibuprofen! It wasn’t hard at all, but getting in and out of the car was super painful (bending that much) + it took me forever to walk to the store and back – like 5min each way!

Lots of ice and elevation after that drive.

Day 4 – Fri15

This morning was still sore. Lots of time was needed to warm up the leg and knee. Working on the computer is not bad (but need to have my leg out to the side resting on a stool up high)

Can actually feel my R quad working and it feels smooth behind my knee cap!

I’ve been looking at my bike just sitting there…its been calling out to me. So I thought, why not?

I positioned the bike by the wall in the hallway. I took the chain off the front ring and got on. I was able to spin without tension and lightly lean my elbow on the wall. I did 2x10min spin. I am so pumped today!

Day 5 – Sat16

It’s nice to have the ibuprofen and be off the pain pills. The pain in the knee is still bad, but the ice helps. Very stiff and hard to walk around – I have been wearing my Birkenstocks and it feels pretty good.

Less time to warm up and 2x15min spin with lots of stretching today.

Day 6 – Sun17

Up early and icing. Warm up drills and walking around with less of a limp. It seems to get worse the more I move or if I keep it bent when seated.

Ok, I’m feeling confident and positive. I grab my bike and my bike shoes. Down to my car to pump up my wheels. Clip / clip – I’m riding my bike! (first time this year!) Small ring up front and flat ground around…it feels good. The range of motion feels good and I only spent 25min out there! I wanted more but I could hear that voice telling me to go back home and you guessed it…ice and elevate.

Day 7 – Mon18

Ok, a little sore this morning ;) but it’s a good feeling. Same same routine with the ice and elevation.

Good warm up and a little walking around my building. Need to get my head around working tomorrow.

Day 8 – Tues19

Back to work! I scheduled myself with an hour off every 3hrs so I can elevate and ice my knee to stay ahead of any swelling. I’ve been told that within a week I’ll feel even better…all I know is that I’ll be back on my bike and am planning to lead a beginner group next weekend! Yee haa!

I am so excited to have had the surgery and know that I will be back in full effect soon. As I sit here writing IFCP emails I think, wow, the knee was hurt during last year’s event (I hurt it on the west coast trail) it took around 4months to figure out it was damaged, 2months to diagnose, 1month for surgery and 1week to recover…just kidding, step by step – regardless, by June I’ll be riding a lot more in preparation for Cyclebetes Australia!

A History Lesson.

The May Long weekend – what does that mean to you? A day off, a chance to get away from the city, relaxing reading a book on the beach, doing a Triathlon, having a BBQ’s on the patio or beach...? The list is endless and I know a lot of people look forward to this May long weekend as it signifies the start of summer. Good weather, good friends and good times.

However, have we ever taken a moment to realize why we have this May Long weekend?

Well the reason is to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Birthday. She ruled the United Kingdom for 63 years (the longest reign to this day) and her era in commonly referred to as the Victoria Era. Her era represented significant social, economic and technological progress in England, and she was the ruler during the height of the Industrial Revolution. She made the United Kingdom become a global power of its time, with improvements to the industrial, political, scientific and military sections of the UK.

Queen Victoria’s monarchy symbolizes not only one of political stature but also her emphasis on mortality and family values. She created the concept of the “family monarchy” in which normal people could relate to. She had nine children, with eight out of her nine children married into European royal families. She had 42 grandchildren and was given the name of the “grandmother of Europe”, evidentially, bringing all of Europe together.

Queen Victoria is one of the most commemorated British monarchs, with several places being named after her, including our very own provincial capital, two Australian states (Queensland and Victoria) and Victoria Falls in Africa. All over the world there are numerous statues erected to honor her and her reign as queen.

So even though you may celebrate Victoria Day with the excitement of the cold winter months behind us and the hot summer months ahead, take a moment to truly realize why we have a May Long Weekend. How Queen Victoria was such a significant figure in our history and helped paved the way for where we are today.

There is no reality; only perception

There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so. ~William Shakespeare

There is no reality; only perception. Accepting this means that you embrace the fact that, no matter what happens in your life, how you interpret the event is up to you. Whatever meaning or value a particular circumstance has for you will be the meaning or value that you give it.

The key point is that where your perceptions are concerned, you have the ability to choose differently from what you are currently choosing, if you wish. When it comes to how you see things, you do have a choice.

One of the harshest tests of this truth occurred in the life of Dr. Victor Frankl, an Austrian psychiatrist who was captured by the Nazis during World War II and held prisoner at the Auschwitz concentration camp.

Writing afterward of his experiences in the camp, Dr. Frankl described the obsessive control that the guards exercised: each day, he and his fellow prisoners were told when to sit, when to stand, when to work, when to eat and when to sleep – and they were told whether they would be allowed to live or die.

In his book, Man’s Search for Meaning, Dr. Frankl noted that in the face of these unending atrocities, he discovered one very important aspect of his existence that the guards could not control. They could not control what attitude he took about his suffering. They could not force upon him how he would interpret and react to his treatment.

At a particular moment in the midst of his imprisonment, Dr. Frankl made a life decision. He saw that if he were made to suffer these terrible events in his life for no meaning, he would go insane. He decided, instead, to live by the principle that, we only know and experience this life through the meaning or relevance of perceptions that we assign it.

I believe that the lesson in Victor Frankl’s experience is the realization that you can, in any circumstance, choose your reaction: No matter what your circumstances, your perception of those events is of your choosing.

Sacrifice

What is the most that you've had to sacrifice for a job?

For me it would be a toss up between the following:

• Working a 21 hour (straight) shift with just one 30 minute break doing an emergency construction job at the Boundary Bay Airport.


• Dropping a 100 lb manhole lid on my finger and losing a finger nail.


• Missing a 2 week family vacaction to New York because I had just started a new job.


• Developing severe seasonal asthma after working spending an entire month cutting grass. I'm highly allergic to grass.

In retrospect I don't resent any of these experiences. In fact I appreciate them because they built character. In addition I'm so much more appreciative of the job that I currently have because I actually have a passion for what I do and my worst day at Innovative Fitness is better than my best day at some of these other occupations.

I have recently become a huge fan of the television show "The Ultimate Fighter". Not for the amazing story line or captivating characters; I find the show to be fascinating because these guys are willing to have their face beaten in just for the chance to receive a contract with the UFC. And this isn't exactly winning the lottery. New and unproven fighters scrap and claw for years making poor money just trying to build the record and credibility to start earning the big bucks. Would you be willing to put your body on the line and have teeth knocked out and a cauliflower ear develop simply to earn a shot to progress in your career? There will always be the argument: "Yeah, well these mixed martial arts guys are people with nothing to lose who have zero going for them in their lives". Last time I checked Rich Franklin had a degree from the University of Cincinnati in math and a master's degree in education. Forrest Griffin graduated with a political science degree from the University of Georgia. They started at the bottom just like everyone else. The reason why individuals such as these are successful = passion and sacrifice.

The next time you have a long day at work and things aren't going your way remember the story of Rich and Forrest. They are equally or more educated than most of us and still decided to grind it out and commit years of their life to training without any guarantees. Is the person beside you going to beat you because they were willing to go the extra mile and you weren't? I hope not.

Play Your Game

Last week, I put forward a challenge to Kevin Wilson to write a single blog. Not take over the Wednesday slot, but a single entry just to open the possibility of seeing the lessons that all of life has to offer. I told him to make it personal, something that he cares about - but try to think outside of the norm, and look at events happening in the world around him.

There's no way that he would have known what he would be writing about last Wednesday - but a great example of critical thought. Thanks Kevin!

"As we all know the Canucks lost to Chicago on Monday night, thus ending their playoff run and shot at the Stanley Cup.

What happened?

Quite simply, they didn’t play their own game. The best team in the league since February 1st decided for some reason that they could not play with the young and inexperienced Chicago Blackhawks.

This year’s version of the Canucks had a great balance of goaltending, defense and scoring punch, yet completely strayed from their game in this series. Whether it was going entirely offensive in games 1 and 2 and not being able to hold a lead, or attempting to be the shutdown team from two years ago and managing only 15 shots on goal, the Canucks lost their identity.

Why did the Canucks change their game?

They lacked the trust in their game and in their proven systems that gave them a division title and a record of 23-7-2 to end the regular season. Add in a 4 game sweep of St. Louis in the first round and that is a 27-7-2 record. Had the Canucks stuck to the winning formula that made them so successful to end the year and start the playoffs they would have forced the Blackhawks to adapt their own game. Instead they are left second guessing themselves, asking what went wrong, and packing up their lockers for another long offseason.

Trust yourself and your teammates and PLAY YOUR GAME!"

~Kevin Wilson

Seamless effort

Quite simply, the more efficient we can make our duties the easier our day unfolds.

There are many steps beforehand but once we are walking to the front door at 5:30am we are ‘opening’

West van

-unlock east door (but do not open)

-unlock west door and enter (turn on light switch)

- turn on the treadmills as you walk towards the alarm key pad (alarm off)

-walk in the back room and turn on the lights and air-conditioning

-towels (dry one out, wets one into dryer and dirty ones into washer)

-dump fresh towels at front desk

-turn amp on (music!)

-check messages (take action where needed)

-grab 7 towels for each bathroom (install with 1 as bathmat)

-survey training floor (take action where needed)

This is doable in 5min for 1 person but should be taken on as a team and become automatic.

As for closing..

-bathroom (remove towels, check over counter and close lockers – lights off)

-towels (dry one out, wets one into dryer and dirty ones into washer – lights off)
-gym floor lights off

-dump fresh towels at front desk

-turn amp off (night night)

-turn off the treadmills as you walk towards the alarm key pad (alarm on)

-lock the east door

-leave through west door and lock it

And if you leave before the last person…take on any duty (clean up) and update before you sail out the door

Cherrio!

3 words - Canucks must Win.

End of story.

The city of Vancouver was devastated when the Canucks lost this past Saturday. I can say that most of us were simply shocked that we let this young Chicago team come into our arena and win an extremely important game 5. Blame whoever you want; bad refereeing, stupid penalties, veteran mistakes or the Chicago youngsters not backing down.

Most of Vancouver will be glued to a TV set somewhere nervously watching this game tonight. Can they do it, can they bounce back, will the Swede stars come out and play, will they stop getting penalties, and will Burrows show us the hero recognition he deserves?

Obviously, as fans when our team doesn't perform they way we want them to we become negative and blame others. Let’s not forget they are father than 22 of 30 teams in the 2008-2009 season, half way through January there were losing 9 straight and it was thought that they may not make the playoff, let alone win the Northwest Divisional Title. They set records this season with most straight home wins, the most sell out crowds at GM Place and the first goal captain in the NHL.

Ryan Johnson says it perfectly "There's no easy ride in the playoffs. There's nowhere to hide as a team or as an individual. You can't hide in the Stanley Cup playoffs. This game is nothing to be [afraid of]; there should be no hesitation. This is exciting. There's nothing to fear here. This is why you play the game -- to have to go into someone else's barn and steal a game and come back home. You don't win a Stanley Cup without having to deal with these things."

Lets hope/pray (however big a fan you are) that they play there A+ game that we have been waiting for and play like they want to win the Stanley Cup.

Puck drops at 6.

Go Canucks

6 Thinking Hats

Many successful people think from a very rational, positive viewpoint, and this is part of the reason that they are successful. Often, though, they may fail to look at problems from emotional, intuitive, creative or negative viewpoints. This can mean that they underestimate resistance to change, don't make creative leaps, and fail to make essential contingency plans.

Similarly, pessimists may be excessively defensive, and people used to a very logical approach to problem solving may fail to engage their creativity or listen to their intuition.

I recently read an article about looking at problems using the 6 Thinking Hats technique. 6 Thinking Hats is a good technique for looking at the effects of a decision from a number of different points of view. It allows necessary emotion and skepticism to be brought into what would otherwise be purely rational decisions. It opens up the opportunity for creativity within Decision Making. It also helps, for example, persistently pessimistic people to be positive and creative.

To use 6 Thinking Hats to improve the quality of your decision-making, look at the decision "wearing" each of the thinking hats in turn. Each "Thinking Hat" is a different style of thinking. These are explained below:

• White Hat: With this thinking hat, you focus on the data available. Look at the information you have, and see what you can learn from it. Look for gaps in your knowledge, and either try to fill them or take account of them. This is where you analyze past trends, and try to extrapolate from historical data.


• Red Hat: Wearing the red hat, you look at the decision using intuition, gut reaction, and emotion. Also try to think how other people will react emotionally, and try to understand the intuitive responses of people who do not fully know your reasoning.


• Black Hat: When using black hat thinking, look at things pessimistically, cautiously and defensively. Try to see why ideas and approaches might not work. This is important because it highlights the weak points in a plan or course of action. It allows you to eliminate them, alter your approach, or prepare contingency plans to counter problems that arise.

Black Hat thinking helps to make your plans tougher and more resilient. It can also help you to spot fatal flaws and risks before you embark on a course of action. Black Hat thinking is one of the real benefits of this technique, as many successful people get so used to thinking positively that often they cannot see problems in advance, leaving them under-prepared for difficulties.

• Yellow Hat: The yellow hat helps you to think positively. It is the optimistic viewpoint that helps you to see all the benefits of the decision and the value in it, and spot the opportunities that arise from it. Yellow Hat thinking helps you to keep going when everything looks gloomy and difficult.


• Green Hat: The Green Hat stands for creativity. This is where you can develop creative solutions to a problem. It is a freewheeling way of thinking, in which there is little criticism of ideas.
  Blue Hat:The Blue Hat stands for process control. This is the hat worn by people chairing meetings. When running into difficulties because ideas are running dry, they may direct activity into Green Hat thinking. When contingency plans are needed, they will ask for Black Hat thinking, and so on.
  

The Relationship Program

There has been much discussion about relationships in the past and some excellent advice has been passed on. I would like to share some insight in regards to marriage from a customer that I hold in very high regard. It conveys a similar message simply presented differently. During a run with the gentleman a few weeks ago I made an attempt to get him to commit to a destination; the problem is that he is out of town nearly every weekend at his family’s cabin. I continued to press the issue and insisted that he simply needed to stay in town for a single weekend so that he could complete the run / hike / or whatever he was interested in. His response: “There’s a lot more to it than that. The expectation from my wife is that we will go to the cabin every single weekend unless an emergency presents itself. And I’ve got to keep her happy”.

This individual is on his second marriage but has now been happily married for over 20 years. He certainly has a myriad of experience when it comes to business, athletics and relationships so I thought I would take the opportunity to pick his brain and receive some counsel. I extended the question: “If you could give me one piece of advice about marriage what would it be”? Not even a second later he responded with one of the most succinct and clever answers that I have ever heard.

His message about marriage:

A relationship is similar to a health and fitness training program.

If you stop working on the relationship progress will not only end, the strength of the bond will regress. Similar to a muscle a relationship will hypertrophy if you are consistent and follow an appropriate protocol. If you stop working out and overloading a particular muscle it will atrophy. In other words if you fail to devote time to improving your relationship continually you will become stagnant, get bored and eventually lose interest.

It’s all about the little things (sound familiar!?) It would be excruciating if your workout regimen consisted of squats and push-ups every single workout. Variety, progression and challenge reduce the risk of plateau. Furthermore it’s imperative that you plan surprises for your loved one and keep things exciting. Routine is nice because it’s comfortable and easy but it’s even better to be suprised by something that was absolutely unexpected. Plan surprise dates, give your loved one a card just to say how much they mean to you and remember that there doesn’t have to be a reason to do something nice.

There will be temptations to find the path of least resistance and take the shortcut to success but this will be your demise. Performance enhancing drugs are undoubtedly effective when it comes to results but the risks outweigh the reward. What’s the point of being bigger, stronger and faster if you are cutting your lifespan short by 20 years due to health complications? Not to mention the increased risk of injury and moral/ethical issues. Similarly, there may be times when you wonder if the grass will be greener on the other side but unfaithfulness is a cop out. It will not address the deeper, suppressed need that you may be feeling and misinterpreting.

I challenge you to analyze the relationship that you are in (or have previously been in) and compare the dynamic to that of a training program. We are all very knowledgeable when it comes to applying principles of physiology, biomechanics and programming so you will likely be able to come up with even more parallels between the two. Often the depth of understanding is deepest when you can apply concepts to different situations that are most important to you so give the topic some thought and see what you come up with.

Wisdom Teeth and Popcorn

When I was 21, I needed to have my wisdom teeth taken out. Well, I went in for my appointment and they told me that I wouldn't be able to eat popcorn for the next year because of the holes in my gums. I was dismayed - then realized that I rarely ate popcorn. Suddenly, though, losing the option made me appreciate popcorn that much more...

I think that the same thing could happen if you suddenly found that the government took away your democratic privilege of voting. How would you feel if suddenly, the government said "I know best - I'm just going to make the decisions for you, and you're just going to have to live with it"? How would you feel if suddenly you were living in a dictatorship, benevolent or otherwise? Well, according to our latest statistics - at least 35% of you shouldn't care at all, because you haven't bothered voting in any previous elections and clearly don't give a damn how the country's run. But I'll bet if this were to become a reality - then all 35% of you would bang your fists on the table, grab a self-righteous placard or two, and march on the government buildings demanding the right to be heard.

So - if you're not interested in living in dictatorship, why are you not taking part in the democracy that's right there in front of you?

A year's a long time without popcorn - a lifetime without being heard is unimaginable.

Get out and vote this weekend.

~Guy

.5th of may.

Mexicans are truly festive; any excuse gives way for a celebration! Some of the most important and exciting historical Mexican dates are the 16^th of September, Independence Day and the 5th of May, Cinco de Mayo. They are good occasions to show the pride of being Mexican, the love of the Motherland, and the certainty of being a free country thanks to the many men and women whose struggle made history. 4,000 Mexican soldiers smashed the French and traitor Mexican army of 8,000 at Puebla, Mexico, 100 miles east of Mexico City on the morning of May 5, 1862.

The quest for independence started on the 16^th of September 1810, following the will to become a free nation, no longer submitted to Spanish rule. The struggle went on for 10 years. Finally, in 1821, the first independent Mexican government was established.

No celebration can be complete without food. A few days before the big event, hundreds of stalls start aligning on the streets near the plazas of all the towns. Restaurants all over offer the most representative of Mexican cuisine: Mole Poblano. A thick spicy sauce that comes from blending more than 40 ingredients is spread on top of turkey or chicken and Mexican style red rice. Mole is so popular that it is served on nearly every important occasion.

Cinco de Mayo ends with the traditional shouts of ¡Viva Mexico! and people looking forward to the next National Holiday: El 16 de Septiembre Día de la Independencia de Mexico, ” where we’ll have the chance to celebrate once again”

Running with a Purpose.

Yesterday, I had the privilege of running the first half of the Vancouver Marathon with a customer who was doing her very first Full Marathon. Your main objective when you are the coach leading a customer during a long endurance race, is to keep there mind off of the pain, distract them of the thought of the long race ahead and to keep them motivated.

During our 22km run, we talked and chatted like we were just on an early morning run taking in the beautiful day. The best part about our run was when Michele mentioned that her main purpose for doing this race was for her kids to see her running! She mentioned that when she was younger, she never had the opportunity to do these events and play sports as much as her kids do today. She wanted to set an example for her children and to one day for her to watch them running a marathon or actually doing it with them.

To me this is what it is all about. Paying it forward. As leaders we must take the time to motivate, to challenge, to do the challenge with them and then eventually for that customer to lead another special person on a similar journey.

The Soldiers and the Trench

The story goes that sometime, close to a battlefield over 200 years ago, a man in civilian clothes rode past a small group of exhausted battle-weary soldiers digging an obviously important defensive position. The section leader, making no effort to help, was shouting orders, threatening punishment if the work was not completed within the hour.

"Why are you are not helping?" asked the stranger on horseback.

"I am in charge. The men do as I tell them," said the section leader, adding, "Help them yourself if you feel strongly about it."

To the section leader's surprise the stranger dismounted and helped the men until the job was finished.

Before leaving the stranger congratulated the men for their work, and approached the puzzled section leader.

You should notify top command next time your rank prevents you from supporting your men - and I will provide a more permanent solution," said the stranger.

Up close, the section leader now recognized General Washington, and also the lesson he'd just been taught.

(This story is allegedly based on truth. Whatever, similar examples are found in history, and arise in modern times too, so please forgive the mythical possibility of the above attribution; the story's message is more important than its historical accuracy.)