The Problem with Taxes

So - I got my pay stub today. And as per usual, roughly 28% of my income was deducted - with a fair portion of it being income tax.

Now, my problem with taxes isn't so much that it happens in the first place - I mean, consider what it's used for. Healthcare, the road systems, the judicial system... no, on principle, not only does it make sense - I actually prefer it to the alternative.

However, my issues with paying out some of my hard-earned money for these things is that the money is so completely mishandled. When I see things like the base salary for our current members of parliament ($141,000 per member, not inclusive of party leaders or our esteemed Prime Minister), well - then I start getting annoyed. Seems to me that the money should be going to the services needed first, before we start paying ourselves such large amounts. Then, when these same people who are making such a large amount turn around and start pushing for an election, less than a year after the last one happened (that's you, Mr. $208,000 per year Ignatieff) at a cost of around $300,000,000, and I figure that's where my tax dollars are going... BEFORE health care, transport, judicial, etecetera.... well, that's when I get steamed. Because frankly, that's not a good use of our money.

So the next time you get a paycheque, take a moment to see how much the government is taking from you, and ask yourself if you feel your money is being spent in a way you consider worthwhile.

I'm willing to bet you won't. And then you're going to start seeing more and more useless wastes of money - your money.

That seething you'll begin to feel deep down in your gut? That's the price of knowledge.

Welcome to the club.

~Guy

the big C..

Some informative information I came across that needs to be shared.
Please read and update yourselves on the big C word. Cancer.

Johns Hopkins Research

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show
up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When
doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their
bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the
cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's
lifetime.

3 When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be
destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional
deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental,
food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and
including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also
destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal
tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs
etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages
healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor
size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in
more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation
the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can
succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can
cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy.
Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not
feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

*CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important
food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal,
Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural
substitute would be Man

uka honey or molasses, but only in very small
amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in color. Better
alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the
gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and
substituting with unsweetened soy milk cancer cells are being starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an
acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish,
and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock
antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful,
especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts
and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About
20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juicesprovide
live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels
within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain
live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice
(most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3
times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40
degrees C).

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is
a better
alternative and has cancer fighting properties. Water-best to drink
purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap
water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive
enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines becomes putrefied and
leads to more toxic build-up. (Look up alkaline diet on the internet)

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or
eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer
cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac,
anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the bodies own
killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are
known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method
of disposing of
damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and
positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger,
un-forgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic
environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and
enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising
daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular
level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

1. No plastic containers in micro.

2. No water bottles in freezer.

3. No plastic wrap in microwave.

Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This
information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well.
Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly
poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in
them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto,
Wellness Program Manager at
Cast le Hospital, was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He
talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not
be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This
especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination
of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately
into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as
Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food You get the same
results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant
ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in
something else. Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper.
It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us
that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam
containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.

Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous
when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked,
the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic
wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.

Pass it on.

Who's Ready and Why?

Innovative Team – After having the privilege of writing for How to Succeed at Life blog for a year and half, I would like to take the opportunity and pay it forward to anyone that is interested in writing about their thoughts, feelings, and/or current events. This blog site is for the Innovative Fitness Leadership Forum to be able to share and document thoughts, ideas and concepts in an open forum. This is an opportunity for you to share lessons that you have learned over the years and how this has affected you to where you are today through life and Innovative Fitness. This is a chance to educate the team, update customers and pay it forward to friends and family.

It is an amazing opportunity and personally, I have learned a great deal by putting my thoughts down on paper. My awareness of current events, my recognition of why certain things happen in our daily lives and how I connected them to my career, and lastly a chance for me to say what I really feeling deep down inside. You can write on anything that you feel is important to share and will help us here at Innovative Fitness.

It is a chance for all of us to grow, learn and succeed. The blog itself can be your thoughts on a current event that affects us in the work place, a situation, an adversity, a victory, or a challenge that you feel is relevant for you to share.

I am passing the sword and would like to pay it forward to who ever would like to take this on. This is an award to write for 'How to Succeed and Life' and an opportunity to grow and help others do the same.

So who is ready to step up? Who is ready to educate us?

Personal Responsibility

"You take your life in your own hands, and what happens? A terrible thing: no one to blame." Erica Jong

Today's subject is responsibility. Not social responsibility, which is a separate issue, but personal responsibility. When we take responsibility, we admit we are the ones responsible for the choices we make. We, not other people or events, are responsible for the way we think and feel. It is our life, and we are in charge of it. We are free to enjoy it or disdain it. No, we are not responsible for all that happens to us, but we are responsible for how we think, feel, and act when they happen.

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY IS NOTHING OTHER THAN THE FREEDOM TO CREATE OUR OWN LIVES. Yes, responsibility is equated with freedom and power. Once we realize this, we become liberated and empowered. Once we become aware of this truth, we shed our victim mentality and gain the power to transform ourselves.

Are you perfectly happy with the way things are at this time, or do you wish things were better? Chances are you are neither perfectly happy nor completely unhappy, for most of us lie somewhere between both extremes. However, if you're not totally satisfied, what are you doing about it? If you continue to do the same things, everything will remain the same. Nothing will change until you do.

If a change in your life is warranted, why not begin by recognizing that your present situation is not the result of your genes, parents, education, job, luck, timing, health, or environment. Rather, it is the choices you have made and the actions you have taken that have brought you where you are today. Change your choices and actions and you will change the results that follow.

Yes, it's easy to shift the responsibility and blame others or events. But what good is that? All it does is keep us in a rut. We cannot make any real progress until we admit to ourselves, "Only I can hold myself back. Only I can stand in my own way. Only I can help myself. Only I can take personal responsibility. Only I can transform myself from a victim of circumstances to reasoning, choice-making, action oriented person. Only I can make the decision to stop acting like a victim and start taking charge of my life."

This understanding is the first step in personal transformation. The second step is the action that follows, for as Dietrich Bonhoffer (1906 ~ 1945) wrote, "Action springs not from thought, but from a readiness for responsibility." Happiness is a choice, just like misery is; we all have the responsibility to make the right choices. We owe it to ourselves to do so.

Where Do You Go?

A Tears For Fears song came on the radio as I sat in traffic on my daily commute the other day- as a matter of fact it was the song entitled "Mad World". I sat back, sipped my coffee, and was transported back to highschool. Now, before we get too far, I did NOT go to highschool in the eighties, nor was I a Tears for Fears fan but the song, similiar to a fragrance, photograph, pair of old jeans can allow one to wade through a sea of memories and be transported back to a happy and idyllic time without the interruptions of homework, boyfriend problems, clothing trends, weekend plans or lack thereof.

It is a natural thing to do while driving, running, researching online or even watching t.v. We think about winning the lottery, our next vacation, past happy encounters, times in our lives that were joyful and it is becoming clear that there are instances where it is generationally increasing and we are aware of it, the media is aware of it. That is why beer commercials look the way they do, (beaches, bikini's and bars) and vacation/airlines/travel shows are so widespread and on the public radar. Not to mention facebook and twitter replacing mail, e-mail and phonecalls. These don't at first appear to be ways to escape but they are quick, widespread links to celebrities and the lives of others.

So my question is not what are we escaping from- Nothing really, life is hopefully good, but could always be better. It isn't where are we escaping to- It changes with our mood, backwards, forwards in time. My question is are our lives busier now, meaning we have more time/need for escaping and less time in a 24 hour period for real-time happiness? If so, how do we/I/you address this and address it for those you come into contact with??

Loyalty

Anyone who reads my contributions with any degree of regularity knows that I don't particularly enjoy simply reciting back an article I found - at best, I'll quote a passage or segment (with the exception of the Aaron Sorkin speech from "An American President").

That being said, and similar to the aforementioned speech, there are times when you come across an entry, or a piece of writing, that asks to be shared. Recently, I was looking up some information and, as internet searches sometimes go, came across a passage that was dated from 129 years ago to the day. I was looking for some inspiration on the subject of "loyalty", and through a rather circuitous path came across this entry - and I found that it really resonated. Maybe because I'm a huge dog fan, and maybe because it's so well written - but either way, in honor of it's anniversary, I reprint it here to ensure it continues to be passed on.

A quarrel between two neighbors had culminated in a particularly vicious act on the part of one of them, when they killed the other's dog - a foxhound by the name of "Old Drum". Old Drum's owner sued the neighbor - something that was seen as somewhat frivolous... after all, it was just a dog. However, the lawyer representing Old Drum posthumously was George Graham Vest - a gentleman that went on to become a US senator later in life. What follows is his summation:

"A man’s dog stands by him in prosperity and in poverty, in health and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground, where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only he may be near his master’s side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer, he will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounters with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When all other friends desert, he remains. When riches take wings and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens.


If fortune drives the master forth an outcast in the world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him to guard against danger, to fight against his enemies, and when the last scene of all comes, and death takes the master in its embrace and his body is laid away in the cold ground, no matter if all other friends pursue their way, there by his graveside will the noble dog be found, his head between his paws, his eyes sad but open in alert watchfulness, faithful and true even to death."


If that's not a lesson in loyalty - I don't know what is.

~Guy

pay attention..

It’s not about you it’s about our customers. Not saying we shouldn’t talk about ourselves, but we must remember that our customers are coming to us for our service and are walking into the gym with that on their mind…
We are here to listen, educate, instruct and evaluate. Not party it up and dance around checking ourselves out in the mirror.
This past month we have had many coaches away which means that teammates have been covering those hours. We have been impressed with the attitude of the coaches coming in early to cover and the new dynamic energy that has been created. It seems that when we mix it up, the team works together and is stronger than ever…a bundle of sticks is stronger than one…
The common theme has been positive and the end result has been a higher level of service provided to our customer base…
Attention – is the cognitive process of selectively concentrating on one aspect of the environment while ignoring other things…
So, next time you think it’s wise to talk to someone other than your customer during their session, think again. They are essentially paying for our attention and are expecting 100% during their time or their hour.
There are many forms of paying attention in our day to day…how many times have you been working with a customer during a balance exercise to have another coach walk by ‘not paying attention’ and unknowingly distract the customer or even bump into that customer…wow, this is my personal pet peeve…when you are bombing around the gym, keep in mind what you are doing because there are others around who are paying for our attention and are not looking to have you in their line of sight or for you to bump into them during a single leg dead-lift!
Quite simply, it all comes down to knowing your surroundings and knowing how to act in public. Guess what? When you are at work, it’s time to be 100% on work and perform the way we are paid to act…
This by no means is a call out – this is a simple reminder because we all have been guilty of not paying 100% attention at one time or another…

Remember, paying attention is a choice and we would prefer for you to choose to pay attention and have the cognitive process of selectively concentrating on one aspect of the environment while ignoring other things…

Life Lessons Learned from Training for a Triathlon

I was browsing through a fitness magazine, and I came across this article written by someone who had recently started training for a triathlon, after a brief hiatus from the workout world. While training, he would ponder life lessons that were analogous to hard work, and dedication of any kind. Below, you will read his 6 life lessons learned while training for a triathlon:

1. Get started – I have been fascinated with triathlons ever since the 1980’s when I witnessed the true meaning of human strength, determination, and courage when Julie Moss collapsed and then crawled across the finish line to place second at the Hawaii Ironman. That was over twenty years ago! If I had pursued my interest in triathlons then, who knows where I would be now. Likewise, if you are thinking about making a life change; a new job, a trip around the world, or launching a small business… don’t wait. Get started today!


2. You have to do the miles (yourself) – some days during my training when it was rainy, miserable out, or I just felt lazy I really wished there was someone that I could have paid to go out on the bike for me, or perhaps to swim my laps. However, as with any worthwhile goal, you have to get out there and put in the hard work in order to get to the desired end result. If you are studying at university or trying to run 3 miles for the first time it’s not always easy or pleasant, but being persistent and doing homework or running when you don’t feel like it WILL payoff in the long term


3. Some days it’s going to rain – actually, it might not only rain but you might get two flat tires at the same time, too. Pursuing personal goals is not always “flowery” and perfect. In fact, some days are going to downright suck.


4. Take a break – throughout my various training runs and bike rides I would often find myself winding up at the beach as a halfway point during a workout. Many days I would stop for five or ten minutes to think about what I have done, what I need to do, why I was doing it. If you’ve been working hard, don’t be afraid to take a break and give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back or to reflect on your goals.


5. When you reach a hill put your head down and take it one step at a time – Most days of my training I was either running or biking and I would always come across hills of varying magnitudes. Though, there is one hill in particular on my route that begins as a slow grade and continues to get steeper and steeper over the course of a mile. Frequently, especially in the beginning of my training, I would arrive at the base of this hill and want nothing more than to give up and walk. But, invariably I would put my head down and keep telling myself to just keep putting one foot in front of the other and before I knew it, I would be at the top. Have you hit any rough patches in life lately? Even though it is not always the solution sometimes you just have to put your head down, take what comes, and plow ahead one-step at a time.


6. Find sources of inspiration – As stated above, I like to exercise and workout but I did reach certain stages where I felt burnt out. During those times I would frequently read an interview with Scott Rogsby, the first below the knee double amputee athlete to complete the Hawaii Ironman triathlon. Most likely, whatever your goals, there are people out there who have overcome and triumphed in the face of adversity and have done what you would like to be doing. Seek them out when you are feeling overwhelmed.

For the Love of the Game

Interestingly I really am not a football fan (yes, it is an unfortunate time of year for me) but one of my favorite movies is "Rudy". When flipping through the channels Sunday night I found myself stopping on it right at the beginning of the initial training camp scene. It is early in the morning, the dew is sparkling on the grass, the breath of the players hangs in the air, the excitement is palpable. Anticipation for a hard workout, tense season, and new relationships on and off the field is evident.

I am instantly drawn in, for probably the 34th time. I love this movie. I love, just like everyone else loves the heart that runs through every aspect and character of this movie. It is generational - beginning with Ned Beatty's character, the Dad, then his undersized youngest son, then his teammates who are willing to surrender their jersey's to see that heart beat on the field. Rudy works throughout the entire movie just to play in one game so his father can see him. He will do anything and everything to make this happen. He is humble and loveable.

Now for a complete juxtaposition I bring your attention to the next sports related media I saw less than 10 hours later. Serena Williams' appearance at the US Open Semifinals where she loses it on a line judge who makes a questionable call. There is no majesty, no team, no love. Passion yes, but not what we're looking for. I bring these two 'scenes' up for a couple of reasons. First of all to highlight the difference between being a lone competitor without the tangible team to be accountable to. Rudy works so hard not to let anyone down whereas Serena in that moment only feels accountable to herself, and only in hindsight did she remembered the children she asked to look up to her, her parents and her sponsors (her team).

My second reason is to illustrate an example of before and after. Rudy is the example of someone for who going home unknown is a real possibility. Rudy is still enamored with his sport and Serena is above that, she knows that she will professionally recover. Rudy gives us the feeling however that he will never forget the strife that he went through to get on the field whereas Serena has the sense of entitlement and feels that this struggle gives her the right to treat someone like garbage, and she as a result represents herself like an ass.

My point is lets always work hard, on and off the field to remember our team, conduct ourselves as we would always want to be seen and remember the humbleness and attitude that lead us to success, maintaining it to lead us to further success.

Speak Up!

Funny, isn't it - how many of us will see or hear something that's not right, but instead of doing something about it... we turn a blind eye. Because it's easier to not get involved. It can be as small as not picking up the piece of garbage we see on the trail, or as big as ignoring the sound of a car alarm going off (seriously - how many of you have ever looked to see if someone was breaking in? Or did you just get agitated that it was going off, and hope that someone turns it off quickly?)


I still remember this point being driven home for me. I was watching the "Kids in the Hall" in university, and Bruce McCollough did a scene that was titled "An Open Letter to the Person Who Stole Bruce's Front Tire". Clearly, at some point that day, someone had stolen the front tire off of his bike - but left the rest of his bike. To paraphrase, he went into a somewhat incredulous rant - asking why, exactly, the thief stole the front tire but left the rest of the bike. What good was the front tire alone?


However, the poignant segment came later in the show. Bruce finished the first piece, and left the stage - only to come back and deliver a segment called "An Open Letter to the People Who WATCHED Someone Steal Bruce's Front Tire". Again, to paraphrase - Bruce put the question to all the people on the midday Toronto street that saw someone taking only the front tire off a bike... and then leave the bike. "What - did you think he was coming back for the rest of it later?"


Point is, we've all been guilty of turning the blind eye at one point or another in our lives - but maybe it's time to stop. Going forward, I offer you a challenge - I challenge you to start noticing all those little things. And if something's not right - fix it.

Pick the garbage up off the trail.

Look and see if a car's being broken into when you hear an alarm.

And if you see someone taking only the front tire of a bike - maybe check to make sure it's actually their bike.

~Guy

ifcp baby!

On Saturday, September 12, we helped raise over $275,000.00 for the kids at the Canuck’s Place Children's Hospice. We have been operating this annual event for the past 4yrs and this was the most successful year by far.

A little history…

Canuck Place www.canuckplace.org offers a comprehensive continuum of care to over 350 children and teens with life-threatening illnesses and their families throughout British Columbia.

This vision became reality in November 1995 when Canuck Place opened as the first free standing children’s hospice in North America. Today it is recognized globally as a leader in pediatric palliative care sharing knowledge, expertise and research regionally, nationally and internationally to assist in the further development of best practices in this field.

For the past 4years we have been fundraising for Canuck Place and had success with our efforts. During the Christmas season we put our bodies on the line and sell 5min blocks over a 2hr period for each coach. This special night is called ‘Train the Trainer’ where customers are able to train us for those 5min and for 50$, our sweat becomes equity and it donated towards Canuck Place. In the summer, we produce an adventure race in the north shore. The Innovative Fitness Canuck Place Adventure Race is a team event that sends teams on a kayak, mtn bike and trail running race…on Saturday, it was time to do it all again and our efforts as mentioned helped raise over a quarter of a million dollars!

Check out all the fun photos and results at www.adventurechallenge.ca

See you next year!

Passion or Obsession?

Henry Ford once stated, “I had plenty of time, for I never left my business. I do not believe a man can ever leave his business. He ought to think of it by day and dream of it by night.”

There is no denying that people who become obsessed by a task or a career or a cause get a lot done, and they often do it efficiently, but what is the difference between passion and obsession?

A passion is a strong liking for an activity or something else. An obsession is when you are constantly preoccupied with an activity or something else.

“Find something you're passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it.” ~ Julia Child.

Lets think about an Iron man – an Iron man can be summed up as one of the most narcissistic, selfish, self-absorbing, time consuming, financially, physically, and mentally draining sports the general public can participate in voluntarily. That being said, for those of us who understand Iron man and its’ journey we know the sense of accomplishment is immeasurable. I challenge you to find another product that sells out a year in advance, one hour after it goes on the market.

“The least we can do is figure out what we hope. The most we can do is to live inside that hope.” ~ Anonymous

The more I watch and read about those that are successful, the more obvious it is that there is a fine line between passion, and obsession. And, the truly successful are those that are doing what they do all the time, and when they’re not doing it, they are thinking about doing it. Why do you think business people who make millions are so good at? They are always doing business – the same holds true with the greatest writers and painters. They obsess – if you want to be good at something, you need to be passionate and mildly obsessive about what it is that you do.

“The kind of commitment I find among the best performers across virtually every field is a single-minded passion for what they do, an unwavering desire for excellence in the way they think and the way they work. Genuine confidence is what launches you out of bed in the morning, and through your day with a spring in your step.” ~ Jim Collins

The Priorities of the Public

Recently my attention was diverted to the television where I noticed that not only are there still quite a few realities shows around but they now seem to have taken a dark and sad twist. We are privy to the details of peoples lives through shows such as "Intervention", "16 & Pregnant", "The 680 lb Virgin", and "Hoarders". I bring this depressing little corner of American media up because it got me thinking about people and their priorities.

In the beginning of each "Hoarders" episode, the producers introduce you to the people profiled and there is a caption on the screen which reads that "3 million Americans have the disease of hoarding", that many live with the condition for their entire lives undetected and that it is a crisis that brings them to rectify their living situation and deal with their disease.

These folks seem like good people, many of them are either raising children or have raised children in what can only be described as absolute squalor. The homes are always rental properties and the people have always had financial issues which are exacerbated by the spending and wasting involved in their lives.

Now of course this is an extreme example about the skewed priorities of regular people highlighted by A&E or other media outlets for the horrification and entertainment of the general public but I was thinking about the priorities of the people I see on a day to day basis. Generally their own health is pretty close to bottom of the list. Typically it is work, kids, home, spouse, themselves (but this can mean anything from a Sunday of golf with two hours at the nineteenth hole to a massage). Until recently when I met this woman who had had enough and decided to realign her priorities. She has a twelve year old son and a highly demanding job which requires her to move every 2-4 years and after ten years of this and gaining an additional 30 pounds she has had enough.

So much of what we talk about is the 5 Spheres - Social, Intellectual, Spiritual, Physical, Emotional. It is interesting to see the result in someones life when these are dramatically off-kilter. It is incredibly easy to do within our own little bubble but important beyond words to help those that are asking for it to see where they need to add that balance.


-Angela Tames

The Learning Curve

First day back at school for a lot of kids today - so in honor of this occasion, I dedicate this blog to the idea of continued education...

Last year, I went to renew my certification and chose to do it through a different governing body than I had previously done - it meant going back in and re-learning a lot of basic principles that I figured I already thought I knew (and although I knew them - I quickly realized that I didn't know them as well as I had assumed...!). This year, I'm going to be adding on a couple of more certifications - one is a variation on the first, but the other is in a system, or line of thinking anyway, which is far more developed than anything I've been using so far.

It's humbling. And the whole process has made me realize two things - firstly, that for everything I know, there's a hundred variables that I don't... but more importantly, that I love continuing to learn.

They say "ignorance is bliss" - and I suppose, on some level, it is. Before I knew how much I didn't know, I was ignorant to how much more I need to learn - and I think it's an exponential paradox. The more I learn, the more I need to continue learning...

And I'm loving every minute of it.

~Guy

true rules

With September charging along, our final quarter is approaching. Our fourth quarter sets ourselves and our year up for success. This planning of our success carries over to next year and so on and so on…

What is success? I would like to share with you a set of rules that measure success. This is actually a contract created by some innovative parents for one of their young boys. But after reading through, it is amazing how simple yet effective the concept is.

What if we all (us, friends, families, customers) followed this contract to a tee?

Pillars of Success.

1. Manners.
· I look people in the eyes when they are talking to me
· I say please and I say thank you when asking for & receiving things
· I say pardon when I have not heard what someone has said
· I address adults as Mr. or Mrs. _____ (even if they say “call me xx”)
· I go to the door and greet people with Hello when they arrive and Goodbye when they leave.
2. Integrity.
· I act the same as I would act if mom or dad was around, when they are not.
· I treat people with the respect and dignity with which I’d like to be treated
· I do what I say I’m going to do when I say I’m going to do it.
· I tell the truth, no matter how bad I think it is
· I accept responsibility for both good and bad things that may happen as a result of my behavior.
3. Focus.
· I focus on the task in front of me at 100% and not something else.
· When I’m playing sports, it’s on that sport
· When I’m in school, it’s on the teacher & task
· When I’m at play, it’s on having a good time.
· I do not interrupt or disrupt other people’s focus.
4. Effort.
· I give 100% of what I’m capable of every day, every play (in work and play)
· I do not give up. I keep trying until I find the solution or answer.
· I do not take short cuts. There are no short cuts in real life
· Where there’s a problem – I focus on the best & quickest solution possible.
· I realize losing & failure are a part of real life and sometimes, despite my best effort I will have to deal with losing and failure. I will do this with class.
5. Confidence.
· I believe that I am a good, hard working, smart, able boy.
· I believe that I can accomplish anything I put my mind to doing.
· I don’t accept put downs or negative criticisms from others
· I Can I will I Am.

With a couple modifications here and there, this template needs to be followed by as many people as possible. Print this off and look at what you can do during the next week.

Can you follow this contract?

thanks matt

Think Outside the Box

Charles H. Duell, Director of the US Patent Office once said, ‘Everything that can be invented has been invented.’ That was in 1899: clearly he was in the box!

Thinking outside the box is to think differently, unconventionally or from a new perspective. The basic idea is that to be creative you need to challenge your own assumptions and look at things from a fresh angle. You need to break out of conventional thinking formed by past experience. The phrase is generally held to have originated with the classic ‘nine-dot’ creativity puzzle.

Get a pen and some paper and copy the nine dots arranged in a square above. To solve the problem, you need to join all nine dots by drawing no more than four straight lines. The straight lines must be continuous – i.e. you must not lift your pen from the paper once you start drawing.

If you’re like most people, you will have tried to solve the problem by keeping your lines inside the ‘box’ created by the dots. But if you look at the instructions, there is no requirement to do this. So have another go at solving the problem, allowing yourself to draw outside the box.

The lesson of this exercise is that we can’t solve the problem as long as we are thinking ‘inside the box’ created by our assumptions. Once we start to think ‘outside the box’ we open up many more possibilities and it becomes easy to solve the problem. This is true in so many areas of life – our education, past experience and habitual thinking patterns keep us trapped in limiting assumptions. It takes a real effort to challenge the assumptions and think 'outside the box'.

The Big Decision...

IMC

This past Monday morning, I made the decision and registered for next year’s Ironman Canada. After spending the weekend in Penticton and feeling the unbelievable energy that surrounds this event and then watching the race on Sunday – the decision was easy – and I can honestly say I have never been so ecstatic about anything before.
From the moment that I saw the swimmers in the water with their pink and blue swim caps and the sun hitting their wetsuits, to hearing disc wheels fly by and then the look of complete elation when the runners where coming down the last stretch knowing they were steps to victory – I knew that I needed to be in their shoes – everything just clicked.
More importantly, I would have to say; watching Scott, Chris, James and Caroline complete their first Ironman was absolutely amazing and inspirational. Seeing them throughout the day – as they rode, ran and crossed the finish line was unbelievable. Their dedication, drive, physical and mental strength throughout their year of training was perfectly exemplified this past Sunday and was astonishing to watch.

Completing an Ironman has always been on my to-do list. As one of the world’s most prestigious events, it would always come up in the back of my mind and I knew that one day I would complete one – and my time is now. The excitement for this upcoming year cannot even be put into words. All I do know, is that my heart skips, and I start to smile when I think about running into the water at 7am with 2500 other people to start my 3.8km swim, 180km ride and 42.2km run.
The very early mornings, the brick sets, the back-to-back days, and the longs hours are what I’m looking forward to. It is going to be an amazing challenge on a variety of levels. Physically, mentally and emotionally it is going to be a journey of a lifetime – one which I will never forget – starting from the moment I knew that this was what I was going to do.
The next year is not going to be easy – it will have it ups and downs. However, what I do know is that August 31, 2010, I will be a competitor at Ironman Canada.

-Nina Mathers

Ego

Anyone else following what's going on with the Phoenix Coyotes? I mean, if you're an NHL fan, you most likely know what's happening - but how about everyone else?

In a nutshell: Jim Balsille, and incredibly wealthy businessman (co-CEO of Research in Motion - the Blackberry empire) has been trying to buy an NHL franchise for years. He's done things the right way, the wrong way - any way possible, really, to try and get a team... and the big thin is, he wants that team to be in Canada. Meanwhile, for the last fifteen years or so, Gary Bettman (the commissioner of the NHL) has been pushing the NHL's expansion - specifically into the States. In his tenure, he's added the Anaheim Ducks, Atlanta Thrashers, Nashville Predators, Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild and the Columbus Blue Jackets. He's also relocated the Minnesota North Stars to Dallas, the Quebec Nordiques to Denver and the Winnipeg Jets Phoenix.

There's your back story.

Now Balsille and Bettman have a bit of a history - Bettman has already blocked Balsille's attempt to buy a team when Balsille was making a bid on the Nashville Predators... and even then, he planned to move the team to Hamilton. And here's where it would appear that ego seems to be getting in the way...

Frankly, I don't know a lot about Balsille - and admittedly, we may only be getting the "pro-Balsille" slant in Canada, since he's a) Canadian, and b) trying to bring another team back (nobody in Canada has ever forgiven Bettman for moving the teams to the States). Truthfully, Balsille may be a complete dillhole for all I know.

But Bettman? Bettman's ego seems to be standing in the way of the process from occurring naturally. Yes, they need to be careful about selling franchises - given that the performance of one is a reflection of all of them, and terfore we need to ensure that every person who has $200+ million dollars can't just buy a team on a whim - but at the same time, the Coyotes are losing money every single year. And this, in my opinion, is where the ego is exposed...

Remove Balsille from the equation. The Coyotes are in such financial straits that they had to declare bankruptcy - so when someone comes in with a bid that's significantly larger than the other ones, with a business plan that projects an audience and growth equal to or better than what's being seen in Phoenix (or ost of the other expansion teams for that matter), why stop it from happening?

Well, if you're Bettman - you'd have to admit you were wrong. You'd have to acknowledge that putting a hockey team in Atlanta, Nashville, etc... was a bad idea. You'd have to expose yourself to the possibility that, despite what you've been working on for the last 15 years... may not be the right direction.

Learn from this. Learn to take yourselves and your ego, feelings, persona - out of the equation. Recognize that although some of the things you've done may have been great - you can't possibly be right all the time. AND - times/circumstances change... sometimes you have to be willing to adjust to them, or watch everything you've accomplished begin to fall apart.

Every good leader needs ego - you must have the strength of conviction to see things through the tought times and make them work, not flipping your position in moments of adversity. BUT - and here's the hard part - every great leader knows when it's time to admit you may have been wrong.

Are you good? Or great?

~Guy

2weeks in the land down under..

On Aug 18th, 9pm we walked into VVR and left for Australia. An adventure in the making from the past year which stemmed from a world record ride in 2007.
We approached the check-in desk with excitement and handed over our passports. ‘What are in these boxes?’ the Air Canada rep asked us. ‘Bikes’, we replied, ‘We’re riding from Cairns to Melbourne in 8days to raise awareness for Juvenile Diabetes’Startled she asks, ‘With your push bikes!?
This would be the first of many questions asked to us the entire time we were on the road in Australia and we would soon find out way.
Some history..That world record ride was competed just 2yrs ago. A promise made from a dad to his daughter that he would heal her. A group of committed individuals came together and planned out a 5man reply ride across Canada. In their efforts, a Gunnies Book of World Records was established and with close to 1million dollars were raised for Juvenile Diabetes the event was an overall success.Just 1yr ago we were contacted to develop a major event for a group of friends and with a second Canada relay in planning stages, an Australian reply would be that extreme effect they were searching for.Training protocols were designed in Canada and ground operations and media were controlled by Australia. We later found out that Nelson works on big movies and can literally make time stand still on set – logistics were under way.With an unexpected drop in the world economy and a couple major natural disasters in Australia, the money was not coming in as expected and coincidently the group first interested were all dropping out. Literally the last one the day we got there.
Regardless, with planning, caring and focus the ride was going to happen and would be successful.
At times we seem to forget or not believe that WE CAN achieve what we aspire to. Yet, it's only a matter of setting out the plan (setting goals), having the confidence to do it (believing), and putting in the work to make it a reality (executing the plan) ~ Curtis Christopherson
On our flight to Sydney our 16hr trip was upgraded to business class which gave us a bed to sleep in versus a seat. Wow, that’s the way to roll. This was again, the first of many lucky moments during our 2weeks in the land down under.
Matt, Curtis and I took off on the 18th but arrived on the afternoon of the 20th. Jumping from Sydney to Cairns we arrived in a summer oasis even though it was their winter. A group of 3Australians picked us up. We knew it would be an interesting time when they showed up wearing all the riding gear driving the van. Nelson (ground operation), Micky P (sponsorship and media) and Cameron (rider and comic relief) Our first night was spent getting to know each other and let’s just say that we enjoyed Cairns hospitality..the next morning was slower than normal, but the day was spent preparing the vehicles, bikes and last minute details. By this time we were getting to know the rest of the team. Steve arrived (the 5th rider) and Andrew (filmer). The whole team was amazing and their general attitudes from the beginning were so solid… generous and caring hearts mixed with an Australian personality is a winning mix.
Our daily rides were commonly started off with an hour group ride followed by 2hr solo shifts until dark including a group ride into town. Our plans included hotels in the beginning because of permit issues with riding at night, but we soon figured out that riding at dusk until dawn is actually very dangerous. The roads are full of wildlife and trucks driving in teams to save gas (ironically bikers ride in teams to save energy)
Day1 was a ride to Townsville which was full of riding through sugar cane fields and farm land. With hills in the distance one really gets the feeling of open space. The temperature is gorgeous and the rest of the scenery is breath taking. We stayed in a very cool hotel in Townsville and had a great meal down the street from our restaurant. Funny thing while we were getting ready for dinner, we were taking turns in an ice bath (this causes fresh warm blood to get in there to warm you up later and clears the lactic acid out of the muscles – a huge deal when needing to recover from physical activity) anyway, mid ice bath the fire alarm went off and we all piled outside wearing shorts and towels. Meeting what seemed to be 100ppl behind a restaurant dressed that way was pretty funny…
Day2 was a hot ride to Mackay. The card games in the back of the RV, the hilarity of our cultures coming together while riding the east coast of Australia was proving to be noticeably the best road trip ever. The time together was spontaneous, fun and interesting. We were learning about each other and Matt, Curt and I were getting passed major information from our new friends about their land and we were all witnessing the visuals right in front of us…
Day3 was spent riding towards Rockhampton. The morning was misty and crisp. This quickly was replaced with some of the hottest temperatures ever recorded in the surrounding areas…we ate sugar cane standing in a field, we saw many wild animals and birds and experienced new foods like; pies, monkey burgers and ice poles...my stomach was sore from laughing all the time!
Day4 we raced to Brisbane. This was a long day with hard riding, a stop by police and lots of photography. Everything was a treasure waiting to be seen. This day, the team was comfortable with each other spirits were total high as even the support crew (everyone) took turns riding. All the guys gave it a try and rode with us on occasion. They all looked great out there!
Day5 was a big media morning in Brisbane followed by a tricky departure of the city. The morning was difficult, but we were rewarded with some of the most amazing riding ever. What if you could ride your bike at Surfers paradise and then end up taking a quick dip at Byron bay…unbelievable.We slept in the RV just outside of Port Macquarie with our focus of getting to Sydney the following day.
Day6 was a long push into Sydney. The riding was hilly and big. The heat was pounding down on everyone. We were working very hard. The recovery time is important and we seemed to balance everything well. The moral was consistent and the energy stayed positive. We arrived a sunset into Sydney and just made it to ride across the harbour bridge into the sunset with the opera house to our side. The visuals were absolutely amazing and with a quick fix of Curt’s bike on route keep the team rolling together.It was a little colder in Sydney was we were getting lower down the coast, the city seemed like home and we really enjoyed the pizza and beer we found down by the water…
Day7 started off with a media event at the opera house and an amazing ride out of Australia’s largest city. We rode through forests and along beaches…cliffs and coves…towns and estates, this ride was the greatest of all time. We rode along the sky sea bridge which hangs out over the cliffs as it curves right off the side of the mountains. Many car commercials have been filmed there because of the raw beauty and architecture.To help us appreciate the positives there must always be a little adversity along the way. That night we hit and killed a very large kangaroo. This only enforced the decision to not ride at night and to finding the solution of doing 200km pickups from time to time to stay on track. Safety first was proving to be the best option.
A very late night by all and an early start for Day8 into Melbourne. We camped along the way near Twin Rivers. There was plenty of riding to do before arriving at our finishing point. We had come so far and the entire time felt like so much longer. The long road traveled with providing us with a challenge through adversity into victory. The team dug deep to get us to our final destination…Melbourne
We arrived to a staging point where we repaired our second flat, ate some baked goods and met up with a rider for the last 30min cruise. The entire ride at times felt like home and our last moments felt like we were on Point Grey road (bigger and better maintained mind you!) the team exchanged smiles and pats on the backs. We came around the corner and were met by a party at a swim club. The last of its kind in Melbourne where there are bars in the water enclosing a shark free zone built in the early 1900s. High fives and a jump off the pier completed the ride.
We did it! The final celebration began and believe me, the last 30hrs in Australia was jammed full of fun and good times…the travel home on the 31st coincidentally was about that long as well…
The teams wished each other well, friendships have been created and memories were established.
Thank you to all who made this trip possible for us. Your kind words support and positive energy was appreciated.
We completed what we set out to do. Raise awareness for Juvenile Diabetes and ride across a country with friends…what’s next?

Be sure to experience everything posted on our Innovative Fitness group page on www.facebook.com 2007 world record ride www.teamh2v.com2009 Cairns to Melbourne in 8days www.cyclebetes.com.au