New Year's...

Call me what you want - I don't like New Year's... and it's the same reason I don't like Valentine's Day (amongst other "celebrations").

Don't misunderstand me - it's not that I resent celebration, but these are simply the false constructs of a society, ultimately meaningless in terms of accomplishments. To use more specific examples - on Valentine's Day, the commercialized elements of our culture have put us in the position that if we're in a relationship, we're asked to step up and do things that we should be doing regularly - only we're supposed to pay double what we normally do, because it's a "special" day. Similarly, if you're not in a relationship, it can leave you feeling somehow lacking that on this "special" day, you don't have someone "special" to spend it with. On New Year's Eve, you head out on the road (with, inevitably, people who should not be driving), have what is usually a very mediocre evening, spend three times what you normally would, wait 2 hours for a cab ride home and wake up with a hangover and nothing to show for it.

Why?

Instead, I have a few suggestions for 2009.

• Don't make resolutions - set goals. Long term and short term, realistic, achievable, and meaningful - and then complete them.
• Don't wait for ONE day to show your partner how much they mean to you - do it every single day of the year, in one way or another.
• Don't wait for that ONE day to let your Mom or Dad know how much you appreciate what they did for you.
• In fact, simply don't wait for tomorrow to do what you can today... take advantage of the opportunity that every day can offer to make your life, and the lives of those around you, better!

Happy 2009, everyone!!

~Guy

Christmas communication

How was your communication this Christmas? Was it a challenge?
It’s interesting when we get together with family that we haven’t seen since maybe the last Christmas dinner…

As we challenge ourselves, our teammates and our customers – don’t forget that it shouldn’t stop there. We have the opportunity to challenge our family and friends. That even goes so far as to challenge our family that we don’t see as much as our immediate family.

A couple weeks ago I received an email from a cousin that I hardly see. A few years ago she moved east to live with her new husband and has since then moved a little closer now that they had their first child. Their plans are to move back to Van but time will tell when that will happen…

Anyway, in this email she was asking for some advice about loosing weight – she gained a couple pounds while she was pregnant and now that it has been a year she has decided to put herself out there and ask for help.

Systems – we all know them…

I emailed her back right away and gave her some words of encouragement along with a couple documents on nutrition and post pregnancy training. I also included a food log and asked for it to be completed for me to look at within a week…

I followed up with a phone call when she arrived in Van. We chatted about personal family stuff and then I dropped the bomb…’so, when are we meeting to workout?’

She laughed and said, ‘how about this weekend?’
‘No problem’ I replied, ‘I’m coaching circuit but Ill meet you at kits rec at noon on Sat’
The phone was silent….’I guess I’ll see you then’ she responded…

Saturday came and circuit was great. I blasted out the door and drove through the snow to get to her. I parked and picked up my cell – ‘I’m here’ I answered to her hello…
‘Oh, wow – I’ll be right there’ she said surprisingly.

Within 4min she came running across the street and we went inside the local gym.

We trained together for an hour – I did what we do everyday – safely pushed her outside of her comfort zone and supported her along the way.
The hour came to a close and I told her that we were done and that it was time to stretch…
‘Wow – that went fast and those exercises were fun!’ she said while she lay on the floor in a pool of sweat…
‘You did a great job Teal – lets meet tomorrow for another hour of something a little different’ I replied.

We did meet and we did do another hour of exciting exercises…We met afterwards and continued the process over lunch. We looked at her next quarter. Assessed her commitment levels and skill set. We developed a program and choose a long term goal along with a couple short term goals to help her get there.
She is now armed with the tools to help her achieve success. I will provide support and friendly challenge in the form of food logs and phone call check-ins.

This is just us doing what we do best….

Don’t think that our family and friends don’t need the challenge too.

It may be the best gift you can provide someone…Especially with the New Year right around the corner…

Will 2009 be great or life changing for you?

As we are in the final week of 2008, we ask the question to ourselves, to our family and friends and to our customers, what is our goal or resolution to make 2009 different than any other year. Will you want to make a significant difference in your life this upcoming year, will you want to do or try something you never thought possible, will you make that choice to chose your own destiny?

We are encourage by others to think about our plans, goals, achievements for 2009, but in the end it is your choice whether you make 2009 great or your make it life changing.

The definition of "choice" - consists of the mental process of thinking involved with the process of judging the merits of multiple options and selecting one of them for action.

Everyday we are surrounded by making choices - what do we eat for breakfast, will I workout today, what exercise will I give next. These are everyday choices that happen unconsciously. The choices that we make that allows us to sit down and think about things, are the choices and decisions that are sometimes the hardest which can lead to a uncomfortable internal fight. We may regret or be confused on what we choose and we make seek out advice but ultimately it is your decision, your choice.

So what will 2009 bring you? Will you choose to go through the motions and not change anything at all or will you choose to make it an unbelievable year, a turning point in your life that will make you become an even better person.

The choice is yours!

“There are always two choices. Two paths to take. One is easy. And its only reward is that it’s easy”

'Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus'

‘At one time, most of my friends could hear the bell, but as years passed, it fell silent for all of them. Even Sarah found one Christmas that she could no longer hear its sweet sound. Though I've grown old, the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe,’ Hero Boy.

Veteran newsman, Francis Pharcellus Church who wrote, ‘Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus’ in 1897 said, ‘All minds, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.’ Most people think that ‘nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. They do not believe except what they see.’

In one of the final paragraphs of his editorial he stated, ‘Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus.’

I like to think that Santa Claus represents all that is good in the world, as espoused in the famous letter, and that Francis wrote the absolute truth when he wrote that the most real things in this life are the things we cannot see.’

‘This bell is a wonderful symbol of the spirit of Christmas - as am I. Just remember, the true spirit of Christmas lies in your heart,’ Santa Claus.

This holiday season... believe!

What a Year

What better night to write a blog as the clock ticks midnight. I look over at the clock and it is already December 25th. I still cannot believe how fast Christmas has come this year. I have already celebrated three Christmas’s already since I have worked at Innovative Fitness and I am in awe of how fast time flies. Sometimes we are always in play mode, working hard, training hard and always on the go. This is definitely true for me as I rarely sit down; rewind and reflect.
Now is the time to reflect the past year (2008). Are you happy with your personal development, did you accomplish your professional and personal goals for the year? When it is your turn to talk at the dinner table this year; maybe telling your family & friends about some of the challenges, adversity and victory you experienced would be great to share.
Now moving ahead and thinking about 2009, ask yourself, are you happy with your progress in 2008 and would you like to challenge yourself for even a more productive 2009. Use the next two weeks to reflect, goal set and plan out your next quarter. Challenge yourself or a teammate to something that you never thought you can do. Challenge yourself in all 5 spheres for the next quarter and you’ll be surprised at what you will accomplish. Step out of your comfort zone and set the bar high for the New Year.

Merry Christmas everybody and Happy Holidays!

Swimming Lesson

From the time I was about 5 years old, my Mom had me in swimming lessons.

I hated them.

In fact, for those first lessons, I think I sat on the edge of the pool and cried for 9/10 of them. I got over this little habit by the time my Mom enrolled me in the next ones (to her credit, she kept at it... I kept swimming until I finished Grade six), I actually took part in all of the lessons, and continued to climb the scale of experience until I earned my "Grey" swimming badge.

But I still hated them.

However, speaking to Josh last night I realized that swim lessons offered a very apropos allegory for teaching in general.

There are three ways to teach someone how to swim:

• You can get in the water with them, supporting them and holding them up - letting go for brief moments, but as soon as they struggle, grab them so they know that you're there. You can rest comfortably knowing that they are not going to drown... but at the same time, if they ever learn to do this on their own, it's going to take a long, long time.


• You can throw them in the water and walk away. The top students will learn to swim, and the rest... well, if you're lucky they won't ALL drown.


• Or: you can walk them to the edge, help them get down into the water - and let them know you're around in an emergency. Ultimately, they're supporting themselves in there but with the knowledge that someone is nearby if they get into serious trouble. Over time, they will learn to swim and get out of the water and onto the dock. Hopefully, they'll grab the next person who's terrified of the water and support them the way that they were supported - but they may also just walk off the dock, happy and secure in the knowledge that they can now swim.

Look at the way you've been teaching - are you setting others up to leave knowing how to swim, are you spending an inordinate amount of time in the water and still have a bunch of people hanging off your shoulders... or are the majority of your students drowning?

Motivation

The set of reasons that determines one to engage in a particular behaviour…

Extrinsic motivation (external inspiration) comes from outside the performer…

Intrinsic motivation (from within) occurs when people engage in an activity such as a hobby without obvious external incentives…

What motivates you?

Historically, one is motivated by fear, greed and or trust. Knowing this, which category do you choose to fall in? or, do you choose to think outside of the box and move against the grain to create your own set of standards/rules – really, the choice is yours and that’s the best part…rules (for the most part) are meant to be broken. Now it’s not like cooking or taking photos rules - there are no predetermined moulds for each of us and that’s why there are a few who don’t fall within the preset parameters of these said rules/moulds…

I am scared of that so I will do this…

I want that so I will do this…

I trust them so I will perform like this…

Intrinsically, why not be sure of yourself, accept and fear nothing…intrinsically motivate through these means and we will never fail. For what does failure look like from someone who fears no failure?

Extrinsically, why not look at the high ground and away from drama/low heavy feelings. Looking in the mirror may be the best extrinsic motivator out there…

When I was younger, I was angry – at what I’m not sure - possibly not understanding myself or my surroundings… As I age, I see with open eyes and mind – less in my way – being my biggest adversary has come and gone. I don’t need to prove anything to myself out of fear or anger…the days have passed where my inner demons have propelled me forward to crush my opponents in the dust and their failures…

It’s on a world level now – seeing only a fraction now, I realize (like many have before me) that there is so much more than getting ahead of my fellow man…

When I put my clicker on to change lanes only to have the car in that lane speed up, I smile and take a moment because it’s not their time yet. They are still travelling and they may or may not realize the truth in this lifetime…but they will because we all will eventually…unfortunately it may be too late for them…

Live each day and expect nothing.

Treat everything the way you picture success.

It starts with self – what’s your picture of success?

Are you ready?