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Newsletters>
The Missing Link for Motivation
August 1, 2009
The Greatest
As we approach the end of yet another fun round of Boys Boxing Boot Camp (BBC) I am again amazed at how the boys have grown.
The BBC was originally designed to teach self-defense skills to a few kids having trouble with bullies in middle and high school. I’m pleased and humbled by how much more these kids get out of it.
Each Saturday just before noon, “the boys” begin to show up. They know that each lesson is going to be even tougher than the last challenging session; still they show up. One by one they break out the equipment and wrap their hands. In unison they perform calisthenics. Suddenly the quiet, ordinary basement of Carrino’s Coffee Shop transforms into a bastion of young manhood; a citadel where young men test their mettle by strapping on the leather.
No this is not for everybody, but the select few it is for, are all for it. All in. Its easy to see this during the first “gut check” drill when each athlete gets to push himself beyond where his limit once was and then turn right around and perform even better on a second attempt.
During the team building competitions designated team Captains to formulate winning strategies under pressure. In boxing, and especially in self-defense, its not whether you win or lose, its whether you win. In the heat of battle, it’s refreshing to see the boys freely manifest a pure desire for victory.
After agility, conditioning, and skill drills, the boys get a chance to spar a little. Although some are nervous about this part of the Boot Camp, each one disappears inside a protective headgear and straps on the boxing gloves. The actual boxing is very controlled, but not so much that the boys don’t get a chance to trade punches and find out a little something about themselves.
They find out that the anxiety associated with the anticipation of an event is often worse than the event itself. They learn how to adapt to stress, and how to perform under pressure. They find out that getting punched with one of those pillows is probably not the worst thing that will ever happen to them. They learn that they can “suck it up” and get tough when necessary.
The once shy grow confident. The angry learn control. The frightened become brave. The feeble, much stronger. I wish I could say I designed the program to accomplish all these things. I did not. Yet it happens none-the-less. And it is awesome to watch.
As the bastion became a basement again at the end of the last lesson, one of my boxers asked “Coach, am I the greatest boxer in the boot camp?” I said, “Son, I believe you truly believe you are…” He contemplated my answer for a moment, then left with a smile. I think he knew that’s all that mattered.
The next round of the BBC begins 8 August and goes for 5 consecutive Saturdays. Sign your boys up at www.soulpersonaltraining.com.
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The Missing Link for Motivation
If you've ever wished that you were more motivated to experience life at your full potential then this is for you.
Most of us set goals and work hard only to find our motivation fizzle out after a couple of weeks. But there are little tricks that will help you harness the power of your mind and propel you toward achieving your goal.
The Two Motivators
When you boil it down, you're motivated by two simple things:
To avoid pain (fear of failure)
To gain pleasure (promise of reward)
You are naturally geared toward one of these motivators. To figure out which, think of the last time you accomplished a task and then ask yourself the following: While doing the task were you thinking about what would happen if you failed to finish, or were you thinking about what you would gain when you finished?
Take note as to which motivator works for you - fear of failure, or promise of reward.
Set Your Goal: The first step towards unstoppable motivation is to determine your goal. You know you're unhappy with your body, but what exactly do you want to change? Why is it important to you?
Perhaps you can relate to one of the following goals:
You need to lose weight for your health. Your doctor scared you straight or maybe you've had a recent health problem that landed you in the hospital. Your goal is to move away from the pain of sickness.
You want to look and feel incredible. You've always wanted to feel vibrant and attractive. The idea of having more energy really excites you. Your goal is to move toward the pleasure and reward of a fit body.
You're worried about your kids. They don't eat enough vegetables, they drink more soda pop than water and they play video games constantly. You have decided to model a healthier lifestyle and to encourage your kids to participate. Your goal is to move away from the risks of a sedentary lifestyle and to propel your kids toward a healthy future.
Train Your Mind for Weight Loss:
With your clear and important goal in mind, let's take a few minutes to train your mind to achieve it. You know that weight loss comes as a result of eating right and regular challenging exercise, so let's use your mind to conquer both.
Eating Right: Use this exercise to distance yourself from the self-sabotaging foods you really wish you didn't eat, and to naturally begin selecting healthy foods.
Take a moment to review your current eating habits. Identify the foods that you should stop eating (hint: sweets, anything fried, refined carbohydrates, sugary drinks). Identify the worst food that you eat regularly but know you shouldn't.
Now imagine the healthy foods that you should eat (hint: vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean protein). Identify the healthiest food that you know you should eat regularly.
Now with the image of these two foods in mind, find a quiet place and do the following exercise (seriously this stuff works):
Draw up the image of your unhealthy food item. This image will likely be quite vivid, with smell, taste and bright color. In your mind, fade this picture to black and white and distance the image until it is dull, fuzzy and remote.
Draw up the image of your healthy food item. This image will likely be fuzzy and faded. In your mind, bring this picture to life with smell, taste, sound and bright color.
Regular Exercise: This technique can be applied in a way that encourages you to crave exercise rather than avoid it.
Take a moment to imagine how you feel after a great workout (notice the emphasis on the word after). Remember the physical satisfaction as well as the sweet feeling of accomplishment.
Now bring to your mind the aspects of exercise that you dislike. What is your biggest reason for avoiding exercise? Are you too tired? Do you not have enough time? Is physical exertion too much of a hassle? Pinpoint your greatest complaint about exercise.
Now with the image of these two aspects of exercise in mind, find a quiet place and do the following exercise:
Draw up the image of your exercise complaint. The image is likely to be clear and accompanied by the sounds, smells and sensations. In your mind, fade this picture to black and white and distance the image until it is dull, fuzzy and remote.
Draw up the image of the wonderful feeling you have after accomplishing a great workout. Magnify this image in your mind. Fixate on how you feel physically, mentally and emotionally. View the experience in bright colors and add a sound track of inspirational music.
Why It Works
If this was your first experience with training your mind (also called Neuro-Linguistic Programming, or NLP) it may have felt a little odd. Many of the world's top achievers regularly use techniques like these to accomplish astounding goals.
The techniques above work because they train your mind to bring your behavior in line with your values. Think about it, you value health, you desire to be fit and attractive and you want to instill healthy habits in your kids.
These techniques encourage you to avoid self-sabotage and to make choices that line up with what you truly value.
Now that you are ready to accomplish your goals, call or email me today to start your fitness program that will greatly improve your life.
The Rocking Chair Test
Need another boost of motivation? Anthony Robbins uses this Rocking Chair Test to propel his students to action.
Imagine yourself at 90 years old, sitting in a rocking chair and looking back over your life.
Imagine that you never accomplished the goals that are important to you. Feel the pain of loss and regret.
Now imagine that you did accomplish these important goals. Feel the pleasure of success and accomplishment.
Which scenario do you want to experience when you are 90?
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Roasted Brussels Sprouts
This is one of those healthy foods that you're missing out on! If the thought of Brussels Sprouts makes you queasy, then you've never had them prepared like this. Roasted with fresh garlic and light seasoning, these crunchy treats will tease your taste buds into thinking you're eating potato chips. Servings: 2
Here's what you need...
12 Brussels Sprouts
1 teaspoon Olive oil to drizzle
Salt and pepper
2 fresh garlic cloves, minced
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Cut the stem off the Brussels Sprouts and cut them in half lengthwise. Drizzle with olive oil, coat evenly. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper.
Place the Brussels Sprouts cut side down on a baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven, using tongs coat the Brussels Sprouts with the garlic. Place the baking sheet back in the oven for an additional 5 minutes.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven, the cut side of the Brussels Sprouts should be browned and crispy.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 72 calories, 2g fat, 10g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, and 4g protein.
Motivate your friends, family and co-workers! ___________________________________________________
Everhart and Soul
"Be a trustee. Everything comes to us in trust, for us to use and then to set it free. The consciousness of trustee sets us free of the tension of grasping and guarding. To see ourselves as trustees of everything that we receive, including our bodies, encourages our innate capacity to 'care for with dignity'. It is a much more relaxing way of relating to the things which we are privileged to receive in life." – Unknown
For More Soul Inspiration from Carl visit Everhart and Soul at www.soulpersonaltraining.com
Forward This Newsletter _________________________________________________________
Rob and Sandy
Soul Personal Training
20981-A E. Smoky Hill Road 80015
303-669-3748
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Quotes, Quips, and Testimonials
My family's become a lot closer and we've all improved in so many areas because of personal training sessions and participating in True American Boot Camps. Thanks Soul Personal Training!
Jerry
I recently had major surgery and my doctor said because of my training with Sandy at Soul Personal Training my recovery time was minimal compared to life before working out. Thanks for your support in reaching all my goals and for strengthening my total body. Truely it's been from the inside out!
Pat
I can't live without Soul Personal Training. I've permanently budgeted for it. Thank you so much for all the toning, strength and muscle I've achieved so far. Looking forward to even more progress.
Paddi
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Real Pain Relief-$20 For 20 Minutes!
Here's what you get!
a hands on assessment by a Physical Therapist
expert opinion regarding source of pain
recommended treatment plan
All for just twenty bucks?! Miraculous!
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Sign Up NOW for the Next True American Boot Camp!
Is True American Boot Camp good, hard, fun? YES SIR! Challenging? YES SIR! Competitive? YES SIR! A walk in the park? H@$% NO SIR! Cool combat songs? YES SIR!
Are TA Boot campers getting phenomenal results? YES SIR?
Is it time to hit the web site and sign up NOW? YES SIR!
The registration page is available at
www.soulpersonaltraining.com.
This camp is filling up so don't get caught sleeping in; fall in right away!
NEW Evening classes _______________________________________________________
Jill Parker's Soul of Running
Ageless
I’m writing to you today, sitting on the steps of a cottage I go to each year at the end of July; it sits up on a little cliff overlooking the vast aqua-blue waters of Lake Michigan in Grand Haven, MI. It’s breathtaking here…and to top, tonight we’re in for a gorgeous sunset - I wish I could show you all.
When I was a child, I spent summers at my grandmother’s country house which resided on the outskirts of the tiny town of Lansing in northern Iowa. I didn’t have the best of childhoods so of all my adolescence memories, those spent here are the most sacred and most clear. I remember the way her house smelled, the way the breeze would rustle the leaves, the smell of cut grass after mowed, her big back yard where you could see farmland for miles on end, the way the rain sounded on the metal roof, sitting at her vanity and brushing my long, blond hair and trying on her pearls. I had no program; age did not matter. I just played, swam, fished, played cards with the adults, wandered around the old, 1-room schoolhouse and general store (which in my very young days, she owned), and spent hours reading old issues of Reader's Digest (I especially loved the "Drama in Real Life" stories). To this day, when I need some self-imposed therapy session and need to go to my "happy place," I go to my grandmother’s house.
And this is precisely my intention with my own children. I want to help create their "happy place." I want it to be a place where memories are forged simply by having the free time and space to find out things they really love to do when the schedules and the "have to's" fall away. We are not here for the entire summer, unfortunately, but each week spent here, I find out new things about them that I never knew before and it brings us each a little closer, a little smarter with one other. Keeping up with these kids lives is the finest motivation of all for me to stay fit. It keeps me young; we equally play in the water, ride bikes, play baseball, and walk into town, just to name a few. Age has no meaning here.
We are having a great time.
Prior to our arrival at the Michigan beach cottage, I spent a few days visiting my Iowa roots seeing dear, childhood friends. I bought a ticket to Omaha a few months ago when I had the inclination to do a couple days of Ragbrai, the great bike ride across Iowa. Things didn’t exactly pan out with the ride, mostly due to logistical complications but also because I was fearful my bum knee was going to not be so happy cycling 150 miles in two days and in the end, decided this year was not the year to test it out. Thanks to friends that I hold sacred in my heart, I ended up on the complete opposite end of Iowa (via car and not bicycle) from where I originated so I could run the Bix 7–miler race in my hometown of Davenport.
I’m elated to report: the race couldn’t have unfolded any better for me. This race is as legendary to Midwest runners as the Boston Marathon is to marathoners. It is a very brutal course casting numerous hills throughout, the first mile itself is the most grueling. The locals love this race; they plan weeks in advance preparing large group gatherings with feasts as they view the race in masses.
I’ve run this race about 8 times, I think – the majority of it in my high school and college years. The last time I raced it was in 1997, the same year I was preparing for my very first marathon. I ran it in 67:44.
This year, I ran it in 54:40 and I am certain that this is the fastest time I’ve ever recorded on this course. And to boot, I managed to land 11/477 in my age group division. Super stoked about that little feat, of course, but what I loved most is that for once, I stood at the start line of this race I was so excited about and though I was nervous, I didn’t have the normal pre-race stress that comes with most races. And equally huge for me was that I had something left to give at the end - I couldn't believe it. Both of these are major accomplishments for me for I have longed for them for what seems like eternity. I’ve played this race game a few times too many in my life to know that I have not totally overcome my race-day fears and anxieties and will not always have a strong end of race deliverance; these things are slippery and elusive but I know that I felt stronger, fitter, better, and more satisfied than ever and I smiled non-stop for the remainder of the day; I now know these things are inside me and I will take note how I got there to try to repeat in future races. I am realizing that when I put my energy into the things I can control and let go of the things I cannot, everything falls into proper order and I am freer. I will try to score these things again as I kick off the final preparation weeks towards the Portland Marathon … where I hope to run very well.
The other morning we got up early to watch the final, crucial stage of the Tour before the finish. I watched Lance fight his way up Mt. Ventoux, which is barren and creepy, moon-like and full of cycling lore, and saw him give his all to keep his third place podium spot. In his interview afterwards, Frankie Andreu asked him how he felt, and he talked a bit about the race and then finally smiled and said something like, "Hell, to be an old fart and be up on the podium with these young guys, I'm pretty happy." Good for you, Lance.
It occurred to me out there in all my glory doing my Bix thing that I felt ageless. Of course I’m not ageless, I’m 46, but I may as well have been. I had a flash of my grandmother’s country house and the days I spent there as I flew down that final hill.
It got me thinking about age. It's weird to me that the older I get, the less I care about the fact that I'm getting older. Sure, lest I be a liar, I should say that I notice crinkles by my eyes and once bony parts of my body are now softer, but perhaps I just find so many things more interesting than that at this point. I now am more concerned about who I am and what I'm doing than I am about how I look doing it.
There doesn't have to be a number (age or result) associated with doing what you love. Lance’s third place finish on the Champs Elysees and my 11th place finish is a win for us "old farts" everywhere. It is a win for every person that still dreams, still trains, still tries, and still holds on to passion and possibility; I feel blessed that I fall into this category.
Yes, we should learn to let go of the things that tie us down and hold us back, but we don't have to let go of the things that set us free.
J
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Email: robstraining@gmail.com
Phone: 303-669-3748
www.soulpersonaltraining.com
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