Thanks to a recommendation by Jimmy Burgess, I picked up a copy of Grant Cardone’s The 10X Rule, The Only Difference Between Success and Failure, and it will be the book I am reading this week.
Category Archives: Self Development
Never stop…whatever you do, do not stop…
Image courtesy of posterize at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Never stop…whatever you do, do not stop.
This was some of the best advice I have ever received. I was about to run up several flights of stairs while holding a ram and my friend reminded me how to beat this stage of the SWAT tryouts. The ram is a dynamic entry tool that helps you remove the front door from the house that you are trying to enter. I love this sales description: “35 lbs of door-shattering fury.”
I’m was standing by at the bottom of the stairs. An instructor started the time and told me to move! I hit the first step and gripped tighter on the ram. I focused on touching the chain link fence at the very top of the stairs. About halfway up, my legs were on fire and my lungs were screaming. I kept repeating “never stop” in my head and continued up the stairs. I concentrated on the next step and then the next step… I pushed through the pain and kept moving up each step. I simply refused to stop.
I hit the top of the stairs and hit the fence with the ram. I took my time walking back down the stairs since my legs were like jello. I sat down and waited for the EMT to check my vitals. At least a dozen of us waited for the EMT to declare that we would not code out from the demanding tryouts.
Even though this advice was for a very specific SWAT obstacle, I have used it a lot in business and life. When I’m out for a run or I’m about to sit down to tackle the next obstacle of growing my business I remember that advice.
“Never stop…whatever you do, do not stop.”
Success comes from perseverance, from pushing forward when the people around you are falling out, and from sweat equity.
Success is achieved when you never allow yourself to stop moving up those stairs.
What is that thing in your business that you need to tackle like a SWAT operator? What have you allowed yourself to stop pursuing? Where have you lost momentum?
– Catalyst John
“I am your constant companion.
I am your greatest helper or your heaviest burden. I will push you onward or drag you down to failure.
I am completely at your command.
Half the things you do, you might just as well turn over to me, and I will be able to do them quickly and correctly.
I am easily managed; you must merely be firm with me.
Show me exactly how you want something done, and after a few lessons I will do it automatically.
I am the servant of all great men, and, alas, of all failures as well.
Those who are great, I have made great.
Those who are failures, I have made failures.
I am not a machine, though I work will all the precision of a machine, plus, the intelligence of a man.
You may run me for profit, or run me for ruin; it makes no difference to me. Take me, train me, be firm with me and I will put the world at your feet.
Be easy with me, and I will destroy you.
Who am I?
I am a HABIT!”
I’m not sure who wrote this, but I am thankful to Peter Voogd for sharing this poem.
Catalyst John & the BattleFrog
I just signed up for my first BattleFrog Adventure Race (Obstacle Race Designed By The U.S. Navy SEALS)
Hooyah!
I don’t know what I’m thinking sometimes. Last night, my friend Micheal suggested we should run the BattleFrog race in December. I signed up this morning. This may be one of the craziest things I have ever done.
Right now I have an adventure race in October & December of this year and then I’ll run my first half marathon in January 2016.
– Catalyst John
Kevin Cleary, CEO of Clif Bar & Company on American Ninja Warrior!
I am a huge fan of American Ninja Warrior and was surprised to see a CEO of a multi-million dollar corporation as one of the people on the course. Kevin Cleary showed up and took on the course. He didn’t make it, but it wasn’t for lack of trying.
Are you living true to your life? Are you the CEO or entrepreneur that is going to be caught living that lifestyle that your audience expects from you? Right now, I’m overweight and I’m not showing up in one area of my life – my physical fitness.
I have committed to a goal of running multiple obstacle courses every year. I have signed up for a zombie run in October and even though I may not make my second one this year, I plan on being able to complete multiple courses next year (I’m thinking of 3-4 as my target number).
What is missing in your life as the entrepreneur behind the business?
– Catalyst John
Why I want you to fail at your goals
For some reason we have this mindset that goals are designed for us to achieve them. But what if the greatest thing about goals did not come from completing them?
“You want to set a goal that is big enough that in the process of achieving it you become someone worth becoming.” ― Jim Rohn
Isn’t the greatest result from the goal setting process becoming a better version of ourselves? The new creation we become as we work on achieving each goal we set before ourselves? For example, almost everyone wants more money.
$$$
What if you set a goal to make six figures next year?
$$$
You have to change the person you are to become the person that earns six figures. You would have to become a better person to earn 500k. Therefore, what if you set your financial goal for $500,000? Yes, one half of a million dollars! On the way to half a million dollars, you would have to become a $100,000 dollar person. I want to encourage you to set ridiculously and crazy high goals.
“If you set your goals ridiculously high and it’s a failure, you will fail above everyone else’s success.” ― James Cameron
For some reason, I believe that if you are truly committed and you show up each and every day to work on your #1 goal you would achieve a minimum of 20% of it. If you set your sights on an income of $500,000 then I would expect you to end up with over $100,000 in income. Remember, you have to show up and work consistently on this goal, but you would end up earning between 100k to 500k.
Resistance is real…
You have got to be kidding me!
For twelve long years, I have struggled with being overweight. I struggle daily with the fact that I am fat and I am physically weak. I have always used the excuse that I’m an intellectual or some other garbage to excuse myself for not being a man’s man. I’m not a man’s man and I’m definitely don’t have a “man” card in my wallet. I have no interest in a “man cave” unless it comes with a Kindle.
Unfortunately, I have lied to myself a lot. I don’t care if I ever become a man’s man or if my weight is approved by that weird BMI scale; however, I do care about the man that my heart and soul desires to be.
There is an analogy of the sheep dog. It is the protector of it’s herd and even though it appears to be as cuddly as a teddy bear, it will risk its life to protect every single sheep it is responsible for from every wolf attack. It will stand firm and will never retreat.
I had no clue why I signed up for the Law Enforcement Academy back in 1999, but I now realize part of it was that sheep dog mentality. They do not seek violence, but the do live to protect those that they love. I believe that is the warriors heart. He or she does not do this for any reason other than an intense desire to serve those in their community.
And that is why I must no longer live this comfortable lifestyle even though my warrior career is over, my heart desires the strength and discipline that goes with physical fitness.
On Saturday, I turned 38. I’m neither old nor young…I’m just a guy that has lived on this planet for 38 years. Over the weekend, I reflected on the choices I made and the places I have reached. I was reminded that there is a warrior’s heart beating in my chest. It is weak and it is atrophied, but it is there nonetheless.
Therefore I committed to changing how I view my health. I enjoyed some delicious birthday cake and then set down to truly commit to a change.
This morning, I woke up to start a new journey: I’m going to lose about 70 pounds over the next twelve months in addition to a whole lot of jogging, pushups, and pullups. My favorite commitment is attending a zombie run at the Guardian Center in Perry, GA in October.
On Sunday, my friend Moss gave a sermon about how there is a price to pay when you commit to something. We sometimes forget that our commitment will cause us pain and sacrifice. Our choices are easy, but the cost of our choices is a completely different story. My commitment to achieve this was so easy from the comfort of my house.
This morning was day one of my commitment. March 23th and everything changes. I woke up at sunrise and began my day reading a book on my Kindle. Then I got up and grabbed the running clothes I laid out last night. As I began to tie my shoes, I felt the first drop of rain.
You have got to be kidding me!
Remember that at the beginning of this blog. I haven’t even tied my shoes and my commitment is being tested. I have to dash back into the house and grab a Ziplock to protect my phone and my Couch to 5k voice prompts.
I do not even make it a block before I’m completely soaked. I am wet and cold and I still am in my warm up walk for the C25K program.
I did make it through the walk/jog intervals and made it home a wet mess. I was present in the moment and committed to the workout. I simply chose success.
The successful don’t do what is enjoyable; instead, they do what is required.
My choice to lose 70 pounds in one year means nothing. However, my how I chose my respond to those activities that are required of me to lose that 70 pounds is priceless.
May your year be ten times as amazing as the one I’m planning on making mine!
Catalyst John
Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
“Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?”
These words from A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson are words that I need to hear daily. I want to reprogram my brain to truly believe in this and constantly be aware that I was “born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.”
Therefore, I’m deciding that I want to read these inspiring words every morning before I start my day. Imagine the world you would live in if you read the following out loud at the beginning of every day for the next year?
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
—-from A Return to Love, by Marianne Williamson.
– Catalyst John
Feel free to check in with me and hold me accountable by asking if I read it today!
Author John
I’m diving into the deep end and writing a book. I want to write a book that serves well and is written for the one person that needs it most. I’ll be devoting the first 20% (Pareto principle) of my day to this book. I am going to show up every day until it is finished. However, I do not plan on doing this alone and am looking to surround myself with a community to make this an amazing book.
The book will be about chasing your dreams. I have chased mine and the results are amazing. I want to help others do the same. If you are an entrepreneur, a dreamer, a doer, an avid reader, and / or a fan of serving others, would you be interested in joining my book team? I have little to nothing to offer you and I am not going to bribe you to help. However, if this excites you and you are willing to sacrifice some time to help me make this vision an unbelievable resource, please join the community.
The 7 Steps to Creating a Roadmap to Success
I was honored to have the opportunity to be a guest on the Conscious Millionaire Podcast with my friend JV Crum III. As a thank you for taking time to listen to the interview, I have recorded my 7 Steps to Creating a Roadmap to Success to help you have the most amazing year ever.
The 7 Steps to Creating a Roadmap to Success!
Step 1: Find your purpose.
Step 2: Determine your destination (the end result).
Step 3: Define success (your mission objective).
Step 4: Reverse engineer the tasks to accomplish your definition of success.
Step 5: Schedule each task (target).
Step 6: Take the first step and create momentum.
Step 7: Stay focused on the mission by reading your definition of success and your next tasks / objectives daily.
Click the play button to hear an audio recording as I explain how to accomplish each of these seven steps.
– Catalyst John