Healthy Lifestyle

  • The Flow of Planning

    090705 Compass I was in Columbus Ohio last week for a series of meetings and strategic planning sessions.

    I love getting away from the business in order to work on the
    business. That means stepping back from day-to-day issues, to look at
    the bigger picture. It also means getting back in-touch with goals and
    intent.

    In a sense, the process acts like a compass, which sets the general direction for the journey.

    In addition, preparing for a series of meetings, like this, is a lot like working on a business plan.

    Personally, I've found that that one of the primary benefits of
    creating a business plan has almost nothing to do with the plan itself.
    Working on the plan, immersing yourself in the ideas and possibilities,
    and ultimately choosing what stays-in, versus what's filtered out …
    there is magic in that.

    Yes, the plan is important.  But it is the planning that takes you from thinking … to feeling … to knowing.  That's where the real benefit of business planning comes from.

    A Good Sign.

    Sometimes you hear a question and it takes the air out of an idea.
    Other times a question helps you make a new distinction or consider an
    alternate and better course of action.

    At our planning sessions, last week, there was a lot of those
    pushing, pulling, probing, and deep thought … yet it built momentum. 
    So, I felt like we were on the right track.

    How to Tell You Are On the Right Track.

    I
    tend to be analytical.  Yet, over time, I've come to believe that one
    of the best tools to measure whether you are on the right track is how
    you feel.

    Have you ever gotten a phone call from someone, and when you saw or heard that it was from them, you wilted?  In
    contrast, have you ever become more animated and energized while
    interacting with someone else?  It is easy to recognize the difference. 

    Each person has different thoughts, people, or situations that trigger these positive and negative states.

    In sports, this positive state is often referred to as being "in-the-Zone".  It is also called "Flow". 
    It happens when someone is fully immersed in what they are doing, and
    has a feeling of energized focus or awareness, full involvement, and
    success in the process of their activity.

    090705 Challenge_vs_skill

    Being in Flow feels good. On some level, when you are in Flow, you know you're on the right track.

  • The Flow of Planning

    090705 Compass I was in Columbus Ohio last week for a series of meetings and strategic planning sessions.

    I love getting away from the business in order to work on the
    business. That means stepping back from day-to-day issues, to look at
    the bigger picture. It also means getting back in-touch with goals and
    intent.

    In a sense, the process acts like a compass, which sets the general direction for the journey.

    In addition, preparing for a series of meetings, like this, is a lot like working on a business plan.

    Personally, I've found that that one of the primary benefits of
    creating a business plan has almost nothing to do with the plan itself.
    Working on the plan, immersing yourself in the ideas and possibilities,
    and ultimately choosing what stays-in, versus what's filtered out …
    there is magic in that.

    Yes, the plan is important.  But it is the planning that takes you from thinking … to feeling … to knowing.  That's where the real benefit of business planning comes from.

    A Good Sign.

    Sometimes you hear a question and it takes the air out of an idea.
    Other times a question helps you make a new distinction or consider an
    alternate and better course of action.

    At our planning sessions, last week, there was a lot of those
    pushing, pulling, probing, and deep thought … yet it built momentum. 
    So, I felt like we were on the right track.

    How to Tell You Are On the Right Track.

    I
    tend to be analytical.  Yet, over time, I've come to believe that one
    of the best tools to measure whether you are on the right track is how
    you feel.

    Have you ever gotten a phone call from someone, and when you saw or heard that it was from them, you wilted?  In
    contrast, have you ever become more animated and energized while
    interacting with someone else?  It is easy to recognize the difference. 

    Each person has different thoughts, people, or situations that trigger these positive and negative states.

    In sports, this positive state is often referred to as being "in-the-Zone".  It is also called "Flow". 
    It happens when someone is fully immersed in what they are doing, and
    has a feeling of energized focus or awareness, full involvement, and
    success in the process of their activity.

    090705 Challenge_vs_skill

    Being in Flow feels good. On some level, when you are in Flow, you know you're on the right track.

  • The Hows and Whys of Firewalking

    090628 firewalking I recently went to a Tony Robbins seminar in Toronto. One of the highlights of the event was the Firewalk, which is a barefoot walk across red-hot embers.

    Learning the technique is not really that hard (it is basically walking at
    a normal pace, while not hesitating or tripping).  The hard part is doing that knowing that there are burning embers under your feet.

    It is breath-taking on several levels.  The firewalk is cool in-and-of-itself;
    isn't it?  So, it doesn't have to mean anything beyond doing
    it.  Yet, there are some great opportunities to make it more impactful by leveraging what you make the experience mean.

    For example you can use the
    experience as a powerful memory, triggering feelings of being able to do
    anything you commit to … or breaking through what used to be your limits.  Or the firewalk can be taken as a metaphor for life … and being able to put yourself into a resourceful state, and choosing to take the right action regardless of what's happening externally or in your mind.

    What Goes Through Your Mind?

    I was scared the first time I walked on fire. Even though I knew it would do it, when I got to the front of the line, looked down, saw the burning embers, and smelled the smoke … my mind wanted to scream "NO"!!  I had a whole lifetime of conditioning that touching hot things was dangerous, and certainly walking barefoot across hot coals made little sense to my logical mind, and even less sense to that primal instinct part of the mind that's there to protect me.

    That's why many of the techniques used in the seminars revolve around getting into a peak state, and filling your head with phrases that you repeat again, and again, and again. If you're saying "yes", "yes", "yes" … There's no room for your brain to say "no".

    Is It State of Mind … Or Science?

    I'm not going to pretend I understand the science of why it's possible to walk barefoot for 30 or 40 feet across burning coals, without injuring yourself. But you don't have to be a scientist to guess that hesitating in the middle might have painful consequences.  This video is well done and explains a lot.

    Here is a link to the video, and a post from the Skeptic's Dictionary about how fire-walking works.

    It is Better the Second Time Around.

    I've done the firewalk many times now, and still enjoy it. It's really interesting to watch the faces of people doing it for the first time. Some express abject terror, others pump themselves up into a manic state, while still others follow the crowd with a glazed look on their face.

    0906028 HMG Safe and HappyThis time, I tried something different than what I've done before. Instead of working myself into a peak state and charging across the coals triumphantly, I wanted to do it from a place of calm resolve. To me this is a different type of peak state.

    In some ways it's about being more present to the situation and my own capabilities. Since I had done this before, being afraid would be somewhat irrational (however emotions do not have to be logical). I didn't want to numb myself to the experience by focusing internally, or by jacking-myself-up into a warrior state; instead I wanted to enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of what was happening — and how cool it was to do this from a purposeful intent.

    A Little Bit of Mastery Goes a Long Way.

    As a trader, the winning, losing, and the uncertainty and certainly trigger fear, greed, and doubt. Learning to master these states, and keeping a clear head, leads to a much longer career.

    It's funny, because I wasn't sure that going through this exercise again would have the same impact. It did, just for different reasons than I have before. I highly recommend it. Feel free to contact me if you have questions or comments.  I'd love to hear about your experiences.

  • The Hows and Whys of Firewalking

    090628 firewalking I recently went to a Tony Robbins seminar in Toronto. One of the highlights of the event was the Firewalk, which is a barefoot walk across red-hot embers.

    Learning the technique is not really that hard (it is basically walking at
    a normal pace, while not hesitating or tripping).  The hard part is doing that knowing that there are burning embers under your feet.

    It is breath-taking on several levels.  The firewalk is cool in-and-of-itself;
    isn't it?  So, it doesn't have to mean anything beyond doing
    it.  Yet, there are some great opportunities to make it more impactful by leveraging what you make the experience mean.

    For example you can use the
    experience as a powerful memory, triggering feelings of being able to do
    anything you commit to … or breaking through what used to be your limits.  Or the firewalk can be taken as a metaphor for life … and being able to put yourself into a resourceful state, and choosing to take the right action regardless of what's happening externally or in your mind.

    What Goes Through Your Mind?

    I was scared the first time I walked on fire. Even though I knew it would do it, when I got to the front of the line, looked down, saw the burning embers, and smelled the smoke … my mind wanted to scream "NO"!!  I had a whole lifetime of conditioning that touching hot things was dangerous, and certainly walking barefoot across hot coals made little sense to my logical mind, and even less sense to that primal instinct part of the mind that's there to protect me.

    That's why many of the techniques used in the seminars revolve around getting into a peak state, and filling your head with phrases that you repeat again, and again, and again. If you're saying "yes", "yes", "yes" … There's no room for your brain to say "no".

    Is It State of Mind … Or Science?

    I'm not going to pretend I understand the science of why it's possible to walk barefoot for 30 or 40 feet across burning coals, without injuring yourself. But you don't have to be a scientist to guess that hesitating in the middle might have painful consequences.  This video is well done and explains a lot.

    Here is a link to the video, and a post from the Skeptic's Dictionary about how fire-walking works.

    It is Better the Second Time Around.

    I've done the firewalk many times now, and still enjoy it. It's really interesting to watch the faces of people doing it for the first time. Some express abject terror, others pump themselves up into a manic state, while still others follow the crowd with a glazed look on their face.

    0906028 HMG Safe and HappyThis time, I tried something different than what I've done before. Instead of working myself into a peak state and charging across the coals triumphantly, I wanted to do it from a place of calm resolve. To me this is a different type of peak state.

    In some ways it's about being more present to the situation and my own capabilities. Since I had done this before, being afraid would be somewhat irrational (however emotions do not have to be logical). I didn't want to numb myself to the experience by focusing internally, or by jacking-myself-up into a warrior state; instead I wanted to enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of what was happening — and how cool it was to do this from a purposeful intent.

    A Little Bit of Mastery Goes a Long Way.

    As a trader, the winning, losing, and the uncertainty and certainly trigger fear, greed, and doubt. Learning to master these states, and keeping a clear head, leads to a much longer career.

    It's funny, because I wasn't sure that going through this exercise again would have the same impact. It did, just for different reasons than I have before. I highly recommend it. Feel free to contact me if you have questions or comments.  I'd love to hear about your experiences.

  • You Focus On What You Measure

    090410 One Day at a Time AttackedI have the privilege of knowing many fine entrepreneurs. Some of them are doing surprisingly well. Others are licking their wounds and struggling with the loss of confidence in their business, their business model, or even themselves.

     On some level, recent events could represent the biggest failure that some of these people ever have in their lives.

    There are several ways to take that. Here's one to think about.

    What would you do if you knew your worst failure was behind you and everything from this point forward was a move upwards or at least provides an opportunity to make progress?

    I Sense A Lot of Pain.

    If you look at
    things based on cycles or seasons, then this probably has been winter.  Still, periods like this can teach you a lot about yourself.

    I got a phone call this week from a friend who asked where I've been hiding. I was surprised because I hadn't thought about it like that.  Yet, it didn't take much reflection to see that many people I know, including me, have been hiding in one way or another.

    For example, one of my closest friends hasn't been returning phone calls. That is one of his early warning signs that tells me he is having a tough time. And several unquestionably smart, resourceful, and successful businessmen have broken down into tears recently while talking to me about the circumstances in which they find themselves.  I get it; there is a lot of pain out there right now.

    It affects me too.  A business group that I've participated in for almost 10 years is going on its annual retreat this week. It's designed to be fun and a vehicle to reconnect with ourselves and each other. It's a time for reflection, sharing and hopefully for new insight. Yet, there's a part of me that doesn't want to go.

    If I'm honest with myself, it is probably because I don't want to re-examine what happened during the past year.  In other words, I don't want to reflect on what went wrong, again, because I've done that enough already.

    But going to the retreat doesn't have to be about that at all. In fact, instead of it being an unpleasant exercise focusing on what I don't want … it easily can be when I focus on what I do want, and how I'm going to get there in a way that's best for everyone involved. The only difference in those two retreats is what I make it mean – and of course what happens because of that.

    You Focus on What You Measure.

    So, it occurs to me that I might be measuring the wrong things in several areas. Just because I used to keep score one way, doesn't mean that it's a helpful measure for me now.

    Measurement is supposed to give you a sense of your momentum towards your target. Done right, it helps you feel more confident and in-control. Sure it tells you what to do less of … more importantly, though, it highlights what we can and should do more of.

    Cleansing Or Clogging?

    I remember being in a Tony Robbins seminar about health and hearing a simple rule that made sense to me about eating. He said: before you put something in your mouth think about whether it's cleansing or clogging. That made sense to me, and it was helpful. The same could hold true for deciding which things to focus on in business or life. Will focusing on this create momentum and energy, or not? 

    On some level pain is inevitable.  Yet, for the most part, suffering is optional.

    Choose what makes you strong and more likely to take actions that make progress.

  • You Focus On What You Measure

    090410 One Day at a Time AttackedI have the privilege of knowing many fine entrepreneurs. Some of them are doing surprisingly well. Others are licking their wounds and struggling with the loss of confidence in their business, their business model, or even themselves.

     On some level, recent events could represent the biggest failure that some of these people ever have in their lives.

    There are several ways to take that. Here's one to think about.

    What would you do if you knew your worst failure was behind you and everything from this point forward was a move upwards or at least provides an opportunity to make progress?

    I Sense A Lot of Pain.

    If you look at
    things based on cycles or seasons, then this probably has been winter.  Still, periods like this can teach you a lot about yourself.

    I got a phone call this week from a friend who asked where I've been hiding. I was surprised because I hadn't thought about it like that.  Yet, it didn't take much reflection to see that many people I know, including me, have been hiding in one way or another.

    For example, one of my closest friends hasn't been returning phone calls. That is one of his early warning signs that tells me he is having a tough time. And several unquestionably smart, resourceful, and successful businessmen have broken down into tears recently while talking to me about the circumstances in which they find themselves.  I get it; there is a lot of pain out there right now.

    It affects me too.  A business group that I've participated in for almost 10 years is going on its annual retreat this week. It's designed to be fun and a vehicle to reconnect with ourselves and each other. It's a time for reflection, sharing and hopefully for new insight. Yet, there's a part of me that doesn't want to go.

    If I'm honest with myself, it is probably because I don't want to re-examine what happened during the past year.  In other words, I don't want to reflect on what went wrong, again, because I've done that enough already.

    But going to the retreat doesn't have to be about that at all. In fact, instead of it being an unpleasant exercise focusing on what I don't want … it easily can be when I focus on what I do want, and how I'm going to get there in a way that's best for everyone involved. The only difference in those two retreats is what I make it mean – and of course what happens because of that.

    You Focus on What You Measure.

    So, it occurs to me that I might be measuring the wrong things in several areas. Just because I used to keep score one way, doesn't mean that it's a helpful measure for me now.

    Measurement is supposed to give you a sense of your momentum towards your target. Done right, it helps you feel more confident and in-control. Sure it tells you what to do less of … more importantly, though, it highlights what we can and should do more of.

    Cleansing Or Clogging?

    I remember being in a Tony Robbins seminar about health and hearing a simple rule that made sense to me about eating. He said: before you put something in your mouth think about whether it's cleansing or clogging. That made sense to me, and it was helpful. The same could hold true for deciding which things to focus on in business or life. Will focusing on this create momentum and energy, or not? 

    On some level pain is inevitable.  Yet, for the most part, suffering is optional.

    Choose what makes you strong and more likely to take actions that make progress.

  • A Breath of Fresh Air

    Do gadgets that help you focus on conscious breathing work?  I found three that worked for me: Resperate, Helicor's StressEraser, and Heart Math's emWave.

    My biggest complaint is that once I learned the relaxation techniques each of these devices teach,  I didn't need the device to get the results.  That also is a positive, isn't it?

    I think, feel, and communicate better when I'm calm.  Learning to access that state at will is an important skill … in business and personal life. 

    So, with that in mind, here are my impressions and experience with each.

    090403 Resperate
    Resperate
    .

    The Resperate unit is a little bigger than a portable CD-ROM player, with a built-in elastic strap that goes around your ribcage to monitor your breathing.  The concept behind this tool is very simple.  It relaxes you by helping you slow your breathing down. 

    Resperate starts by pacing your in-and-out breaths with higher and lower pitched sound cues.  Over time it moves these tones farther apart, leading you to breathe slower and more deeply.

    How did it work?  It helped me move easily from 6 to 10 breaths-per-minute, down to two or three breaths-per-minute.  This promotes much deeper breathing and relaxes the body and mind.  I find that I enjoy using this tool for about 10-minutes at a time; and I definitely feel relaxed after using it.  

    While Resperate provided the most relaxation, it is the one I use least.  Perhaps because it is a little bigger and requires the belt.  Not big hurdles; but apparently big enough.

    090403 StressEraser
    Helicor's StressEraser

    The StressEraser is a portable biofeedback device, smaller than a deck of cards.  On the top, there is a hinged slot to put your finger.  The finger reader measures your pulse and galvanic skin response. There is also an LED screen on this device that helps you pace your breathing, and shows your level of stress or relaxation.

    Without focusing, the line is erratic and jagged.

    However, with only a little bit of training, it's easy to create a very smooth sign wave that indicates a steady breathing and a healthy heart rate pattern.

    With this tool, I get the best (most relaxing) results with an
    in-breath of about five seconds and an out-breath of about the same length. I like doing this for five minutes or so; it is a nice break in the middle of the day, before an important phone call, or a decision-making session. 

    I
    find that it
    helps me focus. Of the three tools, this is the one I find myself using most often.  This might be because I like the graph and how it gives me instantaneous feedback about my breathing and focus.

    090403 emWave
    HeartMath's emWave
    .

    This is the smallest of the tools.  The emWave relies on either a thumb sensor or, my preference, a clip that attaches to your earlobe. The technique is very similar to what you learn with the StressEraser. It involves steady breathing and a focus on reducing heart beat variability.  It has four levels of challenge.

    It sounds strange, and I don't claim to understand the science behind it, however focusing your attention on your heart while doing the breathing exercise seems to make a difference.  Somehow, when you focus your attention on your heart, that is when the machine changes color to indicate that there is "coherence". And, in my experience, this is the most relaxing part of the exercise. More coherence equals less stress.

    I tend to use this tool less than five minutes at a time to feel calm and refreshed.  It was also the easiest for me to have success with (in this case, to get the "green light" to come on).  So, the emWave is the smallest, easiest and quickest of the three … and it works.  I'm going to use this more often.

    So why did I use one that is more challenging?  Habit, or perhaps that defines part of the reason I need to relax?

  • A Breath of Fresh Air

    Do gadgets that help you focus on conscious breathing work?  I found three that worked for me: Resperate, Helicor's StressEraser, and Heart Math's emWave.

    My biggest complaint is that once I learned the relaxation techniques each of these devices teach,  I didn't need the device to get the results.  That also is a positive, isn't it?

    I think, feel, and communicate better when I'm calm.  Learning to access that state at will is an important skill … in business and personal life. 

    So, with that in mind, here are my impressions and experience with each.

    090403 Resperate
    Resperate
    .

    The Resperate unit is a little bigger than a portable CD-ROM player, with a built-in elastic strap that goes around your ribcage to monitor your breathing.  The concept behind this tool is very simple.  It relaxes you by helping you slow your breathing down. 

    Resperate starts by pacing your in-and-out breaths with higher and lower pitched sound cues.  Over time it moves these tones farther apart, leading you to breathe slower and more deeply.

    How did it work?  It helped me move easily from 6 to 10 breaths-per-minute, down to two or three breaths-per-minute.  This promotes much deeper breathing and relaxes the body and mind.  I find that I enjoy using this tool for about 10-minutes at a time; and I definitely feel relaxed after using it.  

    While Resperate provided the most relaxation, it is the one I use least.  Perhaps because it is a little bigger and requires the belt.  Not big hurdles; but apparently big enough.

    090403 StressEraser
    Helicor's StressEraser

    The StressEraser is a portable biofeedback device, smaller than a deck of cards.  On the top, there is a hinged slot to put your finger.  The finger reader measures your pulse and galvanic skin response. There is also an LED screen on this device that helps you pace your breathing, and shows your level of stress or relaxation.

    Without focusing, the line is erratic and jagged.

    However, with only a little bit of training, it's easy to create a very smooth sign wave that indicates a steady breathing and a healthy heart rate pattern.

    With this tool, I get the best (most relaxing) results with an
    in-breath of about five seconds and an out-breath of about the same length. I like doing this for five minutes or so; it is a nice break in the middle of the day, before an important phone call, or a decision-making session. 

    I
    find that it
    helps me focus. Of the three tools, this is the one I find myself using most often.  This might be because I like the graph and how it gives me instantaneous feedback about my breathing and focus.

    090403 emWave
    HeartMath's emWave
    .

    This is the smallest of the tools.  The emWave relies on either a thumb sensor or, my preference, a clip that attaches to your earlobe. The technique is very similar to what you learn with the StressEraser. It involves steady breathing and a focus on reducing heart beat variability.  It has four levels of challenge.

    It sounds strange, and I don't claim to understand the science behind it, however focusing your attention on your heart while doing the breathing exercise seems to make a difference.  Somehow, when you focus your attention on your heart, that is when the machine changes color to indicate that there is "coherence". And, in my experience, this is the most relaxing part of the exercise. More coherence equals less stress.

    I tend to use this tool less than five minutes at a time to feel calm and refreshed.  It was also the easiest for me to have success with (in this case, to get the "green light" to come on).  So, the emWave is the smallest, easiest and quickest of the three … and it works.  I'm going to use this more often.

    So why did I use one that is more challenging?  Habit, or perhaps that defines part of the reason I need to relax?

  • Tough Times Call For Hope And Inspiration

    The Red Ribbon is a fun video worth watching.  It is a reminder that Hope, Inspiration and Passion are important catalysts to moving forward, regardless of what you do for a living.

    I hope you like it.

    Here is the direct link on YouTube.

  • Tough Times Call For Hope And Inspiration

    The Red Ribbon is a fun video worth watching.  It is a reminder that Hope, Inspiration and Passion are important catalysts to moving forward, regardless of what you do for a living.

    I hope you like it.

    Here is the direct link on YouTube.