Capitalogix

Getting Ready for the New Year with Postive-Focused Planning

Holiday shopping season is in full-force.  That means 2010 is right around the corner.

As an early gift, I got to go to a hockey game with my son.  This picture captures a Good News - Bad News moment for me.  On the positive side, I'm happy to see that my son shaved off his strangely orange mop of hair. However, standing next to him, I look like a professional "before" model.

That helped me realize that it's time to start thinking about New Year's resolutions, and specifically some health related resolutions.

Here is a summary of that process.  Hopefully, you can use some of these concepts.

• Focus on What You Want.
• Focus on Why You Want It.
• Focus on Ways You Might Get it.
• Focus on the Progress.

Below, I'll take you through an example of the four steps you need to use Positive-Focused Planning to get what you want.

Moving Towards a Solution, Rather Than Suffering with the Problem.

My first instinct was to think "I need to lose weight".  Knowing that "you're fat" isn't helpful … my head, quickly translates that to something a tad more positive, yet generic, like: "I choose to be healthy and vital, and to live a healthy lifestyle".

Blah, blah … They are just words.  What I needed was something specific, measurable and actionable.  How about: "I will lose 15 pounds and stop eating after dinner."  OK, but that isn't inspiring, and there isn't much for me to do. I can do better than that.

Figure-Out a Big Enough WHY, Rather Than Worrying about the HOW's.

This post isn't about health and fitness, it is about the mind-set and techniques you can use to set empowering goals and plans in any situation.

So, while I could list a lot of ways to lose weight; and I might even remember to do some of them, when you create a driving force, the momentum takes care of itself.  The first step in doing that is knowing WHY you want something.

I really do want to be healthy and vital (it sure beats the alternatives), and I want to have the energy and confidence to live and enjoy my life fully.  The world is my playground, and I want to take advantage of more opportunities to play with family and friends.  In order to do those things, I must find better ways for me to live a healthy lifestyle.

The WHYs are just as important for business goals too.

Focus on Potential Solutions, Rather than Problems or Challenges.

Obstacles Exist. The bad news: I don't eat fish and I don't like vegetables (unless French Fries are vegetables).  My joints aren't close to healthy from years of violent contact sports.  And I rarely get 7 hours of sleep.  The good news: is none of those things matter; and even if they did, it just would mean that I have a lot of room for progress.

It is natural to focus on obstacles.  Use them as a reminder to focus on potential solutions instead. They are beacons, pointing the way.

How do you do it?  To focus on solutions, you can make two action-based lists: one is of things To-Do ... and another is of things Not To-Do.

Here are some of the sample To-Do Items:

• I will drink more water than coffee.
• I will stretch, or do basic calisthenics, on days that I do not go to the gym.
• I will make a healthy shake as a meal replacement rather than a meal supplement.
• I will focus on relaxation and meditation, as much as I focus on strength & physical exercises.

Here is the actionable list of Not To-Do Items.

• I will not buy new pants or wear stretchy pants.
• I will not eat snacks out their container, and will portion-out what I want first.
• I will not compare my current level of fitness to what I used to be able to do. Instead I will focus on my actions and improvement.

Create Healthier Habits.

It is easy to follow your routine.  So, make your routine better.  Here are some examples of things you could do to make being healthier happen with less effort.

• Pre-sort your vitamins into daily doses, and keep them by the coffee machine.
• Buy healthy snacks, like fruit, raw nuts or organic energy bars (instead of chips).
• Make exercise time, the time you enjoy listening to music.
• Park at the end of the parking lot, so you get to walk.
• Meet with friends at the gym, rather than a bar or restaurant.

You get the idea.  Get in the habit of looking for ways to create better habits.  What habits could you alter slightly, to make a big difference?  Which things can you automate or outsource?

Focus on Your Progress.

In this case, it really is about the journey.  Instead of keeping track of how far you have to go ... notice how far you've come.  It is about creating energy, momentum and a sense of possibility.  You may have a big, hairy, audacious goal in mind.  That's fine, as long as you realize that reaching each milestone along the way is still an accomplishment.

• Find shoes that don't hurt your feet.
• Pick a gym, or a personal trainer.
• Run more than two laps without stopping.

It doesn't matter what they are are ... they all count, as long as you know that you are moving in the right direction.

Summary.

The point of this exercise as was not really to focus on fitness. These techniques and goal-setting tools work in any situation. The principles are:

1. First, figure out what you want, and why it is important to you. 
2. Second, find something you can do, right now, which moves you in the right direction.
3. Third, notice which things create (rather than take) energy. Spend your time on those, and automate or create routines to take care of the rest.
4. Fourth, set milestones so that you can recognize and celebrate your progress.

A Lesson Learned About the Time-Value of Living

This weekend marked 10 years since my dad passed away.

It's amazing to me how fast time flies, and yet how important he still is in my life. Rather than mourn his death, I celebrate what a great job he did living.

One of the things his passing taught me was the "time-value of life".

At the end, to him, one more year of living seemed priceless. Yet at that point, he was older and more infirm than at any other point in his life.

Wouldn't it be better to recognize the importance of living fully, earlier?

In other words, the best way to capture and leverage the value of this year is to live it fully now.

Wouldn't now be a good time to start?

This Video Made Me Smile

Watch a soldier being greeted by his dogs after returning home after 14 months in Iraq.  I suspect even cat people will be touched by this.

I learned something from the dogs, and the man.  Hope you enjoy it too.
 

Brazil's Campaign Video

If you're still trying to figure out why Chicago lost the Olympic bid, this RIO 2016 commercial might explain it. 

Nicely done; short and compelling.  It certainly makes me want to visit.

Here's a List of Fun iPhone Apps Worth Using

I wanted to create a list of the coolest iPhone apps. However, cool doesn't necessarily mean useful. Instead, this is a list of the applications that I use most.

This week I'm listing the lighter and more fun iPhone apps.  Here is the link to the list the business and productivity apps that I use most.

I limited myself to the top two applications per category.  Hope you find some cool stuff in here.

Social Media

• Facebook
• TweetDeck

Food & Fun Finders

• Yelp
• IWant

Games: Strategy

• Flood-It
• Block-Out

Games: Puzzle

• Sudoku
• DropSum

Games: Pattern Matching

• Moonlight Mahjong
• Triazzle

Games: Text

• TextTwist Turbo
• Scramble

Music

• Pandora
• Rhapsody

Photo Fun

• Photo fx
• ColorSplash

Health & Fitness

• iFitness
• Lose It!

Relaxation

• Pzizz Relax
• Ambiance

Sports News

• Sportacular
• Plusmo Football Plus

Shopping

• SnapTell
• Amazon.com

Even if you don't have an iPhone, check-out the links to see what is available.  I am amazed at how much of my computing and basic research are now done on a Smartphone.

That's it for now.  Let me know if I forgot your favorite or you found something worth sharing.

Conditioning Yourself to Take the Best Next Step

Is How You Do Something ... How You Do Everything?

I'm beginning to think so.  To make the point, let me start with a brief story. 

I was at the gym and getting pretty close to the end of my workout.

Frankly, I was at a point where being done was more attractive than the option of doing additional exercise.

Over time I've developed many habits and beliefs that focus on finding best next step or a way to do just a little bit more. So this time, I used reverse-counting to help me finish that workout strong.

I started with 10 push-ups. I know I can do 10 push-ups, even at the end of a hard workout. Without putting my knees down, I can rest in plank position for a moment or two ... then I do nine more push-ups. That has to be easier than 10, right? Then eight more ... seven ... six. You get the point.

Each set is a little bit harder than the one before; but mentally I'm prepared for it, and can convince myself that I'm so much closer to the goal.

So I get to three, and sweat is dripping off my nose, my arms are shaking, and my hips want to sway. Somehow knowing that there's only two more sets, then only one more, allows me to finish.

That story could have been about creating profitable trading systems, developing a new database, or recovering from a set-back.  It's about finding a way, regardless of external circumstances.

Finding a Way to Do Just a Little Bit More.

There are many times that it seems easier to do nothing, or to give up. That's just not my nature. It's not in my "nurture" either.

My father used to say that the secret to success was getting up. What he meant was that if someone knocked you down 10 times, then the secret to success was getting up 11 times. And if someone knocked you down another time, then the secret was to get up 12 times. There's a lot of truth in that.

I laugh when I think of all the little things I do that condition me to take the best next step. Here are a few examples of small things that help define that mindset.

• I never stop reading until I finish a chapter.
• Also, when I play a strategy game on my iPhone, I never stop until I win.
• And, when I play a strategy game that I'm good at, I never stop until I achieve a certain score. 

It doesn't matter if I'm frustrated or tired.  I find a way.  Each, in its own small way, helps condition me to know that I can do anything I commit to.  Taking that a little further, regardless of what happens, my outcome depends most on what I choose to do.

Sometimes that seems silly, or even a little bit OCD to me. Yet, it serves me.  There's a lot of freedom that comes with knowing that the game's not over until I say it is ... or until I win. Likewise, it's comforting to know that there's always a best next step, or at least a different perspective that will create new opportunities and possibilities.

I to do that in business as well. We focus on the progress we're making, and what that makes possible, rather than how far we are from the ultimate goal. Why? Because as we continue to make progress, the things we shoot for are bigger and farther away. Focusing there would always show a shortfall. Obstacles and set-backs become the raw material for new growth, ideas and strategies.  The trick is getting back up, isn't it?

Sometimes the best advice is simple. Nike got it right in their ad ... Just Do It.

The Flow of Planning

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.

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

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.

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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.

This 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

I 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.

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.

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.

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?