Todd Bumgardner: Do you have a morning routine? (Steal mine!)

It's common knowledge now-a-days that routine and ritual is super important--so I hope you're already kicking along with a great morning routine that sets you up for a great day. 

One that gets your body moving.

One that starts to get your head on straight.

One that sets you up to be positive and productive.

In the case that you don't, or just to offer you some ideas that you might able to add to your routine, I'm sharing mine. 

Here it is in step-by-step form:

1. Walk down stairs, turn on the water for coffee.

2. Head to the middle of the living room and do my movement routine: Prone 3 Month Breathing, Cat-Cow, 1/2 Kneeling Shoulder CARs, Ankle CARs, Standing Hip CARs

3. Put coffee and water into my aero press and let it brew and drip into my cup. While I'm doing this I do Chin Tucks and Neck CARs

4. 5 minutes of Box Breathing (:05 breath in, hold for :05, :05 breath out, hold for :05)

5. Review my quarterly goals

6. Think about how I want to live out the day ahead of me and set my intent to do so

7. Read for 20 minutes

8. Review my planner for the days meetings, tasks, etc. 

9. Start working

Steps 1-8 take about 30-35 total minutes. And the combination really sets me up for a good day. 

But, if you wanted to stick to the essentials, here's what I'd do:

-The movement routine
-The box Breathing
-The setting the living intentions for the day
-The planner review

That would all take about 10 minutes. 

10 MINUTES!

I think it's worth it to carve out that little sliver of time to set our selves up for a great day. 


Let's play devil's advocate and say we could only pick one. What would I recommend?

God, man, even as I'm writing this I'm thinking about how hard of a decision that is. 

I'd say the movement routine. 

Getting your body moving and feeling good first thing in the morning can really affect your headspace for the rest of the day. If you can't do anything else, get up and move right away. 

When we have routines like this it helps us manage our time and our priorities...and those are two big things that keep us on track and successful as trainers--crafting the careers and the lives that we want. 

You Rule!
Todd 
P.S. About half the spots are filled for my 5 Keys to Having a Great Training Career with a Great Quality of Life webinar. This thing is going to fill up before Thursday. (It's going down Thursday, May 2 at 2pm EST). If you want in, REPLY TO THIS EMAIL NOW!

P.P.S. Enrollment for the Summer '19 Strength Faction IS STILL OPEN BUT IS CLOSING FRIDAY. CLICK HERE to learn more and to enroll!

Mike Rashid on Life and Lifting

CILTEP Nootropic Stack - Natural Smart Drug and Brain Booster

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The history of the CILTEP Stack

References:

1. Plasticity in the human central nervous system.
   
2. A synaptic model of memory: long-term potentiation in the hippocampus.
3. Selective phosphodiesterase inhibitors: a promising target for cognition enhancement.
4. Rolipram, a type IV-specific phosphodiesterase inhibitor, facilitates the establishment of long-lasting long-term potentiation and improves memory.
5. Rolipram, an antidepressant that increases the availability of cAMP, transiently enhances wakefulness in rats.
6. Rolipram reduces excitotoxic neuronal damage.
7. Broad spectrum neuroprotection profile of phosphodiesterase inhibitors as related to modulation of cell-cycle elements and caspase-3 activation.
8. Amphetamine modulation of long-term potentiation in the prefrontal cortex: dose dependency, monoaminergic contributions, and paradoxical rescue in hyperdopaminergic mutant.
9. Sustained phosphorylation of tyrosine hydroxylase at serine 40: a novel mechanism for maintenance of catecholamine synthesis.
10. Forskolin, an inducer of cAMP, up-regulates acetylcholinesterase expression and protects against organophosphate exposure in neuro 2A cells.
11. Effect of vitamin B-6 nutrition on the levels of dopamine, dopamine metabolites, dopa decarboxylase activity, tyrosine, and GABA in the developing rat corpus striatum.
12. Acetyl-L-carnitine: from a biological curiosity to a drug for the peripheral nervous system and beyond.

SEVEN FUNDAMENTALS FOR WEALTH AND HAPPINESS BY JIM ROHN

SEVEN FUNDAMENTALS FOR WEALTH AND HAPPINESS BY JIM ROHN                                                                                  

                                                                          

1) GOALS                                                     

A CONSISTENT PLAN FOR SETTING, REARRANGING, EVALUATING, AND STRENGTHENING THE PURPOSE OF YOUR GOALS.

  

YOU DON'T WIND UP IN GOOD PLACES BY ACCIDENT.

                                                        

THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO FACE THE FUTURE.  WITH APPREHENSION OR WITH ANTICIPATION. 

                                                                           

DESIGNING PURPOSE IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS DESIGNING OBJECT. 

              

PURPOSE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN OBJECT.  

                         

DID YOU ACHIEVE THE GOALS OF YOUR LAST FIVE YEARS?                    

NOW IS THE TIME TO FIX THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.  THE FIVE YEARS WILL SURELY PASS.

 WHERE WILL YOU BE? 

                                                      

2)  A DETAILED MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR YOUR PRESENT RESOURCES.     

           

THE KEY TO WEALTH IS NOT WHAT YOU EARN BUT WHAT YOU DO WITH WHAT YOU EARN.

 WHAT TO DO WITH WHAT YOU'VE GOT.  

                                        

 HOW TO BECOME FINANCIALLY INDEPENDENT FROM THE RICHEST MAN IN BABYLON.

 LEARN TO LIVE ON 70% OF YOUR NET INCOME AFTER TAXES.

 WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE REMAINING 30%?

TITHE 10%

                                                                     

PAY LAST 20% TO RETIRE DEBT.

 

ONCE DEBTS ARE PAID, INVEST 10%. 

USE 10% AS CAPITAL YOU MANAGE YOURSELF (START A SIDE BUSINESS - DO A LITTLE BUYING AND SELLING).                                                  

                                                                              

3) HAVE A DETAILED PLAN FOR THE USE OF YOUR TIME.     

                        

A GAME PLAN.

MAKE SURE IT’S WRITTEN.

A 90 DAY WRITTEN PLAN. 

                  

OPERATE FROM DOCUMENTS NOT FROM THOUGHT. 

                               

THE DEATH OF A SALESPERSON IS TO WAKE UP IN THE MORNING AND SAY WHAT AM I GOING TO DO TODAY? 

                                                                 

HAVE AN ACTION PLAN.  A GET GOING PLAN. 

                                        

KNOWLEDGE IS NOT THE WAY TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

KNOWLEDGE APPLIED IS THE WAY TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

DON'T BE AN ACCUMULATOR. 

                                         

 WEALTH = 20% SKILL + 80% STRATEGY 

                                            

 YOU'VE GOT TO PLOT AND SCHEME TO GET THE MOST OUT OF LIFE.

                    

 A DETAILED PLAN BRINGS ABOUT DISCIPLINE.

                                     

 4) A CONSISTANT PLAN FOR THE GATHERING OF KNOWLEDGE.

                         

 YOU MUST DELIBERATELY SEARCH FOR IDEAS THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE.

           

YOUR WRITTEN PLAN MUST CONTAIN A CONSISTANT SEARCH FOR KNOWLEDGE.

            

GO TO THE BOOKSTORE.

GO TO THE LIBRARY (THE SEATS ARE FREE.)

                 

SUCCESS AND FAILURE IS CONSISTANTLY DEBATING.  "WILL HE GO INTO THE LIBRARY?"

FAILURE "NO, HE'LL DRIVE ON BY."  SUCCESS "YES, HE WILL GO IN."

              

 YOU MUST SEARCH AND LOOK FOR IDEAS.  RARELY DOES A GOOD IDEA INTERRUPT YOU.

YOU HAVE TO GO TO CHURCH, CLASSES, BOOKS, SEMINARS AND LECTURES.

             

 YOU MUST LEARN FROM YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE.  LEARN FROM THE DAY. BE LIKE A SPONGE.

 REFLECT ON IT, WHEN THE DAY IS OVER.

                                          

 EXPERIENCE IS COMMODOTY, VALUE, AND CURRENCY.

                                    

"BOTH SUCCESS AND FAILURE COMES FROM SMALL LIFE EXPERIENCES.  IT DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU LEARNED FROM IT AND WHAT YOU DID ABOUT IT."  THINK AND GROW RICH.

    

DON'T HAVE CASUAL CONVERSATIONS. DON'T BE CASUAL ABOUT THE DAY.

CASUALNESS BRINGS CASUALTIES.

                                                  

ECONOMICALLY, SOCIALLY AND PERSONALLY.  YOU MUST BE INTENSE ABOUT THE DAY.

ABOUT BOTH THE POSITIVES AND NEGATIVES.

                                             

KEEP A JOURNAL. ESTABLISH A LIBRARY.                                          

                                                                                 

5) A CONSTANT ASSOCIATION WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE A COMMON INTEREST IN PROGRESS SUCCESS, IDEAS AND PHILOSOPHY.                                                

                                                                                 

 KEY PHRASE FOR THE DAY:  NEVER MISTAKE THE POWER OF INFLUENCE.                

                                                                                

IF YOU WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL, YOU'VE GOT TO GET AROUND THE RIGHT PEOPLE.      

                                                                                 

WHERE DO YOU GO WEEKLY FOR YOUR INTELLECTUAL FEAST?                           

                                                                                

WHERE YOU LIVE AND WHO YOU'RE AROUND DOES MATTER.                             

                                                                                

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A PLAN FOR ASSOCIATION OF PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN IDEAS AND PROGRESS AND PHILOSOPHY AND SELF-DEVELOPMENT AND POSITIVE THINKING AND ALL OF THE SPIRITUAL APPLICATIONS OF OUR LIFE.

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THAT TYPE OF INFLUENCE. BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T YOU WILL WIND UP WHERE YOU DON'T WANT TO BE, WEARING WHAT DON'T WANT TO WEAR, DRIVING WHAT YOU DON'T WANT TO DRIVE AND MAYBE DOING WHAT YOU DON'T WANT TO DO. 

                                             

                                                                             

6) A CONSISTANT PLAN FOR DEVELOPING ALL YOUR SKILLS.                          

                                                                              

NEVER CEASE DEVELOPING SKILLS - NO MATTER WHAT AGE.                          

                                                                              

THE KEY TO THE GOOD LIFE IS PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT.                             

                                                                               

WHAT YOU BECOME IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHAT YOU GET.                         

                                                                               

THE MAJOR QUESTION IN LIFE IS NOT WHAT ARE YOU GETTING BUT WHAT ARE YOU BECOMING.                                                                    

                                                                               

WHEN TAKING A JOB DON'T ASK WHAT YOU WILL GET BUT WHAT WILL YOU BECOME.      

                                                                              

THE KEY TO THE GOOD LIFE IS PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT.                             

                                                                              

DEVELOP ALL OF YOUR SKILLS.  (LEADERSHIP, LANGUAGE, COURTEOUSY, DIPLOMACY)   

                                                                              

7) A CONSISTANT PLAN FOR FIGURING WAYS TO LIVE UNIQUELY.  LIFESTYLE           

CHALLENGE:  HOW TO HAPPY WITH WHAT YOU'VE GOT WHILE YOU PURSUE WHAT YOU WANT.

                                                                              

FIGURE WAYS TO LIVE UNIQUELY WITH WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE.                      

                                                                              

TIP = TO INSURE PROMPTNESS, GIVE IT UP FRONT.  DON'T TAKE A CHANCE ON POOR SERVICE.      

How to Become Financially Independent

How to Become Financially Independent

Presented by Jim Rohn

Mr. Shoate (Rohn’s mentor) told him when he was 25, “Mr. Rohn in my own opinion financial independence is a worthy goal.”

The reason he said this is because some people have an internal moral struggle with making a lot of money.

Once you get money out of the way, you can’t believe the other dimensions of your life you can work on.

If you could do better, should you?  Some use the moral question as an excuse.

Challenge yourself to see what you can become.  It’s not the amount that counts….its the extent of the reach that counts.  You should employ the full extent of your reach. If you make $50,000 per year and you are capable of $500,000; you are a loser. You must extend your mental personal capacity to its limit.

Mr. Shoate had a simple philosophy on this.

            How far should you go?                     
As far as you can.

            How much should you learn?             
As much as you can.

            How many books should you read?   
As many as you can.

            How much should you earn?              
As much as you can.

            How much should you share?             
As much as you can.

            What should you accomplish?            
As much as you can.

What could I do in comparison to what I am doing?

What could I do to extend my reach?

Am I fully employed?

The only way you can get money out of the way is to have plenty.

The time you’ve already set aside for labor is enough time to become wealthy.  If you are working 8 or 10 hours a day that’s about it, you can’t put in more.  But, if you better utilize that 8 or 10 and double or triple your income that would be o.k.

Working more and putting aside health, family, friends is short changing your self.

Financial independence is dependent upon the plan you have.

KEY:  It’s so much as what you earn, it’s what you do with what you earn.

The average person in the United States in their lifetime makes a half million dollars.  The question after that lifetime is where is it?  Some keep it, others don’t.

A good book to start with on financial independence is George Clason’s The Richest Man in Babylon.

The them of  The Richest Man in Babylon is “learn to live on 70% of your net income (after-tax income)”. 

The Richest Man in Babylon suggests the following for the other 30% of your net income.

Next the book suggests that you learn to be enterprising.  Profits are better than wages.  Be a capitalist.  Turn your income into capital.  Teach your kids how to have two bicycles.  One to ride and one to rent.  Teach your kids how to sell.  Once they make the sale, teach them how to set aside money for capital and money for   

            10% should go to charity or tithing.

10% should go to the increase of capital.

            10% for paying off your debts, then once they are paid, use it for investing.

           

A few more tips on financial independence.

1.                Put together a financial statement.  Assets – Liabilities = Net Worth

                                                              i.      To get to where you want to go, you have to know where you are.

                                                            ii.      You don’t need to share this with anyone, it is for you.  Your first one may not be pretty.

                                                          iii.      Use it like a game.  Get excited about reducing your liabilities and increasing your assets.

                                                          iv.      It’s not the amount that counts but the attitude and the plan.

2.              Keep strict accounts.

                                                              i.      You’ve got to know where it all goes.  The Rockefeller’s grandfather made them keep track of every penny they got and where it went. 

                                                            ii.      If your outgo exceeds your income your upkeep becomes your downfall.

3.              Participate in capitalism.  Buy and sell something and invest the profits.

4.              Get your family involved and excited about your plan.

Happiness is not contained in what you get but in what you become.

Make financial independence a game.

Jim Rohn: 12 Qualities that are the pillars of character

Cultivating Unshakable Character

By Jim Rohn

Character Vs Charisma

            Ex. Jesus Vs Alexander the Great

12 Qualities that are the pillars of character

1. Integrity

2. Honesty

3. Perseverance

4. Wisdom

5. Personal Responsibility

6. Humor

7. Flexibility

8. Patience

9. Confidence

10. Good Health

11. Achievement

12. Courage

Reading Notes: Running the Race – Dr. John C. Maxwell 1 Corinthians 9:24 - 27

Running the Race – Dr. John C. Maxwell

1 Corinthians 9:24 - 27

 

24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now theydo it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Principle 1 – Start running

       Procrastination stems from these four areas.

1.  Fear of Failure

2.  Fear of Success

3.  Difficulty of the Task

4.  Monotony or Boredom of the task

 

Nine techniques to conquer procrastination.

1.  Break large tasks down into smaller ones.

2.  Set deadlines and stick to them.

3.  Share your goals with a friend.

4.  Reward yourself for completing the task.

5.  Use character scheduling (for unpleasant tasks.

6.  Make a game of the task.

7.  Focus on the benefits of completing the task.

8.  Pick a simple task to begin.

9.  Just do it!  (don’t wait for motivation)

Principle 2 -  Desire Excellence

       Four attitudes in people that desire excellence.

1.  Attention to detail.

2.  Continual improvement.

3.  Self discipline

4.  Personal High Standards

 

Principle 3 -  Get the tools that you need

       How do you TRAIN?  Five things that explain how.

T = trainer, you need a mentor, someone who knows more than yourself.

R = resources, you need resources to help you along your way.

A = application, you need to apply the resources you have.

I = inspiration, you need inspiration to help drive you.

N = nourishment, for the energy you need to run the race.

 

 

 

 

 

Principle 4 -  Maintain an eternal perspective

Four things to help you maintain your eternal perspective.

1.  Get serious about the race that you run.

2.  Get rid of excess baggage.

3.  Let Jesus be your model.

4.  Study the secret of Jesus’ perseverance.

 

A survey of 50 people over the age of 95 asked, “If you could live your life over again, what would you do differently?”  The top three answers were:

1.  Reflect more.

2.  Risk more.

3.  Do more things that would live on after I’m dead.

Principle 5 -  Plan your race by setting goals

       Three mistakes John Maxwell made in setting goals.

1.  He set his goals based on his environment. What he knew.  They should have been higher.

2.  He did not publicly declare his goals.

3.  He did not set personal growth goals. He set organizational growth goals instead.

 

Three way test for successful goals.

1.  Are they specific?

2.  Are they measurable?

3.  Are the life enhancing?  To yourself and others.

 

Principle 6 -  Measure your effectiveness

Principle 7 -  Persevere

       Perseverance is characterized by three things.

1.  Resilience (ability to bounce back)

2.  Learned optimism (having an eye for what is going right)  

3.     Opportunism