2015…From The Horse to The Year Of The Goat…The year of Possibility.

December 31st, 2016… you want to be able to state: I accomplished that…and some!

A whole year is a wild run, unless you stay ahead of your objectives, and do so…passionately. Every month, week, day, keep at the forefront of your mind Your Endpoint Objectives (and for goodness sake, write them down), knowing fully well that any curve ball will be met with a home run, as you diligently pre-prepare. Never lose sight of the path and remain steadfast in your resolve. At the conclusion of this year you are not going to look back and say “Here I am again”.

Like any elite athlete, precondition yourself to win, by asking yourself:

What are going to be my defining moments?

What is it going to take to keep on track?

What is my end of year statement of achievement?

A year from now you want to be able to say: January was my defining month, keeping in mind that…it’s NEVER too late to accomplish greatness, however you define it!

Have an extraordinary January 2015.

– Paul

Getting things done means prioritizing. Too much velocity and you miss a beat.

I was told as a kid to take my time and choose wisely. The average response: Sure! I would then go about what I was doing, the way I was doing it…without much thought.

Our lives are often fraught with decisions needing rapid responses. As Executives, we like to make our decisions as rational as possible, though often succumb to lack of time. The velocity at which we process can often cause us to gasp for air, sapping our energy, until we slump into a downward spiral.

Staying on top of your game means designating time to regroup and restructure how you process. Go, go, go…and you are left with wasted energy and confusion.

2015 is approaching…don’t take the same approach. Take yourself to task!

A daily dose of de-stressing is akin to a daily holiday and greater productivity. When you are wound-up, confront it face-to-face by winding down.

University of Illinois psychology professor Alejandro Lleras: prolonged attention to a single task actually hinders performance

Overwhelming Velocity, without a diversion = Diminishing returns

2015…Own It!

An Executive functioning in todays world can be  an overwhelming venture. Calmness and peace of mind while being productive and growing, as elusive as this might appear, should be your mantra.

I’ve not always been calm and at times frustration can still rear its ugly head. When I do present with good peace of mind and disposition, I’m a force to be reckoned with: in control of my actions, confident, self-assured and present.

Productivity and growth come from a solid foundation, not resentment and anger. As an accomplished individual you are seeking performance optimization, and as a professional you need to be on top of your game, in control of every situation and potential confrontation.

You might be pre-conditioned (genetically) to react rather than respond, though this is no excuse, when the critical piece of the equation is: you can control your internal environment, by training a calmer and more productive mind:

• Spot the triggers which heighten your anger, frustration…
• Breathe through potential confrontation
• Train yourself to let go of resentment
• Recognize that you have a choice between being more productive and diminishing returns
• Learn to re-position yourself… away from confrontation

If you have found or find it difficult to create a calm disposition, let’s create it together.

I’m always here for you!

Paul

You’re all in extraordinary positions: go-getters; professional “artisans”; gifted; and talented. Every day you strive to embrace something new, leaving mediocrity, let’s just say…to the mediocre! In this extraordinary position you should be able to define: how you act; how you respond; how you interact; how you lead…Yet, there’s 1 sticking point that prevents your “flow”…Stress!

Stress can either be an enabler or disabler and only you can decide this. Optimal stress is a cure all for everything in life, as it keeps you performing at your peak and empowers you to take concrete steps forward. On the flip side of the coin, overthinking and excess stress (physical, physiological or mental) triggers a bunch of hormones which lowers your immune system and keeps you from maximizing your performance.

So what can you do?

Part genetic, part environmental, the way you respond to a situation is absolutely in your grasp. We are all wired differently and our responses might not always be ideal, yet our “connections” can be re-wired, as our brains are malleable. The next time that you feel like dressing someone down or responding to a situation with volatility, remember this: excess stress is a “contaminant”- repetitive (chronic) stress can cause sickness and chronic disease.

Take a chill pill:

Watch your reactions, it might just be the difference between rashes, the flu, high blood pressure, heart disease…and a healthier life with a number of years added on to boot.

Action steps:

• Address the root causes for your stress. You know what the triggers are. If you don’t, it’s about time that you do.
• Allow yourself! Stress is cumulative. To break the cycle, decompress with 15 minutes of classical music, which stimulates all areas of your brain. Don’t be so regimented, “turn off” for 15-30 minutes during the day, as your life is an endurance event. A designated break will have you function more productively.
• Sitting is a “pain in the butt”. A stagnant body equates to a stagnant mind. Get out of your chair, be ridiculous, in front of your peers and dance, move…stimulate stagnant joints and blood.
• Most importantly, watch how you respond to an adverse situation. You need to become more aware of your reactions by learning to respond: Process before you react, so you can respond. You are extraordinary as you have the ability to manipulate the way you respond and re-wire the way you function.

Optimize your stress and you enhance your performance. It’s your life, go out there and get it…and never look back.

Remember, it’s all about a Healthier, Longer Life and it’s yours for the taking.

Facts:

• 6-8 hours sleep is the recommendation for ideal daily performance
• Your body requires sleep for cell growth and vital energy
• Sleep deprivation causes poor judgement and can lead to serious health problems, such as heart disease and high blood pressure

Reality: 

Functioning at peak levels requires fine tuning. With your busy, erratic schedule…late night meetings, pressured deadlines…the hours slip away and you are left battling for those 6-8 hours of rejuvenating sleep. We’ve all done it: battling through the next day, drowsy yet driven; the day after…same, same. It’s not a major problem until it becomes chronic – irritability, elevated blood pressure, lack of concentration, argumentative, sickness, lower back pain.

So what to do?

Such a mediocre question for a champion. You are where you are because you’ve created yourself: a driven, thriving, mega-person. If you’re not, you soon will be and it will be all the difference between mediocrity and excellence.

Bottom line: 

Your brain is malleable! You have a never ending ability to change the way you act and function, at any given moment.

Wake to a new day – The how to approach:

It’s not just the length of your sleep that determines a fresh start, it’s the quality of your sleep. Erratic sleep is caused by: excess thoughts, rumination, blue wave light (a stimulant from electronics, such as computers used before sleep), a lightened room which affects your Circadian Rhythms (your internal body clock)…

So setting the scene for effective sleep is your goal for better performance:

• Keep those dark shades up, blocking the outside light
• Wind down before you sleep (not a bottle of wine). A little classical music and some deep breathing…I know, I know: you guys are thinking heavy breathing…you need a relaxant not stimulant.
• No caffeine from late afternoon
• Settle any arguments before you sleep
• Plan your next day before you sleep

These few tips will add spring to your step when you waken the next morning. Your performance depends on it!

Live better; Live longer