When you become aware of a habit or an impulse you want to change, you are at a “choice point”.  Here are a couple of examples:

• It’s 9pm. The refrigerator is calling my name.  I told myself I would not eat after 8pm…
• My friend just called and asked me to come over for a glass of wine.  I told myself that I would not have wine until I handed in my paper…

The Enabler is far more influential than anyone else in this world... even The Gambler, Kenny Rogers. Now, we know Kenny’s power runs deep, and it’s still no match… not even close.

I’m often asked, “What led you to start Deviate?”

The short story… my wife, Amanda, enabled me to follow my dream.

I have been in the business of helping others achieve optimal fitness for over 20 years. During that time, I’ve found that those who maintain tip-top fitness year-over-year follow these six traits...

Like kids, they are playful.
I fondly remember running intervals when playing tag with my brother, biking the hills hard up Swan Lake Road, doing deep breathing techniques with my friend, Jim, when we were looking for hockey pucks on the bottom of the local hotel pool, and working my flexibility trying to get into Bobby's snow-fort.

Take a look at an unedited e-mail from a viewer our station received:

“YOU GUYS ARE IDIOTS. I just saw your bit about the officer shoving a man? NO. If you morons were looking close enough the guy tried to grab something off the officer. Don't you guys get tired of LYING all the time? Stop slandering officers. They're there for your safety so stop being the WORST newscast ever. You all should be ashamed. I'm highly offended by that. I would like to see ANY one of you lazy newscasters get off your fat asses for once and see what the world is ACTUALLY doing around you instead of making up stories every chance you get.  If you guys had half a brain, you wouldn't be newscasters.”

There’s a battle being waged right now between the hard working entrepreneur and an ugly three-headed monster. And no I’m not talking about some mythological beast! I’m talking about the beast known as time.

Slaying the beast

Face it, fighting against time is a losing battle. Entrepreneurs who fight time by aimlessly working 16 hours days will eventually lose the battle. The onslaught of email, texts, Twitters, and other seemingly harmless distractions (these little things add up quick) have made it harder than ever to take control of our time and productivity.

You can guarantee yourself big picture, long-term success if you embody a particular behavior and constantly fulfill one specific action.

Think about the most enjoyable and successful people you've been around... what do they have in common? How do these commonalities help them achieve success?

While coaching a former member of the US Marine Corp Special Operations Command I asked him to explain his stance on leadership and performance. 

He told me he continuously trains his mind and body in order to execute his tasks to his highest potential because of those who depend on him. He said if he didn't give it his all, or be at his best, his followers would suffer.

Virtuosity defined in gymnastics is “performing the common, uncommonly well.” It's the last tenth of a point separating a 9.9 routine from a 10. 

Virtuosity is the mark of true mastery. In any endeavor we have a tendency to move beyond the basics before we have truly mastered them.

A question I ask during my workshops is, “What is holding you back from _________ (fill in the blank)?” 99% of participants share one of three responses: rejection, fear, and criticism.

Notice the trend?

Legendary basketball coach, John Wooden, said, "Don't let making a living prevent you from making a life."

I'd like to tweak his quote to read: Don't let making a living prevent you from leading your life.