“An age is called dark, not because the light fails to shine, but because people refuse to see it.”  ~ James A. Michener

Prolonged success in any area of life always comes down to 4 parts. Once you recognize and accept that, you’ll find yourself starting to gain traction, momentum, and make measurable progress. Whether it’s relationships with your spouse and children, wealth building, stimulating travel, great sex, or gathering influence, it always comes down to four parts. Recognizing this and working on your weak areas will make your life much less frustrating, give you the tools for progress, and shove you towards a more satisfying life.

Number 1, and most important: your philosophy. What are your beliefs and values? Do they empower or weaken you? Did you consciously select these philosophies, or were they instilled into you by parents, teachers, religious leaders, or the bully down the street? The people that played a role in giving you these philosophies may have been well-meaning while others may not have had your best interest at heart. Regardless, most people have philosophies that undermine their success and happiness. Be brutally honest with yourself. What part of your philosophies are NOT serving you, but rather creating havoc in your life?

Number 2: Strategies. These are the methods you use. Are they working, or should they be modified for greater success?

Number 3: Action. Do you take action or make excuses? You can’t think your way to 1st base. At some point, you’ve got to start running.

Number 4: Persistence. Do you quit? Lay down when things get tough? Or do you lean into your challenges and persist despite the discomfort and pain?

We can all achieve more and scale greater heights. There you have it – the four parts to success.

#1. Philosophy

#2. Strategy

#3. Action

#4. Persistence

“The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitude.”  ~ William James

“Extravagances keep people harnessed to the working world simply to support an expensive lifestyle.”  ~ Bob Clyatt 

Americans like ownership, possession and complete control. We see this in the desire to have a second home in a vacation spot. For some it may make sense. We had friends who spent the summer on a lake in Minnesota. They had the time and money to make it work. I had neither. I too wanted a vacation home. Here was my conclusion. 

A second home meant much more annual expense and work. There was, of course, the purchase price. There were also taxes, insurance, utilities, repairs, and a home that would likely sit empty much of the year with me responsible for it. I realized I wanted access to a nice home, NOT ownership. We now regularly rent vacation homes through the website “VRBO” and others like it and have been pleased with our results. We’ve been to Estes Park, Colorado, for $800 a week. I found a month at Park City, Vermont for under $2,000. I currently have a friend living in a 3-bedroom condo on the coast of Spain, with an ocean view, for less than $1,000 A MONTH. 

The point is, often we can get what we want by stretching our boundaries and thinking a little differently. This translates into an earlier exit from the time stressed working world, and entry into a more satisfying lifestyle.

“We work in order to have leisure.”  ~ Aristotle

“It’s not important initially to know how you’re going to create a result. What’s important is to decide you will find a way, no matter what.”  

~ Tony Robbins

It’s very common as one ages to have problems falling asleep, staying asleep, and sleeping long enough to feel rested and energized. I have wrestled with this for almost twenty years. Going through life sleep deprived leaves you mentally and physically miserable. If you don’t get enough sleep, things simply don’t go right. While I don’t get a perfect night’s sleep every evening, I can say I’ve dramatically improved my sleep and my life is better for it. The following can sound like a lot of work and it is. What was easy when we were young can be challenging as we age. However, if you’re someone with a real sleep problem, you know what I’m saying and I hope these ideas can improve your situation.

BECOME AWARE — Compare and contrast a good night’s sleep versus a bad night. Ask yourself the following questions:

1. What is the weight of the covers?

2. What is the temperature of the room?

3. Do the curtains shut out the morning light?

4. Does background noise help?

5. Does lavender aromatherapy help?

6. Is your mind racing trying to solve problems or fighting anxiety?

7. Is your jaw and face clenched or relaxed?

8. When was your last cup of coffee?

9. Did you drink alcohol?

10. Did you eat fruit or sugars for supper?

11. Does wearing a stocking cap or a sweatshirt help?

12. Do you need to try some prostate supplements to reduce trips to the bathroom?

13. We mentally process our day while sleeping. Did you watch a violent movie that evening?

14. Are you consciously relaxing your entire body? Your feet, legs, neck; face?

15. Is your mouth hanging open or closed?

16. Have you tried medication at bedtime?

17. Have you tried cleansing your sinuses with a NetiPot?

18. Are your arms on top of the covers or under the covers?

19. Have you tried placing a heating pad under your hips and lower back?

20. Does covering your eyes with a hand towel or stocking cap help?

It will take time, effort, and awareness as you sort through these questions, but it’s worth the work. What impacts a person’s sleep may be different for someone else, so you’ll have to experiment to find out what works for you.

My next suggestion is something everyone should try. It’s cheap, easy, and can have a profound impact on the quality of your rest. Get a breathe-right nose strip and give it a try at bedtime for a week. You may discover that you have mild sleep apnea and the extra air helps you get the deeper rest you need. I’ve done this and the quality of my sleep significantly improved from day one. 

As with so many things in life, your sleep challenges won’t likely be solved by one thing. Rather, it’s more likely to be a combination of solutions that, when put together, give you the results you desire. If you’re one of those people with significant sleep issues and this blog helps, then I’m grateful to have contributed to your success.

“The moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves, too.”  ~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

“Opportunity comes but it doesn’t come often, so seize it when it does come.”  ~ Charles Munger

When my kids were young we made it a point to go on an annual vacation. My goal was to visit the resort pool prior to their arrival and discretely scatter a liberal dose of pocket change around the bottom of the pool. If I couldn’t get to the pool ahead of the kids, I would simply  distribute the money as I swam with them.  Daily searches for treasure became a big deal and a fun activity. We had years of fun and still laugh about “the money pool” that we visited. If you’re a parent or grandparent on vacation with young children, seize the opportunity. Take some time, get some change, and create your own “money pool” memories.

“One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living.”  ~ Dale Carnegie

“It’s only the mediocre that are always at their best.”  ~ Jean Giraudoux

When we think of our furniture, most of us want to have quality and satisfaction. Here’s a way to end up with some unique, one of a kind furniture that is heirloom quality for future generations. When my wife and I decided we wanted a new desk for our home, we visited our local cabinet maker. We wanted solid red oak wood, all drawer interiors made of solid cedar, selected the hardware, the stain, and so on. We got exactly what we wanted at an acceptable price and did the same thing for our bookshelves. Our son will someday have the desk that his parents had custom made. It’s a small thing, yet it’s a large thing. Creative thinking, aiming for quality and long term vision are cornerstones of “getting a life”.

“Man’s mind stretched to a new idea never goes back to its original dimensions.”  ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

Getting a life means having control of your money. Controlling your money means getting money to work for you instead of you working for the money. Doing this allows you more time for the fun stuff. Recently, while mentoring a young man, I introduced him to the compound interest calculator (just Google it; there’s lots of them). Someone else had tried to teach him the concept using the rule of 72, but there was a disconnect. I could see the lightbulb go on for him In less than sixty minutes as he figured out that he could eventually become financially wealthy. There was now possibility, hope and the way it could happen. Of course, he’ll have to do the work, but with the new knowledge, he’s now stacking the deck in his favor. Take sixty minutes on the compound interest calculator and see if you can find ways to change the rest of your life.
“Compound interest is the eighth natural wonder of the world and the most powerful thing I have encountered.”  ~ Albert Einstein

“To shape our lives we must take action. Different actions produce different results.”  ~ Tony Robbins

I learned the following concept from a Tony Robbins Powertalk. Here’s what I learned and applied.

If you’re not experiencing the success you want or the quality of life you’d like to have, then it’s time to examine the standards you’ve set for your life. What is the quality of your relationships? How do people (your spouse, children, friends, and coworkers) treat and talk to you? Ask similar questions about the quality of your health, finances, home, work, etc. If the answers aren’t what you desire, the odds are you’ve set too low a standard. 

Generally, we get what we aim for in life. If you set the bar low because it’s easier, then that’s exactly what you’ll get. An easy result that’s far less than what you’re capable of. You know better things are possible and so you may get angry or frustrated. There’s a tendency to beat  yourself up and have the inner dialogue of labeling yourself a loser. 

Making the decision that you deserve better and setting higher standards is the first way to turn your life around. It may require the development of different philosophies and strategies. Perhaps it simply requires some action or persistence on your part. Although difficult, it may come down to changing friends or jobs. 

It’s your journey and no one but you decides where the bar will be set. That said, no one is to be blamed or praised for your life or results. Ownership is yet another stepping stone to living an authentic life. Low standards most typically end in less than satisfying results. Examine where you are and decide if you need an overhaul when it comes to the results you’re seeing. Doing this is among the most important steps to having a better life.

“A man’s life is what his thoughts make of it.”  ~ Marcus Aurelius

“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.” 

~ Mahatma Gandhi

Procrastination is a common trait for those who tend to fail in life. Convenient excuses to delay an action does nothing but set you up for “management by crisis” or even worse, not completing an important task at all. Half-ass work, important work dropped with a heavy dose of adrenaline fatigue, leaves you exhausted, feeling like a loser, and sucks your confidence right down the drain. 

You may need to prioritize, delegate, or eliminate. But, one thing you definitely don’t need is to procrastinate. Learn to do what you should do, when you need to do it. I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed, yet I’ve surpassed much of my competition by simply being a dog on a bone with my persistence (at doing the important work first). People far more talented dropped out of the race because they wouldn’t break the habit of procrastination. 

There will be pain involved. Whether it’s exercising, growing your base of knowledge, or working with that important but unpleasant client. One thing is certain. If you drop the important stuff to do the fun stuff, you’re setting yourself up to fail. 

Successful does not require brilliance, just competence. Recognize it, go into action mode, and simply don’t tolerate the habit of procrastination. You have control over the habit of procrastination. That’s good news. Let procrastination be something the other guy does, but never you.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.”  ~ Mark Twain

“Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”  ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

This is a small idea for efficiency while vacationing with your family. Remember that small streams of efficiency are combined into rivers that translate to better life experiences. On many vacations, I have a small hiking bag which I wear around my waist with two compartments for drink bottles. My wife lovingly 

(I think) calls it my fanny pack. While she questions whether it is cutting edge fashion, it absolutely cuts it in function. It’s amazing how much of a time saver it is. Phone, phone charger, car keys, room keys, airport parking stubs, itineraries, airline tickets, wallet, ID, cash, etc. are all in one place AND easily accessible.  In addition, drinks are always there for thirsty kids. Sure, Ann makes fun of the fanny pack, but also knows where everything is located. From a functional standpoint, it reduces the stress from traveling, particularly when you’re talking about young children, busy airports, and time sensitive matters. 

Getting a life is in part about making things work while enjoying the ride. If someone thinks you look foolish with the fanny pack, so what. By now, you’ve figured out you should make your own decisions. Go with what works. Even in small things, don’t be afraid to take the road less traveled.

“The hardest challenge is to be yourself in a world where everyone is trying to make you be somebody else.”  ~ E.E. Cummings

“He who cannot change the very fabric of his thought will never be able to change reality.” 

~ Anwar el-Sadat

If you have read some of my earlier entries you’ve figured out that I’m a foodie. When I eat, I want it to be clean, flavorful, and nutritious. A great way to support eating clean is to have a raised bed garden. I grow various herbs, onions, tomatoes, pepper, cucumbers, lettuce, and asparagus in a very small space. Spring, summer, and fall I’m harvesting something daily for our kitchen. Done properly, a raised bed has minimal weeding and work. There is a big difference in the amount of work when you are almost completely eating out of your garden versus simply supplementing your food supply. 

Supplementing your diet with fresh garden produce is just one more way to elevate something we all do every day – eat. There’s no substitute for fresh heirloom garden produce when it comes to flavor. As a side note, my oldest son hated helping with the garden; swore he would never have one when he grew up. Now that he has his own family, take a guess who has his own raised bed garden? We have fun comparing recipes and gardening experiences. So, if food is important to you, start small with just a few items and get a raised bed garden started.

“Let food be your medicine.”  ~ Hippocrates