Monday, May 27, 2013

Into The Breach - Memorial Day 2013

This video is dedicated to all of the servicemen & women who serve and have served this great country of ours.

Thank you for HONOR, COURAGE, BRAVERY, and INTEGRITY in defense of our FREEDOM!

We are indebted to you!



-AR

Friday, May 24, 2013

Flip the Switch - High-5

So there I was....walking down one of the aisles at the local market buying the goods that I needed to get. What's funny about the entire landscape of this place is that people are "in the zone" and focusing solely on the items they need. I rarely see people conversing or interacting with others unless they're in a group or see someone they know.

I figured I'd change things a bit ('instigate' is actually more like it) and have some fun with the people I'd come across. After all, as a strength coach & personal trainer, I meet new people all of the time and my job is to not only make them feel & move better but to also bring some fun & excitement into their lives which yields AWESOMENESS!

As I make my way down the produce section, I see an elderly man and he briefly looks up at me and smiles.

"Fist bump?", I asked with my fist aimed straight at him.

"Excuse me?"

"Fist bump?" holding my fist.

"Uh....no thank you!"

"High-5?", this time holding hand in the air.

"Seriously?", he chuckles.

"Absolutely! High-5!"

He then slaps my hand and smiles!

"You're AWESOME! Make it a great day!", I replied.

"Thank you!"

As I make my way to the check out stand, I put my things on the counter pull out my card.

"Do you have rewards card?"

"Not only do I have that, but I also have FREE High-5's too!", I reply.

Looking perplexed, she went about scanning and bagging the goods.

"Credit or Debit?"

"Debit....and I also have a High-5 for you!"

"Um.....I don't get it."

"Easy, slap me a "High-5!"

"O.....K, I just don't understand why you're giving me a High-5."

"Cause you're AWESOME! That's why!"

She smiles and slaps my hand.

"Have a nice day."

"Oh, I intend to. You make it a GREAT day!"

More often than not, many people just go on cruise control with their lives without noticing the simple things around them than can have a major impact in making things somewhat better - to bring some vivacity and enthusiasm into their lives.

During my training sessions with my clients, it all comes down to what I call "flipping the switch" - to turn things around in an instant by seeing and experiencing things from a different perspective. Getting in their head by planting seeds of positive reinforcement, encouragement, growth, endless opportunities to thrive......or simply giving them a High-5!

Flipping the switch from ordinary to EXTRAordinary!

Despite how silly or childish a High-5 may seem to some, it's a pretty POWERFUL gesture if you ask me!

The simplicity of making ones day and subliminally telling them "you did great and I'm proud of you" can elevate things dramatically.
Just recently, I had the honor and privilege in obtaining my Training For Warriors (TFW) Level 1 Instructor Certification presented by my colleague and good friend, Martin Rooney, CSCS - founder of TFW. If you don't know Martin, he's the kind of guy that will make you want to go smash a workout after talking to him about eating blueberries! Yes, he motivates people to that extreme! And I'm not kidding!

Anyway, as we started the metabolic workout session of our training, there we were 27 of us fitness pros getting our asses handed to us on a platter. However, the session wasn't about getting smashed so hard that we had to start looking for the nearest puke buckets! Martin doesn't operate that way! As he said, "Anyone can make someone sore and smash them into the ground. But not anyone can make someone better."

It was a lesson about the standards of effective coaching while keeping us engaged through positive reinforcement despite how fatigued we were. In other words, no matter how tough things will get, you will always come out on top and be grateful that you accomplished a great feat! And you'll also feel better that you did!

The way we accomplished that was by simply giving a High-5 to each other for a great effort and job well done!



Awesome stuff!

No matter how hard life can get, how disengaged you may become, how demotivated and discouraged you may feel, YOU have the power to turn it around and do something AMAZING while having the potential to impact your life as well as others!

To be able to give someone an identity and a sense of self through small yet powerful ACTIONS is priceless!

So let me ask you this?

How many High-5's can YOU give out in day?!

Time to "FLIP THE SWITCH"!

-AR