SwimUpStream

buntzen Lake hike

2010-02-09T12:26:00.000-08:00

Buntzen Lake is about 10 minutes from our new IF facility in Port Moody. The loop around the lake makes an awesome hike of about two hours if you are moving steadily.

On Sunday, (pre-Superbowl) 22 customers and friends, 3 IF staff, 3 dogs and one baby took on the hike around the lake. It was a little rainy so I thought the turnout might suffer but nobody was deterred - great start!

We are one week into the facility Nutrition Challenge (essentially a cleanse combined with a challenge to increase your exercise) - it lasts 28 days. This hike was worth a solid 20 points, so 22 out of 40 Challengers were in attendance... solid.

The hike is approx. 10km and there are some steep uphill and downhill sections. Some great lake views, great people and lots of time to chat away from the facility made it a awesome start to the day.

I did the hike with Viggo in the backpack - he's getting a bit heavy for this type of distance... but it was a great workout! My glutes, quads and calf are all sore this morning. Feels good!

Enjoy the pictures!

Jen breaking down the route...

Off we go...

The trees are epic around the lake - moss covered and towering

Viggo's backpack... It distributes the weight really well... HIGHLY RECOMMEND to any parents looking to get out with their kids. Also please note V's olympic spirit - Quatchi hat and Team Canada jersey... he's a proud Canadian!

Posted by Meyrick.

Being Engaged

2010-02-07T19:57:00.000-08:00

Becoming successful in reaching our goals is not something that just happens, rather it is something that we have to work hard to make happen. It all begins at the self-level and how engaged we are as individuals in the pursuit of our vision. When we are engaged we are more likely to discipline ourselves to follow through with better planning, prioritizing and managing our time efficiently. One of the biggest keys to reaching our goals is having clarity in what we “want” to do versus what we “need” to do.

Management
Becoming organized is the first thing anyone must do to be engaged. Clear your work area and get rid of everything in front of you that does not serve a purpose in you accomplishing the task at hand. Have a day planner open in front of you at all times so that you can be reminded of your schedule and be able to write things down that come up while working. When you write it down it will happen. Making a personal plan by writing down your goals is one of the most important steps in managing ourselves to reach our goals. If we fail to plan, we are planning to fail.

Leadership
What makes a great leader? Leadership traits can be adopted to better engage ourselves to reach our goals. Characteristics of great leaders are leading by example, sacrifice, accountability, vision etc. Leading by example means that we are willing to do what we expect others to do. Sacrifice is willing to surrender short-term pleasure for long-term gain. Being accountable is always reviewing our goals and adhering to the plan set out. Vision is being able to see into the future what has not yet been done.

Action
John Miller wrote in his book QBQ: “Long-range vision and strategic planning are all great tools, but we need to get some things done before lunch.” The most important step in being engaged is doing. We can see, hear and plan all day long but nothing will get accomplished until we simply DO. Procrastination will add to stress and feelings of being overwhelmed. Avoiding this is easy if we just take action. Get up, move, do what it is you have to do to get you to your goals. Goals are written down for the purpose of being accomplished. Follow your plan by acting because time flies and before you know it the end of the year will be here and we will be asking ourselves “where did the time go”?

Purpose

2010-02-06T00:22:00.000-08:00

ΝO ONE CAN ADVISE or help you - no one. There is only one thing you should do. Go into yourself. Find out the reason that commands you to write; see whether it has spread its roots into the very depths of your heart; confess to yourself whether you would have to die if you were forbidden to write. This most of all: ask yourself in the most silent hour of your night: must I write? Dig into yourself for a deep answer. And if this answer rings out in assent, if you meet this solemn question with a strong, simple "I must," then build your life in accordance with this necessity; your whole life, even into its humblest and most indifferent hour, must become a sign and witness to this impulse.

-Rainer Maria Rilke

When I was younger, I loved watching movies. My particular favourites were Pretty Woman, Dirty Dancing, The Cutting Edge and Sister Act 1 and 2 (there is no accounting for taste). I really enjoyed one scene in particular in Sister Act 2 – it was when Whoopi Goldberg overheard Lauryn Hill singing and realized how talented and passionate she was and that she was not going to pursue her dreams due to her defeatist attitude (and overbearing mother).

She cornered her one afternoon on her way home from school and said:

I went to my mother who gave me this book called Letters To A Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke. He’s a fabulous writer. A fellow used to write to him and say: I want to be a writer, please read my stuff. And Rilke says to this guy; don’t ask me about being a writer. If when you wake up in the morning you can think of nothing but writing, then you’re a writer. I’m gonna say the same thing to you. If you wake up in the morning and you can’t think of anything but singing first, then you’re supposed to be a singer girl.

Purpose is the thing in your life you will fight for. It is the ground you will defend at any cost. Purpose is not the same as ‘incentive,’ but rather the motor behind it, the end that drives why you have energy for some things and not for others. Purpose is the sail on the boat, the yeast in the bread. Once you know your purpose – that is, what matters – then everything else can fall into place. Getting your purpose clear is your defining truth. What is the purpose of your life? Whatever it is, it had better be something for which you will cross a narrow plank 175 feet above the ground, gusts of wind or no gusts, seven days a week no questions asked.

And, by the way, Lauryn Hill ended up being an amazing singer.

Normal?

2010-02-03T08:50:00.000-08:00

Normal (in terms of behaviour) is defined as conformance to an average
Normal (in terms of sociology) is defined as social norms, expected patterns of behavior studied in sociology.

Norm, the root word of normal, is defined (philosophically speaking) as sentences within philosophy with practical implications. Sociologically speaking, a norm refers to social norms, expected patterns of behavior studied in sociology. statistical norm, actual patterns of behavior studied (evident) in sociology

The reason examining this word becomes important today is because the word has taken on connotations that have become confused with it's definition. Nowhere above did we see the words or definitions;
- belonging
- acceptance
- popularity
- success
- happiness
- confidence
- ability
- worth

According to Maslow's Hierarchy of needs, belonging falls under 'social needs' and these come to the forefront of our wanting as soon as our survival and safety needs are met.

The point is, we NEED to belong; to feel connected to each other and to our communities. We do not NEED to be like everybody else. We do not NEED to match behaviors and do, say, think, act, live like other people or established patterns set without consideration of our uniqueness.

If we think of 'normal' in these terms - no one should want to be normal because 'normal' in a practical sense, means average (at best).

If we want to be accepted, that's different. Here are some words that ARE NOT 'NORMAL', but are highly accepted...
- excellent
- above average
- different
- new
- fresh
- innovative
- trend-setter
- entrepreneur
- stand-out
- leader
- visionary

"Normal" then, is easy - do what others do and say. This leads to acceptance by the masses, reverence by none, and remembrance by few at best.

"Exceptional" is hard - do what you want that takes work and sacrifice to manifest. This leads to acceptance by masses, understanding by few (which may feel like loneliness at times), reverence by many, and remembrance by many, perhaps generations, to follow.

It's not just verbage. Choose what you want to be and make it so. Add purpose to your days and years by waking up on a mission. If you wake up just to make it through another day - you are the only one who truly loses out in the end.

Money vs. Experience

2010-01-29T12:00:00.000-08:00

‘Dr.’ Shirlee Kenyon: Why even the Declaration of Independence only guaranties life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It doesn't say anything about fair. Doesn't even say you have the right to be happy. Just to pursue it.

Female Caller: But no one appreciates me, and I try to be fair, and they don't...

‘Dr.’ Shirlee Kenyon: Get down off the cross honey, somebody needs the wood!

How many times have you heard a friend, family member or co-worker complain that they feel they work harder than they are paid? In some rare instances they may be justified but the rest of the time it begs the question, what are you working for?

There are two answers to this question and neither one of them is wrong – you’re either doing it for the money or the experience, and the problem comes when you don’t recognize which you are working for and what the difference is.

If you’re working for the money you are probably not going advance because you will not be taking on any extra, nor should you. Taking on extra will only make you feel bitter, overworked and under appreciated. Those extra projects and menial tasks should be left to those who are working for the experience – to them, those menial tasks have meaning and the experience they gain is invaluable.

The bottom line is recognize what you are working for - if it’s the money find a job that will give you the most bang for your buck and if it’s the experience understand the unpaid time will pay off in the long run.

running in the Wild West

2010-01-28T10:09:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for a destination that will hold you accountable to staying in shape over the holiday season and give you the opportunity to sun tan in January a trip down to Phoenix is the answer. The IF crew took the 3 hour journey at 36,000 feet down to Arizona for the annual Rock n’ Roll Arizona Marathon and ½ Marathon. Both courses are as flat and upbeat as they come – perfect for competitive runners and casual joggers of all levels. Whether you’re determined to qualify for Boston or simply hoping to cross the finish line the route through the beautiful desert scenery will keep you inspired the entire way.
The run was on the morning of Sunday, January 17 and the Valley of the Sun, named for its 325+ days of sunshine each year, lived up to its name with temperatures near 20 degrees Celsius in the afternoon. Our group of six forgot to bring ‘throw away’ layers for the early morning before the run but this didn’t pose a problem at all as we were warm within minutes of walking. It was immediately apparent that the run was very well organized with signs clearly marking race information and event organizers at hand to answer any questions. Two of us arrived later Saturday evening and consequently missed the expo where race packages were to be picked up. I was worried that complications would arise but we simply showed our ID at the solutions booth before the race, obtained our race package and we were good to go. More than 32,000 participants competed in the event but there were absolutely no bottlenecks throughout the run. Attribute this again to the excellent organization as a wave start split participants into more than 20 ‘corrals’, gradually turning them loose at the start line. To be honest I’ve never had so much room in the first 5 km of a run before. While I personally didn’t enter the ½ marathon race in tip-top form this is certainly a run that one could train hard for and easily set a personal best. The event is noted for the half-marathon world record set by Haile Gebrselassie on January 15, 2006, who ran the second half of the marathon course in 58 minutes and 55 seconds.
The run was on the morning of Sunday, January 17 and the Valley of the Sun, named for its 325+ days of sunshine each year, lived up to its name with temperatures near 20 degrees Celsius in the afternoon. Our group of six forgot to bring ‘throw away’ layers for the early morning before the run but this didn’t pose a problem at all as we were warm within minutes of walking. It was immediately apparent that the run was very well organized with signs clearly marking race information and event organizers at hand to answer any questions. Two of us arrived later Saturday evening and consequently missed the expo where race packages were to be picked up. I was worried that complications would arise but we simply showed our ID at the solutions booth before the race, obtained our race package and we were good to go. More than 32,000 participants competed in the event but there were absolutely no bottlenecks throughout the run. Attribute this again to the excellent organization as a wave start split participants into more than 20 ‘corrals’, gradually turning them loose at the start line. To be honest I’ve never had so much room in the first 5 km of a run before. While I personally didn’t enter the ½ marathon race in tip-top form this is certainly a run that one could train hard for and easily set a personal best. The event is noted for the half-marathon world record set by Haile Gebrselassie on January 15, 2006, who ran the second half of the marathon course in 58 minutes and 55 seconds.

You know you’re in for the quintessential American Southwest experience when none other than John McCain, US Senator and presidential candidate, is hoisted above the start line and waving as you run by. If this surprise cameo wasn’t enough there were dozens of bands and high school cheerleading teams performing for the runners. This was the first time I have completed an organized event without my Ipod and I didn’t miss it at all with all of the entertainment along the route. The course through Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tempe made for a very scenic run with plenty of interesting sights including towering cacti, golf courses, mountains in the distance and sports venues including MLB spring training facilities and the Arizona State University athletic facilities. There was an impressive spectator presence throughout the run and the finish at the ASU campus was climactic with a massive crowd cheering you through the finish line. As per usual, there were some pretty funny costumes to be seen throughout the run as well. Highlights included Elvis, two guys in colourful Dumb and Dumber suits and a man wearing a hat with a can of beer attached to a tube dangling in front of his face.

While the ½ Marathon was one of the most enjoyable runs that I have completed to date an Innovative Fitness destination is about so much more than just the event. Phoenix may be known as a snow-bird and retiree destination but you would have been fooled during the run. It is clearly a very active population who enjoys the idyllic locale because there was a very young demographic out for the event. Although many come to the city for the weather and golf, Phoenix has much to offer by way of shopping, outdoor activities, trendy restaurants, sports venues and nightlife. Travel is all about immersing yourself in the culture and we did just that by checking out the golf resorts, eating at some amazing restaurants and even making a stop by the Scottsdale Gun Club to fire off a few rounds! The city’s Wild West history may still remain right under the surface but Phoenix seems to be becoming less of a city born of the Old West and more of a modern metropolis with endless options to keep you relaxed or entertained. Great people – a warm and cosmopolitan city – a fun and well-organized event… this is a get-away that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a destination next January!

Kevin Hendry

Balance and Opportunity go hand in hand over time.

2010-01-27T07:08:00.000-08:00

Balance, from a metaphysical standpoint, is defined as "a desirable point between two or more opposite forces". In our lives this is often work, play, family, friends, church, finances, and many other 'forces' that pull us towards certain actions. To sit still is not balance, that is inaction and leads to no opportunity.

To act in one direction may have an opportunity cost or an undesirable effect on other 'forces' (let's call them roles or responsibilities, sounds more applicable).

So how do we get to the point where we have enough money AND enough time?
How do we do so without alienating our friends and families along the way?

Well the answer, my friends, is pretty on paper and at times downright ugly in practice. To re-state our title this morning, balance and opportunity go hand in hand over time.

This means - to those people who fight feedback that they should get busy working and sacrificing now - if you resist sacrificing now; it will mean you almost certainly will be sacrificing opportunity later in life that you almost assuredly can't predict. Happy, manageable existence now? Perhaps. But is that setting you up for short AND long term success and balance? If not, some short term sacrifices may be necessary to avoid long term sacrifices you would rather not live with.

On the flip side, we can't live solely for the future. If we do so, our relationships, health; in fact our very reason for being, may be compromised or even missed completely. There's no guarantee tomorrow will occur.

Work hard to get ahead, and put some money away for the future. But spend money and important time on experiences, as that is all we will truly remember (what and who with) at the end of our life. The achievements at work will mean less (even if they are remembered more in some cases) than our achievements with our families and friends.

While the answer for everyone may be different, the challenge is to find a medium wherein you are filled with purpose as you work towards something, yet taking time to have great experiences with great people, and are still communicating in advance to said people where and when (and why) some sacrifices will occur. If you can lead this balance well, and have the vision and fortitude to see your dreams become reality - than you my friends will be a success by your own definition in the truest sense of the word and will have earned all that you have.

And, you will have more than you could have planned on if you set your sights on the experiences not on acquiring things or wealth. Much must be sacrificed to get to a point where we have later what we want now.

Time Perspective

2010-01-25T07:53:00.000-08:00

In the late 1950’s, Dr. Edward Banfield, professor at Harvard University studied the factors that made people successful. He concluded that those who were able to make decisions that did not pay off immediately had a “time perspective” and became the ones who would be successful later down the road. For great things to happen it is very important to think long term. Nowhere else is it more evident than in areas of our life such as health, finances or our personal relationships. For success in each area we must understand that taking steps today will likely not produce results tomorrow. Yet if we take those steps with the perspective that it takes time for great things to happen we will surely reach our goals in the future.

Health
Often times we take our health for granted until we have gone so far that it seems impossible to get it back to where we want it to be. Many of us look for quick fixes that will allow us to loose weight immediately and with minimal effort (commitment). For every wrong decision we made that negatively affected our health we have to make continual positive decisions to bring our health back. You will not loose 50lbs or run a marathon in one week but if you are able to think long term, making every move in the right direction you will reach your goals.

Finances
The best example of someone who thinks long term before reaching financial success is a doctor. They spend up to 10 years of studying and interning, laying down the foundation for a lifetime career before becoming a doctor. We appreciate how long it takes to become a doctor and we admire the sacrifice they have made. That is one of the reasons we hold them in such high regard out of any professional group. After years of investing time and effort they make a large salary. Doctors are a perfect example of somebody who thinks long term before being financially rewarded.

To become successful we obviously need to think long term. Thinking short term has been the downfall to many. Alcoholics and drug addicts demonstrate cases of people who have a very short “time perspective” as their only concern is how they can get immediate satisfaction in their next fix. Short-term thinking is something that also has affected our younger generation. The ‘Echo-Boomers’ (born between 1982-1995) are the first to grow up with internet at home, have 500channels on TV, cell phones, instant messaging and ipods. This generation expects instant gratification and has been having a hard time being able to think long-term. Many expect the $100,000/year job as soon as they finish 3-4years of post high-school education which is far from reality.

Delayed gratification is the key to success. Our ability to practice self-discipline and self-control to sacrifice the short term is the key starting point for each of us. By having an attitude of “time perspective” we will set ourselves up for a successful future. Practice long-term thinking in every area of life and be willing to work hard for reward down the road. Start now! Think where it is you want to be 5 years from now with regards to your health, finances and your family. Begin making the sacrifices today to set yourself up for the future – have a long “time perspective”.

Complacency

2010-01-22T12:00:00.000-08:00

In work, not life, everyone can be replaced and the second you start accepting the accolades instead of working for them you become complacent. It’s simple, someone wants your job, they want to do what you do and they are willing to work harder and longer to get there – they’re hungry.

It’s easy when you are good at something to get comfortable with it but if you are no longer moving forward, you’re going to get caught and then be left behind. In order to stay at the top, you need to work as if you were at the bottom, all of the time.

To be clear, I am not saying that is inappropriate to pat yourself on the back for a job well done, but you should listen to that voice inside your head reminding you that it’s the person who’s willing to fight for their position that will keep it.

It should never get easier - we should always be working to be better than we were. When we stop trying, we’ve given up, and may as well step aside or be trampled on by the next in line to our position. There is always something better – a newer model, an upgrade, or a cooler feature.

As Coco Chanel once said, ‘In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.’

Stay hungry.

2010-01-21T08:04:00.000-08:00

Chilly Chase 5,10 & 15km and Kids Run – Langley, BC

Details:

• Jan 17th, 2010
• Race location - 58 Ave & 216th, LSS Track / McLeod Park
• http://www.tryevents.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14&Itemid=18
• Cost - $40 (online and in person registration available)

What a great race to start off the year running! The Chilly Chase is a very popular race that sells out each year. The course takes you on a scenic road run in the heart of Langley and is very flat which is a great option if you are going for a personal best.

What is also great is there are 3 different distances to choose from depending on where you are with your training and what your goals are set for the year.

Check out the Port Moody customers enjoying their Sunday morning!

Candice Levy and Stephanie Perko - Pre-race!

Julie and Corey Lambert enjoying the 15km route!

Josip Maras and Rishel Tomlinson cruising the 10km!

The PM team post race (left to right - Rishel Tomlinson, Julie Lambert, Corey Lambert, Kris Schjelderup, Candice Levy, Josip Maras, Stephanie Perko

Managers anti-job description.

2010-01-20T13:23:00.000-08:00

The role of a manager (leader of any kind for that matter) is a big one.

There are times you must inspire, times you must hire.
Times you must lead, times you must read (ie never stop learning)
Times you must hasten, and times you must listen.
Times we must plan, as much as we can.

What is NOT in the role description for managers, however, is also worth examining; lest you go crazy or blame yourself for every mishap or unintended outcome in your business or employees' personal lives. A few things that should make that list as are follows;

- advancing people who don't advance themselves
- being the bad guy (different than taking ownership over your role and even the company as a whole)
- do everything
- be perfect
- fix things for people when there are processes in place that they can and should follow themselves to find a solution
- work 24 hours a day

That being said, managers DO need to find, hire, and train good employees. They need to teach them how to be GREAT.

A great employee is one who thinks like a manager
A great manager is one who thinks & acts like an owner
A great owner is one who knows how their team, managers & customers think

What great is may vary from one person's definition to another, but many of the fundamentals are universal, which is why great employees (no surprise) can be great at a LOT of things. To truly excel, we must all find what we MOST want to be great at, and what we are willing to work hardest to get there... because as the spirit of today's blog may allude to - the road there can often be long and bumpy (though worth it).

Authentic Self

2010-01-18T08:39:00.000-08:00

To be nobody-but-yourself -- in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else -- means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting"
-E.E. Cummings

Or, to put it another way, the importance of getting rid of all the 'junk' that we take on, that adheres to us as we get older and assume the trappings, the costume of civilization, that prevents us from being honest, raw, authentic, nobody but ourselves - stuff that others put on us to make us more like them, more acceptable, more obedient, tamer, quieter, more familiar, more 'like-able'.

Most people live their entire lives never finding their authentic self. They never find the person they were meant to be, nor do they develop themselves to their greatest potential. Unfortunately this is much easier said than done, for it takes time and effort to undo programmed habits and ways of living.

By claiming our authentic self we can live life to our fullest potential. To be authentic means to find the key to happiness and success within ones self, not within the society or environment that they live in. Society usually means the external system of authority that consciously and unconsciously dictates the direction and behavior of our lives. Do you ever wonder why it is so important to live a certain way, with a certain car, house, school degree, etc.? It is because society dictates it to be so. To live and be your authentic self, you must free yourself from that cultural prison. You must think for yourself and create your own thoughts, needs and desires. Then, and only then, you are being authentic.

When you live an authentic life, you are living the life that resonates with your inner being. You will not bind yourself with destructive habits, relationships or lifestyles. You will gain inner strength and let go of manipulation, power plays, cruelty and hatred. You will find that your life is being elevated to a higher spiritual level. You will be thinking of humankind, rather than self. You won't be afraid of truth, and will deal with fear in a better way.

When we ask people why they continue to live an unhappy and unfulfilled existence, they often respond, "they don't know why". For example, if they are unhappy with their job, we ask them, "Why do you continue to stay and be unfulfilled at your job, day after day?” Or why do you continue to behave in a way that isn't necessarily healthy, like smoking or drinking too much? What we observe is that they don't know why they do certain things. They just continue to do it out of habit. What we have determined is that their behavior doesn't match with their values, thus they are not living authentically.

I encourage you to lead yourself into a life of authenticity. You may need to spend some time and ponder exactly what it is you want from your life, and who exactly you are. It is a journey that will lead you to incredible things, mostly YOURSELF!

Work Hard, Get Rewarded

2010-01-15T12:00:00.000-08:00

"Not everything that count can be counted and not everything that can be counted counts." (Sign hanging in Einstein's office at Princeton).

For Christmas this year my Secret Santa gave me a desk calendar entitled Stuff White People Like. A little back story - Stuff White People Like is a blog that takes a satirical aim at the interests of North America "left leaning, city dwelling white folk." The blog was created in January 2008 by white Canadian Christian Lander, who grew up in Toronto, Ontario. Lander co-authored the site with his Filipino Canadian friend Myles Valentin after Valentin teased Lander about his watching the HBO television series The Wire.

The reason I am sharing this with all of you is because I was recently reading a day in my calendar entitled Unpaid Internships (which if you are interested you may read at http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/07/20/104-unpaid-internships/).

The basic premise of this blog is that people work a lot for very little. This resonated with me because I have heard (as I am sure you have) numerous individuals complain about working more than they are paid. And, I also know someone (and so do you) who works harder than they get paid. It got me thinking about the saying - do you what you love and you will never work a day in your life.

Now I am not so naive as to think (nor should you be) that just because you love what you do there aren't going to be bad days. But the point is, if you love what you are doing you will want to be doing it all the time (or most of it) regardless of how much you are getting paid.

I am not suggesting that people work for free but I am saying that you should find something you enjoy doing and the money will follow. Either way, if you want the money or the prestige you are going to have to work hard for it so you might as well be doing something you love while you're chasing it.

Built to Last

2010-01-13T08:35:00.000-08:00

Waking up this morning, in Vancouver, working but in a change-of-scenery-environment, I got to thinking. I'm here as a guest of Kris and Meyrick as the prepare for their Innovative Fitness Port Moody Grand Opening party. We all draw our roots to IF West Van in 2004 (2003 for Kris), which means we have seen a lot change in 6 years and seen a lot of "up & comers" come and then just as promptly go.

The fact is, nothing stands the test of time like a well thought out business plan based on core values and executed by visionaries full of passion. What Matt Young and Jeff Sharpe started in 1995, and what Vince Danielsen has started in Calgary - are examples of companies Built to Last. Jim Collins (Good to Great) has authored a book titled just this, which highlights themes seen in companies that have survived chaotic business environments (things like the great depression).

What stands out to me, as an example I hope "up & comers" who want instant gratification will note, is that none of the following qualities were highlighted by Collins as attributes that helped companies weather the proverbial storm;

- popularity
- being 'friends' with your customers (different than being friendly or giving great service)
- ego
- being married to your own ideas

Ironically, no matter how popular someone coming in with flash and pizazz may have been; selfless leaders who worked tirelessly and thanklessly behind the scenes and were chastised when their vision didn't include the popular but selfish teammates- these are the people everyone now wants to be (except many don't want to do the work to get there).

For anyone who is wondering how to fast track the money, respect, and results - here's how;
- Vince has been at it 12 years
- after 14 years in the game Matt was the first on the scene when the plumbing exploded in west van at 2am
- Meyrick (who has a wife and 3 kids) is now down to 12 hours a day to help acheive balance
- Kris drove me home and is letting me stay at his place after 14 hours of work yesterday
- Curtis, IF General Manager and White Rock owner, would come in every Sunday when White Rock started to clean the place, and did exactly what Kris and Meyrick are doing 4 years ago
- Jeff Sharpe works more hours than God behind the scenes
- and NONE of these people have shown me any ego after all they've done to earn it.

hard, tireless work, sacrifice and commitment. That's the secret. That builds businesses and relationships that are built to last.

Congrats Kris and Meyrick on the Grand Opening, and congratulations IF on the 4th flagship location (7th total!)

snowshoe day!

2010-01-12T15:06:00.000-08:00

As someone who grew up outside of Vancouver and just moved here only a couple of years ago, I still come across meeting people who have yet to discover what amazing local wonders the Lower Mainland has to offer. Some people have lived here their entire lives and have not, for example, snow-shoed the trails in their own backyard. I am perplexed how something could be so be so easy to access and yet elude so many local residents. It makes me ask one simple question, “why not?”

On January 10^th, an enthusiastic group from all 4 IF facilities gather together to snowshoe the hiking trails up at Cypress Mountain, a mere 20 minute drive from the downtown core. It was a beautiful day and a great opportunity to actively explore this winter wonderland. We had a great turnout of customers and IF coaches alike, and after gathering at the base of the hill for some snowshoe 101 and a group photo, the group split to hike either the rolling marked trails of Cypress, or to take on the uphill climb of the Hollyburn Peak. Due to the warmer winter weather this season, getting through the trails sometimes meant meandering off course to navigate around streams of mountain run-off or hiking over shallow puddles of mud. None-the-less, the exercise was great and the scenery made it all worthwhile! After a steady and grueling uphill trek, those that hiked the peak of Hollyburn were blessed with a clear sunrise view of West Vancouver, as well as a natural slide of snow to quickly rush them back down the mountain. The total snowshoe hike took roughly 2 to 2 and a half hours to complete round trip, leaving everyone plenty of time to enjoy the rest of their Sundays.

For anyone who missed the opportunity to join IF for the first of our Winter Hiking Series, or for those that came and are ready for some more, we will be heading back up to Cypress Mountain to do it all over again on Sunday January 24^th at 9:00am. This will be a great chance to get out and enjoy the mountain before it is closed down in celebration of the Olympics. Make sure to bring your family, friends, and even your pets (allowed on Hollyburn trails). Hope to see everyone there!

by Cory M

Self-Discipline

2010-01-11T07:23:00.000-08:00

People have always said that I am a great planner. While I appreciate the recognition I recently began to think how ineffective planning can be if it is not followed by grit, real action and the ability to just execute! Over the past 10 years I have written many personal plans and many that have not produced the desired outcome. Where was I falling short and why could I not reach even the simplest of objectives at times? If you have ever felt this way, the answer to reaching your goals this year lies not in talent or having an elaborate plan but in your ability to follow through by having self-discipline.

“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.”
-Vince Lombardi

Training yourself to be self-disciplined can be thought of as a way to motivate yourself to do what you should do versus what you want to. The should do’s are what will take you to your goals while what you want to do is usually the easier more comfortable way that does not get your closer to your goals. Self-discipline is the assertion of willpower over your desires to do what is right when you have to. Sleeping in is an example many can relate too. If you do not have to be at work until 10am it is very easy to sleep until 9am but imagine how much more productive you could be if you woke up at 6am to start the day? If your goal this year is to loose weight and get in shape you have to exercise willpower to not drink excessive alcohol, fat and sugar. It is not easy but essential for you to be successful in 2010. Willpower is your ability to set a course of action and say, “Engage!”

Developing self-discipline.
Self-discipline is like a muscle. The more you train it the stronger it gets and the less you train it the weaker it gets. Just as most people have very weak muscles compared to how strong they could be with training, most people are very weak in their levels of self-discipline. To strengthen your muscles you would not enter a gym and try to lift 300lbs rather you must start small and work your way up. The same goes with self-discipline - If you wish to wake up earlier than your usual 9am time, waking up at 6am would not be realistic. You would begin by waking up at 845am then 830am and so on. By raising the bar just a little each week, you stay within your capabilities and grow stronger over time. Practice improving your levels of self-discipline. You will be amazed at how much more you will end up accomplishing and how much faster you reach your goals.

Take action.
Your life is what you make of it. Everything in your life is a result of action or inaction. If you do nothing, then expect nothing to happen. Reaching goals and becoming successful does not just happen from writing a plan and it certainly does not just happen overnight. It takes a lot of hard work and persistence through self-discipline. Most people will only do what’s comfortable by avoiding hard work and that’s precisely why you should do the opposite. The superficial opportunities of life will be attacked by hordes of people seeking the easy road. The much tougher challenges will usually see less competition and result in a lot more opportunity. The world is filled with talented people who are unsuccessful because of their lack of discipline to simply take action. Next time you feel like skipping the gym to drink wine with friends or to sleep longer consider how this will help you in reaching your goals to become more fit and healthy. Maintain action regardless of how you are feeling. There will be times where you are unmotivated or feel like quitting but being persistent will allow you to keep taking action. Action brings results and results are a very motivating force to keep you moving towards your goals.

“The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you’re willing to work.”
-Oprah Winfrey

Trust

2010-01-08T12:00:00.000-08:00

Every with-hold you have from someone is a brick in the wall between you.

Do you tell the truth? What percentage of the time? 100%? Or 90%? And when you do tell the truth, do you tell 100% of it? Or 90%? And what about the truths we don't say - the "with- holds"? Even most of us with the best intentions DO NOT tell 100% of the truth, 100% of the time.

Why? We CAN'T tell the whole truth - about what we want, how we feel, what we love, what we hate, because we need people to like us, to love us, to accept us, to want to hang around us.

The irony is if we don't tell the truth, people can’t love us. The only way we can really be loved - really be accepted, is to show who we are. Only then, once you are truly seen, is it possible for someone to accept the real you.

So there it is. How do we be who we really are? How do we give people the chance to see us, to accept the "real us"? Risky, but simple: Tell the Truth.

There are risks associated with this practice. Particularly for those of us who like to stick to the comfort zone, please note that anything can happen - both negative and wonderfully positive - if you do the following but in the long run it pays to risk a little!

Welcome 2010... with lessons from 2009

2010-01-04T11:00:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend we asked our team to reflect on 2009. Specificallywhat were some key lessons they learned throughout the year that are going to bring them through to 2010.
Summarized below -have a look and perhaps you can take something away. And these are not just professional/career lessons.. but many are life lessons.

What we Learned in 2010:

1. Patience - taking time for balance & reflection; thinking of all angles before taking action, taking the opportunity to educate and lead vs. getting frustrated

2. How to lead different people - colors, currency, PI's. Whatever tool you want to use understanding that every individual (regardless how different from your natural 'style') will play an important and integral par. Respecting the differences while working with & embracing each other will build a successful team.

3. Delegation - means nothing if not empowering others to see the bigger picture first. It's not about the 'item' to be completed but how we can affect our entire team and success with what we're doing - the bigger pictures. We can't just expect it to be done quickly and right if we don't take the time to lead first & foremost.

4. Team - nothing can be accomplished alone. Our whole team has come a long ways and plays their parts very well.. from the administration to role players to coaches. We all need to work together to see the most growth & success.

5. Transparency & Trust - so important and has come into play with the above 4. Learning to fully trust in myself & our team, allowing others to do what they do best, taking feedback without fighting, letting go of control, not having to do it 'my way'. Allows everyone to succeed and builds a foundation of a strong team.

6. we have an amazing team of young people. Where most young people are coming up short in society, ours are getting noticed.

7. there’s 2 types of people. Talkers and doers. 10 point success requires 1 point talking & 9 points doing.

8. we all have control over our own destinies. Hesitating, blaming, justifying, procrastinating are OUR choices as much as we’d like to displace them on others.

9.if people followed the systems they way they were designed they would be more successful, more of the time in all life.

10. we would not want a boyfriend or girlfriend who was in a relationship with you to be eyeing someone else 3,6 & 9 months down the road. We would not likely enter into a relationship with someone else telling us “I’m just going to try this out and see if I like it”. So why would we hire, keep and continue to invest in people who’s ultimate passion is elsewhere IF there’s someone who’s ultimate passion is HERE & NOW.

11. you can’t push a round peg into a square hole. so, if we can understand our strengths [ie. colors], then we can maximize the best role for ourselves based on what we would be good at, what we like, and where we want to go.

12. timing of everything is key. If we are doing the right thing, at the right time, doing the right things – we maximize our chances of success. If we miss one or any of these elements, we risk missing the boat.

13. people will turn the corner, when they are ready to turn the corner [and only one person can make that switch – ourselves]. making the switch from university student to career professional, from dating to long term commitment / relationship / marriage, and from seeing the small picture to seeing the BIG picture – will happen when it is time to happen. some will be faster and some will take more experience & time – nothing better or worse, just reality.

14. success doesn’t come from 1 day, 1 month, or 1 year of consistent hard work – it usually takes 5 years for a large plan / project to come to fruition. Therefore, get ready for 5 years of consistent hard work to get to where you want to be [relationship, family, career, etc.]

15. life isn’t only about working but enjoying it & living it! However, working hard will eventually provide the freedom, flexibility, and financial capability to do more. Work hard & you get rewarded.

16. I learned that I have a fear of conflict - I am currently working on expressing how I feel about things right away before waiting and creating a bigger problem than needs to be..

17. I have learned that I have a fear of commitment - I am currently in a personal relationship that has actually helped me realize that I am able to have professional commitment at a high level in my carrier..

18. I have learned that I need to hold our team accountable 100% of the time if I am to stay in a leadership level and to be able to step into a higher level of management..

19. I have learned that everyone has a different personality that requires a different approach to all communication. that includes holding someone accountable, motivating, providing and receiving feedback..

20. I have learned that nothing gets done without a proper plan. one that needs to be thorough, executed, shared and then paid forward..

21. Organization - Leading a group of 15 from start to finish (STP). Plan, plan, plan and then execute. Leading destinations go smoothly when you overplan.

22. Communication - Open communication and front ending prevents mis-understanding and confusion. Always express your concerns to a teammate vs holding it in.

23. Team - When we all come together as a team we reach our goals. When we try to be individuals we fail as a team. Individuals with ego's try to do it their own way and this will only hamper a team.

24. Money - It is not how much money you make, it is how much you save. RSP's, Tax Free Trading account, Savings etc. The more money you make, the more money you spend.

25. Relationships - Being in a healthy relationship enhances the quality of my life. Friend, teammate, Lover.

26. That I have a fear of conflict. I am still working on improving 'straight goods feedback' and realizing that some levels of conflict within a team are essential for its success

27. That I have to always get better. At work, at home, in sports and in life, otherwise I get bored and move on. I have learned that challenge is essential for me.

28.To effectively work with other people I need to understand them. The introduction of colors has given me a better understanding of other teammates and why they act/react the way they do, ultimately helping me to become a better leader

29. If I want something done, then I need to plan. If something is important and needs to get done, setting a tangible plan into action is the best way to ENSURE it gets done.

30. That the systems at IF WORK. To opperate as an if coach at a high level we must buy into the systems and understand that they are there for a reason.... TO HELP US SUCEED. I have adopted the IF systems and implemented them at work and at home, helping me in many areas both professionally and personally.

31. Balance - I found it is important to maintain balance in my lifestyle. In 2009 I experienced both spectrums with professional, physical and personal spheres.

32. Delegation - important for getting more things done. NC is where I really learned this.

33. Team - I do best when I am in team environment and we are all working together together to achieve greatness and we must all row in the same direction to achieve this.

34. Listen, observe, and share - my biggest growth in 2009 came from listening to what others have to say, observing how things are done (professionally and personally) and be able to share with others my experiences that I have learned.

35. Transparency - being open to everything - views, decisions, actions.

36. Focus: this past year my focus and direction has become a pinpoint. Where at one time I had many focuses I can say that I have narrowed it to two (career and marriage) that align with my values and this has made me more successful in both.

37. Committment: this has been huge for my success. Being committed means making some sacrifice and doing whatever it takes to become great at work and in marriage. I have learned to be more committed in everything I do.

38. Efficiency: with new focuses and wanting to excel in both of my top 2 focuses I have had to become faster at getting things done. That means I have to prioritize better and not becoming distracted by the things that do not get me forward. Effeciency is a big lesson for me and I have been challenged by my leaders to make things happen quickly.

39. Ownership: making the decision to take ownership over each situation and outcome has been very important for my development. At work I feel it has preppared me for positions I am not yet in and allowed me to learn more. Personally I take ownership of all pos and neg situations that occur and decide what road it is I go down. Taking a wrong turn means I create solutions. Ownership has taught me more about positions I am shooting for.

40. Action: Nike said it well with their "Just Do It" slogan. Doing what you need to do vs. Doing what you want to do. Ie: getting up early to get ahead vs wanting to sleep in. Making plans is important but until you follow through on them a plan is worthless. This takes discipline and I have really disciplined myself to "Just Do It" and take action.

41. Not everyone is like me, and therefore they need to be treated differently. Colours have helped me to recognise this and approach people and situations differently.

42. My strengths and weaknesses and how I can use both of them to my advantage. By recognising my weaknesses I can be a more effective team mate, and take steps to overcome them.

43. Not everything can be perfect. Your perfect is different to mine, and I cannot lose sleep over things I have no control over.

44. I need to adapt better to situations I have not planned for.

45. Take responsibilty, and ask what I can do to help the situation

46. Personal growth - without it, there's no professional growth.

47. Transparency - be vulnerable and open up to others. 3. Challenge - like the flea who's jumping at the same height without the lid on top, I can do things that are out of my comfort zone and am realizing it now

48. Strengths & Weaknesses - recognizing my colours/currencies in order to be a better teammate & take ownership of role

49. Time management/organization/planning - no need to do things several times over, just do it once right

50. Ownership - it's my life, doing things for myself and not others

51. If you want to acheive something badly enough, you can acheive it with hard work and persistance - work.

52. I have an amazing life - I should never take it for granted.

53. I have a new found respect for personal trainers and the service they provide

54. I was trying to do too many things and not doing any of them at a high enough level - rugby, work, school, and friends

55. I have in the past few months realized that I still have decisions to make in regards to my future - school, work, and lifestyle.

56. Ownership: Owning my actions and accepting the positives and negatives of each one.

57. Planning: Learned I need a plan when it comes to furthering myself professionally and personally. Without one I have realized I am selling myself and my full potential short.

58. Balance: Finding balance between my personal and professional life. Not burning the candle at both ends.

59. Comfort: Getting out of my comfort zone and really experiencing a lot of new things. Leaving behind the comfort of University and starting over again out in Vancouver.

60. Doing: Stopped saying and started doing. Learned that I always had a lot to say, but was not always actually doing as much as I thought.

61. Ownership of my life and how I want to live it and what brings me the most happiness.

62. Communicating how I feel is not something I should be so afraid of.

63. Taking big chances can lead to some great success, no more selling myself short and sabotaging my goals.

64. Professional- there are a lot of great people out there that enjoy the feeling and rush of exercise and need help achieving goals they never thought they could accomplish, and I can help contribute to their success

65. People are different and respond very differently and like to be dealt with very differently, training one on one this is something I realized very quickly, that everyone has their thing that makes them tick!!

66. Team - How great we work as a team and if we didn't, things wouldn't run as smoothly as they do. By working as a team, we see the best ourselves and in our customers, we keep our hours high, and we keep each other challenged to grow

67. Colours - how everyone has a different personality and we need to recognize what those personality traits are in order to approach them approrpriately, help them grow, and apply/accept feedback in the right manner. With understanding each others personailties at a higher level, we will be a tighter team and continue to help each other grow twice as fast.

68. Balance - I have learnt the importance of balancing things out in my life ie. relationships, work, education, training etc. I tend to take too much on my plate and become overwhelmed and burnt out very easily. This is something I need to continuously work on, and hope to have huge improvement in for 2010

69. Transparency - don't keep to yourself and be open with others. This is a must when working in a team environemnt.

70. Communication - That it is so important to communicate with everyone involved in your life whether inside or outside of work. Without communication, you either get mis-lead or misslead others. This is easily avoided by speaking up and expression your opinions.

How to Get Motivated

2010-01-01T12:00:00.000-08:00

I cannot take credit for the words written below – Daniel H. Pink, the guy who turned Oprah onto the power of right brain thinking, wrote an article entitled ‘How to Get Motivated’ which I thoroughly enjoyed and would like to share with you today – he believes that you need to develop three things: a sense of mastery, autonomy and purpose.

A Sense of Mastery
The thirst for mastery is akin to the thirst for water. It keeps the soul alive. So what is the best way to cultivate a sense of accomplishment? An interesting answer recently came from a group of researchers studying new cadets at West Point to understand why some students dropped out. All the new recruits were talented, but the successful students shared a certain quality: grit. Everyone has a reservoir of grit, though you can’t tap into it for a random endeavor. To figure out where your reservoir of grit is, ask yourself: “What would I do for free?”

Autonomy
We came into this world curious and self directed – just look at any toddler – but we can become passive and inert in mundane situations. Two business school professors, however, found that people in the least empowered positions can develop a sense of autonomy. They studied the performance of hospital cleaners, and found that those who went beyond doing the minimum job requirements reported increases in satisfaction. By reframing their duties, the janitors helped make their work more fully their own - take control (even if only in a small way) of your time, efforts and responsibilities.

Purpose
Seeking purpose is part of how we’re wired – by doing something that endures; we prove that we were here, that we mattered. Clare Booth Luce once told John F. Kennedy, ‘A great man is one sentence.’ What’s yours? If you can’t seem to access your purpose in life, start with Luce’s question.

New Year, New You? New Approach!

2009-12-30T13:11:00.000-08:00

Does this resemble the long list of things you'd like to do differently in 2010?

If so, perhaps we can pin-point the FIRST thing you can do differently... end the year before more intelligently (read: more realistically)

The truth is, this time of year is a reflection by default phase. Everyone and their dog is asking what they can do differently and better this week for next year; while the most successful people out there are asking this question all of the time.

This new year's, instead of having a resolution, with no preparatory steps, action plan, or accountability program... simply accept that stating a goal without understanding goal setting and then the pursuit and mastering those goals is like deciding to go on vacation tomorrow with no money, plane ticket, destination, or ride to the airport. It simply isn't going to happen.

Another fault of new years resolutions is that people rarely think small. They want to lose the weight that's been plaguing them for 10 years, or pay off their mortgage. If planning and goal setting is not part of your skill or experience set; then we're setting ourselves up for failure.

So, want to reinvent yourself this year? No problem... but start by reinventing your processes and what you try to achieve. By starting small here, you gain momentum to tackle bigger things. I'm quite certain very few marathon runners are finishing 26.2 miles as their first run ever- they probably started with a 5 or 10km run, and then had the confidence to take bigger risks and the experience on what to do differently with their training.

Goals in other areas of our lives are no different... start an exercise routine before declaring you're going to lose those 20 pounds, learn to balance your budget before saying the mortgage is getting paid off, and learn how to manage your time and personal balance over a weekend getaway before saying this year you're going to the moon.

Start small and finish tall rather than over-promise and under-deliver to yourself (worst of all).

Happy new year, happy new approaches, happy new YOU!

Develop a Winning Personality

2009-12-28T08:48:00.000-08:00

For many of us, the beginning of a new year brings along new goals to be accomplished. Part of creating a good plan to achieve these new goals includes re-inventing ourselves to think and act differently than we did the previous years. Developing the traits of a winner starts with us as individuals and how we view ourselves. The mindset we possess will determine our actions, whether we win or loose and ultimately if we are to accomplish our goals. Below are some winning qualities that we can re-invent ourselves with and to develop our own winning personalities.

Attitude:
It takes just as much mental energy and effort to focus on the things you don't like as it does to focus on making the things you don't like better. Winners think positive and make the best of even the worst situations by thinking of solutions. Having a poor attitude will automatically set us up for defeat because our first reactions are that we do not have control. The reality is we have control over every situation and it all begins with thinking like you do.

Ownership:
Studies have shown that the top 3 percent of people in every field looked upon themselves as owners. They treated the company and team as if it belonged to them personally. They saw themselves as being in charge of every aspect of their lives. They took everything that happened to their company personally, exactly as if they owned 100 percent of the stock. Take ownership over your job and the team you play with. If something is not right make it better and do not wait for someone else to fix the problem.

Responsibility:
The difference between winners and losers is quite clear. Winners always accept responsibility for their actions. Losers never do but instead always have some kind of explanation for why they are doing poorly. Taking responsibility over our actions can be very hard for us as we always try to defend our what we do especially when we screw up. Fact is that we are human and we make mistakes. If we make a mistake, we must own it, learn from it and try not to come up with excuses as to why it happened.

Time Management:
Many people out there waste a lot of time by looking for the easy road in life. These people come in a little later, work a little slower, leave a little earlier and have the attitude that anything extra is someone else's job. They spend most of their working time in idle chitchat with coworkers, taking care of personal business, reading the paper, drinking coffee, and surfing the internet. Winners arrive a little earlier, work a little harder, and stay a little later making the most of their time.
Adopting the above principles will lead us to excellence no matter what it is we do. Why do anything in life if it is to be done less than excellent anyway? In 2010 think and act like a winner - choose to be a winner in everything you do!

Believe

2009-12-25T12:00:00.000-08:00

In 1897, Dr. Philip O’Hanlon, an assistant on Manhattan's Upper West Side, was asked by his then eight-year-old daughter, Virginia, whether Santa Claus really existed. Virginia O'Hanlon had begun to doubt there was a Santa Claus, because her friends had told her that he did not exist.

Dr. O’Hanlon suggested she write to the New York Sun, a prominent New York City newspaper at the time, assuring her that 'If you see it in The Sun, it's so.' While he may have been passing the buck, he unwittingly gave one of the paper's editors, Francis Pharcellus Church, an opportunity to rise above the simple question, and address the philospohical issues behind it.

Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the scepticism of a sceptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no child-like faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

—Francis P. Church

I like to think that Santa Claus represents all that is good in the world, as espoused in the famous letter, and that Francis wrote the absolute truth when he wrote that the most real things in this life are the things we cannot see.

Christmas Virus

2009-12-23T10:23:00.000-08:00

And so it's nearly Christmas... a time of year when we're sure to read things like "try and spread this feeling throughout the whole year, not just Christmas" (which is true, we should; yet true we don't). The key is to understand at this time of year we (most of us) inevitably come to feel a certain way that opens our hearts/ wallets/ time to and for those around us; often not limited to our immediate families.

The issue becomes - when the parties, the shopping, the Christmas lights, the carols, and the other euphoric events and stimuli begin to disappear; the sentiment goes the way of "outta sight, outta mind".

If we truly wished to make the world a better place and spread the Christmas spirit, we need to know tangible ways of doing so...

1. Set a goal for how many random acts of kindness or how many people you'd like to help
2. Set a month by month charitable plan for the entire year, share it with those you know (could be money, time, gifts, resources, anything)
3. As a family choose 1 gift you each receive that you will be donating to charity
4. Involve the Earth in the above movements (reduce, reuse, recycle, and choose sustainable and environmentally conscious products, restaurants, and other businesses to shop at)
5. Share what you are doing. One person can make a difference, but only if they never allow their good decisions and actions to remain as '1 person's idea'.

Hence the title of today's blog post; if you really believe in doing something to make Christmas year round - you must spread the tangible methods of creating good will to other's like a positive virus; an infectious Christmas virus that snowballs into change that is not seasonal; it becomes regional and perhaps even global.

Do we really want to unknowingly and unconsciously re-enter the rat race in 2010?
I don't think so - get spreading the news.

The Gleesons

2009-12-21T11:00:00.000-08:00

The Gleesons by Natalie Anderson, West Vancouver Coach

No matter how many times I have had to say goodbye, it never gets any easier.
I met Shaun and Emma Gleeson in August of 2009, a lovely couple from England who I had the pleasure of training individually once a week.

They seemed like your 'average run of the mill' suburban family and I got along with them like a house on fire from the minute I put them on the bikes to warm up.

The first clue I had of their selflessness was when they sponsored me for the my very first adventure race in September. I was delighted and followed up with the token email and photograph.

Now I don't know what happened in October but there seemed to be a turning point in Shaun's thinking. It was Nutrition Challenge month and I encouraged both Shaun and Emma to enter. Shaun's ultimate goal was weight loss as this was directly correlated to his high blood pressure and for Emma, more about education and accountability, as she had done the challenge so many times before. However, this was Shaun's first and final experience. The nutrition challenge involved writing daily logs about food consumption, completing weekly fitness challenges and participating in events. Initially, Shaun was sceptical as he had to travel a lot during this time, but along with fellow trainers Richard and Dave we convinced both of them to do their best.

So week 1 down, 14 excellent food logs later and 7 delightful yet useless facts from Shaun - made reading and analysing every one of them tolerable!

Week 2: Emma was impecable with her logs, even calculating calories burned during each workout. Shaun on the otherhand was traveling in England, socializing with friends and working... in that order! I received a few late night emails... and to my surprise he was still sticking to the guidelines of the challenge. Shaun required very little motivation, he was so tuned in to succeeding he even ordered a salad in front of his mates.

Week 3: Shaun is back, he has booked in extra sessions to make up for his time away and is coming in on his 'off' days to do an hours cardio! This week both Shaun and Emma completed the 24th hill fitness challenge! A credit to them both, who suffer from back and knee injuries respectively.

Week 4: By this time Shaun is focussed, his eyes are on the prize. This man is getting super fit... In fact I think during the month of October he spen more time at IF then he did with his family. Everything was going so well for them both, it was falling into place.

I was training with Emma one night and I noticed she wasn't her usual bubbly, chatty self, I felt close enough to ask if everything was ok... and with a glazed look in her eyes, she replied, "Shaun's work wants him to move back to England in December." At this point I must admit I was very selfish - thinking, but I will miss you, who will I laugh and joke with? Not even thinking how hard it must be to uproot your family to another country. I put on a brave face and thought a lot can change in three months.

This weekend was the 10km Turkey Trot. Shaun and I were registered and I decided our game plan was a walk run combo as he had not run that far in 2 years since his injury.

Its race day and I let Shaun set the pace, '5 minute run 1 minute walk,' I say, trying to convince him it is a jog, not a sprint. We set off dodging and weaving fellow runners (thank goodness for those agility exercises). 5 minutes into the run and Shaun has set a steady pace and with dignity says "I don't need to walk, let's keep going!" So with no ultimate goal, other then to finish the race, I agree. At this point fitness was not the issue, it was weather his back and knees would hold up. 1 hr and 8 minutes later we crossed the finished line having jogged the whole way around without stopping. I was so proud of him.

Weigh in day of the Nutrition Challenge: Now neither Shaun nor Emma won, as it was based on a cumulation of points. As cheesy as it sounds though, Shaun did win his own challenge. Neither one of them missed a log and Shaun lost the most amount of weight during the 4 weeks out of everyone that entered the challenge at West Vancouver IF.

And so I think, 'that's the end of that, back to reality now,' but I was wrong! Shaun continued to come in to the facility during every day 'off' and always made up sessions that he missed. We even decided to do the Chief Hike as it was one of his goals before he left for England, we unfortunatly had to pull out due to poor weather.

Richard and I continued to 'up' the intensity during each session, challenging him more and more. Shaun proved to be an excellent workout buddy, and I spent many a session working out beside him, while he danced his way through a squat press or reverse lunge bicep curl. Emma called it his midlife crisis music. We even had a few of our own 'Ashes' matches, Australia VS England in cricket with our makeshift half blue foam roller cricket bat!

The 10km Fall Classic was coming up and I challenged Shaun to complee it in under an hour, if he did I would buy him a vivianno from Starbucks, which he had religiously after his workouts at IF. And so one afternoon after his workout I had to buy him his viviano - he did it in 56 minutes. Good on you Shaun, it must have been those new running tights.

3 weeks out from their expected departure date and Shaun is booking extra sessions and Emma is rescheduling every session with me to fit it into their moving plans - Quote 'I can't miss my IF workouts!' Ironperson of December: Shaun Gleeson for his dedication, hard work and commitment.

Next challenge for Shaun was the 5km Santa Shuffle in under 25min! It was a fun event and I dropped a hint that Emma should bring the kids down for the 1km Elf walk. To my surprise, she did, 3 years at IF and this was her first and last event!

Donned with Reindeer antlers, I met the Gleeson's at the start line, we took some photos, complained about the cold weather and Shaun and I were off. Again I said, 'you set the pace.' And at the time I wish I could have taken it back!

So apparently this one was a sprint! It was an icy morning and Shaun sprinted off overtaking the social runners, his technique and form resembled a Kenyan completing a marathon. I grinned and ran along side him, thinking - he won't be able to keep this up. 2.5km into the run and we are still sprinting like we are being chased by the cops. In between breaths I manage to gasp, "your getting fast!" 27 minutes later we crossed the finished line - disappointed but not defeated. We spent too much time at the beginning trying to get past the pack.

As 1 of many send offs, Shaun, Emma, their two children Oliver and Ruby, Kate, Richard, Kati and myself went out to lunch after the Sanata Shuffle and relived their fond memories at IF. A couple of stories that stuck in my head:

Emma:
Quote: 'After I got home from my first session I cried, I said to Shaun, 'What have I got myself in to?' Now I can't miss a session, I love it. I asked for a medball for Christmas so I can still do my woodchops when I leave.'

Shaun:
Quote: 'I was sceptical, I didn't think I needed another person to push me, my first few sessions I had to go home and have a sleep on the couch!'

Dave, Richard and myself decided that we would make the last few weeks of the Gleeson's IF experience a blast. Dave did an awesome whiteboard workout for Emma which involved traveling around the world, en route to England - rowing to Australia, hiking up Ayres Rock with a backpack, just to name a few. I also had my first cardio core workout with Emma, while Oliver and Ruby played DS and drew in the corner of the facility. I lost count after 180 crunches, but chuckled very loudly when during a 30 second hold of a back extension on the floor, Ruby kindly slid a drawing right under Emma's nose, so that she didn't have to look up. I loved training Emma's cardio core hours, I use to do hours of research for new and challenging core exercises. My favourites were the worm, where your legs and arms are extened, lieing on the floor you must roll yourself from your stomach to your back without using your arms of legs, reverse v-sit on the lat pull down with leg drops (she hated this one) and V-sit kettle bell crunches - I had a killer ab combo for this one!

Emma got her revenge at Train the Trainer. She had written down every exercie I was to do and had all the equipment prepared, all while hollering at Shaun to 'watch the kids!' - who might be asking for a treadmill for Christmas this year! Shaun was much more leaniant, all I had to do was give him a nasty look and he asked, 'are you ok?' - he is much too nice to be a trainer.

By the last two weeks Shaun was dialled in to burning calories. So Rich and I did the 1000kcal challenge. In my attempt to have Shaun burn 100kcal, I worked out with him and had him on the treadmill at the highest level he has ever done... NICE. But I came in short at 987kcal. Not to worry, Rich had a crack at him 2 days later with 1000 and something kcal, nice workout both of them.

It was profiling week and Emma convinced me she didn't need to do it. Actually no... she flat out refused! However I convinced Shaun we should take his girth measurements just for interest sake. He lost over 10lbs in 3 months, and 6 cms from his waist, and after an office medical was told he could come off his blood pressure medication. I was so excited for him, he had worked so hard, there was no better reward.

After what I thought was his last workout with me I gave him the Gleeson Gladiator Gauntlet whiteboard workout. Shaun had to reschedule his last workout with Rich and ended up with me. Unfortunatly the night before was his going away party and Shaun was not up to the slaying I preppared - having to dash to the bathroom on numerous occasions. He left me standing with the dumb bells a few times looking bedazzled because I didn't know where he was.

TOP 5 GLEESON MOMENTS:
1. Working out with Shaun and he is spottng me on the chest press and a drop of sweat from his forehead onto my nose..eeww gross!
2. Dave giving Emma thunderclaps for the Santa Shuffle, or slow handclaps as they are known to the Gleeson's - she hates being made a fuss over!
3. Shaun shouting profanities during peak of the hour and sometimes during the warm up if we were lucky!
4. Shaun's dance moves - there is nothing more to say about this...
5. When Emma suggests that the exercises I have chosen are not real, they are made up exercises - how rude!

Leaving Day: The Gleeson powerpoint is showing on the big screen, a poster on the door read 'goodbye Gleeson's, we will miss you,' a card is signed by all the IF coaches, a collage of photos has been printed and framed, and the IF waterbottles and jersey are prepped.

I turned down the music, stood on the small box and declared what a loss for IF it was to lose not 1, but 2 of its most valuable - not customers, but friends. Emma compared finding new trainers, like finding a new hairdresser - which I totally understand, which is why we got along so well. Nowhere else will they find a gym where they yell your name when you arrive. Emma and I both joked that she will arrive at her new training facility and announce in her propper Brittish accent, 'Hello everyone, I am here!' I've also jokingly mentioned to Shaun, that when he is back in Vancouver for business he should come back for a session, he boldy stated that he would like 2 hours in a row!

All was said and done, gifts exchanged, I got through my whole speech without breaking down. It was definatly the team huddle with the 'Lets break on Gleesons in 3... 1, 2, 3, GLEESONS' followed by a round of thunderclaps that did it for me! The tears rolled down my face and with as much dignity and courage as I could muster, I said thank you and goodbye.

Special appreciation to the team at IF West Vancouver for your support. Rich and Dave my co-coaches, Kati for looking after Ruby and Oliver, Justine for giving me the freedom and opportunity to work with the Gleesons, and Josh for your advice.

Wooden on Leadership

2009-12-18T12:00:00.000-08:00

Leadership starts with self-control. Remember, control of your organization begins with control of yourself. When you lose control, you sanction the same behaviour for those under your leadership—the team. There is never an excuse for violating this imperative, and when you do, your credibility and consistency as a leader diminish accordingly. — Coach John Wooden

John Wooden is without question one of the most respected and honoured sports coaches in history. But it wasn't winning games that drove him; it was ensuring that, regardless of the final score, his players always put forth their utmost effort and performed to the best of their abilities. For him, it was never about the number of wins and losses: It was about how the game was played.

In fact, his players say they don't recall their coach ever stressing the importance of winning a game. For Wooden, it was about sticking to the fundamentals. "On the first day of practice, I remember him saying, 'I'm not going to be talking to you about winning or losing because I think that's a by-product of our preparation. I would much rather be focused on the process of becoming the best team we're capable of becoming,'" says John Vallely, who played under Wooden on the 1969 and 1970 UCLA national championship basketball teams.

Judging from his relationships with former players, perhaps the greatest business lesson to be learned from Wooden is how leaders should treat the people around them. "Make those under your supervision understand that you really care for them, not just for what they're doing in the corporation but that you really care for them," Wooden says. "I think anyone in a supervisor position has to do that." For him, that meant letting his players know they weren't playing for him, but with him as they worked toward a common goal. "Team spirit, loyalty, enthusiasm, determination. . . . Acquire and keep these traits and success should follow."