Colin R. Stuckert's Blog, page 16

07 Of The Very Best Gym Bags For Men for 2021

Time can feel like a high-end some days, however locating time to strike the gym is needed for both your physical and mental health and wellbeing. When your day is loaded with job and social commitments, your best option for squeezing in your everyday health and fitness regimen calls for a health club bag that can hold all your equipment, without resembling a complete eye aching while out and around.

Certain, any type of duffle bag or knapsack can hide your perspiring, smelly health club garments, but the most effective fitness center bags have several areas to organize whatever you’ll need during your day and also different your filthy sneakers from laptop and exercise headphones– due to the fact that allow’s face it, that’s just gnarly. And the outside is just as essential. Your health club bag ought to have a fashionable, versatile aim to function as a weekend bag with durable fabric that can manage the heaviest load.

Where does a guy locate this perfect physical fitness carryall? Lucky for you, we assembled the very best health club bags for every single guy’s budget plan, so you can work on your gym gains with all the devices and equipment you’ll require.

Are you ready?, let check now with our best gym bags for men from our topic.

07 Top Gym Bags – Recommend For Men for 20211.Drawstring-Backpack-Bulk-Large Drawsting Bag Kids Drawstring Backpack String Bag 16 Colors

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A deserving upgrade on the basic drawstring bag, the Drawstring Backpack String is made of new polyester,it is not ersy to break and comfortable,At the same time, it is very suitable for participating in various sports activities. to arrange equipment and features a zipped pocket for valuables.

2. Vorspack Drawstring Backpack String Bag Sports Gym Sack with Side Pocket for Men Women

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Vorspack knapsack is basic but useful, it can fit your supplies for job, and equipments for sporting activities or fitness center, all individual requirements for a brief journey or outings

3. Under Armour Adult Undeniable Duffle 4.0 Gym Bag

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22″x12″x11″ ua storm technology delivers an element-battling, highly water-resistant coating challenging, abrasion-resistant bottom & side panels big front zippered organization pocket flexible, padded, heatgear shoulder band for overall convenience padded leading grab manage large vented pocket for laundry or shoes, one mesh pocket & an extra huge zippered pocket for organiz.

4. Sports Gym Bag with Wet Pocket & Shoes Compartment, Travel Duffel Bag for Men and Women Lightweight

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Not only is this sports gym bag with wet pocket  for the health club, but also it’s the perfect travel bag sized completely for a continue. It has space for your shoes, day-to-day fundamentals, as well as laptop

5. PUMA Evercat Dispatch Womens Duffel

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If you’re seeking an inexpensive duffel that can hold all your basics in one location, this Puma bag is it. While lots of gym bags are created with a number of areas, this around-$20 pick has simply one, making it excellent for bring around larger items like a set of tennis shoes, a foam roller, or even a football round. It has two bring deals with as well as a hassle-free strap juuust in case it gets a little heavy.

6.Canway 65L Travel Duffel Bag, Foldable Weekender Bag with Shoes Compartment for Men Women Water-proof & Tear Resistant

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Finding a duffel or weekender bag with various areas, a water resistant outside, and also a different footwear section isn’t all that difficult. Discovering one that’s very easy to shop, is available in a range of sizes, and also will not cost you more than $35 is a little bit a lot more challenging, but you’ll discover all of that in this collapsible bag from Amazon.

This tear-resistant, water resistant piece of travel luggage from Canway has so many excellent features, it just may persuade you to never use an additional bag once again. The inexpensive duffel features six different pockets including a ventilated laundry as well as footwear area along with a baggage sleeve. The incredibly light-weight bag, which starts at simply $27, is available in five colors and 3 dimensions that fold down into a smooth, easy-to-pack 10-inch square.

7. WolfWarriorX Gym Bag for Men Tactical Duffle Bag Military Travel Work Out Bags

WolfWarriorX Gym Bag is not just an useful fitness center bag; it’s likewise an extremely light-weight and also flexible bag to carry with you daily.

This bag is styled after old airforce bags, full with canvas. It has external side pockets to hold your little papers, along with an extremely spacious main compartment for all of your gym basics.

It is an extremely basic fitness center bag, with sufficient space to place your clothing, canteen, as well as other fitness center accessories.Its cylindrical layout permits you to cram a lot in there before you run out of room.

WolfWarriorX Gym Bag has a single over the shoulder band that isn’t always comfortable, as well as two handles so you can lug it around in your hand.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do you carry shoes to the gym?

Just like resting bags and also windbreaker jackets can be kept in a different compartment of the bag, gym shoes can likewise be kept in a distinct section of your sporting activities bag. You will discover a lot of gym bags supplying enough space for lugging your footwear without them being available in contact with your clean clothing.
If, nevertheless, your health club bag doesn’t happen to have actually an integrated separate pocket for your shoes, think about positioning them in a fabric or a reusable plastic bag.

2. How do you pack a gym bag?

As soon as you have selected your gym bag, you have to figure out one of the most effective means to load it. While organizing your fitness center tools will rely on the amount of storage you have, there are a couple of guidelines to follow for, allow’s call it, methodically cramming your fitness center bag.
– Use packaging dices for preserving arranged mayhem including your tidy and also dirty clothes, shoes, equipment, and also electronic devices.
– Load a quickly-drying towel that will both occupy less area and also time.
– Don’t fail to remember to pack a water bottle (or a protein shake, if you are building muscular tissues) as well as a treat– it’s critical to keep on your own moisturized and satiated at all times.

3. How do I choose a best gym bag for men?

Although every person has different preferences when it comes to gym bags, some features are the actual must-haves that can not be jeopardized. These include an interior or external pocket for your water bottle, storage space for your sneakers, and an area where your modification of workout garments can go.
Ideally, your bag ought to likewise fit in a gym storage locker to make sure that you do not have to leave it unemployed of the transforming space. If this holds true, you will certainly have to guarantee your fitness center bag can be locked for the security of your equipment versus burglars.

4. What is the best gym bags?

When looking to purchase a good-quality health club bag, there are a number of variables to consider. You wish to make sure your fitness center bag is made from a long lasting material, has simply the ideal variety of compartments, and is as flexible as feasible.

Conclusion

The gym bag is our go-to satchel. We lug it nearly daily, so it needs to be tough. As well as we never ever recognize where we’re gon na end up, so it requires to look nice, also. On top of that, it needs to be flexible sufficient to manage whatever we throw into it (usually way more than just health club equipment).

Despite if you’re a pupil racing to the fitness center for a pick-up video game between courses or an editor at a magazine in the Big City who just desires a few silent, wonderful mins on the treadmill after job (ahem), the trusty fitness center bag could be your most important everyday bring product.

We believe that you can pick up a best gym bags for men for yourself or any guy you refer to. Thank for reading!

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Funny Gym Shirts For Women Ideas

Laughing is not just an emotional reaction to something amusing, however it works out a variety of muscles in your body.

Nevertheless, To make you always laugh happily and also really feel amusing while you’re working out might provide more benefits than you realize. Naturally, the most apparent one is that if you have a factor to be giggling, you’re possibly having a funny time and also appreciating your exercise a lot more. Take place a run with a buddy with an amusing T t-shirt and also tell each other a couple of jokes and also you’re more likely to find the time passes effortlessly contrasted to when you’re running solo or you remain in a tiff.

We reviews many topic about matching couple fits, funny workout shirt for women and man, funny cycling t shirts even funny bbq t shirts. Now, we focus Funny Gym Shirts For Women only. Let’s check with us!

Best 14 Design Ideas Funny Workout Shirt for Women 
1.Too Fit For This Swole-er System Tank Top

Flaunt your love of physical fitness with this planet influenced, health club enthusiast’s, exercise wit t shirt! Allow the world understand you are TOO FIT for this SWOLE-er system!

2. Baby Yoga Tank Top

Doing the warrior posture and also straightening my Chakras, I am! Got ta keep in shape emotionally as well as physically to make use of the force, you know! We do not attempt yoga below, we just do!

3 .I’m Kitten Swole Right Meow Vneck

I remain in the health club getting swole, I’m kitten swole ideal meow. Obtain some laughs in the fitness center with this humorous training shirt. This will be a best funny Shirt for cat lover.

4. Naked Yoga Racerback Tank

This shirt only namastays on when I’m not doing naked yoga. Love nude yoga? Show your love the only method you can, when you’re not nude! Program the world just how much you enjoy naked yoga exercise with this funny and also ironic, yoga tee shirt!

5. Ducks Against Diet Culture T-Shirt

Ducks don’t give a f * ck about diets! Flaunt your body positivity and love of duck puns with this, “Ducks Against Diet Culture” anti-diet design! Featuring an illustration of a chonky duck quacking as well as living their ideal life!

6. Strawbooty Tank Top

Whether it’s up in the health club or in the convenience of your own house, this storage tank is sure to motivate you to get those additional squats in to deal with that strawbooty! Or maybe, it simply indicates you’re consuming a great deal of strawberries … in either case you can’t fail!

7. Current Mood: Missing Sports Racerback Tank

Present Mood: Missing Sports. Show that there’s a sport shaped hole in your life with this lockdown influenced design.

8. Perkis Power Hoodie

For all the 90’s children that matured with the flick Heavyweights. This style based of off Tony Perkis’ t shirt is perfect for a quick outfit or any kind of fan of Camp Hope.

9. Let’s Get Down to Business T-Shirt

Let’s get down to company … to defeat the buns! Show that you are far better than any type of male with this Disney Princess parody tee shirt, as well as do squats like the fate of China depends on your workout.

10. Less Hate More Weight T-Shirt

Lift weight not dislike! Display your weight training skills while taking on despise with this, “Less Hate More Weight” raising design. Perfect for working out, health and fitness, as well as sharing love.

11. I’m Soft But I’m Trying Gym Cat T-Shirt

Flaunt your love of pet cats with this incredibly cute, pet enthusiast’s, cat proprietor’s, lazy workout, wacky fitness center t-shirt! Let your whole health club know that you might be soft yet you are doing your finest!

12. Working On My Core-gi Parody Racerback Tank

I’ll be active at the gym working with my core-gi! Work on your core and do the cutest collection of sit-ups ever before with this amusing, workout, cardio, gym, corgi t shirt!

13. Let’s Get Swole Let’s Eat a Spring Roll Racerback Tank

Why exercise when you can obtain? Get your treat on with this funny food fitness tee shirt. This style includes a picture of a spring roll with dipping sauce and also the expression “Let’s Get Swole? I Think You Mean Let’s Eat a Spring Roll.”

14. Buns & Guns T-Shirt

Exercise your buns and also your weapons with this Seafarer Moon anime themed health and fitness layout! Sweat our your magic girl out while you pump up for your girl gang!

Size

Fit Type: Regular Fit

Fabric: 100% Cotton

Care Instructions: Machine Wash. Medium Hot Iron. Don’t Iron On

Classic T-Shirt

S(28 inches), M(29 inches), L(30 inches), XL(31 inches), 2XL(32 inches),3XL(33 inches),4XL(34 inches),5XL (35 inches), 6XL(36 inches)

Premium Fit Mens Tee

XS(27 inches), S(28 inches), M(29 inches), L(30 inches), XL(31 inches),2XL(32 inches),3XL(33 inches)

Premium Fit Ladies Tee

XS(25 inches), S(25.5 inches), M(26 inches), L(27 inches), XL(28 inches),2XL(28.5 inches)

Ladies T-Shirt

S(25.5 inches), M(26 inches), L(27 inches), XL(28 inches),2XL(28.5 inches),3XL(30 inches)

V-Neck T-Shirt

S(28inches), M(29 inches), L(30 inches), XL(31 inches),2XL(32 inches)

Sleeveless Tee

S(28inches), M(29 inches), L(30 inches), XL(31 inches),2XL(32 inches)

Unisex Tank

S(28inches), M(29 inches), L(30 inches), XL(31 inches),2XL(32 inches)

Ladies Flowy Tank

XS(27 inches), S(27.5 inches), M(28 inches), L(28.5 inches), XL(29 inches),2XL(29.5 inches)Colour

There are multicoloured for these Funny Gym Shirts For Women

BlackWhiteGrapePepperPurpleIvoryChina BlueBlueLight blueRedPinkNeon GreenGrassDillweMangoOrangeLight pinkConclusion

It’s extremely crucial to exercise for the best factors! Self love is the first muscle mass you must be bending before you get to the gym. As well as develop a motivation to go is more important. According to this write-up, we wish that we can share Funny Gym Shirts For Women . These designs are printed above quality, Premium Cotton Tees to bring the ladies the most effective fit, feel and long lasting Tees that we can find.

You have actually been an exercise warrior for a while, allow place in time at the health club each day to get to a specific goal or simply improve your total health and fitness. Happy work out!

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The Best Funny Workout Shirt Reviews

The best workout shirts for men and women have to do several things well. They must be durable, however also breathable. They need to look sharp, yet not such as a billboard. And also they need to fit, but not limit blood flow to the extremities. For those trying to find the ideal workout t-shirt, we discovered the best one for every single type of person.

Besides, remaining on top of your health and fitness goals isn’t constantly simple, but at the very least these amusing tees and storage tanks will certainly make you laugh regarding it.

Below are best funny workout shirt for 2021, let’s check it out.

Top 10 Design Ideas Funny Workout Shirt
1.Big Face Panda T-Shirt

You will certainly obtain lots of compliments from your buddies when it comes to exactly how remarkable your shirt is. The pseudo 3D Huge Face Panda Tee shirt is a superb item for amusing work out.

2.Workout Because You Love Your Body Tank Top

It is necessary to work out for the appropriate factors! Self love is the initial muscle you must be flexing prior to you get to the fitness center.

3. Shredded Cheddar T-Shirt

Resemble cheese and allows obtain SHREDDED! This cheesy word play here is terrific for when you are gettin monteray JACKED a the fitness center! Obtain swole, baby!

4. Beer Workout Vneck

I just exercise since I really, truly, really like beer. Do anything to stay clear of a beer gut as well as consume away with this athletic and also hilarious, exercise shirt. This is excellent to wear while partying as well as drinking with close friends, or at the health club lifting weights as well as getting swole.

5. Workouts Succ T-Shirt

Workouts Succ. Program your repugnance for the gym and your love of succulents with this adorable residence plant themed design.

6.It’s Not Overeating, It’s Garboloading T-Shirt

The most fundamental part of every wonderful fitness routine that also includes lengthy Netflix binges, gaming marathons, and also aching tuchuses. Third hamburger let’s goooo

7. Gotta Get Your Eggsercize Tank Top

Allows get yolked! Eggs teem with protein, so they’re best for pre-workout breakfast! Show your sunny side at the fitness center with this eggercize design!

8. Flextraterrestrial Flexing Alien Vneck

Your gains are out of this globe! Flaunt your flex with this amusing alien pun style including the message, “Flextraterrestrial” with an illustration of an alien flexing all strong. Perfect for loving outer space, health and fitness, and puns!

9. I Workout So I Can Eat Garbage – Thanksgiving Raccoon T-Shirt

Eat your holiday waste shame free with this funny, “I Workout So I Can Eat Garbage” Thanksgiving raccoon fitness design with a raccoon, pumpkin pie, a turkey leg, and also some holly berries! Perfect for raccoon jokes, consuming garbage, Thanksgiving wit, workout, as well as funny fitness!

10. Turning this Fluff into Buff T-Shirt

It’s time to come out of hibernation as well as deal with that fluff! Get out your pinheads and pump that iron! We have to confess however, that the fluff is beary adorable.

Size

Fit Type: Regular Fit

Fabric: 100% Cotton

Care Instructions: Machine Wash. Medium Hot Iron. Don’t Iron On

Classic T-Shirt

S(28 inches), M(29 inches), L(30 inches), XL(31 inches), 2XL(32 inches),3XL(33 inches),4XL(34 inches),5XL (35 inches), 6XL(36 inches)

Premium Fit Mens Tee

XS(27 inches), S(28 inches), M(29 inches), L(30 inches), XL(31 inches),2XL(32 inches),3XL(33 inches)

Premium Fit Ladies Tee

XS(25 inches), S(25.5 inches), M(26 inches), L(27 inches), XL(28 inches),2XL(28.5 inches)

Hooded Sweatshirt

S(27 inches), M(28 inches), L(29 inches), XL(30 inches),2XL(31 inches),3XL(32 inches),4XL(33 inches),5XL (34 inches),

Ladies T-Shirt

S(25.5 inches), M(26 inches), L(27 inches), XL(28 inches),2XL(28.5 inches),3XL(30 inches)

V-Neck T-Shirt

S(28inches), M(29 inches), L(30 inches), XL(31 inches),2XL(32 inches)

Long Sleeve Tee

S(28inches), M(29 inches), L(30 inches), XL(31 inches),2XL(32 inches) ,3XL(33 inches),4XL(34 inches),5XL (35 inches)

Sleeveless Tee

S(28inches), M(29 inches), L(30 inches), XL(31 inches),2XL(32 inches)

Unisex Tank

S(28inches), M(29 inches), L(30 inches), XL(31 inches),2XL(32 inches)

Ladies Flowy Tank

XS(27 inches), S(27.5 inches), M(28 inches), L(28.5 inches), XL(29 inches),2XL(29.5 inches)Colour

There are multicoloured for these Funny Workout Shirt

BlackWhiteGrapePepperPurpleIvoryChina BlueBlueLight blueRedPinkNeon GreenGrassDillweMangoOrangeLight pinkConclusion

Being physically energetic deals benefits far past the evident. Naturally, an enhanced physique and also a clean bill of health aren’t also shoddy, either.

This post is dedicated to funny and straightforward funny workout T-Shirt ideas.Via this topic, we would like to share T shirt design that will promote you once you work out. Thank for your reading!

The post The Best Funny Workout Shirt Reviews appeared first on A GYM LIFE.

Control Your Mind or It Controls You

“The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven..”

― John Milton, Paradise Lost

You know what class they should have taught in school?

Mind Control.

Not mind control in the sense that you can use telepathy to control another human being, but control over one’s own mind.

Why does no one teach kids how to control their mind? Maybe because most adults—parents and teachers alike—don’t know much about controlling their own minds, let alone how to teach someone else how to control theirs.

I think that’s probably about right. (And who can blame them? We have learned more about the human brain in the last 15 years than the thousands before.)

Even still, there are many adults that don’t have control over their own mind. They float through life going from one pleasure-seeking activity to the next while trying to avoid anything difficult or uncomfortable. They are usually terrible with expressing their feelings and opinions. They feel entitled in all kinds of things in life. And they are, without realizing it, inherently discontent and unhappy.

Pffffft… who are you to be so judgmental?

I’m glad you asked. First, I’m not being judgmental; I’m being observationally objective. Second, until I grew up and started realizing these things, I lived life the same exact way: in a constant state of perpetual ignorance to who I am, what I want and what I think.

9I can speak on these things because I’ve been there. I also have to regularly find the tendencies that try to suck me back into my old ways of thinking.

You don’t have to get any of this to take a look around and see the problems that people face. The thing is, they are all rooted in the mind!

Why do so few talk about this stuff?!

Think about it: your entire life and being is nothing more than the perception that your brain interrupts for you.

Your life is exactly equal to the thoughts in your head. So if you can control the thoughts in your head, you can control your life.

Of course it sounds simpler than it is, but that doesn’t mean it’s not doable. It’s completely doable. It just takes time and awareness.

Once you are aware of your brain and thoughts, you can continually get better at controlling them. I’ve written about how to do this many times before so go check out some of my other articles if you are interested. Or, start writing down ideas you have for how you might get better. Then start taking action on those ideas. This itself will start the ball rolling.

There are no hard and fast rules for learning how to control one’s mind, you just have to get in there and iterate and learn.

Failure to control your mind is failure to control your life. It really is.

Get in there and do work: control your mind instead of letting it control you like it does for 99.99% of people on the planet.

“Our minds influence the key activity of the brain, which then influences everything; perception, cognition, thoughts and feelings, personal relationships; they’re all a projection of you.” -Deepak Chopra

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Is Life Passing You By?

“Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these, ‘It might have been.”

― John Greenleaf Whittier, Maud Muller – Pamphlet

No matter how much I learn, how much I write, and how much I can give advice or preach to others, I will always be imperfect.

And so will you.

 

I think about death often. I think about the shortness of life often. I think about seconds and minutes and hours as they go by, often analyzing how I am spending my time. Buy not matter how much of this I do, I still struggle with motivation and with being in the moment. My mind is too often 3 or 6 months in the future.

And let me tell you, this is no way to live life.

I know this. I am aware of it, which is a start.

I realize how backwards my ambitious and motivated tendencies are when you analyze them. I work hard so I can enjoy life in the future, and so I can buy the safety, comfort and luxury that success provides. The problem is, what about now?

Am I only able to enjoy life when I’ve reached X dollars or X accomplishments?

The fact is, I am giving up parts of life in exchange for other part of life. And a huge problem with this is the later parts that I’m trying to “trade up” for, are not guaranteed to come or come the way I want them. But such is the paradox of success and accomplishment.

It’s hard to know what the right “dose” is. It’s hard to know if I am doing what I am destined to do or if I am just spinning my wheels because I’m appeasing my Ego or avoiding being vulnerable in other aspects of my life.

But then I think about security and I think of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Then I think about my past. Maslow’s pyramid of needs goes like this, from the bottom: Physiological, Safety, Love/belonging, Esteem, Self-actualization (at the top).

Maslow’s believed that humans pursue these levels of the hierarchy in order. For example, if you don’t have food or water, each will invariably become your primary focus; you can’t worry about starting a business or getting a raise if your basic human needs are not met.

Once you have your basic needs meet—like water, food, shelter and physical safety—you will focus your attention on attaining the next level: love and belonging. After you acquire an adequate amount of love and belonging (whatever that means for you), you move to the next level—and so on up the pyramid until you get to the top: Self-actualization.

Self-actualization is defined as becoming the best you can be. There are usually bits of purpose and service, but everyone’s version of self-actualization is their own. Self-Actualization is the reason you hear of wealthy individuals giving back. Since these individuals have met all of the needs—security, social, esteem, physiological—they search for the next thing that is going to fulfill them, which usually ends up being some form of charity or service to others.

After thinking about self-actualization in my own life, I realize that one of my driving forces for acquiring “success” is to capture the whole that is Maslow’s pyramid. For example, I own a couple businesses but there is no guarantee they will last forever (which I’ve had to realize the hard no quite a few occasions), and this threatens my safety. I am also motivated to pursue esteem and self-actualization and success has a lot to do with each. The same goes for love/belonging: It gives me the resources to spend more time with the people I care about.

I’ve always had a need to be autonomous. This would fall in the “safety” category. I can’t stand the idea of putting my life or my family’s into the hands of a government, a business, or anything external outside of my control. I want to be in absolute control of my destiny.

And so, I try to balance the Now with the Future. I try to enjoy the journey and the destination. It’s not easy, but it is completely necessary.

However this makes you think about your life, pursue those thoughts and let it lead you where it may.

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Read Biographies. Trust me. Read them

“One thorn of experience is worth a whole wilderness of warning.”

-James Russell Lowell

You should read biographies. I didn’t realize how useful these were until I started reading them.

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Here are a few I recommend:

Screw it, Let’s Do it by Richard BransonDelivering Happiness by Zappos CEO Tony HsiehThe Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon by Brad Stone

I’m halfway through Delivering Happiness (which is an incredible book) and it was just last night as I was reading that I realized how amazingly powerful these few—and recently read—books have been for me.

I’ve always discounted biographies as a kind of “hero worship” or history-like recant of someone who had done some stuff in the past: I just never saw the value in reading them.

Man was I wrong.

I wish I had learned this sooner, but I’m at least glad I did now.

You want to get better at just about anything? Read biographies.

Now, to address the quote at the top… this might sound contradictory to my advice to read biographies considering Mr. Lowell is suggesting that actually experiencing life is far more useful than reading or hearing about it from others.

And on that point, I agree with him.

The problem is, most people are resistant to taking action of any kind, especially when they don’t know what that action might look like.

This is where biographies come in. They show you what others have done and build a kind of fearlessness in you that says, “If they did it, so can I” (or, at the very least: “If they did it, I’ll at least try”).

I’ve always been bold and not quite risk-averse. This is probably from my poker playing days when I would win or lose thousands of dollars in a single day. But even before poker I always had a sense of confidence—and a burning desire—to learn and try new things. This has helped me in business and personal development my entire life.

And this is probably why I’m so impressed by the effect that these few biographies have had on me: they’ve spurred me to doing even more outside of my comfort zone.

I won’t get into specifics, but each book has made me realize the kind of extremes that people go through to accomplish great things. It’s too often that only the successes are celebrated and the failures ignored. It’s just not that glamorous when you tell people that you built a successful company after risking every last dime and selling your condo for half of what you paid for it just so you could make payroll for a couple months. People don’t want to hear how you lived in debt, slept on the floor in the office, borrowed money from your grandma after she took a 2nd mortgage out on her house, and so on.

People want the result and the belief that it won’t be too hard to get that result.

I’ve digressed…

For me, reading biographies have been a game-changer. For you, I know they will at least have a positive effect because, at the very least, they will make you a more knowledgeable and interesting person.

To put my advice in the simplest way possible, I want you to remember this easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide for doing more in your life:

Read biographiesUse the motivation and inspiration you garner to take actionLearn from the actionRepeat

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Live Without

“Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.”

― Ralph Waldo Emerson

There are a lot of things I could write about from this quote. I could talk about being in the present, about how you can’t change the past so you should accept it, and a million or so variants on each of these.

Instead, I want yod to read that quote 3 times again. Then I want you to set a timer for 3 minutes to sit and think about it. You can keep your eyes on the quote so you don’t get distracted—this will be a practice in mindfulness.

During those 3 minutes, think about how you, at times, spend time worrying about the past or future. Try to think of specific times in which you do this. Remind yourself that it is wasted energy and causes stress.

Say this to yourself, “The past is gone. The only thing I can change about it are my thoughts.”

Now, commit to yourself that you are going to change your thoughts. Say, “I will be conscious of my thoughts and try to make them better.”

Ok, go ahead with the 3 minutes (do at least 1 if 3 sounds like an eternity).

***

At every point of your life, during any given moment, you can focus on the negative, on what you haven’t done, or you can focus on the positive, on what you are going to do.

Choose the latter and all your dreams will come true. Choose the former and you’ll forever be miserable.

Your brain wants to be negative, it wants to focus on the negative–it’s called negativtiy bias. There are many reasons for this, but we won’t go into those. Don’t beat yourself up if you find your doing this, just get working on fixing it.

Right now, after you finish reading this, focus on what you are going to do tomorrow to get better and make progress on what needs improving. Then, at the end of the day tomorrow, think about the things that went well. Be grateful for what went well and don’t waste a second thinking about the things that didn’t go well.

Make your every day like this.

Follow this template and you will see profoundly positive changes in your life. Really.

Disclaimer: You just read only a few hundred words about an idea that can literally change your life. I don’t want you to miss it just becuase the ideas and words used are simple. Never discount the power of simple. It’s often the most powerful things in the universe that are the simplest.

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The Grim Reaper

“You’re alive, Bod. That means you have infinite potential. You can do anything, make anything, dream anything. If you can change the world, the world will change. Potential. Once you’re dead, it’s gone. Over. You’ve made what you’ve made, dreamed your dream, written your name. You may be buried here, you may even walk. But that potential is finished.”

― Neil Gaiman, The Graveyard Book

I write and think about death a lot. I do it so I can live a better life in the now. I use death to remind myself that Resistance is the nasty force inside that is keeping me from realizing the life I want. By visualizing my death, I’m trying to destroy Resistance and prevent it from ruining my chance at being the best I can be.

If you’ve been following my work for any period of time, you know how often I refer to death. I think about it, and usually write about it, on a daily basis.

Well, guess what? Life is still freaking hard!

I still hesitate. I still take the easier route at times. I still miss opportunities. I still yearn and desire and want. I am far from perfect and have a million things I want to improve on.

But I am getting better.

I recently made a big move to another state. I’m putting myself out there. I’m meeting people and developing new relationships. I’m saying “yes” when I’d regularly say “no.” I’m going out instead of staying home to work.

And I feel the progress.

Situations are coming more naturally, and easier. I’m getting better in the areas I want to get better. This motivates me to do more, which I will and am.

But it’s still freaking hard.

This is why I’m constantly reminding myself that hard is par for the course. That it’s the price. That if it wasn’t hard, it wouldn’t be worth it.

So I press on. I happily press on. But it’s still hard.

What’s the secret to success? The key is to keep pressing on, inch by inch, day by day.

Start with the next step. Say “Yes” in place of your typical “No.” Then count each time you do that as a win. Then do it again tomorrow. 

As days go by, the process gets easier. What used to be hard becomes easier.  You becomes less resistant. Eventually there’s no resistance at all and you just do what you do. This is the progress of the person, and you’ve been been doing it your entire life.

As a kid, your first day or school is terrifying, which tends to be the worst at a new school or in graduating from elementary to middle and middle to high. But by the time you hit JR and SR year of high school, it’s no big thing. But man, being a freshman in highschool, that was a big thing.

The first day of a new job is the usually the same thing. So is your first kiss. And so on. The first of anything is usually filled with anxiety and unknown. But the 100th time? Well, by then you’re a pro. You know what’s going to happen. You might even enjoy the process and look forward to any unknowns yet to come. 

Your entire life has been a series of 1st times, 2nd times and for most things, 100th times.

How did you do all this? You pressed on inch by inch, day by day, time by time, and you got better as you did.

You’ve been doing it your whole life. It’s nothing new. But still, there are situations in your life where you are stuck; where you are not applying the inch by inch, step by step principle of progress. Being aware of this is the first step to overcoming the obstacles in your way.

Your life is a house forever under construction. Never miss an opportunity to build it. Never miss a day, a time, an opportunity. Keep improving yourself step by step, inch by inch.

Keep building. Keep pressing on.

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I’m Starting A Nonprofit

Update: I just laughed a Build a School Fundraiser through Pencils of Promise. To make a donation go here!

“Joel taught me that my assumptions about the nature of charity had been wrong. When we give handouts to those in poverty , we do them a disservice . We create a cruel cycle of dependence. After three days with Joel in his remote village, I left knowing that he now had tools to self-educate. By listening to that portable tape recorder each night, he would learn to speak a new language. More important, he could share his English skills with his family in the years ahead without relying on the assistance of others. My experience with Joel sparked a new curiosity within me. As I traveled on twelve-hour overnight buses through Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, and several other countries during the next three months of backpacking, the pencils I handed to children allowed me to ask their parents what they would want most in the world if they could have anything as well. Though I expected to hear “less corrupt government,” “new roads,” or “a better job,” I was met with the same answer nearly every time: “An education for my child.” It was the same dream Joel had doggedly pursued and the same one Apu had before him.”

-Adam Braun, The Promise of a Pencil: How an Ordinary Person Can Create Extraordinary Change

I’m starting a nonprofit.

I’ve had the idea to do a nonprofit for awhile now, but it was a recent book that spurred me to doing it now instead of later. The book is, “The Promise of a Pencil: How an Ordinary Person Can Create Extradorinaiy Change.”

It’s a great read and I highly recommend it to everyone.

For awhile now, my idea for a nonprofit was to go to areas of need around the world and build outdoor playgrounds using recycled and cheap materials from the local community and local labor. My idea was to do start with one in the Philippines, which is where Rigel, our fill time virtual employee who works for The Training Box, lives.

Now, I plan to do this and much more.

Using the same methodology—and the 10% rule borrowed from the book above—I will be able to build schools, hospitals, wells, agriculture systems and much more. I also want to focus on getting books, pens, pencils and chalk to children to help them learn to read and write and create—again, inspired by the book above.

I will probably start out working with PoP to get the first project done, then, as I learn more, I’ll venture into my own projects through my organization.

I have yet to come up with a full plan and a name, but I have decided to partner the nonprofit with Wild Foods, my new food and supplement company. 15% of all profits will go directly into the nonprofit, with plans to commit more as both each grows and receives more support.

Something I’ve always believed in with philanthropy work is the idea of building self-sufficient systems that give those in need the ability to take care of themselves. PoP does this in which they require 10% of schools be funded by local community. This ensures that parents will be encouraged to send their kids, and that local officials will be invested in wanting the school to be staffed and maintained.

I was first introduced to this idea when I read,“Titan,” the biography of John D. Rockefeller. Rockefeller donated enormous sums to various charities and organizations during his lifetime. He did have guidelines, however, for how the money was spent. He would not invest in any organization that was not self-sufficient, and he demanded that money be used resourcefully and to always be in an interest-bearing account.

This always stuck with me. I realized that just giving money wasn’t the answer. How the funds are used plays an important role in getting real results—which is why transparency and trust for a nonprofit are of paramount importance.

My experience is in building businesses to be self-sufficient systems that create value and generate cash flow without my need to run the machine. This is why I think the for-profit business is the prefect catalyst for funding a nonprofit—and is my idea behind connecting the nonprofit to Wild Foods. As Wild Foods grows, so does the nonprofit. And what’s great about this marriage is the nonprofit won’t have to rely only on a constant supply of donors, which can be inconsistent. If I am able fully fund the nonprofit through the company, I have a self-sustaining organization that can do good no matter what. Then, any donations of fund-raising efforts can go fully into the projects, as they should.

This excites the hell out of me.

Of course, coming to this point in my life was not an easy or short path. We are all natural self-interested individuals that pursue the things we want in life. There’s nothing wrong with this, it is what it is. The problem I have with it is, we are groomed to believe that money, fame and power are the keys to happiness. So we grow up spending our entire lives going to school, building a business or starting a career so we can attain money, fame or power under the impression that these will make us happy.

Of course, this is sooooo flawed.

I’ve been thinking about these things for awhile now; probably 10 years or so since I’ve been working for myself. The more I think about money and success and life, the more I see the signs pointing to the fact that money isn’t the answer.

After moving to a new city where I know no one (Austin, TX), I’ve been doing even more thinking about life and what makes me happy. Here’s what I’ve come to realize….

1. My greatest pleasure in life is spending time with friends and family.

2. The second thing that brings me happiness is helping others.

3. Third on the list of what makes me happy is building things.

These are the main things that bring me fulfillment and happiness. If you look closely, you’ll see that hordes of money isn’t required for any of them. Now, that said, having the freedom to spend time doing these three things does cost money. But it doesn’t cost that much, which is my point and fundamental realization compared to what I thought when I was younger (that money was necessary to be happy). Plus, if I’m able to get paid while doing the three, then that’s a dream scenario.

That’s where the nonprofit comes in—and the for-profit that will be closely aligned with it.

By building a nonprofit I get to do all three things:  build an organization and build schools and hospitals and other things through that organization, spend time with friends and family while doing that building and help others.

Boom! Mind-blown.

I see this as a golden opportunity to do something great and live the life I want to life. I’ll be able to scratch my travel itch, be around amazing people, experience new cultures, and build things, all of which make me happy.

***

There are a few more things I want to say on these topics, so I’m going to say them. Thank you for spending your valued time to read about my story. I hope it inspires you to do something positive in your life!

First, I want to talk about the grass is greener syndrome. We all succumb to this dangerous pitfall from time to time. As human beings, we are slaves to our deceitful brains that can play all kinds of tricks on us, which ultimately sap our happiness and breed discontent. I’m going to show an example by sharing my story.

I don’t have a big family. Though I wish I did. I take my responsibility of building a family and continuing my name and legacy very seriously.

I don’t have a group of friends geographically located around me. Where I grew up, all my friends moved away while I was still there running my two businesses. This means that I have to travel around Florida to see my closest friends, which I don’t get to do as often as I’d like. For those of you that don’t have this problem, I will tell you that it sucks. Having a “tribe” of friends has been scientifically proven to be necessary for living a long, happy and healthy life.

This has been a major gap in my life, and one of the primary reasons I moved to Austin, TX—to build a tribe. The thing is, if I already had a tribe of friends, this wouldn’t be a problem for me, and as a result, I might fall into chasing other shinny things while taking for granted this aspect of my life. And this is exactly what many do.

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: We always want what we don’t have. It’s the most common pitfalls that we fall into when pursuing happiness. It’s the reason that you see people that seemingly have everything yet make crazy and illogical mistakes like cheating on their spouse or having some other mid-life crisis that destroys their career and family life. Why is this so? Well, there are obviously many reasons but overall I would say that they failed to be grateful for what they had. Because they were so focused on what they didn’t have, they were inclined to find something else that they thought would be “better,” or that would fulfill them. Obviously this never works.

Tony Robbins has an answer for this problem and it’s called “Gratitude.” (I highly recommend his Personal Power program.) Since I’ve started incorporating more gratitude into my life (via a gratitude practice), I’ve noticed myself feeling much happier. I also think it’s helped me on my path to finding my purpose and what I want to do with my life—a la nonprofit and Wild Foods.

Lesson: express gratitude.

The second thing that has led me on this path is what I do for a living, namely my businesses. I own two businesses that provide for my source of income. While they do require work, they don’t require what I called “scheduled work.” This means that I can work from anywhere in the world, anytime I want. The common buzzword for this is, “location independence.”

It’s always been my dream to make my income from the Internet in some way. I kind of do that now even though my businesses are brick and mortar business. Technology has given me the ability to live a lifestyle in which I can live in Austin, Texas, while still running businesses in Florida.

For those of you with a “scheduled work” type of job or career, this might sound like heaven to you. (Remember: we always want what we don’t have.) But let me tell you, it can be lonely and not always easy.

I miss having a “workplace” where I am around people. This might sound backwards to you, but it’s the truth. Of course, I have the Entrepreneur sickness where I have to work for myself, so a job is just out to the question, but being around people is a part of living a healthy life, as science and our ancestors have shown us.

The nonprofit will solve this problem in more ways than one. First, philanthropy will allow me to meet many successful, creative and intelligent people (which I want to do). Second, I will be able to build an organization with volunteers, and eventually, a full staff all working together to do great things. This is exactly the type of environment I want to be in.

When I think of making lost of money, and the countless (literally countless) number of people in Western society that live their entire lives completely for themselves, I feel sad. I see this as missing the point. I don’t think people choose this life, it just kind of happens as a byproduct of our society. But I think it is a live that is mostly unfulfilled. Listen, I’m not being judgmental. I’ve lived this life plenty myself. The standard of living in our society is very hard to maintain even when it’s our full-time focus. I totally get it. It’s Maslow hierarchy of needs: No human being has time or energy to spare helping others when they are struggling to put food on the table or pay rent. The problem is with those that continually chase hollow fulfillment and spend money in a way that they think will make them happy—like wasting money at clubs, drinking, going to bars, etc. It’s fine to do these things in moderation—I do myself—but what if you gave up one of these nights every week to volunteer or do something to help others? It doesn’t take much.

This is why the Pencils of Promise message is so inspiring—it shows us that through the Internet and crowdsourcing, anyone, regardless of financial means, can make a difference. The old ways of making millions of dollars and then donating it to select organizations is a thing of the past. Philanthropy can be an integral part of everyone’s life. You don’t have to quit your day job or fly across the world; You can volunteer your time, skills or dollars. You can help spread the word of causes you believe in. You can take one night out a week to make a difference. As PoP has proven, the effect that the individual can have in his or her spare time adds up to an enormous effect.

Now you have an idea of how I ended up at this point in my life and where I am headed. 2015 is going to be an exciting year, and I hope it will be for you as well!

I highly recommend the book by Adam Braun. Buy it here on Amazon. If you want to support them directly, go to the site: PenclsofPromise.org

If you want to support Wild Foods and the nonprofit soon to be formed, you can visit us here: WildFoods.co.

As always, I appreciate any feedback or comments. If you know anyone I should connect with in the Austin area, please let me know!

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What Are You Trading For Dollars?

“A wise man should have money in his head, but not in his heart.”

-Jonathan Swift

I once read somewhere that having more money makes you more of the person you already are. So if you are generous, you will be generous when you have more money. And if you are selfish, you just end up being more selfish.

I think I believe this to be true.

After all, how many million and billionaires spend every waking moment trying to get more millions and billions? Not all, but plenty.

At what point does enough become enough?

The idea of having billions of dollars and still spending every waking second working to make more, has always perplexed me. I mean, sure, if you love what you do, then that makes sense, but plenty still neglect their health, friends and family even after they have more money than they’ll ever need. To me, that’s absurd.

Whatever.

You and I probably can’t relate to the million/billionaire, but we can definite relate to the getting of money. I also bet that plenty of us have misconceptions, bad habits, and unanalyzed desires relating to money.

You don’t have to be a billionaire to pursue money in an unhealthy way. There are plenty of people that make far less than millions that trade their health, neglect their friends and family, and otherwise have a severe lack of priority when it comes to money and the answer to the question, “What’s the point of life?”

I’ve been plenty guilty of this myself. But I’m aware of it, and I’ve made it a habit to always set aside time to be social. Also, I’ve always made health (specifically, sleep and nutrition) my upmost priority. If my body isn’t right, my mind hasn’t a chance in hell. This is why (plus the fact that I want to live a long time) I take a health-first approach to life. (Further, I get way more done when I make my health numero uno. I’m happier, more productive and get more done in less time than when I’m feeling like shit.)

This is a suggestion to do some introspection into your beliefs, habits and lifestyle pertaining to money. As I’ve written about before, “Knowing Thyself” is paramount to living a good life. And part of knowing thyself is having a healthy agreement with your work and money.

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