Are you doing what you're meant to be doing?

I could just leave you with the title and have you think about it for a while, but I think I'll go into some detail. One of the biggest worries people have is finding a job. When they're young and fresh out of school or college its all about finding that, "dream job." As time goes on, that dream begins to fade to something more like a job, then something that pays the bills, and finally going to a place they hate. According to a study done in 2013 by The Gallup, 70% of Americans hate their job. That is an incredibly high number! That means 70% of Americans hate 1/3 of their life. Life is too short for that much discomfort and hate.

Recently, I've been doing a lot of thinking about my future. I have this feeling inside of me that I'm meant to do something great. To influence people, and help them have a more fulfilled life! Now some might say, "your young, everyone has those feelings." If so, then why doesn't anyone do it! People end up giving up on their dreams, in order to just get by. What kind of life is that?! One of my favorite books is, The Alchemist (I highly recommend reading it). It's a short read about a shepherd boy that realizes his, "personal legend." He goes on a long quest and does much more than a normal person. Obviously it's fiction, but the message is incredible. The only job anyone absolutely has, is to realize their, "personal legend." That is, to realize their calling in life. Many people come close, but then they give up, either for financial reasons, or because it's too hard; they have a fear of failure.

Finding and doing what you love might not be the easiest thing, but it will surely save you years of hatred and a monotonous life. Obviously, a lot of this is easier said than done, but I just want to put the idea out there that there is more to life than what you're doing! Life is not about work, it's about the people around you and the experiences you have. No one is going to talk about "that time at work" on their deathbed. They are going to talk about that trip they had, with the people they met, and the stories that were told. Having a career that I love with the ability to experience life is my dream; what's yours? You just have to find your, "personal legend" and all will be clear.

In true strength,

Nick

Stressed? Here are 4 ways to help keep you calm and productive!

The older we get, the more responsibilities. Mortgages, kids, work, health, nutrition, deadlines; the list could go on forever. All these things pile up and cause that little gremlin, stress, to appear. Now, most people have heard how stress can effect their health. It can lead to muscle tightness, headaches, and poor sleep at night. All of these side effects end up leading to more problems, and the cycle continues! Some people can get caught up in this stress mess for years at a time, never finding a way out. The purpose of today's post is about how to deal with stress. Some of these might sound simple and obvious, but hopefully they will give you a reminder to do them, and keep that gremlin away.

1. Walk

Just go walk. Don't think about anything in particular, whatever pops in your head, pops in your head. If you notice you start thinking about your stresses, then try and concentrate on the sounds all around you. Take a moment to listen to the birds, the planes, the cars, anything besides what bothers you. Don't think of this as exercise, think of it as moving meditation.  Now I know you're thinking you don't have time to waste on something silly like walking. Well look, if you keep sitting in your office freaking about everything you need to get done, you are going to be less productive. Take that 10-20 minutes and walk around. Clear your head. When you come back to your work, you will feel better than before and probably figure out a way to solve whatever you're trying to solve. Give yourself a chance to breath.

      2. Lift

Go pick something up. It doesn't matter if you don't have a whole  home gym or gym membership; just lift something. Exercise releases endorphins, which trigger positive feelings in the body. Exercise and lifting does a lot more than that though, it helps show you what you're capable of.  It creates personal goals for yourself, so that when you achieve them, you feel accomplished and successful. It will show you that you can overcome things, and get through whatever it is that life throws at you. I can't even imagine who or where I would be if I had never begun lifting. Through lifting, I have grown way more than just physically. I have learned so much about myself, and what I can do. It has honestly helped me in almost every aspect of my life; including stress management. When you realize your fullest potential, the things that stressed you out, just become easier to manage. You'll wonder why they bothered you  in the first place.

     3.  Set Goals

I've mentioned goal setting in one of my videos before, but I think it is extremely important. Without goals, you have no direction. You don't have to be crazy like me and set goals for every part of the day, but at least set daily goals. Figure out what the most important thing is that you need to get done that day, and set all your efforts on that. Accomplish your goal, and move on. The feeling of achieving a goal is incredible and will give you the energy to move on to the next one and then the next one. I would also advise setting weekly, monthly, and maybe even 6 month goals. Setting goals helps break big tasks down to little ones, and makes everything seem more manageable.

    4. Meditate

I have just recently started to meditate daily, and I absolutely love it. Allowing yourself to just sit, and concentrate on absolutely nothing, but your breathing, for 20-30 minutes is incredible. It helps to clear your head of stresses, anger, and hate. There are many ways to meditate, so find the one you like the best. Personally, I perform Vipassana meditation. Everything you need to know is in a book called, Mindfulness: In Plain English. The book is free online, and only 100 pages. If you are not sure if you would enjoy meditation, I would advise trying a short guided session. There are a lot of free ones on YouTube! So far, meditation has helped me to relax and focus on the important things in my life. It has also helped me realize when I'm stressing over things that are not as important as they seem or just not that big of a deal in the big picture!

This list could go on for a very long time, the trick is to find what works for you and stick with it. I use a combination of all four of these to keep my head on straight. Stress can destroy you, but it is just a part of modern society. We have so many things going on at once, but by employing one or two of these methods, you could stay calmer, happier, and become a more productive and stronger person!

Do not let the stresses in your life define who you are.

In true strength,

Nick 

Why Fear and Being Uncomfortable is Necessary

Most of us live our lives in fear. Think about it, everything we do is based around some type of fear. You go to work because you fear not having money. You eat over fear of starvation. You exercise because of the fear of being overweight or unhealthy. Everyone gives fear a bad wrap, but I think fear can be a good thing. If you are not scared of anything, then you must not be taking any risks. Everyone needs to take some risks, that's how you grow.

In my mind, the worst thing you can do to yourself, is become complacent. Thinking things are, "good enough" is never okay. There is always something you can work on. Maybe it's getting up a little earlier, eating healthier, or spending more time with your family. Fear is your worst enemy, and your best friend. Unfortunately, the majority of people get comfortable with their lives and are too scared to face their fears. I don't mean fear of a ghost, but fear of taking that step that might make them or break them; the fear of being uncomfortable. I think another reason a lot of people don't take  risks in life, is not because they're scared of failure, but because they are afraid of the extra work. Why try and start a dream business, when your current job is easy? Why get off the couch to work out, when sitting there eating, is so much more comfortable? Life is about these decisions. When you decide to over come the fear of being uncomfortable, you unlock a whole new world for yourself.

I think everyone should voluntarily put themselves in an uncomfortable position, at least once in their life; where their workload is high, both mentally and physically. It might sound crazy, but I love being in this position. It's why I compete in bodybuilding and part of the reason I decided to hike the PCT. When you're struggling, and you have no idea how or when you'll get through it, that is when your true strength is shown. When you overcome whatever is trying to hold you down, you learn so much about yourself and you feel incredible afterwards. Overcoming the fear of not being comfortable is the hardest, but most rewarding thing you can do for yourself.

Now, go face your fear and intentionally make yourself uncomfortable.

In true strength,

Nick