So how are all your plans, goals and New Year’s Resolutions going for 2011?

Did you kick off the year with a mean intention to make this the year you were going to “get into shape”, “lose some weight” or “go to gym at least 3 times a week”?

So how’s it working for you?

During my 20 year career as a Pharmacist, I have not only heard every resolution you could imagine but I have also heard every excuse why it never lasted.

Coming from a Pharmaceutical background, the excuses I was used to hearing  included statements like  “I  got sick so I lost all momentum”, “I injured myself exercising so I’m taking a break” or “ I just don’t have the time right now because it is such a stressful start to the year”.

So what’s your excuse?

Perhaps it’s the diet you chose, the gym partner who quit, your spouse who makes such nice food, your travelling schedule that forces you to eat on the run, your allergy to exercise, your mom-in-law that’s still alive (now that’s nasty… ), your dog who barks all night so you can’t sleep, your boss who moans at you, your girlfriend that wrote you a “Dear John” letter, your team that lost that vital game over the weekend, your birthday that you celebrated now with a bash even though you were born in the month of November!!!

Ok, you are getting the point… Excuses be gone!

Excuses are really our way of moving the attention away from the fact that we are 100% responsible for our Fitness or Fatness levels right now.

My story: Last year I damaged my knee and tore my cartilage. For the majority of the year I hobbled around hoping that it was just a strain and would ultimately come right on its own.

I know what you thinking – what an excuse for a Pharmacist, but we all know the plumbers toilet is always leaking! I really don’t like to go to Doctors, avoid medication like a plague and so yes, I should have gone for that MRI a year ago and not waited… I get it, alright!

So what did I do last year? I sat around eating normally but not exercising and used my knee as an excuse for my inactivity!

Not a great idea when your genetics are already programmed to make you gain 2kg’s every time you simply walk past a bakery, never mind when you go in and indulge!

As a coach, I knew the answers- I just needed to take action and do it.

In December I started to swim 50 lengths of our pool every day (it’s just longer than an average bath tub…jokes, it’s about 10 metres) using just my upper body so that I didn’t injure the knee any further. I made some decisions about the food I was going to befriend and those that I was firing, and I started the journey.

I also started working on the Mental aspect of my Health Plan and incorporated my own Coaching techniques into my life and yes, I feel amazing.

Now, the reason I share this with you at this stage, is because I’m sick and tired of seeing these air brushed models and guys with 6 packs, who look like they’ve been in concentration camp and haven’t eaten in 6 months, suggesting that “we too can look like this if we buy their programme”.

I am coaching some ladies right now and yes, they are losing Fat and feeling great, but the truth is – it’s all about YOU!

You can choose a safe diet, you can get into an exercise programme and if you just stick it… you WILL lose Fat- it’s a linear process!

Please note, I don’t use or agree with the term “lose weight’ but prefer that all focus is centred on losing the inches of Fat that have accumulated in those obvious places!

So why don’t we all Lose Fat and why aren’t we all in the best shape of our lives? Because we’re lazy!

I am running a special “Fit or Fat in February- it’s your Choice”, four week coaching blitz and if you are “fed up” with starting and stopping your Health Plan and Exercising Programme and want someone to hold you accountable, then this is for you.

All coaching is done one on one via Skype from the comfort of your home or office.

I look forward to sharing with you:

• The real cause of your results you are getting in your life;
• How to break through that barrier of fear you keep hitting;
• Why you may be sabotaging your own success;
• How losing Fat and feeling good affects your whole life!

Join me; it’s time to Have a Fat Attack!

Sean Willard

Speaker, Coach & Author

 www.facebook.com/seanwillard

Quote: Everybody is a genius. But, if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing that it is stupid. ~Albert Einstein

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A little while ago, a school friend bade farewell to life as we know it here on Terra Firma – and he did it doing what he loved to do – playing golf.

John’s heart attack has been what I call an “AHA moment” for many because it was just a couple of months before that, that we celebrated our 25th school reunion and now his Innings was up.

Two years ago I had one of my closest calls yet – forget being “totalled” by a Tractor and rolling my bukkie into the oncoming traffic in Swaziland when I escaped with some stitches- this was my most frightening AHA moment and although the Direction of my life had already changed having just sold my Pharmacy – my Determination to begin living my Purpose began with earnest that very day.

I was staying over at my Sister-in-Law’s house in Stellenbosch after doing a presentation in Cape Town and awoke about 5am with a severe Asthma attack for the first time ever. They tell me that it sounded like I was slaughtering a cow as I gasped with all I had to try and get air- but to no avail. I’m not sure how long this lasted – but I know that as things began to feel rather hazy and with my family shouting and trying to help – Suddenly, the airway opened and I could breath……..it was a call I couldn’t ignore!

I remember calling a friend in Franschhoek to share about the experience and when he heard, he replied that his best friend had died just a year ago at the same time in the same manner! If I wasn’t aware how close the call was before, I was now!

So why is it that we celebrate the Birth of our children and moan the loss of a loved one often expressing really deep and sincere words about our family or friends …but we Neglect to live the Dash. You know …that little “-” that appears on the Gravestone between the two dates -such a little symbol but such a Massive meaning!

Your Dash..your Life..My life..is waiting to be lived! As Les Brown remarks – Live Full and Die Empty!

I heard Wayne Dyer share the story of a Judge who despised his life and at the end of it all on his death bed, questioned if all of it had just been a mistake. Wayne made this statement that will be my mantra for the rest of my days : ” Dear Wayne, don’t die with your Music still in You”

Are you looking at life from the sidelines wishing, hoping, regretting, blaming, longing …..it’s time to get out there and begin to live every day In the Moment. In every moment- be there! Be present and be the You that only You can be!

Just do it – Live your Purpose!!

” If you limit your choices only to what seems possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and all that is left is a Compromise”. Robert Fritz

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It’s that little muscle called a Tongue, and boy can it cause major Destruction or it can cause incredible Blessing- you get to choose!

I learnt a valuable lesson this week – become Interested more than Interesting as you communicate with people!

So often in conversation we cannot wait to get across our point of view. As the person is talking, we are formulating our response without really listening to what they trying to communicate. Sometimes we don’t even wait for them to complete the sentence before we launch in with “I know, and you should really ….blah blah blah”!

I heard of a story some time back, where they did a little “experiment” about the power of showing Interest in conversation. On a one hour flight, a older, wiser gentleman met a younger, more talkative man and proceeded to ask questions and let the young man talk. At the end of the journey, they said goodbye and parted company. The young man who had done most of the talking was later asked how he enjoyed the flight and also about the new friend he had made on the journey.

He couldn’t speak highly enough of the older gentleman and what a fine chap he was! When asked what his name was or what he did for a living – the young man had no answer!!!

The fact that the older, wiser man had taken the time to just become Interested in the young man by asking questions and listening to his response, had been sufficient to build huge report.

Take the time today to really become Interested in the people around you- PAUSE in conversation and let people complete their sentences then ask them empowering questions that help them to move ahead.

Choose your words wisely and look to build up rather than break down people.

The world is not looking for your clever opinion, they looking for your Understanding Heart!

And remember…you have a UNIQUE purpose!!

Sean

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Some time ago, I had the privilege to talk to a 100 people about Goal Setting, and one of the points that I emphasised was that you need to start with the Cause and not focus on the Effects when you decide to turn your life around and improve the Results you want to get.

How many of us have tried to change the direction of our life and improve our results e.g. Join a gym, go on “Diet”, stop smoking, control our Anger etc, only to find that after a few days or weeks we right back to square one! Why?

Behavioural Modification really only helps for a short time and for the most part, it is merely window dressing!

Remember the little boy who kept on jumping up and down in Church one Sunday morning and his mother eventually threatened to punish him if he didn’t sit down. His answer said it all ” I’m sitting down on the outside, but I’m standing up on the Inside!”

Are you “trying your best” but failing each time to break that lousy habit?

It’s time to start addressing the Cause rather than the Effect.

If the consequences of your Actions are not Painful enough, or the Reward of Change not Pleasurable enough – chances are you going to find a reason to fall back into your rut or habit.

Formulate a Clear picture in your mind of who you want to be and what you want to do and make sure that this Goal is Massive and Meaningful!

If you can tap into your Passion and follow it with a pure intent – you can live your Purpose.

When God made you He threw away the mould….you are unique with gifts, talents, abilities and a personality that compliments your Purpose- Live it!

The Key question is – what do you really BELIEVE about the person you want to become, the lives you want to change, the goals you aim to achieve?

Belief is the secret weapon that controls the outcome and results you getting!

Have a Life Attack!

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Money doesn’t grow on….Trees.

Who do you think I am…. Rockefeller??

Who do you think …… YOU ARE???

Ever heard one of these comments or worse still – ever voiced one to your friends or family when they decided to make an agreement with Possibility and expressed a BIG dream or Goal in conversation!

“Be reasonable, Be Realistic….who do you think You Are”!!!

Who do you think you are wanting to fly to exotic destinations, play Golf on the Top golf courses of the world, Build that orphanage , start that business………

Your Day, your week and your Life is FULL of possibilities – the very same Possibilities that anyone else out there has and the question is not whether you somehow Qualify by your Colour, Creed, Religion or any other criteria you’ve added to your list of Excuses why you Can’t and ” They” can- NO, you have the option right now to CHOOSE to participate in those Possibilities or walk away, will you make it!??

Your Potential is in no way related to your current circumstances; Potential is an Internal issue just like Attitude!

One of my favourite quotes of all time:

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing, to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances” V Frankl

Choose Today to embrace Possibility and enjoy the ride!

And remember – You have a Unique Purpose!

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I remember the morning I set off early to attend and speak at our Regional Training event for a Wellness Business Michele and I are involved with.

At 6:30am it was not only dark but there was also an extremely heavy mist for most of the journey to my destination, and what would have been a 35 minute drive became a 55 minute journey because at times I could barely see beyond a few metres ahead of my vehicle. Of course, I knew that there was definitely a road ahead but the trouble was I just couldn’t see it and this forced me to slow down drastically and focus more intently in case anything might be on my path. As I travelled, I reflected how this mist on my road and journey was a picture of what often happens in our lives.

The heavy mist that clouds your vision and your journey may be a number of things, but whatever it is- it slows you down and makes you focus on your road ahead.

Sometimes what appears to be an adversity or roadblock to your success or progress is an opportunity to take some time to reassess and remind yourself that the journey is the destination. As Miley sings…”It’s all about the climb”- but the trouble is, sometimes we so obsessed with outcomes and destinations we forget to enjoy the road. Are you rushing around madly trying to “get that goal” – make that money, afford that house, pay for that holiday, or worse still…..just provide food for your family? Slow down just for a few hours and re-focus on what is important (as opposed to urgent) and then before you know it- the Mist will rise and you’ll clearly see the road before you that you need to take.

Happy Travelling….

And remember- you have a Unique Purpose!

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