SHOCK, HORROR! WAS "THE SECRET" WRONG?

Hi Everyone!

Have you seen the movie The Secret?

If you have you'll know that it practically became the goal-achievement 'bible' overnight due to it's very simple, yet very powerful message about how you can be, do and have practically anything in life that you want as long as you do one or two key things.

They are:-

1. Think about what you want on a regular basis
2. Think about it positively

That was it really. That was the 'secret' of The Secret!

Now, I'm not knocking this at all, far from it. First off, most people (myself included) can be really unfocused and unclear about what they want and spending some time focusing can be really beneficial, right?

And thinking positive, well, that's just obvious isn't it? After all, going through life with a dark cloud over your head is not really going to help you feel good about even STARTING your goals, let alone achieving them is it?

So I've no real problems with the advice that The Secret shares, it makes sense and, truth be told, thousands of people have already gone on to achieve great things as a result of following this simple advice, but again, there are a lot of people who couldn't seem to make it work for them and are now dismissive of the whole goal achievement 'thing'.

Maybe you're one of them?

I certainly used to be.

I tried thinking positive and holding my goals in my thoughts but still the bills piled up and the same old hassles that were always in my life before were still there so I did what most people would do. I gave up the whole goal-setting thing as a waste of time.

That is until I came across (yet another) goal achievement program that was saying some things that were very different to what I'd been hearing from the 'thoughts become things crowd'.

In fact, this program said that thoughts DON'T become things, but rather, they COULD become things, but not necessarily.

It jokingly explained that if thoughts really did automatically become things then most teenage boys would materialise pretty young girls into their bedrooms. After all, this is what's on their minds most of the time, right? :o)

Sounds funny, I know, but it struck a chord. After all, if thinking clearly of something that's important to you, holding it in your mind and thinking about it a lot works to bring goals to life, then it should work, shouldn't it?

And as to thinking positive.....I'd always been told that thinking positive was a critical step to making your goals come to life, but again in this program I was told that this simply wasn't true. After all, if being positive made your goals come to life you should be able to sit in the middle of a busy road, smile and say "I won't get hit, I won't get hit, I won't get hit" and sure enough, all the traffic will completely miss you.

Not a strategy that I'll be trying! :o)

It all makes sense doesn't it?

The idea that you can't just put on a happy face, think about your goals and have them come to life?

That's what I think, anyway.

So what's the real 'secret' to goal achievement?

Well, basically, it's simply that there isn't one!

At least, not as in one hidden thing that once exposed will bring your goals to life. It's more a case of having a strategy that is proven to work rather than relying on hope or wishful thinking.

So, "What's the strategy?" I hear you ask!

It's coming.....I promise!

In fact, I've persuaded Dax Moy, author of The MAGIC Hundred to spill the beans right here on my blog over the next week so DEFINITELY stay tuned.

Until then.......

BE YOUR BEST!

Jo Underhill
Fitness & Weight Loss Coach
JZK HEALTH & FITNESS
07966 26 26 07

P.S. Don't forget to leave your own comments about this post. What do YOU think are the not-so-secret secrets to achieving success?

LEGAL STUFF: The Secret(R) is a registered trademark of TS Production LLC.

GOALS A GO GO!

Hi Everyone!

So, what were you doing 77days ago?

I know, funny question but there is a point, you see, today is day 76 of 2009 which means that 77 days ago you were celebrating New Year’s Eve and, like most people, you were setting up your New Year’s Resolutions and goals.

And look, here we are at day 76 already!

Time goes by quickly, doesn't it?

I’m not just asking you this to be some kind of timekeeper or clockwatcher, rather I wanted to share with you something that I’ve been thinking about a lot this week.

You see, it recently dawned on me that we’re already approaching the end of the first quarter of 2009 and that many of the goals I’d set for myself this year haven’t even been started. In truth, many of them haven’t even been thought about.

It’s not like they’re not important to me. They are, many of them would REALLY change my life for the better if I could bring them to life but, well, I just haven't got around to them.

I bet you’re the same, right?

I bet you have a huge list of things that you KNOW would absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt change your life for the better, yet you haven’t taken a single, solitary action on them, right?

Weird, isn’t it?

For instance in my own life I know that these goals are important to me:-

1. To have a holiday this year because Simon and I haven't had a holiday in 5 years and we REALLY deserve one!

2. To make my business a success because then we have a better chance of having that holiday!

3. To be a comfortable size 12/14 so I'll look good on that beach!

4. To train hard and regularly so I can inspire (hopefully) my clients to do the same.

5. To get rid of my overdraft - no explanation needed!

Most likely you’ve got a list like this too, haven’t you?

For example, what financial goals did you set for yourself on New Year’s Eve?

What about your health goals? I KNOW you had some of those!

How about adventures? We all want to travel more and experience more and I bet you had set some goals in this department, right?

Not to mention relationships, education, family and career goals.

I bet you had a whole load of them, yet where are you with them? That’s not a rhetorical question, I mean it. Where are you with these goals?

Did you achieve them as you said you would?

More to the point, did you even START them?

I know that I didn’t even BEGIN many of the goals I set at the start of the year. I know they’re important to me, I know they’ll change my life in more positive ways than I can even begin to tell you but for some strange reason, I haven’t even begun to chase them yet.

Like I said, weird......

So look, I have this MAD idea!

I want to help you achieve YOUR goals over the course of this year and I want you to keep ME on track. Does that sound like a fair deal?

It starts today.

Tell me what your most important, most pressing goals are and I’ll tell you mine and (hopefully) together we can see 2009 through in great style.

Of course, you could simply ignore this and pass it off as silly but, well, that’ll just mean that the next 76 days are just like the first, and the ones after that, and the ones after that.

I need help to bring my goals to life.

So do you.

So let’s do this!

I got my idea for this email from my friend Dax Moy (you may remember him as the Evil Genius from my MIM Challenge), Author of The MAGIC Hundred.

I’m glad he kicked my butt today :o)

Until next time......

BE YOUR BEST!

WEEK 1 RESULTS!

Measurements:-

Weight: 11st 6lb (no change)

Waist: 31" (-.75")

Hips: 42" (no change)

So, here's the first week's results. Not groundbreaking it's true but you have to start somewhere! As you can see from my profile picture, I'm looking pretty bloated and I'm feeling that way, too. I know it's not food related because I'm eating "clean" (basically, I'm following Dax Moy's Elimination Diet) so I think it must be the joys of being a 47-year-old woman!

But what about today's workout I hear you ask......well, more rowing! Short, sharp bursts of rowing interspersed with kettlebell-style exercises, plyometric exercises and body weight exercises - repeated 4 times! I collapsed in a heap at the end, knakcered but VERY happy!

So, on that weary note I'm off to watch a movie in bed (I'll probably be asleep before the opening credits finish!).

Until next time.......

BE YOUR BEST!

1 WEEK DOWN - 11 TO GO!

WOW! What an amazing workout week!

Today's workout was called Rower's Hell and consisted of yes, you've guessed it - rowing BUT combined with press ups! Then after a short (2 minute) rest that was followed by an 80% of max effort treadmill run taking the total workout time to 30 minutes.....a couple of times during the run I really thought I was going to have to stop but I dug deep, thought about the other Personal Trainers who are also doing the Storm Force Challenge, gritted my teeth and carried on - and I was soooo pleased with myself for doing it.

I've thoroughly enjoyed all of the sessions - I've learnt some new exercises and been given combinations of exercises that I've never done before. It has been a challenge but - and this is the main thing - I did it! It's really hard to explain what a fantastic feeling it is to achieve something that you didn't think you could do.

For me, it's all about commitment, support and achieving my goals.

The commitment comes from both myself - I've committed to trial this program to the letter so that I can give full and complete feedback - and also from Jon le Tocq of Storm Force Fitness the Evil Genius who devised the program.

The support comes form my fellow Personal Trainers up and down the country who are also trialling Jon's program and from the staff in the gym I train at and my clients who are enjoying seeing me work hard.

My goals - it would be very hard to follow the program if I didn't have my goals and I make sure I read them every day to keep me focused and on track.

So, how about you and your goals? Have you set them yet? Have you started working towards them? Have you tried the circuit?

Let me know how you're doing.

Any questions? Please ask - I really am here to help!

Tomorrow I'll be posting my next set of photos - I'll try to smile this time - and my measurements.

Until then.......

BE YOUR BEST!

OH MY THIGHS!

Completed workout 3 of the first week of the Storm Force Challenge - the 4th and final one of the week is tomorrow - EEEEK!

Currently I feel as if my legs are not only made of jelly but that they actually belong to someone else.....

Today's workout was split into 2 sections, the first being a delightful circuit style affair called Pulse Pyramid Mk1. This little beauty consisted of a total of 6 exercises (involving a lot of jumping) each being performed for 30 seconds, that's not so bad I hear you say - HA! The devilish thing about it is that you start with one exercise, then add the second, then add the third and so on until you're doing all 6 THEN you take the first exercise away, then remove the second and so on until you're back to 1 exercise. It was HELLISH - at one point I thought I was going to pass out! BUT I DIDN'T! I completed it and felt SO pleased with myself.

Unfortunately, it wasn't over yet! I then had to perform a series of swings (an exercise that should really be done with kettlebells but I don't have any so I use dumbbells) with minimal rest between each set......I did it and felt rather hysterical by the end, I honestly didn't know if I wanted to laugh or cry or both!

So, until 6:30 tomorrow morning it's all over - I've had a long soak in a wonderful bubble bath and I'm about to drag myself upstairs to bed.

I'll be back tomorrow to tell you about the last workout of the week.

Until then........

BE YOUR BEST!

OUCH!

Well, as I said on Saturday I did workout 2 - Kettelbell Complex - on Sunday. Man alive! It was tough but SO much fun!

Unfortunately, I don't have access to any kettlebells but all the exercises can be done with dumbbells so that's what I did and do I know about it today!

There was a 5-move circuit which we had to repeat 6 times with only a 45 second rest at the end of each circuit followed by 6 sets of swings and skipping, followed by an ab workout! I was totally exhausted by the end but as happy as a happy thing that's really happy! (Or maybe it was just hysteria?).

Today, however, is another story! I have all sorts of little sore/hot spots all over me - particularly my inner thighs - going up and down stairs is quite an interesting experience......

I spent yesterday and today stetching - one stretching session (more if possible) a week is a requirement of the Storm Force Challenge - and I really needed it.

Workout 3 - made up of 2 delightfully named sessions: Pulse Pyramid Mk 1 and Panic Room Mk 1 - is planned for tomorrow and, strange as it may sound, I'm really rather looking forward to it!

I'll be back (if I'm still standing) to tell you all about it!

Until then.....

BE YOUR BEST!

P.S. Don't forget to let me know how you're getting on with your S.M.A.R.T. goals and the circuit.

GO!

We're off!

As promised here are my starting photos - I did warn you that they wouldn't be pretty!

My starting measurements are:-

Weight: 11st 6lb

Waist: 31.75"

Hips: 42"

Today's workout was a time trial consisting of running, rowing and burpees and then collapsing in a heap! I can't give any more details than that but I can let you know that my time was 41.49 which isn't brilliant but it can only get better - I hope!

It was hard - especially the running as I've not really been running much at all lately - but strangely enjoyable! I imagine that we will be doing the same time trial at the end of the 12 weeks to see how much we've improved.

I'll be doing the next workout tomorrow.

How about you? Have you set your S.M.A.R.T. goals? I'd love to hear what they are and how you progress with them. Did you try the circuit? How did it go? Let me know what you liked and what you didn't. What are you going to do tomorrow?

Well, that's me for today so until tomorrow.......

BE YOUR BEST!