Do You Know Jack ?

Sales Man Up

Do You Know Jack ?

The food you put in your body can be good or bad. It can be live, vital food that builds live vital bodies or it can be “junk food” that contributes to abuse, neglect, and decline of your physical condition. If you can put the proper fuel in your car, surely you can put the proper fuel in your body.” - Jack LaLanne

We are walking billboards...if you take care of your body by giving it proper nutrition and exercise, you will exude vitality and enthusiasm. - Jack LaLanne

Some of Jack’s amazing physical feats :

• Age 40: Swam the length of the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge under water with 140 pounds of equipment, including two air tanks...an undisputed world record.
• Age 45: Completed 1,000 push ups and 1,000 chin-ups in 1 hour and 22 minutes.
• Age 60: Swam from Alcatraz Island to Fisherman’s Wharf, handcuffed, shackled, and towing a 1,000-pound boat.
• Age 65: In Lake Ashinoko, Tokyo, Japan… handcuffed and shackled, towed sixty five boats filled with 6,500 pounds of Louisiana Pacific wood pulp .
• Age 70:  Handcuffed , shackled, and fighting strong winds and currents, towed seventy boats with seventy people from the Queen’s Way Bridge in Long Beach Harbor to The Queen Mary, 1 ½ miles.

   

( For a more complete list, check out Jack’s book, “ Revitalize Your Life After 50” on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Revitalize-Your-Life-After-50 )

Jack LaLanne was an amazing person, creator, motivator, trainer and athlete .  I recently finished one of his books, mentioned above, and found his life and story so inspiring, that I wanted to share it with my readers. Here’s his story : Jack was a mere teen when he was exposed to a Health lecture from Paul Bragg in Oakland California . Jack relates that , “ Not only was I inspired, but it changed my life completely. The lecturer, Paul Bragg, said that I could be reborn again, meaning that if I obeyed nature’s laws, improved my eating habits, and exercised, I could change my body. I stopped eating white flour and white sugar products and joined the local YMCA. I was inspired ! In fact, I was a strict vegetarian for six years. “ Jack was on fire, and he burned with the passion of good health and fitness. During his high school years, he played football and wrestled ; carrying out his mission during his off hours by setting up a gym in his backyard with dumbbells, barbells, and exercise machines that he designed.  ( This was sunny California in the 1930s folks… we know this wouldn’t work year round in NY or Vancouver ! ) Even the local Oakland firefighters and Police force recognized his talents, and worked out regularly in Jack’s backyard gym. Jack studied physiology and human anatomy arduously, becoming a skilled personal trainer. He was persecuted as a result, like many early innovators are. Some people said he was nuts. The coach from the local football team prohibited any team member from working out with weights in Jack’s gym, fearing that they would become “ muscle bound” ! At the age of 21, Jack opened one of nation’s first gyms in Oakland California ( Wikipedia ).

When Jack experienced a knee injury in high school football, he actually designed a leg machine using pulleys and cables , to fully rehabilitate his knee. I believe many of us have heard of the “ Leg Extension Machine “ ? Thank Jack Lalanne for his creativity. Whenever he experienced a challenge, he developed a solution that was outside the box. Jack is also recognized as the inventor of the “Smith Station machine’ , which many of us have used in the gym. In the 1950’s Jack went national with his exercise and fitness television show, aimed primarily at women staying at home who needed a manageable exercise regimen, which aired for decades. I remember my mom, setting up the chair in front of the TV in our living room, and spending that half hour doing body weight and resistance exercises with Jack and at times, his wife, Elaine.

Jack lived well into his 90s and was a walking billboard of the message that he preached. So what are some of my own takeaways from Jack’s example ? I am committed to stay active and be intentional about the foods that I eat. I can never use the excuse of getting older, for not living a healthy, vibrant and fulfilling life. If we can conceive it and believe it , we can achieve it - no matter our age or circumstances. You know Jack ! He is living proof of that !

Age is only a number, and with the mind and the body, anything is possible if you make it happen. - Jack LaLanne

Little Things Matter

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Little Things Matter

Enjoy the satisfaction that comes from doing little things well. H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

“ Irma was a long-lived Cape Verde hurricane that reached category 5 intensity … and struck southwestern Florida at category 3 intensity. Irma caused widespread devastation across the affected areas and was one of the strongest and costliest hurricanes on record in the Atlantic basin.” - National Hurricane Center Report, June, 2018.

By the time Hurricane Irma reached central Florida, in early September of 2017, her intensity had ebbed a little. Now as a Cat 3, she still packed a formidable punch, with threatening winds boasting of gusts of over 100 mph. Like most Floridians, we tracked Irma’s approach ; and when the storm turned to head northward up the middle of the state, we all got a lot more serious about our preparations. On a last minute whim, I decided to use some zip ties on each of the three gates connected to the wooden fence that surrounds the perimeter of our back yard. I could envision these gates rattling in 90 mph wind, flying open, ripping off their hinges; and becoming airborne projectiles firing upon my neighbors. Yeah, I’m really sorry that your SUV was impaled by my wooden gate !

Irma showed up that night with a fury. The winds were howling with such intensity that our chimney was whistling. After buckets of rain and wind, and lots of prayers; the sun broke the horizon onto a changed neighborhood. No, all the houses remained intact, thank God, but trees were down, electricity was off ,and life began to stir again as each of us assessed our damage. As I rounded the corner on the west side of our property, I was amazed by what I saw- twenty feet of wooden fence along with a gate suspended by one single zip tie ! Small things do matter.

The little positive things that we do on a daily basis, sometimes even automatically, without thinking; become the zip ties that hold our lives together. Once these small habits become ingrained in us, we feel awkward or uncomfortable when they are not completed ; like not putting on our seatbelt in the car. The most successful people I have observed in life and in business, do a lot of little things right- and they do them consistently. AviationPro.com states that a Boeing 747 cargo jet is held together by roughly 850,000 rivets. Another source estimates that over 40,000 rivets are used in the construction of just one jumbo jet wing ! One rivet is not that impressive, but when you combine it with 39,000 others, you create a mode of transportation that defies gravity!

Conversely, the small things we do can have a negative impact on us - like not returning our phone calls or responding to our  emails. Responsiveness is vital for survival in any business. It is imperative that we all become mindful of the little actions that produce negative effects on our lives. We must overcome the bad with the good. Our good habits are the zip ties that anchor and ground us through the storms of life. Be aware of the little things in life and in business , because they really do matter!

Kill The Snake

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Kill The Snake

Success is where preparation and opportunity meet. - Bobby Unser

Opportunity dances with those already on the dance floor. - H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

It was the biggest snake I’d ever seen. Well, not exactly the whole snake; but it’s skin, from the back of the head to just before his rattlers, stretched the full length of my brother’s eight foot long bedroom wall. As a little boy of seven, looking up at this  massive snake skin was like observing a slain sea monster or a creature of the night which slithered through the Florida Everglades. As a matter of fact, my older brother Jim had stumbled upon this monstrous snake while hiking in the Everglades. The reptile was curled up in the sun, when Jim came upon him, and quickly pinned him down with a big stick. He decapitated him with his hunting knife. How was a teenager able to tackle a reptile that large ? The answer came when Jim skinned the snake, and found a rabbit inside of him! The snake was laying by a palmetto patch trying to digest bugs bunny when Jim nailed him. When asked why he killed the snake, Jim replied, “ A rattler that big was bound to kill someone if someone didn’t kill him first. “

So where in the world does this barbaric act connect with modern day business? We all deal with big snakes in some manner. January is typically the time for many of us to examine our habits and behaviors, and to set new goals. Can you think of any self defeating habits or behaviors that you need to change ? I know I can, and I have written some things down as action steps to help me make some positive changes in my behavior this year, starting today! I realize that on January 2nd, a proverbial gun goes off ; and we all seem to jump into this new season like a race horse galloping at full speed. I am convinced , though, that we must invest the time to schedule an honest evaluation of our past, and reflection about our future. This pause for reflection, helps us form the “why” in what we do. Without a solid “why” in life, we are like an untied blown up balloon, let go, and flying here and there until our air is gone.

Part of pursuing my goals this year has included establishing and cleaning up my own product library, reviewing and taking inventory of my sales tools, and organizing my electronic files so that I can quickly access any information that my clients might need. My desk is always a challenge as I struggle to tame the “ paper tiger”. I’d much rather be doing a presentation than sitting at my desk doing paperwork. Yet it must be done. Another personal goal- my mantra for this year- is to “ do it now”. When someone needs information, pricing or samples; unless I am driving or in a meeting, my goal is to get it done . I have to fight the temptation to put things off and do them later. It is easy to get busy and forget, and things can slip through the cracks. Following up and following through shows that we care, and this forges strong relationships on all levels. Words are easy to speak , but actions rule.

That big snake could also represent a huge business opportunity that you’ve set your sites on this year. Just like with Jim, timing is everything and persistence is King. We must be aware of our surroundings, stay connected and empathic to our prospect’s needs; and keep the necessary tools readily available to get the job done. Then enjoy the rewards of your labor. Just as Jim mounted that snakeskin onto a piece of paneling and nailed him to the wall ; take the time to enjoy your new business relationships with an attitude of thankfulness . Happy hunting !

Take time to gather up the past so that you will be able to draw from your experience and invest them in the future. - Jim Rohn

Fresh Starts & Second Chances

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Fresh Starts & Second Chances

The thing about Christmas is that it almost doesn't matter what mood you're in or what kind of a year you've had - it's a fresh start. - Kelly Clarkson

New Year's Day. A fresh start. A new chapter in life waiting to be written. New questions to be asked, embraced, and loved. Answers to be discovered and then lived in this transformative year of delight and self-discovery. Today carve out a quiet interlude for yourself in which to dream, pen in hand. Only dreams give birth to change. - Sarah Ban Breathnach

Dixie was lost and confused - found wandering around a busy four lane highway. A good friend, who seems to attract stray animals, rescued her ( she’s a dog magnet). The dog wasn’t much to look at - mange across her face, a dull black dirty coat, which accentuated her visible ribs and protruding back bone from malnutrition. When our friend whisked her away from certain death on a busy highway , this five month old black lab buried her face in our friend’s jacket. Long and short of it, my wife was called and rushed to the vets office to meet this stray five month old puppy. She immediately fell in love, but there was a problem- me ! We had lost our rescue Cocker Spaniel to old age and poor health two years ago . Tally ( named after the road he was found on by my wife’s sister…), had been a member of the family for over twelve years; and I wasn’t sure if I wanted another dog. I was set in my ways, liked my routine, and not quite sure if I wanted to disrupt my life by adopting a puppy. My wife needed to sell the salesman, and that is what she did !

That very same evening we drove to the local animal shelter to visit this mangy Lab. “ Just meet her...that’s all you need to do!” my wife had subtly coaxed me.

As soon as they brought Dixie out to visit us, she promptly hopped up onto the bench where we were sitting, draped one paw over my leg, and kissed my wife’s face. She looked at me with those deep brown eyes ( the dog, not my wife…) and we bonded. I knew that I was closed. Where do I sign ? Weeks later, after some treatments and spaying, my wife picked up Dixie at the shelter, and brought her to her new adopted home. Now we’ve had many animals over the years, and raised two awesome sons; but I had forgotten what it was like to have the energy of a puppy in the house. It’s almost like someone dropped off a toddler with a box of formula, said “good luck”, and drove off into the sunset. Raising dogs ( or children ) is work ! But my wife was up for the task ! In one week, she successfully taught Dixie to sit, high five, lay down, play fetch, and not to harass us while we are eating dinner. Actually, we are both being trained, because I am learning things along with the dog. Just as with Caesar, The Dog Whisperer, it seems that the owners need as much or even more training than the dog does.

Why have I shared my dog story, and how does this have anything to do with with sales, business or even the Holidays? Thank you for asking ! Bottom line, we all need fresh starts. Everyone needs a second chance. New Years present opportunities for new goals, resets, setting aside the past hurts , failures, or even successes ;  and moving forward. We are all faced with new challenges, new quotas and new expectations. Bringing Dixie into our family forced me out of my comfort zone, and into better habits - more walking, more moving, more time outside. This new addition has caused me to become a better version of myself, learning more patience ( except when driving in Orlando), and expanding my capacity to give and receive love. What new challenges and opportunities await you this year ? Now is the time for a fresh start .Today is a new day !

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end. - Seneca

Let's forget the baggages of the past and make a new beginning. - Shehbaz Sharif

Defining Moments

                         Photo of square in front of St Paul’s Church, Halifax , Nova Scotia

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Defining Moments

A defining moment takes a long time to get over, if you ever do. - Mick Jones

Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.   

-Charles R. Swindoll

It was a brisk December morning in Halifax Nova Scotia. The year was 1917. The Norwegian vessel SS Imo was cruising through The Narrows- a strait connecting the Halifax Harbor to the Bedford Basin - when the unthinkable happened. The SS Imo collided with another vessel, The SS Mont-Blanc. Unfortunately, to the demise of many, the SS Mont-Blanc was laden to the gills with TNT and Nitroglycerin. As a result of the collision, a fire broke out on the French ship which ignited the cargo.

You know what happened next - an explosion of historic proportions equivalent to the release of nearly 2.9 kilotons of TNT ! Over 2000 people within the vicinity of the ships were killed and several thousands injured - many blinded or visually impaired by the blast and scattered debris. ( Wikipedia ) The anchor of one of the ships was literally launched over seven kilometers from the site of the collision . A little girl skipping down the hill to meet her family in the harbor was blown back up the hill… and lived. St. Paul’s Church in Halifax, the oldest Anglican Church outside of England, had all but one of their stained glass windows shattered ; and received a lasting memento of this occasion in the form of a long steel rod that impaled the front vestibule of the church. My wife and I had occasion to visit this church and saw the plaque just below the protruding rod, stating, “ Relic of the Explosion, Dec. 6, 1917. “ This, my friends, was a defining moment for the city of Halifax. Even one hundred years later, the Great Explosion is spoken of as if it happened this year.

We all experience defining moments. They might not be on the caliber of a munitions ship exploding in our city , but the impact can feel the same. A parent or close friend passes away. A marriage dissolves. An adult child goes away to college, gets married; or maybe our baby starts their first day of kindergarten or preschool. We might not always recognize the gravity of these high points or low points when they occur, but they mark us. Maybe our company is purchased by another larger corporation, and the corporate culture and values that we once knew and held dear  have now changed. An economic downturn occurs in our market and cuts your business in half. These are defining moments too. They mark us. They leave a deep impact on each of us.

The root meaning for the word “character” means to be “ marked or etched” . A person with deep character has usually experienced a lot of challenges in life that have affected them. Experiences can make us bitter or make us better. The choice is ours. We cannot choose what happens to us, but we can choose how we handle that defining moment, and how we respond to it. As a famous writer, psychologist, and holocaust survivor, Viktor Frankl concluded, “ Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms - to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.” What attitude will we choose within our defining moments ? The community of Halifax chose to move forward and has become a beautiful port city filled with resilient people who are descendants of a horrendous event in history. May the moments that define you make you a better person with character that runs deep like a river in your soul. Live strong.

A man who becomes conscious of the responsibility he bears toward a human being who affectionately waits for him, or to an unfinished work, will never be able to throw away his life. He knows the 'why' for his existence, and will be able to bear almost any 'how.' -  Viktor E. Frankl

Overcoming Stress, Episode 2: Deep Breathing & Yoga

Sales Man Up

Overcoming Stress, Episode 2: Deep Breathing & Yoga

If I feel frustrated in a situation, I take a deep breath and walk away. - Iman

An inspiration - a long, deep breath of the pure air of thought - could alone give health to the heart.  - Richard Jefferies

Yoga is the best holistic workout and body toner there is. It sorts out a chaotic mind and calms the body - it is how I de-stress - or stop myself getting stressed in the first place. - Trudie Styler

I cannot remember the first yoga class I went to. It probably involved my wife, who is a yoga instructor. Yeah, there was an awkward feeling that crept up my spine, not knowing the calls for the yoga positions. I didn’t know the difference between an upward dog, downward dog, or a runaway dog; but I fumbled along, doing my best. There was also the fact that I was the only dude in an estrogen rich class; but I had heard that yoga relieves stress, so I stayed focused on my practice.  I thoroughly enjoyed the outcome - feeling like I had just emerged from a one hour session with a chiropractor or a deep tissue massage. I noticed that when I went to bed that evening, and I took a deep breath, my vertebrae popped (in a relaxing way); and my sleep was deeper. As a matter of fact, I have been told that the deep breathing that takes place within a yoga practice is as important as the movements themselves. Our anxiety ridden culture can cause us to breathe in a shallow manner, preventing much needed oxygen from entering our system. Learning to breathe deeply from our belly or diaphragm is the type of therapeutic breathing that we all  need. Like a Times of India article stated: “ When one goes through anxiety, the body undergoes a sea
change. And experts say that one of the best ways to overcome high levels of anxiety is to do breathing exercises, which help produce endorphins to help calm you down.”

Times of India further lists in a September 2017 article, the following advantages of deep breathing exercises:

• Natural pain killer
• Improves blood flow
• Increases energy level
• Improves posture
• Helps the lymphatic system
• Reduces inflammation
• Relaxes the mind and body

Reflecting back over the last eight years of practicing yoga, I cannot remember ever regretting the time I invested in completing a one hour session. Yoga forces me to slow down , connect my mind and body, and learn to breathe deeply. One of the things I had to discover was that not all yoga classes are the same; and not all teachers instruct in the same manner. You have to find a class and a teacher that works for you. Unless you’re a Triathlete, PLEASE do NOT begin your yoga journey with Hot yoga ! For the seasoned yogis reading this, understand that I am not hating on this hardcore yoga practice ; but know that a new runner wouldn’t wake up one morning, and decide to grind out a marathon! From my experience with yoga, a simple vinyasa or flow or even restorative yoga class is a great way to begin. ( For the Road Warriors out there, check out the DownDog App or a streamed session from Beth Shaw for a hotel room workout. ) Look for a teacher who has a calm demeanor, a soothing voice, and  possesses a good working knowledge of human physiology . A good instructor will be sensitive to the physical state of all their students and will provide alternate poses for more difficult moves. Remember, the objective in yoga is to relax and connect - not to stress out! This is an environment where there is no competition or expectations. Yoga is not a competitive sport. Yoga sessions are called “practice”, not “perfection “. In yoga, there are no sales quotas, reports, forecasting, or deadlines. Just for today, leave those things behind and embrace deep breathing and fluid movement; and feel the stress slide off of your back onto the floor ! As one of my former restorative yoga instructors use to remind us in the middle of executing a pose, “Breathe !” . To your health !

Become slower in your journey through life. Practice yoga and meditation if you suffer from 'hurry sickness.' Become more introspective by visiting quiet places such as churches, museums, mountains and lakes. Give yourself permission to read at least one novel a month for pleasure. -Wayne Dyer

Overcoming Stress: Episode 1

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Overcoming Stress: Episode 1

If you want to see what your thoughts were like yesterday, look at your body today. If you want to see what your body will look like tomorrow , look at your thoughts today.  - Old Indian saying

Hans Selye once wrote,  “ It’s not stress that kills us, it is our reaction to it. “ Who doesn’t experience some level of stress ? The breakneck pace of our lives filled with business meetings, presentations, appointments, traffic, family commitments, scheduling conflicts and don't forget , expense reports ; can be mind-boggling if you try to take it all in at once. For the average person, and especially today’s modern business professional, it is easy to feel overwhelmed .

In a 2017 article published on Web MD, the following statistics were listed concerning stress:

• Forty-three percent of all adults suffer adverse health effects from stress.
• Seventy-five percent to 90% of all doctor’s office visits are for stress-related ailments or complaints.
• Stress can play a part in problems such as headaches, high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, skin conditions, asthma, arthritis, depression and anxiety.

In a connected article, Web MD listed four ways to fight back against stress:

1. Breathe deeply
2. Focus on the moment
3. Reframe the moment
4. Keep your problem in perspective - be grateful

In the following series of articles dealing with stress, I’d like to briefly touch on each of these areas over the period of the next few weeks. Why am I , as a professional salesperson, spending time discussing stress and exploring how we can reduce it ? Shouldn’t I just be focusing on the numbers and bringing in more sales ? Hmmm, it’s hard to sell when you’re dead. Like many of you who are reading this blog, I have dealt with this malady in my own life and health,  and I am learning how to manage it day by day. Additionally, over the past year that I have been blogging at Sales Man Up, the highest number of reads in my history was related to dealing with anxiety and stress. I believe this is a pressure point for many people, no matter what your station is in life, myself included. Stress is an unwanted guest in our house, and it simply will not leave on its own. Like Mark Twain wrote concerning bad habits, “ Habit is habit and not to be flung out of the window by any man, but coaxed downstairs one step at a time. “ The scientific facts stand screaming in front of our face like a Drill Instructor yelling at his recruits. Stress is killing us ( or at least our reaction to it is…), and it is up to each one of us to choose to do something about it . My hope is that this blog can help you find some tools to do so over the month of September. To your health !

Letting go helps us to to live in a more peaceful state of mind and helps restore our balance. It allows others to be responsible for themselves and for us to take our hands off situations that do not belong to us. This frees us from unnecessary stress. - Melody Beattie