|
|
|
Here's a quote and powerful wake up call from Warren Buffett himself. It's an exerpt from the insightful and inspiring book I'm reading this month, The Snowball - Warren Buffett and the Business of Life, by Alice Schroeder.
"When I was sixteen, I had just two things on my mind - girls and cars. I wasn't very good with girls so I thought about cars. I thought about girls too, but I had more luck with cars.
Let's say that when I turned sixteen, a genie had appeared to me. And that genie said, 'Warren, I'm going to give you the car of your choice. It'll be here tomorrow morning with a big bow tied on it. Brand new. And it's all yours.'
Having heard all the genie stories, I would say, 'What's the catch?' And the genie would answer, 'There's only one catch. This is the last car you're ever going to get in your life. So it's got to last for a lifetime.'
If that had happened, I would have picked out that car. But, can you imagine, knowing it had to last a lifetime, what I would do with it?
I would read the manual about five times. I would always keep it garaged. If there was the least little dent or scratch, I'd have it fixed right away because I wouldn't want it rusting. I would baby that car, because it would have to last a lifetime.
That's exactly the position you are in concerning your mind and body. You only get one mind and one body. And it's got to last a lifetime. Now it's very easy to let them ride for many years. But if you don't take care of that mind and that body, they'll be a wreck forty years later, just like the car would be.
It's what you do right now, today, that determines how your mind and body will operate ten, twenty, and thirty years from now."
|
|
 |
|
|
(Article contributed by CPS Founder, Leanne Hammond)
We are all fortunate enough to have goals and aspirations in life, whether there be in business, career, sport, artistic expression or family life. Yet not everyone is fortunate enough to achieve them. In my study of the people whose journeys to achieve their dreams have inspired me the most (such as Warren Buffett, Janine Shepherd and Tiger Woods), I have discovered that one of the most important things we can do to improve our results is to take 100% responsibility for everything that happens in our life. This means choosing to see everything that happens to and around you with a positive (‘cause’) mindset, rather than a negative (‘effect’) mindset.
Here are some examples of the all-too-common ‘effect’ way of thinking:
Blame: “Our high staff turnover is a direct result of the current economy and the shortage of quality staff in the country at the moment.” (Rather than acknowledging that the company would retain their staff for much longer by simply implementing corporate wellness initiatives and simple staff support services.)
Excuses: “I’m too busy to exercise. I don’t have enough time.”
Denial: “I’m can’t possibly be overweight. You need to have these scales calibrated because they’re obviously not working properly.”
When Janine Shepherd’s Olympic dreams were destroyed by a hit and run during a cycling training session, she could have blamed the driver for destroying her dreams and given up on pursuing her dreams. However she instead chose to take responsibility for her life direction and to pursue amazing new dreams with a ‘cause mindset’. I highly recommend her books, including Never Tell Me Never and Dare To Fly. Here are some other examples of the empowering and result-producing ‘cause mindset’:
Ownership: “I admit I am overweight and that I’m the only one who can change that. I am going to start going for a morning walk ever morning, starting today.”
Accountability: “We didn’t achieve the business results we wanted this month because I wasn’t committed enough to follow up our new prospects. As of this week, I will call all our new prospects each Tuesday morning and I will secure the goal number of sales each week.”
Responsibility: “It is my responsibility to raise my children to value healthy foods - I am the one who’ll have the greatest effect on them. I will start teaching my children about healthy eating and involve them in preparing healthy snacks with me in the kitchen each afternoon.”
For those of you in Executive or Human Resources roles, can you honestly say you’re taking 100% ownership, accountability and responsibility for the performance and results of your staff and company? If you choose to switch to this empowering mindset today, what difference will this make for you, your staff and your company? What changes can you take responsibility for initiating today to create the outcomes you desire for your staff and your company?
For those of you who are athletes, think back to the last time you missed out on being named in a particular squad or team. Did you ‘blame’ the selectors, your teammates, your coach or an injury; or did you take 100% responsibility for your outcome? Did you choose to give up, or did you vow to train with even more passion, determination, focus and effort than ever before?
It is easy to get caught up in the habit of living in ‘effect’ mode, rather than the more positive, more productive ‘cause’ way of thinking. But when you take responsibility for everything that happens in your life you will be amazed with how empowered you will feel, and with the results you’re able to achieve. It’s all in your attitude… Change yours today!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Take responsibility for your health and nutrition. If you don’t, who else will???
Here are some simple starters for getting your nutrition on track:
• Regularly eat ‘antioxidant super-foods’, such as blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, spinach, dark chocolate (in moderation), red wine (in moderation) and tea
• Replace some of your red meat meals with fish or vegetarian meals
• Enjoy fish at least twice each week
• Reduce your portion sizes – most of us eat several times as much as our bodies need
• Make sure at least half your plate is made up of vegetables, at each lunch and dinner
• Choose low GI, high fibre carbohydrates, such as oats, many different fruits and vegetables, yoghurt and reduced fat milk
If you’re serious about optimising your nutrition arrange your very own nutrition consultation and personalised meal plan, call us today on 07 3166 8183 or email info@completeperformancesolutions.com. Ask about our new tailored nutrition accountability and follow-up programs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Do you rush to grab something to eat on the way to work?
Do you find yourself skipping meals because you don’t have enough time for a break?
Do you find it hard to eat healthily with your busy lifestyle? You are not alone.
Australians spend about one-third of their household budget on convenience foods such as takeaway and supermarket ready-to-eat meals. Although these convenience foods are handy, they tend to be more expensive and are notoriously higher in fat and salt. When in need of something quick and easy to eat, it is also more likely that we make poorer nutritional choices than usual. However, with pre-planning, clever shopping and time saving strategies, you too can succeed in having nutritious and tasty meals without draining time from your busy day. Make healthy eating a priority and you will find yourself more alert, energetic and productive. Here are some helpful tips:
BREAKFAST
• Always eat breakfast – Breakfast really is ‘the most important meal of the day!’ It boosts your metabolism, provides you with the energy to get through your day, improves concentration and helps prevent you snacking on ‘junk food’ later in the day. There is no excuse for skipping breakfast! It’s one of the fastest and easiest meals we can have, and one of the best changes you can make.
• High fibre is the way to go – A high fibre breakfast will give you longer lasting energy; boost your long term health; and help keep you regular. Boost the fibre content of your breakfast by including foods such as wholegrain bread, high fibre cereal, fresh fruit, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, psyllium husks, oats and/or bran.
• Eat on the run – Having something for breakfast is better than having nothing at all. If you struggle to squeeze in a proper breakfast, pack a portable breakfast to have on your way to work or once you arrive at work. Healthy options include breakfast bars, yoghurt, fruit, breakfast drinks (e.g. Sustagen or Up ‘n Go), fruit bread or a low-fat bran muffin.
• Quick and easy breakfasts - Quick cooking oats; cereal & low fat milk; a smoothie; fruit; low-fat yoghurt; English muffins; fruit toast; creamed corn or baked beans on toast.
LUNCH
• Pack lunch the night before – To solve the problem of soggy sandwiches, you can pack the sandwich fillers separately and assemble when ready to eat.
• Make use of leftovers – Leftovers are a very quick and easy lunch option. Try cooking an extra portion at dinner time and packing it into takeaway container for the next day.
• Choose a variety of foods from the 5 food groups – Choose wholegrain carbohydrates + a protein source + vegetables/salad + a low-fat dairy product + fruit.
DINNER
• Have a cook-up on the weekend – On your least busy day try cooking a couple of different meals, portioning into takeaway containers and storing in the fridge or freezer for dinner on busier nights when you don’t have time to cook.
• Frozen meals – Limit these to twice per week, because of their high salt content. Choose low fat options & serve these meals with extra vegetables or salad.
SNACKS
• Be prepared - Buy healthy snack-sized foods and store them in your home & workplace for when you get hungry. Good ideas include baked beans, tuna, tinned corn, low fat cheese sticks, rice crackers, corn thins, fresh or tinned fruit, pretzels, sultanas, yoghurt, cereal bars, instant soups, raw nuts & carrot/celery sticks with low fat dip.
FLUIDS
• Water is best – Your body needs at least 6 to 8 glasses of water every day, to maintain your alertness, concentration and decision making abilities. You need even more than this if you are active or if you work in air-conditioning.
• Always keep water with you - Keep a bottle of water on your desk at work; in the car; and in your carry bags. This will help remind you to continue sipping throughout the day.
• Avoid too much caffeine – Aim for no more than 400mg of caffeine (i.e. 2-4 cups of coffee) per day.
TIME SAVING TIPS
• Stock your kitchen with long-life ingredients - e.g. long life milk, evaporated milk, frozen & canned vegetables, rice, noodles, breakfast cereals, tinned tomatoes, herbs, spices, vinegar, legumes and raw unsalted nuts.
• Cook in bulk and freeze meal-size portions to have for lunch or dinner the next week.
• Invest in a cookbook filled with quick and easy recipes.
• Make use of your microwave, blender and wok to whip up tasty meals.
• Whip up a quick salad to serve with your meals. Salads are an easy way to boost your fibre and vitamin intake and they take very little time to prepare.
• Before shopping, pre-plan your meals for the week and shop accordingly, so you don’t run out of essential ingredients such as fresh fruit/vegetables by the end of the week and turn to inappropriate takeaway meals
If you’re serious about optimising your nutrition, click here to find out all about our new Tailored Nutrition Services. To arrange your nutrition consultation and personalised meal plan, call us today on 07 3166 8183 or email info@completeperformancesolutions.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
Coping with carnivals can often be difficult because of their excited and busy nature; the unpredictability of rest breaks, and the lure of fast food venues on the way home. However, by organising your nutritional intake for the event in advance, you can greatly increase your recovery and performance.
Helpful tips for sports carnivals
• Avoid relying on the canteen, and if you do decide to rely on the canteen, pre-order high carbohydrate, low fat foods at the start of the day for the specific times that each of the events finish.
• Take an esky or cooler bag to keep food and drinks cool. Great food ideas for the esky include sandwiches, bread rolls with lean meat/cheese and salad, low fat cheese and crackers, fruit (fresh or tinned), fruit puree (e.g. apple sauce), juice poppers, Sustagen poppers, flavoured or plain milk and yoghurt.
• Keep (and the esky) out of the sun as much as possible
• Pack frozen juice poppers to keep the other food/drink cold and also to act as a cool refreshing drink perfect for a hot day
• Pack plenty of snacks. At carnivals, athletes don’t often have enough of a break to eat and digest a large meal, so regular snacks throughout the day is the a better strategy.
• Pack snacks that don’t need refrigeration (e.g. fruit bars, pikelets, raisin bread, cereal/muesli bars, crackers, plain sweet biscuits, vegemite or peanut butter sandwiches or low fat muffins)
• Rest and put your feet up as much as possible during the rest breaks
• Take a shade cloth or beach umbrella if possible, there is often limited shade at carnivals
• Take at least two water bottles – one containing water and one containing carbohydrates also (e.g. juice, cordial, sports drink or light sports drink). Also take a large container of water for top-ups.
• Carry your water bottle with you everywhere and sip at least a couple of mouthfuls every 15 minutes during breaks
• If nerves are a problem, liquid meals are the best option as they tend to be better tolerated. Examples of liquid meals include fruit smoothies, milkshakes, flavoured or plain milk, fruit frappes and fruit juice.
Boost your performance today. Book your phone nutrition consultation (from anywhere in Australia) and individualised meal plan by calling 07 3166 8183 or emailing info@completeperformancesolutions.com
|
|
|
|
|
