Can you always out-work a problem?
An article to support the launch of the Linkedin group: The GiFT631 #4M Community
Sometimes you can not just outwork a problem.
As the global pandemic gripped the world more tightly, I realised I needed to double down on some of the winning practices and routines that had served me so well over the previous years.
I had a really well established morning routine, the 4M routine which consisted of:
Movement
Mind-cleanse
Meditation
Mozart time
I decided I need to double my movement, meditation and Mozart time. I needed to be at my best both physically and mentally and I also believed I needed to out-think as well as out-work the problem.
As well as a morning walk I would do a daily run on the treadmill within our garage. I would normally this around lunchtime and at times it felt like I was running in a sauna even with the garage door wide open. It was certainly a different experience to training for the Edinburgh marathon in the Scottish winter dealing with everything from black ice to freezing rain, sleet and occasionally snow. A fast 5kms in that heat with no breeze blowing was a brilliant release from any tension I felt during the morning. I also found I was improving my lifetime bests for both 5kms and 10kms, something I did not expect to be doing in my 50s!!! I have to say I remain a little disappointed in myself that my lifetime best for 5kms was 20 minutes and 2 seconds. I replayed that run numerous times rethinking where I could and should have increased the speed a little earlier. If I had found just 3 seconds…..still, no time to dwell on what might have been. After all, #sempreavanti or always forward is one of my core mantras.
My second meditation would come later in the day, as with my first it would usually be via the Calm app, either in the afternoon or a sleep meditation in the evening to help me switch off. I am yet to get to the end of a sleep meditation they are that effective.
Mozart time was somewhat different. Instead of two separate sessions I would extend the amount of time I spent away from my mobile and lap-top. I would literally be with my thoughts, my journal and also a note-pad where I would start to develop new content and extend my thinking around new ideas for everything from my #futureyou membership site to a virtual course (Soaring to New Heights) to some virtual leadership programmes and stand-alone webinars.
I was relishing the challenge. I was beginning to move past the closed doors in search of the open windows.
The other area I decided to (at least) double was my self-development. I have always been a passionate and committed learner, someone who takes lots of notes and then looks at how to turn good intentions into great actions. Along with Mozart time, my second early winning habit was to seek out top performers, learn what they did, copy it where possible and then add my own 10% winning edge. If I couldn’t copy it, I would use my Mozart time to think how I could best apply it into the way I operated.
👉 Learn/Copy +10%
Given I was running everyday it was easy to listen to audiobooks. I attach the ones that really helped me - I believe they are so good they would have helped me at anytime.
I also found the value in re-listening to great content more than once. On first listen (or read) you can only absorb so much. I love to go back, sometimes 3 or even 4 times. I would also pick out certain sections that really hit a sweet spot with me, so even if I didn’t re-listen to the whole book, I would re-listen to that chapter or section.
Equally I am not someone who feels they need to finish a book they have started. If the book was not working for me after a few chapters I would move on to something different. Time is a precious commodity to be well utilised, so find the things that really work and then extract the maximum value. That, I believe, is #whatwinnersdo.
📚Andy’s list of recommended audio books from 2020:
Grant Cardone - The 10x rule (Chapter 22 - replay this chapter repeatedly)
Legacy - James Kerr
The Success Principles - Jack Canfield ( a good one to relisten to every January)
You are a Badass at Making Money - Jen Sincero (I needed to change my relationship with money)
The One Thing - Gary Keller (I listened to this 4 times)
Can’t Hurt Me - David Goggins (first few chapters are tough!)
On Fire - John O’Leary (Leona had GiFTed me this book on my 50th birthday, it was brilliant to re-listen and refocus on 2 key concepts. Be #allin and start everything from a position of help and #give2get.
Shoe Dog - Phil Knight, the founder of Nike.
Hyper Sales Growth - Jack Daly (part of the inspiration to write my bucket-list which I am now actively going after).
Atomic Habits - James Clear (habit stacking is what I realise I do with the #4M routine)
The Miracle Mornnig - Hal Elrod, the inspiration behind the complete #4M routine.
The 4M morning routine was built over time and has become a powerful way to start my day. It helps me get into my ‘flow state.’ I do believe those of who win the start have a much enhanced opportunity to win the day. Everyday!!
So much so, one day in early 2023, I came up with the idea of setting up the #4M Club, which after a little help from ChatGPT, I decided to call the GiFT631 #4M Community. My first step is to establish a Linkedin Group of the same name, with a new logo to follow. An opportunity to invest in ourselves, be the wind beneath each others wings and ultimately soar to new heights:
👉Join here: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14329163/
👉New bio-site so you see all I am doing here: https://bio.site/AndyFell
🎅🏻 Thinking of GiFTs for your team, colleagues, friends, clients? Why not give the GiFT of self-improvement? The greatest 🎁 of all! There’s now 8 free action sheets on here for you to download too:
https://gift631.mykajabi.com/the-rocking-chair-test
🦅Thinking about getting 2024 off to a flying start? Thinking of investing in a coach? A team offsite? Doing some talent development to engage, stretch and retain some of your key people? Contact me TODAY! It’s #whatwinnersdo