Hey Sexy Core Seekers -
Curtis here...as I prepare to jump on a plane for Hawaii, I wanted to leave you with an expert guest blog post from my good friend and colleague, Christopher Reed.
It's about something we all can use a little more of...grab some green tea, sit back and get focused!
Talk too you all soon...take it away, Chris!!
FOCUSBefore getting into the topic of this blog posting Focus, I would like to thank Curtis for the opportunity to address you- his readership. I consider this a great honour as I consider Curtis to be a great Personal Trainer, Instructor and an excellent leader with great passion for what he does. Curtis consistently strives to deliver the best to his clients and has their deepest goals at the heart of all of his actions- so it is my pleasure to help and share my humble experience with you knowing that Curtis believes that this will be of direct benefit to you, so I also thank you the reader.
In reading this posting you are someone whose life has been changed because of Curtis - undoubtedly he has helped you to start to journey down the path of positive lifestyle change and healthy living. In Curtis you have a dedicated resource and ally that will consistently strive to provide to you the resources, tools, and people to deliver you to your optimal level of fitness; yet, even with all that Curtis can do for you, ultimately the power is within your own grasp to both actualize
and realize your true potential!
Truly, you can be your own worst enemy and critic or best ally. It all depends on your mental toughness. Who are you when Curtis is no longer around to hold you accountable? (Accountable to yourself ultimately) Hence the focus of this posting is on
THE FOCUSFocus may be defined as: “The distinctness or clarity of an image rendered by an optical system.”
I would like to use this as a working framework. When breaking down this definition a few words stick out to me: distinctness, clarity, rendered image, and optical system. Looking at these individual components in isolation will shed some light on my perspective of FOCUS and in doing so I aspire to change the manner in which you determine what your FOCUS is when you are establishing not only your fitness goals but life goals as well (in my view the two go hand-in-hand). Make no mistake I will challenge you to take action and change your perception!
Distinctness / Clarity to me these two terms are synonymous with one another. When an image or goal is distinct it is sharp and clear. In goal setting the clearer our vision is of this goal the better we are able to see the steps involved in accomplishing it. When goal-setting do you work toward a goal or do you start with your ultimate goal and work backward?
Personally, I prefer the latter. I like to start with the ultimate goal and work backward. Now, the next part of the discussion gets a little meta-physical. Reality and time is a concept that you construct in your mind; ultimately your perception affects both your individual reality and perception of time. In essence your reality is a piece of realty that you occupy for a space in time. You can be anything or anyone that you want to be- don’t believe it, know it!
You want to be fit, you want to be a millionaire, you want to be the best Mom/Dad; becoming is in the how. Ask yourself how would a fitter me behave? If I were a millionaire how would I make fiscal decisions? If I want to be the best Mom / Dad, spouse...whatever; HOW can I be that version of myself? Step into that world, step into that realty for a moment. Do it right now. Be that person now!
I want you to think of a fitness goal, write it down and give your goal a deadline as to when you want to accomplish it, now I want you to think about this goal. I want you to see yourself as having already accomplished this goal (remember there is no such thing as time) how do you look? How do you hear yourself talking? How do you smell (just stay with me here)? How does your food taste? How do you move? Make the experience as sensual as possible.
In activating as many of the senses as possible your mind creates those sensations in your body, your mind starts to fire all of your little microscopic neurons in excitation over the endless possibility that you are capable of. You are truly limitless! You are truly transcendent in your power! Feel that energy flowing within you from the inside out. Affirm yourself in a wave of accomplishment. See it, hear it, smell it, taste it, feel it and ultimately know and believe it! See this image clearly; step up and be that ultimate you NOW!
Unless you have the courage to step into the skin of who you want to be you will be trapped. FOCUS on your goal and become that better you, ask yourself right now HOW would the ideal me act? What would the ideal me say? Think of how the ideal you would be and be that person- you already are yourself; aren’t you? (meta-physics again)
A rendered image is our visual representation of what is. A rendered image is our perception, a re-presentation of reality. If our perception involves re-presentations than could we not construct images in any way we choose? Ah, therein lays the crux- choice. In making choice we can no longer be victims; we no longer get the opportunity to hide from life. The very nature of choice involves an implicit call to action! Choose to re-present yourself in every moment as that ideal you- be courageous, take action and be that ideal you now! Stop hiding. Stop making excuses as to why you cannot do something and think of reasons to support how you can do and be the greatest version of you right now- in this moment! Excuses are like a$$holes everyone has one and more often than not they are full sh*t.
I am not saying that to offend but it really is that simple. No bullsh*t.
As I said from the top of the article you are your own worst enemy- except that responsibility. Learn to think creatively and see opportunity in obstacles- there are always ways around or over circumstances! Every stone that is in your way can become a pebble depending on your view, your re-presentation, depending on your Focus. Learning how to see your ultimate goal will allow you to see only the result you want. In adapting that vantage point you will become that result and live it daily. Athletes have moments like this where everything they aspire to be in a moment comes to fruition- it is called being in the zone. I believe if you can be there once, you can always be there. It is all up to you. You have the choice; you have the power to make that decision right now!
An optical system is a tool that improves our ability to see. It will often increase our own sight and allow us to see things and realize capabilities that we otherwise may not have believed existed. As this relates to your individual fitness goals and desire to reach and become that ultimate you Curtis is your optical system. In him, as I said from the top, you have the resources, tools and network of people (one of these people being me) to help you achieve your optimal level of fitness. My aim with this posting is to cause a paradigm shift within you- the reader. This paradigm shift is a challenge! I challenge you to dare to dream big! I challenge you to be that ultimate you that you can see, smell, hear, taste and feel RIGHT NOW.
In the moments where you feel like your vision is getting blurry or that you may have lost your way ground yourself, get your vision checked; consult with your optical system (Curtis) let it (him) help you re-focus and get you back on track. See who you want to be; make a choice to take action and become the ultimate you that you deserve to be RIGHT NOW! Do it for no one other than yourself, affirm in your own mind that you are exactly who you want to be, you are one in the same person right now and start living the life that want to.
About the author: Christopher Reed is the CEO of Apex Training Systems a fitness company based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. During Christopher’s 14 year career in fitness he has been a Personal Trainer, Group Exercise Instructor, Health Center Director, Motivational Speaker, Defensive Tactics Instructor, and Innovator having created a unique group exercise program known as Kettleboxing™. Currently Christopher has aspirations of becoming an author, featured speaker, and world traveler certifying Trainers to teach Kettleboxing™.
His passion for and devotion to both his career and the people with whom he comes into contact are relentless. An accomplished professional with several certifications of distinction; the most recent of which being the first Canadian to become a Certified Kettlebell Trainer under Steve Cotter and Ken Blackburn of the International Kettlebell and Fitness Federation, Christopher is as relentless in his pursuit of continued personal and professional growth as he is in the servicing of his clients. For further information or to contact Christopher he can be reached through his website at http://www.acheiveyourpeak.com
