Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers

“Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” – Harry Truman

Why do you think this is? Well, it’s because if you’re taking the time to read, you’re doing the following:

⁃ Working on self-improvement/learning…books are condensed versions of life lessons taught by others more experienced than yourself (or at least with different experiences than yourself). If you can read about someone else’s failures, you do not have to suffer that same hardship and can propel yourself to greater heights more quickly.

⁃ Making your mind work…a lazy mind will not go far in life. Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.

⁃ Dedicated enough to read when you could be doing something easier (like watching tv or napping). Those with enough dedication, determination, and will-power to do what they know will help take them to where they want to go are far more likely to succeed.

– NOT all readers are leaders partially because it also depends on what you’re reading. If you’re reading romance novels, that is less likely to translate to a position of leadership compared to if you’re reading a book on business, relationships, leadership, parenting, etc.

Ways to improve your physical health

As we approach the new year, and with it , New Years Resolutions, it’s time to think about how you can improve your physical health. I’m a firm believer that you have to think of the body holistically, and to be the healthiest version of you mentally, emotionally, etc, that you need to be the healthiest version physically as well. But where do you start? Here are a few thoughts…

Start with natural movement. What do you do in everyday life? Squat (like when you’re going to sit in a chair or on the toilet), deadlift (like when you’re picking up groceries), do farmers carries (like when you’re carrying those groceries inside), overhead press (like when you’re picking your kids up over your head), do sit-ups and Turkish getups (like when you’re getting up off the floor), etc.

Change the variety, volume, and frequency of your movements. Sometimes do light weight (or body weight) for high reps. Sometimes do heavy weight for low reps. Change how often you’re working – whether that’s changing rest periods in between sets or occasionally throwing in a second workout for the day. Keep your body guessing – but don’t do things on a whim. It should still be structured/be according to a plan.

Change your movement types. Jump, crawl, run, hang, push, pull, twist, walk, run, climb, carry, improve your combat/self-defense skills, and practice swimming or being in the pool.

Be barefoot outside. Get dirty. Workout in cold weather and warm weather. Work out for functionality, not just for aesthetics. Work out for utility and longevity.

Strengthen your ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, elbows, wrists, and neck.

Do yoga (isometric holds, stretching, balance).

Do an obstacle course or make your own version…practice on the balance beam, monkey bars, and agility ladder. Use 5-gallon buckets for carries, go over short walls to hurdle or flip over, tall walls to climb, have a sprint zone, a bear crawl/crab walk zone, 5-cone agility, pull-ups, squats, pushups, handstand holds/pushups. Go ruck in the woods.

Lastly, to make sure your body has enough energy to do all of this, get enough quality sleep, drink enough water, and focus on eating a good/clean diet.

How to think about diet and exercise

For diet and exercise, don’t stress out if you don’t get everything you want done in a single day. Think about it in big picture terms. No single day is going to make or break you. It’s the accumulation of making the right decisions (good habits) that will get you to where you want to go.

When tracking what micronutrients you want to consume or what muscle groups you want to target, aim for a weekly average. Yes, you will need to break that down into what it equates to per day, but as long as you fit it in throughout the course of the week and you hit your weekly goals consistently, you should be ok.

Do what is manageable/sustainable for you and forgive yourself when you mess up. Instead of beating yourself up when missing a goal, get back on track as quickly as possible (with the next thing you eat or your next workout). Reduce barriers to what you want to achieve, develop good habits, and repeat.

Keys to happiness

I find that I’m happiest when I’ve lived a fully balanced day. Living a “full day” includes the following:

1) Doing something challenging mentally (consuming/creating content, working on a project, etc.), physically (working out or using my hands/body to create something), and financially (setting my family up for future success by doing a money-creating or money-saving activity).

2) Spending time with family and friends.

3) Resting…taking time to relax, preferably in nature. Imagine watching the morning sunrise, going for a hike in the woods, or looking up at the stars at night. If you could do one of those three (let alone, all three), that would add to a great day

4) Doing something nice for others.

Most people think that not working is the key to happiness, but I disagree. You don’t necessarily need to have a “job,” but you should always be working hard towards a goal. You need to have exciting goals that give purpose and meaning to your life. If you sit around and do nothing all day you’re going to feel lazy. You won’t find lasting happiness after binge watching movies and eating too much pizza and ice cream. It might give you temporary satisfaction, but that will quickly fade when you regret making those decisions.

If you take care of yourself and spend time with those you love, it will be a great day.