Pulse is optional.

This has become a quote of mine since a few months ago. A friend and I were getting ready to head out and over a few drinks the conversation gradually dropped until a point where we were discussing someone (can't remember who) meeting someone else. It seemed at times that for them pulse was optional in their selection of a potential partner.

However, as I thought about this statement 'pulse is optional' it began to embed into my psyche.

The 'pulse is optional' philosophy

We all face times where we are fed up with aspects of life. During my depression I remember there were times when I felt like giving up on life. I felt like a major failure and that I would never be able to accomplish the dreams and desires that had been so firmly placed on my heart.

The Pulse is optional philosophy helps to put things into perspective. We don't have to be here. Continuing to live is a choice. As Marcus Aurelius wrote to himself

Three choices:

1: Living (You should be used to it by now)

2: Suicide (You get to choose your way out)

3: Death (To see your duty to completion)

If you haven't elected to use option two, then it would appear that you have chosen to keep your pulse going. From here you have two choices (in my opinion):

1: To live life aimlessly, just getting by.

2: To give life an extreme pulse, to give it your best and to do all that you possibly can.

By giving life the best you can, you give it a strong 'pulse'. Life becomes exciting, valuable and challenging in ways you never thought possible before. Sure there will be times that are tough and will lead you into doubt again but you know what your options are and you are making a positive choice every day.

How could your life be different by merely accepting that every day you are alive you are choosing to continue living until you see life through until it's end for you?

Repetition is important to building long term knowledge.

It is amazing how quickly we forget things. I went for a swimming lesson again tonight. Although I remembered a lot of things and my technique is improving, there still are a few things I had forgotten.

The main way to overcome this is continual practice, repetition and reinforcement.

Today's post is a short one. The concept is to remember that in order to reach your potential you need to repeat processes and continue to practice in order to ensure that new skills you learn become part of your brain's programming.

I had a phone call today from a good friend who wanted an external opinion for a business situation he was facing with his business partners. I gave him some other ideas. I knew of some concepts that I had experienced and considered in business myself. The reason I was able to do this was because a boss I had years ago gave me a simple process for learning new concepts. This was:

1. Watch one
2. Do one
3. Teach one

I simply learned this concept at university, had experienced a situation similar in business and finally had shared it with a like-minded individual. This helped me and will continue to help me to remember this knowledge for a long time to come.

For a long time, I have been a big fan of salt and pepper with my food. Salt and pepper are the little extras that make a meal that little bit more enjoyable, and enhance flavour. Gravy does a similar thing. The reality is though that these do not stop the essentials from needing to be performed, namely: cooking the meal.

The same principle is true in both the business and personal world. In the business world, so many people spend time and money trying to generate a better looking website or blog. They spend money tweaking products and marketing but they fail to do the two most important things:

1. Market to new clients.
2. Deliver the product/service to existing clients.

Sure, a nicer website, more marketing and product improvements can generally improve your results but they are just the salt and pepper. Without a decent meal, salt and pepper will not make a drastic difference. If the meal is outstanding, often salt and pepper can even be overlooked.

In our personal lives we can often do the same. We spend thousands of dollars buying new clothes and new pieces of exercise equipment but don't put in the effort to lose weight. We spend more time trying to gain friends on facebook than we do calling the few that matter and meeting them in person.

The point here is this. If you have the core ingredient right (blog content, exercising, quality effort on friendships, marketing, etc) the rest can come later. Eric Ries writes a blog on lean startups and I highly recommend it. If you take a look at the layout it is a simple blogger platform (like mine) without any money poured into other than the URL. He now has over 20,000 people reading it. Not bad considering.

Don't spend too much time on what isn't important. Get the product done, gain clients and do the work. Tweak as requested by customers later. In your personal life start walking, use the outdoors as a gym and buy a membership if you start to see results.

Why put money into something if there is no guarantee it will make a difference initially?

There is something I am starting to hear more and more about in books, business and the world in general. That is the notion of living for today as opposed to tomorrow.

The last few years of undertaking my degree have seen me undertake a dramatic change in my point of view. Originally entering my Entrepreneurship Bachelor I had this idea that I wanted to make hundreds of millions of dollars and that I would sacrifice short term happiness for it. In the last two years however, I have changed my focus from being a high growth entrepreneur to a lifestyle entrepreneur. Although I still have long term plans, I am more focused on living today rather than sacrificing for a life tomorrow.

There have been many things that have changed this perspective. One includes having seen very close family members lose their chances of early retirement. Others are books I have read. Regardless, here are some of the things I have learned along the way that I think are helpful for remembering the importance of living for today.

1. Retirement is Worst-Case Scenario Insurance

Tim Ferriss has to be one of my main inspirations. Ever since reading his book, my mindset has been realigned to a point where it was several years ago. Almost everyone I speak to dislikes working and all talk about setting themselves up with investment properties for early retirement. I don't blame them. Who would want to do something today that they dislike just to make ends meet? Furthermore, doing what they dislike only seems to end up with a mediocre standard of living in later years.

We are much better off spending our time doing things we enjoy. If we do what we love, chances are we won't want to retire (unless our bodies break down and we physically can't anymore). We should still plan for retirement but it should not be the objective. Warren Buffet turns 80 this year and he is still working... Why? Because he loves what he is doing. We should be eager to wake up and be excited about what every single day holds rather than merely feeling obliged to complete the necessary requirements that are expected of us.

2. Living in day-tight compartments

Today is the tomorrow we dreamed about yesterday. The only way to change where our future is heading is to take action today. We can only act in the present moment, so now is the best time to take action. Want to improve your finances? Then make a few phone calls, put $25 dollars in your savings account or take some other form of action. Want to reconnect with an old friend? Then make a phone call or write a letter tonight. Don't put it off or it will never happen. Time is short and only temporary.

On the other side the benefit of living in today is very liberating. Who knows what will happen tomorrow? You could live or you might die. You can't change your past and it is gone, but you can change the way today (and potentially tomorrow) plays out by taking action. This is a liberating thought.

3. Don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will take care of itself

This is a biblical saying. Have you ever starved? If you are reading this post, chances are you have never been without clothing, without luxuries and without food long enough to cause you significant health problems (unless it is a self inflicted choice). Worrying about tomorrow cannot add a single second to your life... so don't stress about it.

I remember for a long time I used to do this. I didn't feel like I was achieving what I wanted to within a time frame I had set for myself. Nowadays I just focus on achieving what I can for the day. If I get a lot done, great. If I can't, that's okay too. Also, if I feel my energy is down today I will usually wait a bit and get stuck into something later in the day or tomorrow (note: I do not recommend putting off tasks though if you are simply procrastinating or trying to avoid difficult tasks).

4. Where the fear is, happiness is not (Seneca)

When we fear something, it is usually because we have expectations (either real or imagined). Fear prevents us from enjoying happiness and content in the moment. The fearless way of approaching things is to just take them as they come and to respond to situations in the moment. Make plans but don't have expectations of how things will plan out. A good example of this was the swimming lessons I started last week. I was really fearful of getting back in the water. However, I had no idea what would happen in my lesson. I decided just to wait and see what would happen in the moment. It turned out to not be so bad, but the fear I had made things appear worse than they were.

Avoid fear by taking things as they come. Do what you can today to make a difference, but don't have an expectation of the outcome.

Have you noticed any differences in your life when you have focused on taking action today rather than worrying about or fearing tomorrow?

I remember a few years ago a friend saying that the best way to beat temptation was to give into it.

While it was kind of funny at the time, it is not actually the case. More unfortunate is that he seems to have held to this belief and over the years it has gotten him into situations that I would personally not like to face.

Temptation is something we all face at some point in our lives. We get tempted to leave work, to give up, to be unfaithful, to not follow through on our commitments. We get tempted to lie, cheat, steal and much more. The problem with temptation is that if we submit we have two issues to face:

1. The limits of our character.
2. The damage that has occurred by giving into temptation.

Let me give you a personal example. As of yesterday, I have been a non-smoker for a year after being on and off them for five years. This was a challenging task and I had many setbacks along the journey. At one point, I had been off smoking for four and a half months. However, a few issues in my personal life, a night out with some mates who didn't care about my health and a fair bit of alcohol later saw me back on the habit.

This put me in a bad dilemma. First of all I felt like a failure and knew I had submitted to something I did not want to get back into. I was instantly on the quit campaign again, which is not fun when you have been out of that cycle for several months. Secondly, I knew that I was doing damage to my health, my relationships and to my mental state by continuing to smoke. It would have been a lot easier to avoid temptation in the first place.

How to resist temptation

Quite often we find ourselves in a position where submitting to temptation is easy and we feel like we can't escape. I offer the following suggestions for resisting temptation:

1. Realise why you are tempted: Each of us are tempted when we are dragged away and enticed by our own evil desires. No one else puts these desires in our heads. I know personally of people who smoke and others who have never touched a cigarette. My situation is a desire I have placed in my own head, not a desire someone else has created for me.

2. Acknowledge that others have overcome these temptations: There is nothing new in the world. I recently had a chat with Peter Christo about philosophy and Socrates. Peter said it was interesting to note that what Socrates said nearly 2,500 years ago still remains relevant today, if not more relevant than before. If people have faced these temptations before and overcome them then you can too. Find someone who has achieved what you want to and ask for their support.

3. Pray: If you are religious, prayer is a useful tool for gaining help to overcome temptation.

4. Remove yourself from the situation: I used to get back into smoking around certain friends and scenes (such and pubs and nightclubs). Whenever I stopped, I would usually avoid these situations and friends until I felt strong enough to be able to say no. Why put yourself into a situation where you are likely to be exposed to and give into temptation if you can avoid this? If you find yourself in a situation where you are likely to submit to temptation, get out of there straight away!

5. Declare publicly: Tell friends and family what you are doing. You will need support to keep you on track.

6. Find a replacement: As soon as I stopped smoking, I started doing exercise the same day. Replacing an old habit or temptation with a positive alternative can improve your chances. I know a close relative who used to be an alcoholic. A mentor of his from Alcoholics Anonymous suggested that whenever he felt like drinking he should go and get a chocolate milkshake. He would then have to sit down and have one or two of these until he no longer felt the need to consume alcohol or until he felt too full to drink anything else.

7. Acknowledge your strength: Adversity builds character. When you are able to overcome a temptation you begin to develop strength and new character traits. Pat yourself on the back.

8. Realise temptations subside: If you are able to resist temptation for long enough, the temptation will seek to occur. I no longer find any interest in smoking. I have no desire to pick up a cigarette again. This is only possible because I have resisted them long enough that I now link more pain to smoking (long term) than the pain of giving them up. There is more pleasure for me in being healthy, fit and knowing I am decreasing my chances of dying from a smoking related illness.

9. Celebrate wins: Haven't submitted to temptation for a day, week, month, year or years? Give yourself a reward. Celebrate both small and big victories. This can be done by taking yourself to dinner or the movies, taking up a new hobby or whatever you would like. Just make sure you associate little rewards and benefits with resisting temptation as this will help to continue to propel you forward. The two main ones for me when I stopped smoking were 1: I could go out for meals with friends and family more regularly, and 2: I contributed the amount I was spending on smoking to my savings.

10. Don't give up: We all have setbacks and find we fail at times. The important thing if you do give into temptation is to commit to getting back on the horse of resisting. Each time it becomes easier. Use points 1-9 here to help you reestablish your ability to resist temptation when things go wrong.

Have a look at the temptations in your life. What could your life look like if you resisted these temptations? Pick one to work on and make a commitment to yourself to begin resisting the temptation and building your new life... a life where you are living your potential.

Photo courtesy of Polina Sergeeva

Fight Club has to be one of the most influential movies for my generation. The movie along with the book are a few things that you can't tell too much about without spoiling them. If you haven't seen the movie or read the book, get them now. They are definitely worth it.

Between the philosophical undertones and the fights that occur during the movie there is a lot of practical stuff for those who are interested in starting a business (especially one based on a community). Some of the learnings I have observed from reading the book and watching the movie are as follows:

1. It begins with you

Whenever starting a new business it usually begin with you. First of all you have an idea. More importantly however, there are a number of lifestyle changes that need to be made in order to prepare yourself to take on your new found business. The first Fight Club began with the Narrator and Tyler Durden. However, in order for this to happen the narrator had to lose all of his material possessions and his previous life. Some of the learning points in this phase (as mentioned in the movie) are:

• The things you own end up owning you.
• A moment is all you can ever expect from perfection. (note: this is one of the most powerful lines in the book I wish was in the movie. Perfection is to be aspired to but is never obtained. Any brief moment of perfection makes it all worthwhile. Hard work is required to get it).
• You're not your job. you're not how much money you have in the bank. You're not the content of your wallet. You're not your f***in khakis.
• Never be complete. Stop being perfect. Let's evolve.
• First of all you have to give up, first you have to know... not fear... know... that someday you are going to die.

The first step in starting your own business is self-mastery. You need to be able to throw away other desires and be willing to make the sacrifices. You need to stop defining yourself as what you have and rather by what you do. You need to be willing to give up the society norm for success. You need to realise that you and your business will never be perfect, but you should continue to try anyway.

Another point is that Fight Club began with only the narrator and Tyler. You will likely begin a business with no support, no networks, no place to work, etc. Begin anyway. Start right where you are and with what you have available now. Build from there.

2. Develop the message

Fight Club was about helping people to realise that their is more to life than mere accumulation and existence. Life was to be lived and full of excitement, fun and self-realisation. It was about throwing away the cares of your existence and finding something more meaningful. Your business needs to do the same. Ensure you have a purpose and a vision for the business and where it is going.

3. Build your community

Communities are built one person at a time. If social media has taught us anything it is that community is integral to the way people want to live their lives. I recently watched a YouTube video on how to live to 100+. One of the main things was friendships and a sense of community helps maintain a life worth living.

In the movie Fight Club, Tyler Durden and the narrator began with themselves and slowly found other like-minded individuals who join their community. As the community expanded, they found a regular place to hang out. You need to do the same for your business. Build a community one member at a time, and find a place for them to hang out (even if only temporarily).

4. Expand the community

This is where things start to get exciting. As your little community gains traction, it is time to expand. Setting up more small communities (as well as commissioning people to run them) is important in this step. An example can be seen as follows: A blogger initially begins with his blog. As it expands, he can setup a facebook fan page, a page on Ning or community forums where members of the community can engage and interact with each other.

Fight Club did the same thing. They began setting up other clubs in different states across the country. They started meeting several nights of the week, with new members showing up despite being asked not to tell anyone. They began giving homework assignments and creating things for people to do to feel like an active member of the community. Having people wholeheartedly become a part of something builds dramatic momentum.

5. Eliminate yourself from the cogs

As the community grows you want to be able to step back and have other people run it without you being there all the time. Sure, you should have an active role but you must begin to see a bigger picture. There is an old saying that houses are designed from the top down and built from the bottom up. I think the same is true with businesses. You have to begin at the low levels and then fill positions as you need to step into bigger roles for expansion. Tyler Durden's presence was known in Fight Clubs but he wasn't always at every one. He had other people managing them.

6. Get out of the basement and build your team of space monkeys

Once your community gets too big it is time to step back and begin developing a bigger project with a larger purpose. You get a 'Project Mayhem' started: a back end of the business where you begin to enlist the key leaders (Ummm... space monkeys?) in the community into a bigger project. Using a blog as an example, this might mean building back end products that only the most loyal members of the community purchase, as well as developing a team to further promote and achieve plans and milestones for the business.

7. Leave a legacy

Ideally you want a business to get to the point where it becomes your legacy and you are no longer required. This allows you to go and start the process again in a new business or to do what you want with your time. Tyler Durden does this in the book and the movie, and his impact is remembered despite not being involved anymore. Leaving a legacy is idea for a community. Using bloggers again as an example, you see this when a blog moves from being written by one person to being a blog written by several people with the occasional (or no) input from the founder. They don't need to be there but the community continues to expand.

Where is your business (or community) at currently in the Fight Club process? How can you begin to increase through the stages until you have left a legacy for others to embrace?

Many of us want to improve the quality of the relationships we currently have in our lives. We want to be able to develop true friendships as well as being able to quickly gain rapport with new people we meet.

It's funny that the key ingredient to building a quality relationship with someone can be seen so obviously in nature. The problem is, we are so busy focusing on ourselves that we tend to overlook it.

The key ingredient to building quality relationships is to listen more.

This is an interesting concept. God has given us two ears and only one mouth, which some have stated implies that we should listen twice as much as we speak. I know that I am a big fan of speaking but years ago I used to be a bigger fan of listening. The more you listen to someone, the more they open up. The more that they open up, the easier it is to relate to them, to build rapport, to gain trust, respect and their confidence in you.

Who have you already spoken to today? Was it your spouse, children, brother or sister, a loved one, a friend? Did you spend that time listening to what they had to say or just waiting for your turn to speak?

This character trait is most obvious when you are around someone who doesn't speak a lot. When they do speak, the importance placed on their words are the more tremendous. What they say has more impact.

Spend a little bit of time today and every day from now on listening to others. Don't try to give an opinion (note: this one is hard and takes time to eliminate), but just listen. If you get stuck and don't know what to say, ask questions that elicit further conversation. Chances are, you will learn a lot more about a person and you will come to have a greater appreciation for them, as they will for you.

One thing I always get peeved about in Christian circles is the importance placed on Spiritual Gifts. Prophecy, Speaking in tongues and all the other stuff you hear about are insignificant next to the fruit of the Spirit.

What is the Fruit of the Spirit?

The Fruit of the Spirit is the character traits that are obvious in a true Christian that help to differentiate them from those around them. These are nine character traits that a Christian should have as the result of an indwelling of the Holy Spirit. These traits are experienced in two ways:

1. From God: God gives Christians the experience of these gifts in their own personal life, allowing them to feel content in Him.
2. For People: Gifts are best when shared. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the Fruits of the Spirit as a benefit for ourselves and others. Christians should do their best to help others experience these gifts in their lives.

Whether you are a Christian or not, attempting to implement these traits into your character would surely benefit you and those around you in your life. The nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit are:

1. Love: I meet a number of individuals from all walks of life on a regular basis. One of the most common characteristics between a number of these people (whether successful or not) is that they do not feel loved. This is a tragedy. Love is one of the best feelings a person can feel in life, and is important for ensuring that we continue to grow and feel confident in life. I think one of the best explanations I have seen to this date of what true love for someone is can be seen as follows: "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails" (1 Corinthians 13: 4-8a). Wouldn't it be am amazing experience to give people a taste of this sort of love in their lives every day, and to experience it ourselves.

2. Joy: Joy can simply be defined as happiness. With so many difficulties facing us in our lives these days, it can be easy to feel quickly overwhelmed and depressed. Maintaining a joyous outlook on life and the difficulties that arise can help one to ensure that they live a life dedicated to loving God and helping others in a beneficial way. Helping others to experience joy in all situations in their life should be one of our major priorities in life. After all, who wants to go through life unhappy, unsatisfied and feeling negative about what the future holds?

3. Peace: In a world full of war, peace may seem something that does not come naturally, and may even seem to be a bit of a pipe dream. However, I think the way to peace is to begin at a micro level. Firstly, we should be at peace with ourselves and the life we live. My mind goes through various stages at times where it is conflicted and I find myself debating different views and concepts only to end up in a pile of confusion. I feel best when my mind is at ease and 'peaceful'. Secondly, we should not hold envy or aggression towards those in our lives. Instead, we should try to remain 'at peace' with all of those in our lives, and should demonstrate a peaceful approach when stepping into violent or aggressive situations.

4. Long suffering: Another word for long suffering is patience. In a world that expects instant gratification, we have become extremely impatient. We need to be willing to wait, as well as to have the ability to tolerate situations that are not to our liking and may not be that way for some time. Patience is a skill that is hard to learn. In relation to others, we can become impatient. Maintaining a long suffering approach can definitely help to ensure we develop long term quality relationships as opposed to friendships that are quickly gained and lost.

5. Gentleness: This is one that could definitely revolutionise the business world. I have seen a number of kids receive a verbal bashing from tradesmen they are learning from. Being stern is important, but so is being gentle. It is very easy to crush another persons spirit and self-esteem. Being gentle is usually seen these days as being soft, feminine or otherwise. However, it takes a strong person to show a gentle side in their relationships with others.

6. Goodness: By living a morally right and being a good example in life, Christians are able to help point others to living a good life. This flows from being upright in character and being honest with the way you live. Goodness is a noun, but can be demonstrated by 'being' and 'doing' good.

7. Faith: Faith is an interesting concept. In essence, it is an act of trust or reliance. Having faith in others involves believing in them, trusting them and relying on them. Faith is something that is hard and can take time to develop, but is definitely beneficial in our relationships with others.

8. Meekness: According to this definition, meekness is the feeling of patient, submissive humbleness. Christians are to be submissive to God in their lives. In regards to others, meekness is remaining humble and not judging others based on your perceptions or experiences, being aware that everyone has had a different upbringing and circumstances in their life. Also, we are to remain open to learning and instruction from others, so that we may continue to grow as individuals. Lastly, we need can be an example of the benefits of remaining patient, submissive and humble to others around us.

9. Temperance: Temperance is also known as moderation or self-control. Quite often it is easy for us to drink to excess, to fly off the handle at loved ones or to forget to exercise other forms of self control. Self-control and moderation are critical to developing long term relationships with others, especially when we are inclined to be quick tempered, impatient, etc.

How these should be applied

The Stoic philosopher Seneca the Younger said in relation to the Stoicism that "our lives should not be diametrically opposed to, but rather better than that of the mob". I think this is a good motto for Christians to apply. By practicing these nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit they can begin to live a life that is an example that inspires others to a better life, rather than being seen as an opposing viewpoint. I know I personally would like to experience more of these above nine fruits from others in my life, as well as living a better application of them with others.

Spend a little bit of time contemplating how you can implement these Fruits of the Holy Spirit in your current circumstances in life. Chances are, your life and the life of others will be affected in a positive way.

It is always easier to make a start on things than it is to finish them. This is because starting a new project is fun, exciting and holds lots of promise. However, after a little bit of time into it we start to feel demoralised as we don't see the results we expected, our hopes are not lived up to, etc. This is where the art of finishing and non-finishing comes into play.

What are the arts of finishing and non-finishing?

We often find ourselves faced with a variety of tasks. A simple look at my schedule shows that I have a number of work activities to complete, a number of books I have not finished reading and a number of other things I want to do. Some of these are likely not to be finished. On the other hand, I have processed a number of tasks off this list already, and am continuing to do so.

Finishing what we start (even when it is painful) teaches us persistence, patience and tenacity. The degree I am currently undertaking is a perfect example of this. The course content is not what I initially anticipated, and has left me feeling somewhat underwhelmed to the point where I have not continued putting in the effort I should have and my marks have suffered. However, obtaining my degree is something that I want to accomplish. As such, this year I will be devoting more effort to ensure the goal is seen through to completion.

Non-finishing on the other hand is a tricky subject. Sometimes we can think it is best to walk away (and many times, it is). It has taken me a long time to determine when non-finishing is better than finishing. My conclusion therefore is this:

It is best to stop doing something when the pain of going forward is more than the pain of going back (in the long term).

A good example could be seen in a marriage. One of the partners cheats and the mutual respect, trust, love and appreciation is violated. The couple may decide to continue down the path of reconciliation. However, if the damage has been significant to the point where the innocent party cannot stand the pain of going forward, perhaps it is best to leave.

We find ourselves in this situation all the time. Failure to make a decision on whether to finish something or not causes procrastination. It is often better to make a wrong decision in this case then none at all. The problem is, if we find ourselves in a position of making a decision we are taking mental bandwidth away from other projects we should be devoting our time to.

Some of the decisions I have made in the last few months (whether right or wrong) in relation to my personal situation are as follows:

1. To finish my degree.
2. To spend time finishing books I have started as opposed to buying new ones.
3. To dispose of books I have no intention of finishing rather than having them taking up mental bandwidth by being in my view and playing on my mind. Giving them away, disposing of them or selling them will help reduce the clutter too.
4. To continue to get back on the exercise regime even when I miss a few sessions.
5. To continue to work through tasks that are important on my to do list.
6. To make the sacrifice of simple enjoyments that are distractions from my long term goals and plans, etc.

Take a look at the projects (whether small or large) in your life at the moment. Are they taking up mental bandwidth in determining whether to finish them or not? If so, make a decision and take action now to start implementing that decision. If you are never going to read that book throw it out. If you need that course then stick to it despite the situation.

Give up those things you don't need in your life and embrace those that you want/need to make your life that much closer to reaching your potential. Doing so will also teach you the ability to make decisions, which is vital to long term growth.

In order to reach my potential in all aspects of my life, I need to be able to ensure I am performing at peak conditions.

Being an extremely fussy eater for years, I am beginning to take action while I am still young to ensure my health and fitness remains as my metabolism and body begins to change over time. As a result, here is a list of fifteen little things I am starting to do on a more regular basis to ensure my health and fitness stay at optimum levels:

1. Going to the doctor: Last week I went for a checkup after feeling some pains in my chest. Turns out I'm okay (extremely healthy) but it took a blood test, a urine sample and a checkup to find this out. Having been afraid of needles for some time, it was a bit scary walking in to find out suddenly I would be getting a blood test. However, it wasn't as bad as I remembered and now I am seriously considering getting my vaccinations I am overdue for. Also, I'm planning to book a checkup at least every six months.
2. Drinking water: Everyone says we should drink 8 glasses of water a day. I'm yet to see statistics that justify why this is the case, but drinking water as opposed to soft drink and alcohol more regularly is helping my skin as well as reducing my caloric intake, which can never be a bad thing. Taking a bottle of water when I go out makes a difference, as does asking for water instead of soft drinks at restaurants.
3. Eating breakfast: One thing about writing a series on how to reach your potential (or anything else for that matter) is that you usually struggle with some of the points yourself. Eating breakfast is one of the main ones for me. Having skipped it for several years, I am now trying to get into eating breakfast every day.
4. Eating more regularly: Aside from skipping breakfast, I have also been at a point where I only eat one-two meals a day. Partly because of being a fussy eater and partly because I am not hungry, I am now looking at slowly improving my eating habits and regularity so that I am eating 4 smaller minimum a day.
5. Changing chocolate intake: I like my chocolate. Christmas is a bad time of the year for me, as a lot of people buy me chocolate (I assume this is in part because I am hard to buy for). Over the last few days, I have started to eat 70% cocoa chocolate instead of milk or white chocolate. The plan is to slowly reduce intake as well as eating the 70% cocoa chocolate instead.
6. Walking: I love walking. The last month has seen me increase the amount of walking I do. I like it because it puts my heart rate in a fat burning position without putting unnecessary strain on my body.
7. Exercise: The last month has seen me getting back into exercise also. I'm only doing push ups and sit ups at the moment, but I am increasing my routine gradually and will add other movements in time.
8. Swimming: Having been fearful in the water for some time, I finally overcame my fears and enrolled in some swimming lessons. The first one was last week. Not only did I find it fun to learn new things (learning is one of my major passions), muscles I have not used for some time started to feel sore. This should be a good and fun way of exercising, while allowing me to overcome one of my oldest fears in life.
9. Getting the right amount of sleep: There was a period last year where between work and my social life I didn't get more than two nights of eight hours plus sleep in two months. This is not good and my body is playing catch up now while things are still a little quiet. As a result, I am still spending time with friends, family and loved ones but not until all hours of the morning several nights of the week. I'm also not working late at night so that my mind can begin to switch off rather than keeping me awake thinking for hours on end.
10. Starting a more active lifestyle: The last few years while undertaking tertiary studies have seen my slaving away behind a laptop and reading several books. I still intend to do this, but am now looking for things to do in my spare time that involve physical activities. An example of this is the swimming lessons. After I have completed those, I am thinking about undertaking a martial art. The key here is to find something active where you can have fun and learn new skills.
11. Sun exposure: As part of trying to get outdoors more, I want to get more sun exposure. I'm now going for walks through parks or down at the beach instead of just on the treadmill everyday. Sure I might not push myself as hard outdoors, but I'm doing it because I enjoy it primarily. Vitamin D is important to our health, and sun exposure helps us to obtain this to an extent.
12. Building quality relationships: I have made a number of acquaintances over the years which has been great. However, the more further spread you are the less quality you gain from each of those relationships. As a result, I am spending a bit of time this year really developing my circle of influence (the five people you spend the most time with that impact your life, and vice versa.).
13. Buying less junk food: A habit I have got into as a full time student, junk food costs both a lot of money and is not healthy. I have not eliminated it fully (I'm out and about a lot), but I am focusing on eating better food at home and am looking at how I will do things this year (IE: take nuts and other snacks vs buying when out).
14. Resting one day a week: One thing I've always been brought up with as a Christian is the notion of taking a day of rest a week. Energy is cyclical, so having a day where I am not focused on work or other activities is important to helping me recharge my batteries so that I can come back with more strength and determination the following week.
15. Trying new things: This is probably the most important one for me. I do tend to get stuck in a comfort zone from time to time. Part of stopping this is by shaking up my routine a bit by trying things I haven't done before. This could be as simple as eating at a new restaurant, meeting new people or reading a new book. These things help to increase the joy I get out of life, as well as exposing me to new opportunities to improve my health and fitness.

What little things are you doing to improve your health right now?