Sunday, December 12, 2004

Hi Mike!

This issue of P V T has about 1200 words (about 5 minutes to read).

Best Regards, Mike Hayden ============================================================ ============================================================

Senior Management Services (SMS) presents:

P R O F I T A B L E V E N T U R E T A C T I C S

12/13/04 Volume 4, Issue 12/2

Published on Mondays for effective managers and executives

Please forward.

============================================================ Can you use this scorecard for a major victory in your fight against atrophy? ============================================================

See full color web version at: http://www.SeniorManagementServices.com/pvt-90-scorecards.html

============================================================ My sec^ret plan that made personal history. ============================================================

You know it's that time of year again. You're thinking about your Resolutions for 2005. I recently asked about 200 people this one question: What is one thing that you could start doing today that would improve quality of your life?

They emailed their answers to me. I found that nearly A L L replies showed this answer: get more exercise, get in shape, lo^se wei^ght. So, I'm pretty sure you have similar goals. After all, exercise helps your heart and may prevent onset of Parkinson's. Exercise positively clears up an atrophied mind.

Still, hard part is fulfillment: D O I N G I T! Since I've been doing it for decades, I consider myself somewhat of an expert. Here's how I D I D it...

... My 4-step plan on how to think, act, and mold a healthier body even if you can't lo^se wei^ght! Plus new tricks to fight personal atrophy.

Step 1

I wrote down a list of things I C O U L D do if I were really going to exercise. I did NOT consider my list a commitment. I just jotted down my ideas, even activities I had ne^ver done before.

Step 2

Alongside each activity, I jotted down how much time it would take IF I were to do that activity. This gave me some idea of when I could do it - IF I were to do it. I then wrote a possible schedule, based on my daily activities - IF I were to do it.

Step 3

I developed a "scorecard" that would show my participation (IF I decided to do it).

Step 4

I thought about where I could post scoreboard where I could see it as a daily reminder.

By this time, my mind had been tricked into saying, "O K, I will schedule 6 days a week with Monday off." (Notice sudden enthusiasm and tendency to over commit!)

(Read on to get your bonus download!)

============================================================ "OK Mike, what do you mean by scoreboard?" ============================================================

I will show you actual scoreboards examples in a moment. First, let me explain. My scoreboard R O W S show each day in a month. Its C O L U M N S list all my exercise possibilities. That way, I can track everything.

Here are exercises (columns) on my list:

Walk, run, row/aerobic, jump rope, tai chi (fast set), hsing yi, ba gua, (open), (open), chest, back, Tibetan rites, chi kung, chi coiling, tai chi, stretch, abs.

Naturally, my list would be different from yours, should you choose to experiment with this idea.

I use (open) columns for unspecified activities I want to include sometimes. Variety is spice of life!

I also have columns for recording data from my Polar Heart Watch (aerobic zone arrows), recovery time. If you get into aerobic training, you'll want a heart watch. I also have a column for weight.

Do I do all these exercises everyday? Heck no! Just take a look at this scoreboard from last February when I was spending every minute writing a book. http://www.SeniorManagementServices.com/Images/Feb04-less.gif For this whole month, I only took three 30-minute walks!

Here's a more typical scoreboard. http://www.SeniorManagementServices.com/Images/Aug03-more.gif

Obviously, I don't get around to every exercise every day or month. But, I have this theory that any exercise is 100 times better than none.

OK, here's a blank scoreboard that YOU can download and tailor for your own exercise program. Print out as many copies as you need.

http://www.SeniorManagementServices.com/Images/training-scoreboard.pdf

In this fo^rm, notice that I left right-hand columns for your aerobic zones (arrows) and weight.

============================================================ Yes, but can you deal with your own mind? ============================================================

When I am traveling, I usually run for exercise. It's a good way to relieve atrophy from sitting all day. For example, here's a journal entry from a recent trip...