Have you ever noticed that when you ask someone about their day, a common answer is “it was a long day”. “Long” is usually code for feeling beat down. Instead of the grind, let’s plan for success.
No Plan is No Good
Most of us are reactive, and by that I mean that most people wake-up and just see what happens. They know they have certain commitments they must do (think going to work or picking up the kids from school) but otherwise they’re just going through the motions and reacting to things as they come along. Essentially, there is no plan. Without planning for success, it is impossible to achieve it.
Why do we willingly put ourselves in the rat race every day, knowing that the same actions are going to yield the same results? It becomes just another “long day” in the books. If you catch yourself doing this, that’s when you know it’s time to change your mentality and open yourself up to new possibilities. If your days consist of counting down the minutes until lunch, or until you get home, or until bedtime…you have to ask yourself, what kind of a life is that? That doesn’t have to be your life. Don’t be the person that lives for the weekends. What if instead you looked at the day as a series of opportunities and a chance to try and reach your full human potential?
Practicing Success
It’s not easy BUT it is simple. We can set ourselves up for success through daily practices and having a mindset of abundance and positivity. I like to refer to this as a daily practice of excellence. Your list might include things like exercise, prayer, meditation, gratitude, visualization, or a focused to do list. The combination that works for you will be totally unique to you and your family – which is the very best part. Yourself, along with your partner and family create a culture that promotes success on all levels. The practices need daily attention and must address the mind, body, and spirit.
PLAN FOR SUCCESS
Morning Routine
I like to start each day with an hour of silent time when the rest of my family is sleeping. This is where I sit in silence for ten minutes, work on my breathing and visualization practice, write in my journal, and put the roadmap in my head of how my day is going to go. This gives me energy to attack the day and helps me start the day on my terms so I can be proactive and not reactive. The practice addresses my mind by quieting the constant chatter with silence. The silence begins to address my spirit and allow my visualization practice to shed light on ways I can connect that day to purpose. Breathing addresses my body by calming my nervous system and focusing on spinal alignment and core strength.
Additional training through CrossFit, stretching, and playing with the kids continue to address my body throughout the day. The road map for the day I put in place in the morning allows my mind to stay on task and be laser focused. Its amazing how that one committed time to practice in the morning shapes the entire day. Once the kids wake up and work starts, things can happen that throw off my plan. However, I’m able to get back on task quickly because I planned my day before it started.
Evening Routine
For me the most important time of day is when I am back at home with my wife and kids. It’s during this time that we catch up and share about the day. The most important part is that we all listen to one another and really hear each other. Having that time to connect is crucial because those two hours before bed may be the only time we have to connect as a family each day. Life is full when you’re striving for your personal best, but the good news is that the family tribe doesn’t have to be sacrificed. Instead the family becomes an additional source of strength, motivation, and the foundation for seeking individual purpose.
Before I go to bed I take ten minutes to recap the day. I write out a list of things I know I have to do the next day so I don’t have to worry about anything when my head hits the pillow. The days are full but I go to bed knowing I put my best foot forward and have a plan to do good work the next morning.
Starting Now
These routines will be different for each individual. The real game changer lies in making the bookends of your day be time for calmness and things that matter to you the most. That way whatever happens in the middle of the day can be handled with a clear mind.
If you have not yet developed a personal daily practice, we suggest starting with breath or movement. Simple breath practices are easy to incorporate and frankly require little skill. As you begin to breathe deeply and regularly, be ready to embrace the good that will come. Movement begins to prepare our body for success. As we build strength, we also open channels for flow in thought and connection to our higher self. If you have 10 minutes, we have workouts for you!
There will be success. Practiced and prepared, one breath, one opportunity at a time. Its time to plan for success.
Recommended resources: Breathing apps
- Box Breathing by Unbeatable Mind
- Pranayama Universal Breathing by Saagara
Jake Taylor
Jake is a husband and dad of two. He thrives on physical challenges, is an avid reader, is committed to seeking full human potential, is a man of deep faith, and strives to serve others. He is a CrossFit-L1 Trainer.
