Be Different…In a More Productive, Self-Improving Way

“Everything popular is wrong.” – Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest

I will be turning 34 soon and I have never been happier, felt healthier, or been in better shape. It hasn’t always been like this. I used to follow the mainstream – “Do hours of cardio and stay away from fat to get and stay lean” or “work longer hours for more money”. It has been my experience that most of the time, conventional wisdom is wrong.

After living in the same state for 25 years,   I moved to California. Knowing my time there was limited, I treated it like a year-long vacation, working during the week and exploring every weekend. That is where I really gained a true appreciation for change, adventure, and the desire to continue learning about what the world has to offer. That combined with becoming a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt has taught me how to use certain tools to eliminate waste and streamline my life. I had a major paradigm shift about so many aspects of life, business and happiness – it was completely eye opening. When I started doing things differently, I was amazed at how much better everything became.

Everything we do as humans can be improved; the way we work, the way we eat, even the way we breathe. Think about it, there are literally experts for everything: productivity, diet, even breathing!

I started to connect the dots, realizing there were better, more efficient ways to live life. I didn’t have to do hours of cardio or stay away from fat to get and stay lean and I didn’t have to work longer hours for more money.  In fact, the opposite often works better (I eat a ton of fat, even putting butter in my coffee!) What is “normal” is just based on a lot of misinformation that we take as truth.

But we really don’t know any better unless we step out of our comfort zone, experiment with life and see what really works. It’s sometimes referred to as “biohacking” or “lifehacking”. I don’t think it’s really anything too complex – it’s simply thinking differently than the majority and trying new things. This is what actually gets us ahead, makes us more efficient and makes us healthier.

The only thing holding you back from making a change is a self-imposed limitation: lack of confidence in success.

At first you may think “I can never do that” or “that goes against everything I’ve heard.” When you make the change it will feel uncomfortable – your brain is telling you that you can’t do it (or resisting change). But after time, the change turns into habit and it feels natural.

My goal is to empower you with a different perspective to help you challenge mainstream and identify what makes you thrive. I want you to bring your performance and productivity to the highest level of efficiency – to live a happier and healthier lifestyle. Even applying one best practice may significantly change your life for the better.

I’ve made a lot of mistakes, I’ve gotten a lot of laughs, I’ve pushed myself out of my comfort zone and at times taken my family along for the ride. They think I’m crazy at first but the results speak for themselves and I don’t plan on slowing down anytime soon!

TAKEAWAY: Change the traditional paradigm about how to do things and don’t be scared to try something new.

QUESTION: What are some best practices you’ve implemented that contradict    conventional thinking?

Thanks for taking the time to read this. Now, I want to learn from you – share your questions, thoughts and success stories!