It’s not you, WordPress — it’s me (and my new Web presence)

They say breaking up is hard to do…that’s not true, in this case.

Pretty soon, I’ll be migrating the Blog to our primary Impact Actual domain. And much, much more is happening, including the brand-new “#ImpactSITREP” newsletter. The first edition goes out today, and I’d like you to be on our list to receive it. To self-enroll, just email me with your first and last name at Rob@ImpactActual.com. We will make sure you see every full-color, informative byte of it.

Here’s a taste of things to come, my “Founder’s Message” to head up the first edition:

Message from the Founder

Welcome to the our first weekly #ImpactSITREP newsletter. Things are…#accelerating…around Impact Actual. We realized it was past time to launch a regular update from the expanding world of #Impact: from @ImpactActual the company, impact in the world around you, and actionable impact for your own life as you grow your personal influence and make a real difference.

First up, front and center, is the new logo. Like it? Let us know. (Rob@ImpactActual.com is the quickest way to get your thoughts to me.) Everybody notices how we emphasize “ACT” in this logo format. That’s not by…act-cident…every one of us has the power to Act. Bitching is dead. Make action your default. Starting now.

Not surprisingly, I’ve got several new personal projects cooking. The managing editor at Thinkruptor Magazine has roped me in to begin writing regular articles (as “Mister Impact!”) to teach tech and society leaders how to hold themselves accountable, grow their influence, and contribute more to the world than quarterly stock bumps. And my friend and hero Fran Townsend has asked me to join her board on the Counter Extremism Project (see our article on removing extremist videos from YouTube, below). I promise to keep you informed as we at CEP take action and drive proactive, effective, global counter-radicalization projects.

Consider both those items above to be just teasers–we’ll publish the formal announcements of each, soon. But something I’m even more excited about, and which is not just a tease, is the unexpected and explosive success of our Impact #Accelerator program for radical personal development. This five-week, self-directed online course has been rocking lives since we launched three months ago. Version 1.0, and now version 2.0, have given way to our third evolution of Accelerator…the “Turbo.” And this week, in honor of our February 12 release of Turbo, we are enrolling rock stars at half off. Read on, below, if you are ready to level up. [Until we actually publish this article, just email me (Rob@ImpactActual.com) if you want to get in on this deal.]

Again, thank you for investing your time to join us with issue number one. You do realize that “spending” your time is an investment, right? We have to be mindful in all our investments. And the #Impact has just begun.

Rob

Christmas Magic

Christmas Magic

Rob DuBois, ~Christmas 1983
(A little something I wrote almost 35 years ago)
[Please share for families with kids!]

This is a Christmas story that really happened. Of course, there are lots of adults who may not believe it, because that has always been the way of adults. But really it is only important that the children hear, because it has always been the way of children to believe in the things that can really happen.

Ziggy and Penelope were squirrels. One bright, blue winter day they were chasing each other in their snowy meadow. Just as Ziggy was about to make a grand tackle, (his finest in weeks, he was sure), Penelope dived straight below the surface of the fluffy white snow and vanished. For many minutes Ziggy simply could not find her, until suddenly, just off to his side, Penelope burst forth and scared the wits out of poor Ziggy. He squeaked so loud and leapt so far that he tumbled right down the side of the hill to land in a furry heap under a shrub.

Alarmed for his safety, Penelope scampered after. She found Ziggy, dazed but unharmed, clearing the snow from his ears. He was, as Ziggy often was, indignant, and he hastened to inform her. “Well!” he exclaimed. “Of all the hare-brained stunts you have ever pulled, I must say you’ve certainly outdone yourself this time. I might very well have fallen directly into a great bear trap, you know! Or, I might have…” but before he could continue, Penelope hushed him and pointed through the trees to a tiny clearing. There they could see a small boy from the nearby village, dressed all in brightly-coloured holiday finery. His knickers were a cheery red, his ‘spenders a forest green, his coat black and smooth, and his white shirt had been scrubbed so clean it fairly shone in the sunlight. Yet while the boy’s clothing was festive, his spirits most definitely were not. He sat all along on a frozen stone, crying softly with his face in his hands. He seemed to have no friend left in the world.

“Oh, the poor dear,” spoke Penelope. “I wonder why he’s so sad.” To be sure, the sight of this pitiful fellow could break your heart. The two dashed up a tree to stop quietly above the little boy, and from there they could see all the other children of the village in another meadow some ways away. They laughed and yelled as they played a rollicking game of Fox and Geese, and all were dressed as gaily as the boy in the clearing.

Ziggy and Penelope watched unhappily for a while as the boy cried to himself. Although they were very sorry for him, they knew that there was simply nothing they could do to help. After all, animals were animals, and people were people.

Within a few minutes the little boy stopped his quiet sobbing, and with a sniffle he raised his bleary eyes. Miserably, he looked through the woods towards the playing children, listening to their joyful cries. Then he slowly gazed around the clearing in which he sat, until his eyes fell upon the squirrels on their branch. You could have knocked them off their perch with a jaybird feather when the little boy smiled gently and said, “Hello, pretty squirrels.”

You see, that he had spoken was no great surprise. The two had many times sat in their tree and watched people as they played, worked, and picnicked in the forest, and during all these activities the people had talked with one another. (Had talked with each other constantly, in fact. Ziggy had a suspicion that people were in some way related to the chattery family of real jaybirds who lived two trees down.) No, the truly astounding thing was that they had understood what the boy had said. Always before they had been able to tell when people were glad or mad or sad, but the words were lost on them. Yet while the sad little boy spoke the same way as other people, Ziggy and Penelope understood him perfectly. They looked at each other in disbelief.

“Ziggy!” gasped Penelope. “Did you hear what he said?”

Ziggy was too shocked to even answer, but only wiggled his right ear in the manner with which squirrels have always affirmed things. They looked at the little boy, only to find that he was staring back at them in astonishment, eyes all abug. “Y-you talked!” the boy stammered. “You talked the Queen’s own English!”

The squirrels could not believe their perky little ears (which were standing straight up off their heads, you may be sure). They grasped everything, except certain references to “English” and “Kween.” Penelope, ever the bolder of the two, asked timidly, “You can understand us?”

“Good gracious, yes!” was the startled reply. “But that just ain’t right ‘t’all. You’re critters!”

Of a sudden, Ziggy sat bolt upright, his fuzzy tummy plopped before him. Ziggy was indignant. His initial shock forgotten (everybody knows squirrels have impressively short attention spans, and Ziggy’s was shorter still), he exclaimed, “Critters! You might have a bit of respect for a body’s heritage. We are very proud of the fact that we are squirrels!”

Ziggy’s harsh outburst had been extreme. The little boy’s smile vanished, replaced by a quivering lip and downcast eyes. “I’m sorry,” the child said. “I’m just a stupid one.” It seemed those heartbreaking tears might return at any moment.

With a cross glance towards Ziggy, Penelope scampered to the snow and ran up onto the little boy’s lap to look into his shining blue eyes. “Oh, no, you’re not,” she assured. “Ziggy’s a rascal, and no one who really knows him pays nevermind to what he says.”

The boy brightened at her words. “Ziggy’s a funny name,” he giggled. (Another quick glance from Penelope corked any comment of Ziggy’s in his mouth.) “And I think you’re both very nice. My name is Edgar. Yule Tidings!”

“Why, thank you, Edgar. My name is Penelope. And we think you’re very nice, too.” Ziggy climbed down to join them. “But why are you sitting here alone while the others play? Don’t you wish to play, too?”

“Oh, yes, very much.” Edgar’s smile began to fade again. “But all the children say that I am a slow-wit and clumsy, and if I play with them they tease me.”

“How awful that they should say such things about such a nice boy!” burst Ziggy. Then he had a good idea and said, “We should like it very much if you’d play with us.”

This plan delighted Edgar, and for a goodly time the three of them chased through the snow, climbed many trees, and played Hide-and-Seek. Edgar thought that he had never had friends as good and kind as the squirrels, and they thought the same of him.

Finally, the afternoon began to wane, and ‘twas time for Edgar to go home. He said, “Oh, do come back to the village with me. I couldn’t bear for this day to end so quickly. You may sleep on my blanket tonight, and I shall give you crackers to eat.”

The invitation both thrilled and frightened the squirrels, for they knew that not all people were as gentle as Edgar. But he promised to keep them safe, and they all three went happily into town, Ziggy and Penelope each astride a proud little shoulder.

When the village children saw Edgar from a distance they called out mean things and said, “Oh, look, here comes the slow-wit.” But when they saw the squirrels riding high up and looking all ‘round, they were very curious. One little girl named Elizabeth asked how he had come to tame wild squirrels. Edgar told all the day’s adventures, and the children petted the squirrels and laughed at the funny things they had done. (Of course, Ziggy and Penelope caught not a word, save those said by their friend Edgar.)

Elizabeth spoke again after they had all played a while more, saying, “You know, Edgar isn’t a bad fellow at all. And even though he’s different, I’d guess he’s showed us that even different folks have their own ways of being special.” All the children agreed and gave him three hips and a hurrah, and you could hardly see Edgar’s face for all the smile that was there.

And on that frosty evening in that peaceful village, if you’d looked in the direction of Edgar’s house, you too’d have seen a kindly old lady standing on the stoop watching, and smiling a quiet, wise smile. And if you’d looked a bit closer, you’d have seen a single, glad tear shining in her eye. For you know, this lady was Edgar’s grandmother, and this particular day was December the 24^th. And Edgar’s grandmother could tell that ol’ Kris Kringle had come to visit one very lucky little boy just a little early this year.

The End

The #ImpactRule of #BRO

As I wind down a great week of work in Tampa, and look forward to spending time with my kids in DC, I want to share one of my favorite Impact Rules. This one lets you literally control the gates for unlimited blessings into your life, also known as “opportunities.”

The #ImpactRule rule of #BRO:
“Be Ready and Open”

Let’s say you get an amazing “opportunity” for a sell-off of something really cool to you — a fancy cat, trading card, or guitar. It’s worth $5,000 but the owner’s only asking $1,000…and you ain’t got $1,000.

Or an amazing *opportunity* to jump in on a trip, already paid for, because your friend’s friend can’t go at the last minute. Are you in? …But you ain’t got the time off from work.

Strength in life, the first of the 12 Qualities, is more than biceps — it’s about being economically and socially secure to be able to take advantage of opportunities when they arise, rather than playing defense for the rest of your life and thus missing out on life. We only have this one.

And that is the state of “Ready.”

Being Open means accepting that these situations may happen to you, and that you cannot *schedule* opportunity … so you have to be Ready all the time.

I guide clients toward building strength because I’ve lived these miserable scenarios, and resolved to do whatever it takes to not be helpless like that again. If you’re sick of being vulnerable, and want to be free to live your life when your life is happening, drop me a note: Rob@ImpactActual.com. I want to help you tap into the whole community of #Impact.

Divided We Fall

I rarely speak on political matters because stimulating the inevitable shrieking hordes at the extremes of either side improves nothing. Unfortunately, it is necessary to say something now, and I’ll just have to endure the hysterical swarms.

I have dedicated myself to national security for more than thirty years — longer than the life spans of many reading this. We are in a genuine, chronic crisis as a people today. Though Russia and other external adversaries are acting against us, the greatest wrongdoing is being done, often unwittingly, by Americans on all sides of the verbal firestorm.

I text-debated a dear friend last night on this crisis of our country. He told me he had “already accepted” that we are going to have a bloody civil war because of the actions of one political party with which he disagrees. I told him the following, which is shared to you verbatim minus the naming of specific political figures.

“‘We’ will only have any kind of ‘war’ if *you* choose to execute it. This is the crisis. You and some others are buying into the insane bullshit that political extremes are spewing in order to improve their positions of power.

“We are one country. We are not ‘the Progressives against the United States.’ There are many viewpoints and that is our strength. But we can choose to be stupid sheep and believe that ‘the Progressives’ are evil, and the Progressives can choose to believe that whatever you are is evil, and THAT is what is destroying us. Stop believing the bullshit and step up to citizenship, which respects other points of view in national debate.

“FOX News and MSNBC are trying to spin up hatreds so they can sell soap, but they have no actual control — you have to choose to pretend it’s the truth, and become complicit in destroying our unity.”

You Do You

Had very productive calls with coaching clients this morning, and initial consults with other prospects. The theme of the day seemed to be “authentic living,” which is critical not only to your own quality of life and sense of fulfillment, but also to your ability to make any real difference in the world.

This came to me because, believe it or not, I’ve helped a young Navy client recognize that becoming a SEAL (his stated purpose for hiring me) is not in fact his true desire.

He had started with juvenile ideas about what he wanted, and now is maturely seeing that he actually wants to become the best version of what he already is, in the medical field.

This reminded me of the Adam Sandler movie, “You Don’t Mess with the Zohan,” about a great Israeli commando who really just wants to be a hair stylist…. We had a great laugh because the truth is often funny. And more than that, the truth is often a great relief.

Watch Zohan when you have a chance. Lighten up.

And remember, if you are interested in setting up coaching with me and my #impact system, just email Rob@ImpactActual.com

The #Impact of Mercy

In 1991 I was at a remote military site in northern Turkey. Our job was to keep an eye on what, until that year, was a decades-long existential threat posed by the Soviet Union. They literally wanted to destroy the United States. Some years before this assignment, the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev had promised to “bury” us.

My responsibility was obviously significant. Would Russia fall apart? There in the heart of the Middle East, we also wondered what would happen with that region. And the Soviets had just been driven from Afghanistan by the mujahideen, and the Berlin Wall had just fallen and been hammered into a million pieces, and was being sold as memorabilia all over Europe. This was a pivotal moment in history.

I should probably have been sober.

I was not sober, of course. An addict to alcohol, I was doing what any other self-respecting drunk would do: getting drunk. Then my luck ran out. I committed another crime, was arrested yet again, and was taken to the commander. He told me he had no further authority to judge me: in this “third strike” (I hadn’t been caught on many other criminal occasions), the policy of the Navy was to administratively discharge me. I’d be shipped home as a civilian in a couple of weeks. His hands were tied.

THE POINT

Let’s take a look at the definition of Mercy: “compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy, or other person in one’s power.” In the above scenario, I was absolutely and inescapably in the power of the most powerful Navy on earth. I had no power. My commanding officer had no power. My own choices, and no other reason, had put us both in that position. In fact, he told me he wished he could prosecute me for “criminal stupidity.” I could see the compassionate frustration in his eyes when he stared at me like an exasperated father preparing to punish the son he loves.

We don’t always get what we deserve. I, for one, am grateful for that little detail.

Sometimes, a priest or a teacher or a parent or a cop or even an enemy will choose Mercy in a moment of our powerlessness, and model a behavior of Mercy that more of us ought to emulate, more often. Commander Delorey, God bless him, made a decision in my moment of crisis that forever changed not only my own life, but the countless lives mine has touched since May of 1991. He told me he still saw real potential in me, and hoped it would be possible to save me from that administrative discharge.

Before I share his action, though, here’s what else I was facing:

During the years of my self-destructive drinking career, I had tried to clean up many times. Four years earlier, the Navy had gone so far as to lock me up for a six-week rehab. It didn’t stick. I remained a liar, a cheat, and a thief. I was suicidal at one point, and I did not kill myself only because my self-loathing convinced me I would fail that, too, leaving me crippled and an even greater burden on society….

Being kicked out of the service could have been the final straw, and cost me my life.

On that fateful day, a few weeks after my 25th birthday, Commander Delorey told me that if I were sincere in my desire to have one final chance, to stay sober, and to begin rebuilding my life, he would “fire a silver bullet to DC.” He described that as the rare prerogative of a commanding officer to request an override of the strict drug and alcohol policy. In effect, he would “vouch” for me. His own reputation would be closely tied to my subsequent choices around that decision. The silver bullet was approved.

During the years that followed, I went to Intermediate Russian language school, advanced Russian language immersion at the State University in Moscow, and Naval Aircrew candidate training. I conducted missions vital to national security.

I married, had incredible kids who are now incredible young adults, and went on to become a U.S. Navy SEAL. I conducted many more vital national security missions, crossed the world and worked in dozens of countries, and ultimately was officially credited with saving the lives of hundreds of American citizens.

Then I retired from the U.S. military, flew back to Iraq and Afghanistan as an advisor and liaison officer for American, British, and Iraqi commanders, and went on to lead the Defense Department’s Red Team (the security assessment process we use to “become” the terrorist in order to discover our side’s vulnerabilities). It is hard to estimate the total value of equipment, facilities, and lives our operations protected worldwide.

Then I wrote a book called Powerful Peace and founded a company called Impact Actual, dedicated to helping people stop making stupid choices and start making a difference.

And now you know why.

The ripple effect is unpredictable. You may be tempted to throw the book at your subordinate, your kid, or your employee, and you may simultaneously feel your Heart wanting to grant Mercy at a person’s vital crossroads of life. Think hard about that, and choose accordingly. Use your best judgment.

How to be fit and healthy in three steps

Your Body, Mind, Heart , and Soul are all vital Aspects of your existence as a human being. There are countless means available to train and improve each of the four, and each enhances the other three.

But there’s one critical lesson of simplicity to keep in mind about that first one, Body. Fitness and wellness ain’t complicated. In fact, the more complexity you add to to your Body program, the harder it will be to maintain. The harder you make it to be fit and well, the less fit and well you will be.

Hmm.

Forget about complexity and keep it simple, stupid.

Consider this basic, perfect, #Impact instruction on Body care:

Sleep, Eat, And Train.

#SEAT
That is it.

The #ImpactSEAT of your physical power, your vitality, your longevity, your sexuality, your attractiveness, your ability to climb, jump out of the way, rescue a kitten, or just not feel sedentary old man aches … all comes from #SEAT.

And the corresponding effects to your Mental acuity, your Emotional balance, and your Spiritual condition — everything in your life — is all also based on how well you manage the #ImpactSEAT. Tend it well. EVERYTHING rests on it.

Start today by examining your mastery over these three: Sleep, Eat, And Train. Then adjust accordingly.
And here’s a bonus: every change you make, no matter how small, makes a difference and makes other changes easier, too. And as you’ve also seen here, each improvement also causes corresponding improvements throughout your Mind, Heart, and Soul.

Start with something as simple as 30 extra minutes of rest!

#ItAintComplicatedPeople

#TakeCharge

#SmallSteps

#StartNow

www.ImpactActual.com

I don’t hate President Trump

​

A long-time friend and highly respected SEAL Teammate recently commented that I must really “hate” President Trump. ​Another has “unfriended” me after decades of close friendship. Here, in the middle of all this misunderstanding, is probably a good time to reiterate where I stand on the issue of Donald Trump as leader of the free world.

I honestly do not “hate” ​President Trump​. Not in the least. ​T​hat’s a natural misunderstanding caused by the flawed process we have devolved in this insane, socially-destructive season. ​Even the simple concept of “hating” a political candidate or elected official, unless that individual has personally murdered your family, is a ridiculous exaggeration and an invention of our dysfunctional national dialogue. It has been caused for a purpose. We’re the chumps, friends, and the Trumps, red or blue, are driving it. We are all victims of this; there is no “Illuminati” causing this. It’s created by simple self-interest from all sides. Yes, shocking though it may be to you, both Fox News and CNN sell advertising space and will lean toward biased spectacle to bring in viewers to sell that soap.
I’m convinced that President Trump was elected because enough people “hated” Hillary Clinton to tip him the win. If “we” hadn’t fallen for that, things would be different today. One thing that would be different is that I would be criticizing her continuation of failed soft-touch Obama admin policies. President Obama was too soft, generally speaking. That cost us in national security. President Trump is charging into the complex international balance between compassion and conviction in the “too hard” range. That will cost us in national security.
Every word I’ve written about the subject in these past months demonstrates that I​ am speaking my sincere views on President Trump. I do not care whether our president is blue or red. We’re being torn apart because our people are falling for the rhetoric from both sides. I don’t care if “my” side won the election (I didn’t vote for Clinton, contrary to many people’s assumptions). I would love to see POTUS step aside and let VPOTUS Pence step in!
And I commented just yesterday that I would be very happy to buy President Trump a coffee and talk for hours about his extraordinary career … if he were simply to step aside and let Pence do the job. I simply and honestly do not *trust* the person Donald Trump. I believe he is morally bankrupt, a bullying megalomaniac, and has made deals with Putin. If I’m even partially right about these things, we are in a dangerous place. I believe ​any conscientious citizen ​would be just as vocal about these concerns if ​he or she ​shared them.
So whether your polarized extreme golf cap says #TrumpTrain or #NeverTrump, whatever you assume about me is inaccurate. We don’t solve the problems of the country by attacking our neighbors in the country. We are all playing our little part in raising stock prices for soap companies, and we cannot yet comprehend how bad it will be if we don’t change course.

Introduction and Lesson 1 of the #Impact Program: Training

If you’re not yet registered in the #Impact Program, fret not. We just launched today!

I decided I’d like to post the first two lessons right here so you can see what it’s about.

Enjoy:

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Week 01, Lesson 00: Introduction

Most teachers will give you a version of their material based on wanting to have some career longevity.

That means they’ll find ways to feed you the information in a palatable way so you’ll keep coming back.

This is not my career. I do all I need to keep the lights on through advising and speaking and coaching.

What you’ll get from me in this course is just a SEAL’s truth as I’ve learned it over 50 years in 35 countries.

 

If you try out any program for performance improvement – including mine – and it isn’t intuitively memorable and sensible, think hard about staying on that train. It may not be going where you need to. That is artificial, thrown together with theories and good ideas. Good ideas are great, and most of what I do was born in good ideas, but they are only the beginning. You have to build and test and prove them.

 

The #Impact Program has been built and tested and proven by my own experience, and that of my clients.

 

In this Introductory week, Week Zero, we’re going to establish a baseline to build on for the months of focus lessons to follow. The entire #Impact “System” rests on the concept of common human experience, as captured in the four Aspects of Body, Mind, Heart, and Soul.

The twelve Qualities provide a specific framework for developing across our Aspects, becoming a whole person. These are Strength, Authenticity, Accountability, Balance, Awareness, Understanding, Compassion, Courage, Cooperation, Gratitude, Humility, and Generosity.

We develop and grow these Qualities through the three Disciplines of Training, Aligning, and Controlling.

As we develop and grow, we pass through the three Stages of Grow Strong, Live Strong, and Give Strong.

My mentor Tony Robbins insists that “The secret to living is giving.” I agree. What else is there?

And you can’t give if you haven’t got. We have to build, first.

Let’s begin.

– Rob DuBois January 1, 2017
Rob@ImpactActual.com

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Week 01, Lesson 01: Training

The three Disciplines to develop wholeness are Training, Aligning, and Controlling.

Before we go further on this lesson, Training, here’s a brief review of the levels of planning and execution.

For national security, we must maintain three concurrent points of view to keep American kids alive: “Strategic” is the highest level perspective, and means the big picture. What is, and what we want. “Operational” is the middle level of planning out the necessary steps to accomplish a strategic vision. “Tactical” is where the strategic rubber meets the road. Operational steps are carried out by operators.

In the #Impact Program, you become the operator.

1. You’ll determine the strategic vision for your life, at the start and with reassessment throughout. Does your dream include becoming a better painter, planter, or parent? Do you want more time, money, or health? These are yours to choose and pursue.
2. We’ll determine the operational steps to get you there. Do you need a certification or a degree? …Or maybe you can develop everything you need for your life’s dream business just by using free social media and online tools as taught by Gary Vee in Crush It! You don’t have to know it all today; you just have to commit to being willing to learn and let yourself grow.
3. And then you’ll execute the tactical operations you determine you need. We practice the three Disciplines of Training, Aligning, and Controlling. These spell TAC, because you’re executing TACtically with all of your #Impact Program growth and development. You’re executing in service to your life, to your loved ones, and your community.

Training is the first way we deliberately develop ourselves. It is deliberate, by its very nature. You can lie on the couch and get out of shape, or you can be a lumberjack and get incredibly fit. Neither is focused on your development like the conscious Discipline of Training.

We can Train in all of the Aspects of our lives—not just “exercising” your muscles—but we have to think about it. It is not unconscious to decide to write someone a quick email (or, better yet, a paper letter) as one of many ways to exercise and deliberately develop your Aspect of Heart, or the Emotional part.

The @ImpactActual approach to Training your whole life is called “Bomiheso” as an acronym for the four Aspects. And using the Bomiheso system of emailed “workouts of the day,” each participant gets in the habit of continually focusing on developing as a balanced human being.

Over time, you’ll come up with your own #Bomiheso exercises, and I want to hear about them. The best ideas will make their way into the #Bomiheso database to and be randomly generated so no two weeks are exactly the same.

Let’s sample some of the exercises people are already doing.

Body:
“For #3UpTo30 minutes, get outside and take a brisk walk.”
“For #3UpTo30 minutes, pay attention to setting up a healthy water consumption routine.”

Mind:
“For #3UpTo30 minutes, review vocabulary for a language you know or want to know.”
“For #3UpTo30 minutes, take a look at www.Lumosity.com to train your brain.”

Heart:
“For #3UpTo30 minutes, jot a quick email or a long letter to someone you’d like to see again.”
“For #3UpTo30 minutes, journal about what matters in your life right now.”

Soul:
“For #3UpTo30 minutes, think about your spiritual outlook—is it still what you believe?”
“For #3UpTo30 minutes, relax and let the monkeys stop chattering while you meditate.

These are just a few ways you can deliberately focus your development across the Aspects. And notice the “3 up to 30” pattern of all the tips. I offer these with that caveat because it makes this training accessible to anyone, regardless of time available.

As homework for this Lesson on Training, I want you to exercise your brain and come up with a few more activities to Train your Body, Mind, Heart, and Soul. All of these together will form the pool of tricks you can use for yourself to stay fresh, trained, and “toned up” for the rest of your life.

Body:    _______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

Mind:    _______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

Heart:   _______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

Soul:     _______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

If you think of some really good ones, let me know at Rob@ImpactActual.com! I’ll roll them into our daily workouts of the day for #Bomiheso, and you’ll be making the #Impact Nation better.

Now, as this lesson concludes, I want you to take a few more minutes and think about what you’ve read here. This is your own reflection for yourself, as you process what makes sense (or, as I said, doesn’t!) for you. During the Program, you will journal and process a lot, especially with new information like this. So jot down some notes—use extra paper if you need—and then I’ll see you in the next lesson.

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Ready to join us, and get this and much more during 2017? Click here to register.

Me And The Tree

Me

The Tree

#ImpactMusing Very interesting exercise…can you sit and watch a tree for an hour? How hard could it be, right? It’s not like sprinting or boxing or listening to chemistry lectures. And if not — why not?
I couldn’t. Here is a photographic record of me, moments before failing to keep watching the tree. At about the two minute mark.

The shame is, it’s a very nice tree. In a very nice tropical setting. And even with a very nice breeze rustling the leaves. But still nope. 

I have a hell of a lot of work to do right now. Contract stuff, school stuff, #ImpactProgram stuff (we launch tomorrow!), my speaker’s bio to rehab for a new prospective client. And although I’m not a smart man, I do know you sometimes have to slow down to speed up. So with all this pressing down on me, I stepped outside Starbucks with my coffee to just watch a tree.

And failed.

Is it the workload? Ah, hell no. I had already told the workload to pound sand and I’d be back when I’m back. It was the Time.

We treat Time like George Carlin said we treat Space. We get some space, and then we go buy some shit to put in it. When we get too much shit for our space, do we discard shit? No! We go buy more space and then buy more shit to put in all the new space! (That’s why real estate will always be a good investment. You’re welcome.)

Early Protestantism, and Zen Buddhism, both traditions which I’ve followed at different times in this brief flicker of existence, are variously credited with some version of this wisdom: “I make it a practice to pray (meditate) for a minimum of one hour every day. Without fail. Unless I’m too busy. In which case I make it two.”

I gave myself the priceless gift of an hour of peace, of Time, and immediately began loading it up with whatever shit I could find lying around in my walnut-sized brain. Why?

Do I fear unoccupied physical or temporal space? Possibly. It’s probably more habit. What do you do when you find yourself unexpectedly waiting for a few minutes on the plane, the train, or the automobile? Right. You probably grab the phone and start looking for stuff to quickly jam into that vast, echoing chamber of space called two minutes of your life. AKA “tranquility.” God forbid you should just sit and watch a tree. And relax.

As a writer, I have an unfair advantage in that I can use the 58 minutes to generate this story about the unhealthy need to fill time with activity (like writing a story….) Heck, I rationalize, I needed to do the story for my business anyway.

But I also needed to relax. And I chose not to. I need to own that truth. And because I’m mindful of it, I’ll do better next…Time. Especially now that you are holding me accountable because you know my little secret.

Tomorrow I’ll try the tree for three. Minutes, that is.

(PS: if you’re not already following @ImpactActual at Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, either change that or be prepared to hate yourself forever. That’s where the details can be found about the amazing 49-week #ImpactProgram, starting tomorrow, of which this story is but a taste.)