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Guest Lee Labrada “Leadership”

In this episode of my Muscle & Fitness: Max Mind Set, I talk about leaving the New Year’s Resolution “BULLSHIT” at 2012′s doorstep and invoking some real passion by setting an  empowering, challenging and audacious goal for the new year.

Ready to rock… then check it out.

Get Audacious in 2012

Watch My Video at Muscle & Fitness Magazine

If you’re anything like me, there’s a lot you have to think about from minute to minute, day to day and week to week. It can be freaking overwhelming at times.  Other times it seems like we’re running on auto pilot.

Just the other day for example, I was headed to Colorado Springs from Denver and after arriving at my destination – I had vertically no recollection of driving or even what exit I took to get there. I had taken the drive so many times that it was programmed in.

It was as if I were in a trance the entire drive down except when some idiot in a semi cut me off doing 90mph.   Then somehow as if on its own with no conscious effort on my part, my finger popped up…. followed by a short all be it intense stream of obscenities flowing from my lips.

It was like a reflex or part of the natural fight or flight response – or what I now call the fight/flight/finger response.

Like walking, breathing or the pumping of blood to and from the heart much of that stuff that happens automatically without us ever thinking about it is the job of your unconscious mind.

Your unconscious (or subconscious) mind is responsible for almost 90% of your actual mental activity and most of it is happening below our conscious radar.

Imagine a massive iceberg for a moment… your conscious mind is represented by what you see on the surface which is approximately 10% of the mass. This is the realm we like to think of as CHOICE.

The vast majority of the iceberg like your unconscious mind is somewhat hidden below the surface. And whether you’re aware of it or not it has massive influence over the vast majority of your actions, decisions and the choices you make on a minute to minute day to day basis… like flicking the bone at a truck driver that could run your ass over without a second thought.

Logically that might not have been the best choice but the emotional part of the brain can often hijack logic and automatically trigger an otherwise foolish response.

Consciously you may have decided to get up and go to the gym this morning, or grab those two beers last night, what kind of shape you’re going to be in or even the amount of money you make. But what you’re likely not aware of is the influence your unconscious programming had on those decisions.

Like the blueprints and programming you created early on about how to walk, talk and all the little idiosyncrasies you have – you we’re also busy creating unconscious blueprints and programming for how much success, happiness, fitness and money you we’re going to have… as well as the way you response to stress or fear.  All based on some early experiences you had, and or the decisions or beliefs you created.

The very programs you likely created to help you safely navigate your environment at that time my now limit your options and choices and may have become the primary factors in limiting your ability to achieve what you want… providing you know what you want.

My goal was to get to Colorado Springs and back home again safely in one piece and yet my very reaction to the environment around me could have produced a decidedly different result.  In many respects it was a fear based reaction.

That reaction unless identified and re-programmed does and will continue to represent a restriction and limitation to the otherwise more empowering and appropriate choices available.

Maybe it’s time to start questioning some of your unconscious automatic responses to what’s been cutting you off or getting in your way. Maybe it’s time to scrap some of the old blueprints and start building a new set of plans for the type of choice you want to make consciously.

There are countless times throughout the course a year, month, week or even daily that we feel sort of overwhelmed, overworked, under accomplished and what is commonly described as Burned Out.

Been there — done that.

There are simply not enough beads on the average abacus to count how many times I have thrown my head back, covered my face with my hands and screamed,“I need a vacation!!!!!” That was before I understood the principles of full engagement and the importance of recharging the emotional and physical batteries.

As a pro athlete I had learned the hard way the critical importance of recovery in the process of achieving something beyond average and mundane. I recall how during preparation for a incredibly important competition I had all but lost it, my sanity that is. I was just 3 weeks out form the event when my body and mind simply said NO MORE F*&%#R!

I tried to push through and press on because I thought had no choice. I had witnessed other athletes do it. But I had also seen the results. More often than not they would push through but then crumple and fall apart either physically or more often emotionally at the very last minute before the event.

One last competitor for me to worry about.

That’s not to say as a warrior you should just lay down your weapon in the middle of a battle or stop marching forward simply because your mind or feet are telling you to stop. Not at all. In fact in most cased when the mind is telling you to stop or back off it’s an indication to push even harder or to swing the ax even faster.

However, what a truly seasoned and experienced warrior is willing to recognize - is that when he or she is faced with superior or overwhelming forces the only way to live to fight another day is to RETREAT – REGROUP, tend to their wounds, devise a more effective strategy or plan and then RE-ENGAGE again later.

I learned through my own experience and by watching the warriors falling around me that if I were going to compete with and prevail over obviously superior and even overwhelming competition I would need a superior strategy and tacked. So I started learning not only how create “rapport” with my body by listening to its needs but also how to CORRECTLY Interpret the meaning of the messages I received from my unconscious mind you know those little inner voices that are always trying to stop you from moving forward… I battled them too, we all do.

If you are going to do more than just survive but prosper in your hard working quest for a better life you must learn to do the same.

This Thursday (May 5th) during a live teleseminar I am going to be talking about how, if you are going to either overcome or avoid being overcome by out you too must learn how to employ a superior strategy and tack.

If you have ever felt like an exhausted and overwhelmed warrior just trying to hold your ground with little visible progress then you need to join me and my good friend and business coach extraordinaire, Travis Greenlee on Thursday, May 5th as we share some extremely valuable tools and strategies for winning not just the battle but the war.

You can return to this page and listen below or go to Retreat and Re-engage NOW

You can also submit your questions below and we’ll do our best to answer them during the call.

See you then!

Live call:

Date: Thursday May 5th, 2011

Time: 11am PT, 12pm MT, 2pm ET

Replay is Available!!:

NOTE: The special offer is only available for the next 48 hours. Offer expires May 7, 2011!

BONUS GIFT: Action Goals Criteria

We know exercise is good for us and we’ve all heard about the benefits- from reduced risk of disease and obesity to how it can make us feel really good. But it’s not always enough to get us up off the couch and moving. Sometimes we need more… right?

There’s an interesting saying- “we’ll do more for others then we will for ourselves.” Is that true? Would you run into a burning building to grab a suitcase with $100,000 in it. Maybe maybe not. But what if a child was in there or someone you loved? What you even think twice? Unlikely.

Caring about and wanting to support others can get us doing things we otherwise wouldn’t do for ourselves. The contestants on the Biggest Loser for example will often find the motivation they need to persevere in knowing how their transformation will impact their families or loved ones.

On June 5th (National Cancer Survivor Day) that motivation can be seen in an inspiring way as literally tens of thousands of people nationwide lace up their running/walking shoes and pound the pavement in support of the cancer survives and their families and to help others win the battle.

I hope you’ll get up and move and show your support by joining me and hundreds of other physical philanthropists at the Exempla Lutheran Medical Center in Lakewood, Colorado for the LEAVES of HOPE 5k run/walk on June 5, 2011 or wherever a National Cancer Survivor Day event is taking place in your community. It may be all the motivation you need to run or even walk your first or next 5k.

An Inspiring Walk with Mr. America in Support of Health, Fitness and Others.

The power and reach of Facebook as we already know seems to be just about endless. We can literally reach out and touch a perfect stranger or be touched by a perfect stranger form the other side of the world.

I received the below message in my Facebook messages not long ago and at first I was leery and suspect… as you know there are also a lot of less than desirable even sleazy characters out there that also want to reach out and touch someone. But after a little looking into I felt compelled to reply.

The Message:

“Hi Tom, I’m xxxx xxxxxx and I live Indonesia. Well, we never meet each other of course, and I always wondering about how come you get such a great body, I mean that’s an amazing body you have there you know. For me, If I have that kind of body, I’ll be very proud to myself. To achieve such a great body it’s already a big step for me in my life, I mean I’ve got no confident too much to stand outside. So, I think if I send you a message, at least you can help me a little.”

Sincerely,

xxxx xxxxxx

Reply:

Hi xxxxx,

I appreciate your very sincere and flattering message. I have never been to Indonesia but I love your culture and I have had the opportunity to study your martial arts Silat. Do you study?

Regarding your body and confidence. Building an athletic body or becoming a bodybuilder is indeed something you should and would be proud of… however you should also be proud of who you are regardless.

During my early years of Kung Fu training I learned that pride in many respects is the enemy and humility is the goal. Being humble and Confident is a magical combination. If for some reason your body r physical self image is reducing your confidence than you should work on changing that.

There are all sorts of ways to build the body but the fasted way is through progressive resistance or weight training and healthy and abundant eating.

If you can get a hold of them there are several great books on the subject – like Shawn Phillips, Strength For Life. When I first started training a spent countless hours reading and learning about training techniques and methods. I would than apply what I learned in the gym or in my basement using some home made exercise equipment. You can do exactly the same thing.

Do you have a gym or athletic club that you can afford to join near by? If so I’m sure they have some one there who can give you some basic training instructions to get you started.

You can also look up some of the “Body Weight” exercise and workout programs on YouTube and get started there as well. In any case, it will take time and discipline to build the body you want. Be patient and keep at it no matter what and it will happen.

But the best advice I can give you is when you look in the mirror mentally direct your body to change but reward what you already have with gratitude and humility.

Good luck and stay in touch xxxxx,

PS. I also have a fantastic Confidence Training program you should put into place in your life… it will help guide you to the next level. Inner Game of Confidence

Do you reply to your compelling Facebook messages?

I’ve been quoted as saying “All achievement is based first on the strength of your WILL.” The strength of will I talk about of course is the WILL to start, the WILL to go on, to be more, and to achieve at the level of our potential and the Will to WIN.

We witness it more often than we would think‚ but we don’t always recognize it when it’s happening.

Last night I had the opportunity to see it in one of its most distilled and acute forms and I have to admit I was moved. Which is somewhat telling – in that, its purpose is to get us moving and keep us moving.

Last night I attended a FIGHT, several actually. More specifically I was at the Denver Athletic Club for the “St Paddy’s Day Punch Out” pro boxing matches‚ I know I know, not a very sexy name is it?

I’ve been to countless fights before I have also had the distinction of having been on both the teaching and “learning” end of more brawls than I care to remember.

But as I watched what I can only describe as a “Rocky” style epic battle I reflected on a lesson I learned years before which is, it isn’t always the opponent with the most skill, training, or conditioning that winds up on top, although those things are all critical factors.

It is the strength of WILL that may ultimately determine your outcome.

Two men standing toe to toe with one single goal between them, WIN. Only one can achieve this goal‚ but both must. It dawned on me, as I watched the nonstop exchange of blows, that for many of the fighters on the card this wasn’t just a fight‚ this was their life. Winning or not winning could mean the difference between paying the rent and being tossed out on the street, putting food on the table or going hungry, taking care of their family or the demoralizing affects of feeling like a failure.

Like those fighters, who’s WILL has been strengthened by need more than desire or want and through pushing themselves well outside their physical, mental and even emotional comfort zone almost daily; we all have more inside us than we know.

The fighter trains and prepares both body and mind but never really knows exactly what will show up in the ring when he or she suddenly realizes they’re in a war. Will they quit, just hold on, or fight to the death if necessary?

It’s like that in many of our own lives. We’re unofficially in training every day via our personal struggles but we can only guess, hope or speculate that when we are challenged to do battle beyond our conditioning or preparation that what will show up WILL be what we need to show up. That we will have the inner strength and WILL to not quit, to push beyond what we t believe are our limits and go the distance.

There was one particular fight last night that from the very onset appeared to be unevenly matched. As one opponent imposed his WILL on the other it began to look as if the lesser opponent should simply throw in the towel and cut his losses before they cut him. Instead he fought on – and at one point it was apparent, at least from a fellow warrior’s eyes, that he had already defeated his number one adversary the very thought of quitting. As a result everyone in the audience was on their feet and cheering for the underdog even though they knew he wasn’t going to win. We were inspired.

He finished the match and was able to walk away with his head held high, bloody but high.

How will you show up? No one was born a winner or a loser just a chooser. You get to choose how you show up… if your WILL is strong enough.

Have you ever had a partner, coach or friend who pushed you a little harder than you actually wanted to be pushed?  I mean they demanded more from you perhaps than you yourself even thought you had?

When I was training for competition I always had a training partner and the very best training partners were the ones who were the MEANEST, toughest and most demanding.  I once trained with a guy I can only describe as a complete psychopath. I never trained harder or looked better… I hated the guy but loved the training.

Then there were those times when I had to face the iron alone. I remember my 3rd attempt at winning the Nationals – I had taken the bronze and the silver consecutively the two previous years and you might say this was the moment of truth. If I didn’t win it my third time out I would have lost the power of all that momentum and as they say “3 strikes and you’re out” .

Yet, I was having a tremendous amount of difficulty finding the energy and discipline to train and diet the way I knew I needed to.¬† For some reason the motivation just wasn’t there.

Have you ever been in that place ‚Äì where you knew you had to get moving and even knew exactly what you needed to do but simply couldn’t find the gumption to do it?

In hind sight I realize now that part of what was holding me back from unleashing everything I had was a lingering unconscious doubt as to whether or not – I was really good enough to win the whole thing Рto be a full fledged champion. Sure, I was good enough to come close – even within one point of winning the previous year- but the whole enchilada????

And so the ENERGY around my preparation had gone MIA. On top of that my psychopath training partner had also gone AWOL – so I was going it alone.

If you have ever trained for an athletic event, body transformation challenge or contest you know that the real serious training begins at about the twelve week mark. When I began to realize there was a problem I was already at the10 week mark and in the worst physical, mental and emotional shape of my life. You could say my BOTTOM LINE wasn’t looking so good.

I needed help DESPERATELY ‚Äì so I reached out to my mentor Tony Pandolfo who I hadn’t seen or spoken to in a few months. I remember calling him out of the blue late on a Sunday night and sharing my challenge.¬† He didn’t try to coach me or even sympathize he simply told me to show up in the gym at 6am the next morning and that I had better be ready to rumble.

Bear in mind that I had been training at around 3:00 in the afternoon and had never considered myself a morning person.¬† But I also knew that unless I wanted to be “mourning” my own defeat in 10 weeks I had better get to bed early, show up early and be ready to go at 6 am.¬† Something I would not have done on my own.

Now other than the morning thing ‚Äì wasn’t too worried about keeping up with Tony ‚Äì he was after all almost 40 years old at that time and I was in my prime at only 27.

That may have been the worst “ass”umption I have ever made in my life.

While I had my head in the men’s room toilet getting rid of what was left of my pre-workout breakfast, Tony was banging in the stall door ‚Äì demanding that I get back out there and finish the workout.

Man he was MEAN‚Ķ but it was exactly what I needed to get the ENERGY back to where it needed to be.¬† He knew I had the ENERGY AVAILABLE ‚Äì I just wasn’t MANAGING it at that moment.

He knew as did I that if I were going to win I would have to tap into and manage that available energy every single day for the next 10 weeks. And if I was truly a champion – well beyond those 10 weeks.

That was the year Tony and I brought home the GOLD at the Nationals.

From that experience forward I have never been shy about asking for help when it’s needed – or giving it when it when it was asked for and sometimes before.

As a National Bodybuilding Champion you can imagine I have received a lot of sound and even some not so sound advice in the areas of exercise and nutrition. I have also had ample opportunity to give what I hope as been sound advise in both those areas.

But of all the advise I have ever gotten of given I would have to say Jacks is still the best. You could even say “if you don’t listen to Jack, you don’t know jack.”

The legend Jack LaLanne was a coach and mentor to thousands of Americans and inspired countless more over the span of some 60 plus years. His advise is as sound today as it was in 1960 and needed even more than ever before.

Listen, Learn, Follow… or risk not knowing JACK!

There’s a saying…

“How you do anything is how you do everything”

When I was pursuing my athletic career my coach once told me he could always tell who had the real potential to go all the way – to be a great champion and make it to the top.

It had nothing to do with genetics or even who trained the hardest. But rather it had everything to do with everything.

How a man conducted his life off the playing field in the real world is the true indicator of championship stock.

My coach knew and I quickly found out that if someone gives 100% to everything they do including the small seemingly inconsequential details – if they play full out even when the stakes are low or meaningless to someone else.

If they give 100% even when no one else is watching; they quickly develop the empowering habit and championship attribute of expecting 100% from themselves at that moment of truth when everything is on the line… to them there is no other way.