Adam – Page 8 – Guru Gilbert

The number one quality we should look for in our President

The December 17th issue of Time had some startling statistics on voters. According to Time, Democrats picked good judgment 33% of the time and Republicans picked it 21% of the time, when asked what the most important quality of a candidate is.

The other choices were leadership, character, experience and caring about people.

Call me crazy but how is good judgment not the top choice by a landslide regardless of what party you’re affiliated with.

If you have bad judgment experience means absolutely nothing. A person with good judgment would consult with people who have experience. Clearly, judgment is more important than experience.

Leadership and caring about people are fairly silly concepts that have little to do with presidential job performance. Obviously you don’t want a wimp or a sociopath in the White House but I think the bar is already set low. And all of the candidates clear it with room to spare.

Character is important in exactly the same sense that good health is important no? You need a minimum of both to be a suitable president. But the bar isn’t set that high for either health or character. You can have polio, or be a liar, and it doesn’t seem to have much impact on job performance. Both McCain and Obama have enough character, and health (I think), for the job.

So don’t you think good judgment should be the most important quality in a president? But how often do you hear someone say that a candidate has good judgment?

Which leads me to who I’d love to see be President.

Unfortunately, he’s not running.

You would think the strongest quality a successful business person has to offer is good judgment. In most cases, if you start with a little money, and end up with a lot, you have obviously made a lot of good decisions along the way.

But let’s get back to reality for a second. Is the President going to affect my life that much? Is this election that much more ‘historical’ than any other besides a black man running for President and a woman running for VP?

Big deal. It’s 2008!

It’s about time. I could care less what gender or color our President is.

I watched part of Obama’s 30 minute infomercial last night. He keeps talking about hope and these tax breaks he’s going to give to people. And he keeps profiling these people who are in debt up to their eyeballs and can barely afford anything.

Sad story indeed. But Obama nor McCain are miracle workers. They aren’t going to make your life that much better or worse. Only you can make your life better or worse.

The amount of faith and hope people have in Obama (and McCain) is frightening to me. He’s not the answer. He’s not going to miraculously change your life if you’re desperately struggling.

This era of complete irresponsible consumption like buying homes you have no business living in because you can’t even come close to affording it or maxing out your credit cards thinking it’s free money is mind-boggling to me. Who do these people think they are?

Who do you think you are?

It’s these same people who depend on a President to make their life better as opposed to themselves.

Whatever happened to personal responsibility in this Country? Like taking responsibility for your own actions? Your own life? Like buying things you can afford. Like living at, or dare I say, below your means!?!

Whoever wins, wins.

But I’ll be voting for the best decision maker.

And the making my life better part? I’ll leave that up to yours truly.

[Some nice comments over at BrazenCareerist.com too!]

PickOnTheFatKid.com and why I care so much

Bear with me but I’d like to share with you why I care so much about my clients.

Back in early January of 2007, while running on the treadmill at 5:30 AM and while feeling amazing and on top of the world like usual (not a coincidence – exercising has that affect on you. So does eating right.) I kept thinking to myself, “This is the best feeling in the entire world. Everyone should experience this feeling! This is just too good not to spread.”

The fire for MyBodyTutor was ignited. (The idea was already born.)

I quit my full time job 3 weeks later. I had to do it. I just cared too much. And once you care about something it’s hard to ignore it.

My core purpose and mission with my clients is to help them stay consistent. Above everything that I provide like an easy to follow customized diet and exercise program.

When you stay consistent with your diet and exercise…you will feel amazing. There are no ifs, ands or buts. All things being equal when you workout and eat right you will feel so much better than if you didn’t workout and eat healthy.

And when you do that consistently…you will feel amazing consistently (and, of course, see results!). And that’s really the business I’m in.

You can say I’m in the amazing business and I can’t think of a more rewarding, thrilling and fun business to be in.

After reading this particular client’s blog post today (it’s 10/22/08 as I write this) it really made me smile. Reading how great he is doing and how great he is feeling and how is attitude at work is even changing is what it’s all about for me. That is what makes me jump out of bed every morning.

I’ve helped (and help) countless clients in all shapes and sizes with different goals every day ranging in age from 15 to 77 years old stay consistent.

I have hundreds of thank you emails and testimonials that I read for inspiration. (I wish I could have them all on my new website but my web developer told me no. “People aren’t going to read them all,” he said. He’s probably right. The secret is they are more for me.)

But this particular client really inspires me. This guy is 460 pounds (as of 10/22/08) and he had enough courage to start. But where most of us falter whether we’re trying to lose 260 pounds or 10 is keeping on going.

And already he’s feeling amazing. Already he feels in control.

A lot of people want to know why I ‘care’ so much about people’s success. I care so much because it’s hard not to.

It’s hard not to care when you know the possibilities. It’s hard not to want to spread the goodness that being healthy and fit brings. There is no better feeling than running along the FDR (in New York City) with cars buzzing along one side and the East River on the other while the sun is shining down on you.

There is no better feeling than listening to your favorite songs while exercising.

Exercising is truly a celebration of life. It’s hard not to want to spread that. It’s hard not to want to help people who want to change. Who want to improve. Who want to grow. Who want to evolve. Who aren’t all talk!

It’s easy to not care about people who are stuck. Who settle for mediocrity. And complain month after month and New Year after New Year about how they’re going to change but never take action. I have no patience for people who hope and wish.

I have all of the patience in the world for people who are willing to try.

Wes is already inspiring me and the rest of the MyBodyTutor family and I’m sure anyone who follows his journey and story will be inspired too.

Wes has A LOT of courage and what I love so much about Wes is he understands this isn’t a 3 week thing here. He understands it’s going to take meal after meal. Workout after workout. No matter what the goal is! (And there’s where I come in. Because it’s really easy to give up and lose motivation. It’s really easy to rationalize poor eating and a lack of exercise. It’s really hard to stay consistent meal after meal. Workout after workout.)

He has A LOT of work left. His goal is to lose 260 pounds. And there is not a doubt in my mind…We will get there!

I will NOT let him not get there.

Check out his courageous blog at: www.pickonthefatkid.com

I keep telling Wes this is going to be an incredible journey.

It’s going to be a long journey but certainly a worthwhile one.

And I think he is starting to believe that too!

The endless universe and why there are no such things as ‘UFOs’!!!

The thought of space is totally mind boggling to me. The idea that space doesn’t end and that that universe is still expanding just doesn’t make any sense. What do you mean it doesn’t end?

No walls? Nothing? Okay maybe there is a wall. But what’s on the other side of the wall?

It doesn’t make any sense whatsoever. That’s okay. It’s not supposed to make any sense.

This is just one of those mysteries that will never, ever, be solved. At least not by us, humans.

I read this article about UFOs today because that stuff really intrigues me. But, I have to say when it comes down it, I don’t believe for a second, UFOs or ‘Aliens’ (which is what we’re really interested in) have ever made it to Earth.

(Very big difference between UFOs and Aliens. Unidentified Flying Objects mean nothing to me if there are no ‘Aliens’ in it.)

I do believe there is life outside our solar system considering there are about 100 billion galaxies in the universe. And movies like Contact certainly make you think.

So here’s why I don’t believe ‘Alien’s’ have ever made it to Earth:

One. If you traveled at 100 km/hr, (which is about 62 miles per hour) it would take you 60,000,000 hours to reach our most distant planet.

To break that down even further, it would take you 6849.3 years to reach Pluto going 62 miles per hour. And if I’m not mistaken Pluto is no longer even considered a planet.

Two. A jet traveling at 1000 km/hr., which is about 621 miles per hour, would have a 6,000,000 hour flight.
How many years is that? That’s 684.9 years!

Three. We know there is no life inside our solar system besides here on Earth. And the closest galaxy is 2 million light years away.

For your edification that would mean you’d have to travel at the speed of light for 2 million straight years. And if you remember in physics, you can’t travel faster than the speed of light. (Of course, physics as we – humans – know them.)

If you were traveling at the speed of light, a light year would be the distance that you would travel in one year. Specifically, light travels at 300,000 km/sec, therefore distance traveled in 1 year = (distance traveled in 1 s); (60 sec/min); (60 min/hr); (24 hr/day); (365 days/yr.) = 9.4608 x 1012 km (that’s as far as I can go but you’d be going 300,000 km/second or 186,411.357 miles per second.)

Four. Therefore, ‘Aliens’ would have to be traveling at 186,411 Miles PER second for 2 million straight years. That means they’d have to be able to cook food in this vehicle, reproduce over and over, and be fully self sufficient and self containing while going this speed for 2 million straight years without stopping.

All to just crash in a desert in Nevada?!?!?!

Until some of these folks in these hokey towns actually meet an ‘Alien’ I’m not buying it.

Sorry to say, but I’m pretty sure our fantasies (or nightmares) of ‘Independence Day’ like heroism will never have to occur.

Of course they are fun to think about and fun to write about but I’m starting to get a headache thinking about all of this and it’s time to get back to reality.

Although, reality is an illusion…

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If you liked this post you’ll probably enjoy this ‘Do you believe in God’ post I wrote almost two years ago already.

Sometimes I hate Adam Gilbert (a magical interview and some hateful press)

Dorie, writes a very thoughtful, interesting and pretty hilarious take on her experience with MyBodyTutor on her blog here.

Thankfully, my mom (a very wise woman) always told me that hate is the closest thing to love so I’m not offended.

Greg, asks me some great questions for an interview I did to celebrate the launch of Lee Cockerell’s wonderful new book Creating Magic. We cover all sorts of interesting topics from why I believe belief is so important to why I believe the media doesn’t over react when it comes to steroids in sports to why my Auntie Anne rocks.

Kate, on Twitter (a micro-blogging platform) writes that she’s in love with me until…

And thanks to Sara for taking a bunch of pictures of me on her roof the other night for the Creating Magic interview!

If I did it why shouldn’t you?

Pledging my fraternity in college was the best experience I ever had, that I’d never, ever, want to go through again.

I’ll never forget some of my fraternity brothers that went out of there way to be complete assholes to my pledge class. It’s like they had nothing better to do. They enjoyed making our lives miserable.

I love our country. The opportunities are endless to be or do anything you dream of. But everyone has an opinion (and that’s fine) and too many people enjoy bashing our country without a plan of action. I wonder if people would bash our country if they had to actually serve our country.

People probably wouldn’t take it for granted anymore.

A few weeks ago, I was invited to play in a golf outing. Our foursome had a caddy. For someone who caddied for 7 summers doing 36 holes a day lugging golf clubs in the hot sun waking up at 5AM every day, it was a pretty cool experience.

I remember when I caddied how much I hated the members that treated us (the caddies) like dirt. I’ll also never forget the names of the members who were awesome to us. I always dreamed of the day where I’d be in a position to tip a caddy. I’ll never forget all the character building days I had.

Some of my caddy friends at the time always said that if and when they had an opportunity to have a caddy, they’d be an even bigger asshole.

If they had to go through it, why shouldn’t the next guy? Payback is a bitch. I guess.

When I was in a position to have ‘slaves’ as pledge brothers, I never forgot how miserable I was at times during pledging. I never wanted my pledges to experience that feeling. At least not from me. I was the Vice President of our fraternity and was the guy who smiled and hysterically laughed while trying to fake yell at them. It’s just wasn’t me.

I’m overly generous when it comes to tipping waiters. Why? I used to be one. And there was nothing worse than being stiffed after working your absolute tail off for every possible request they demanded. I never want someone to experience that. Because it sucks.

So, I tipped our caddy ridiculously. And that felt absolutely amazing. The guy was smiling from ear to ear. I’ll never forget those loops as they call them (a loop is one round of golf) where I made $300 for something I normally made $100 for. The caddy was in heaven. I gave him all the beer and food he could have possibly wanted. It was more fun for me than it was for him. I’m sure of it.

What’s the point of all of these little anecdotes?

Compassion.

Treat people how you want to be treated.

It’s so simple it hurts.

Ouch.

[Some comments over at BrazenCareerist.com!]

11 life lessons I was reminded of while bouldering in Yosemite

Yosemite National Park is gorgeous. I went there in early September and I had an incredible time hiking in the pristine trails and surreal surroundings. (Pictures to come.)

While hiking, I discovered a new passion and I’m now obsessed. It’s called Bouldering. I’m already planning a trip to get back there for a long weekend. It’s a rock climber’s heaven.

So here are 11 life lessons I was reminded of while Bouldering:

One: Be Curious

I’m naturally a very curious person. I love knowing how things work. “But why?” is a question my mom is probably tired of hearing already. But I can’t help myself!

The World is a fascinating place!

While hiking up the trail, we walked over a bridge and there were giant boulders below us and all around – leading up the river bed. I was amazed by them. It was like a giant jungle gym. I really wanted to climb them…

Two: Take Risks!

I was drawn to them. It just looked like so much fun! So on the way back down from the trail (about 3 hours later) I handed my camera to my mom and told her I was going to meet her back down at the bridge. “Adam, you sure you can do this?” my mom kept saying. “Just be careful please!!!”

Three: Don’t listen to what people say (unless it’s your mom)

Especially, if you really believe in what you’re doing. I just had to do this. Even as I was climbing down from the trail into the river bed (which was one of the most dangerous parts) I wasn’t sure of what I was getting myself into.

Four: Enjoy the journey

Enough said. The days are long. The years are short.

Five: Take it one rock at a time

The bridge was my destination. But I knew I could only get there by climbing one rock at a time.

I tell this to my clients all of the time. One meal at a time. One workout a time. One day at a time.

They shouldn’t worry about next week’s meals or even tomorrow’s because you can’t control tomorrow’s meals today. Start with your very next meal and your very next workout.

This especially rings true with the turbulent stock market and economy right now. One day at a time!

Six: Impress yourself!

There were some very dangerous and sticky parts that I conquered. And if I fell it would have been pretty ugly. I was proud of myself. And I felt amazing all by myself.

Impressing yourself is what it’s all about. Not other people.

Seven: You don’t push yourself enough

We can always work a little harder and do things we don’t think we can do.

Raise your hand in the air. Now raise it one inch higher.

See, you can always work a little harder!

Eight: There is no lesson #8.

Nine: Sometimes life doesn’t go your way

How are you going to react? Things you can’t control….you can’t control!

So, it’s how you react that makes all of the difference. Maybe there should be a lesson # 8 or maybe there should be a giant boulder right here so I don’t have to go in this cave or maybe she should’ve done this or maybe he should’ve done that.

It’s not what happens to us that affects us. It’s our thoughts about what happens to us that affects us.

Worry about what you can control!

Ten: Celebrate your successes

Life is about 2 things: Relationships and experiences. Celebrate your successes (which are your awesome experiences) with your relationships. My mom and step-dad, Warren, were both really proud of me and excited for me when they saw my little head pop up from the boulders. It was fun to celebrate my little accomplishment.

(These pictures were taken by Warren from the bridge.)

Eleven: Life is one big jungle gym

You might as well have fun. Life is an adventure.

So much so that this weekend I’m going camping with my brother-in-law in Lake George with his buddies. Sleeping outside in a tent, cooking food by fire, and being in the middle of nowhere in frigid temperatures for 2 nights with a bunch of married 30 year olds should make for an interesting experience (and some interesting blog posts)…

How Can You “Snakes on a Plane” Your Business?

The other night I happened to be flipping though the channels and stumbled on Snakes On A Plane. I had never seen it and who can resist hearing Samuel Jackson yell, “I have HAD it with these mothaf%$&*#g snakes on this motha%$%#*g plane!”

I never saw this movie, yet I immediately knew what it was going to be about. You know it’s going to be a thriller type movie that entails getting the mothaf*&^%ing snakes off the plane.

I knew what I was getting into. And that’s the idea.

Without anyone telling me anything they made a promise to me. It just so happens that the title was good enough to be able to do that.

When it comes to your business, usually you need more then your name (and tag line) to tell people what you do. You might have website copy or a pamphlet or a business card or all of the above.

In this day and age, sadly when a business keeps their promise it’s shocking. However, some people do expect a company to keep their promises. After all, why assume the worst?

But most people never say anything if they like something (because they expect a certain something – as they should). Think about it. You definitely are a customer of many places because they do something a certain way.

If they changed that certain something you might stop going. For example, when I used to go to the diner under my old building where I lived and I’d order my grilled chicken sandwich or turkey burger, every single time, my man Sammy would bring me like 10 pickles. He knew I loved pickles and I didn’t have to ask him for extra pickles.

Maybe it’s the way you joke around with your clients. Maybe it’s because your clients can relate to you with the stories you tell them. Maybe it’s because you treat them like family. Maybe it’s because you want the best for them…and they know it. Whatever it is.

Most people are too busy to say something nice though.

But if you believe in what you’re doing, and people are coming back and referring clients to you, don’t stop what you are doing!

It could be the smallest thing that people really enjoy…like free pickles. But the idea here is that I grew to expect those pickles.

The idea here is not revolutionary. It’s extremely simple.

Keep doing exactly what you do if people are coming back and referring customers to you. It could be the smallest thing that people love.

And the most important of all:

Keep your mothaf%$&*!g promises!

[My note: Is it possible to plagiarize yourself? Well, I originally wrote this article for Blogtrepreneur.com and it got some awesome and interesting comments. You can read the original piece by clicking here.]

How to feel like a rock star!

Below is my Daily Inspiration that I wrote for my clients yesterday morning. I write a Daily Inspiration every single morning for my clients. This just happens to be one of them…

One of my idols growing up was Michael Jordan. He says, “You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.”

Indeed.

If you don’t expect yourself to stay consistent with your diet and exercise then you won’t. If you don’t expect yourself to get that promotion or to land that new client then you won’t.

If you don’t expect things of yourself before you can do them, then you will never, ever, do them.

In my opinion, expecting things of yourself comes from self confidence. And I believe the best way to gain self confidence is to actually do the things you really want to do.

All of those little promises that you make to yourself (and me). When you really make good on your own word, it feels incredible. And you start to really believe in yourself. You start to really trust yourself.

The feeling of having been lied to by yourself (which we all do) is not a good one. You start thinking you’re a fraud. And that your own word means nothing.

You don’t believe yourself anymore. You don’t trust yourself anymore and you don’t take yourself seriously anymore.

Some people will promise anything to other people and never break their word because they want other people to think they are full of integrity.

Some of those people will never keep their own promises though. How about some personal integrity folks?

Here’s a thought:

Imagine if you kept every promise you made to yourself. Imagine how you’d feel and look.

Imagine where’d you’d be.

So that means…

Really working your butt off at the gym. Not just going through the motions. (If you’re going to spend your precious time there then you might as well get the most out of it!)

Stop snacking on those treats (we both know they aren’t good for you) and you’re only fooling yourself.

Waking up a little earlier.

Eating a little healthier.

And countless other promises we all make to ourselves.

Imagine. Do.

Repeat.

You = feeling like a rockstar.

-A

I’ve been writing a Daily Inspiration every morning for my clients since March of 2007. I wake up and whatever comes to mind I write it. My clients love it. Thankfully!

My program is based on 4 key quotes. I’m a big fan of quotes if you haven’t realized. The idea of having a Daily Inspiration was inspired by this quote. (Actually to be honest, I found this quote way after I started writing the Daily Inspirations but it’s precisely the reason why I write a Daily Inspiration!)

“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing. That’s why we recommend it daily.” – Zig Ziglar

The other 3 quotes that my program is based on or I should say that go hand in hand with my program follow:

“The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool.” Richard P. Feynman, Nobel Prize – winning physicist

“In baseball, my theory is to strive for consistency, not to worry about the numbers. If you dwell on statistics you get shortsighted, if you aim for consistency, the numbers will be there at the end.” – Tom Seaver

“Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.” – Albert Einstein

[Some really nice comments over at BrazenCareerist.com!]

Would you die for it?

As you know, I was away for the last week. For part of my trip I was in Reno, Nevada at the National Championship Air Races. (Picture Nascar in the sky. Truly unreal.)

Before I arrived there were 3 fatal accidents.

These people spend hundreds of thousands of dollars fixing their airplanes to make them racing machines. And then risk their life actually racing them.

Clearly, when a car has problems it can stop driving. When a plane has a problem it’s a much bigger deal.

I heard at least 5 ‘Mayday’ calls while watching the races.

I wrote an email to my clients as part of my Daily Inspirations to them saying how amazing it was how passionate these people are to obviously risk their life (and give up their life) for something they love and live for.

One of my clients hilariously writes me back, “They are morons!”

Agreed. Albeit passionate morons.

I’m not saying you should die for something. But I do believe living for something is so important.

Whether it’s a charity, a business, a cause, a passion, a movement, a job; something.

I find I am the happiest when I have a mission. Growing up my mission was to excel in school and to make the NBA.

In fact, one of the reasons why I started working out in 5th grade was because I wanted to look more intimidating on the basketball court. Clearly, at 5’ 8” I needed every edge I could get.

(Coincidentally, I also fell in love with working out and being as healthy and fit as I could be. This became one of my missions in life.)

I’ve had many missions. And so have you. Looking back, my most happy and engaging times were when I was pursuing something.

When I was at Ernst & Young, I just felt like I was letting time pass by. I had nothing to struggle for. I had no business at the time. Nada. I was existing as opposed to living.

My mission now (to create the World’s #1 company for helping people stay consistent with their health and fitness goals) is worthwhile in my opinion.

I believe (and know) that when you eat right and exercise consistently you’ll feel incredible. I also believe life is too short to not feel incredible as often as possible.

But as long as it’s worthwhile in my eyes is all that counts. That’s what gets me out of bed every morning.

“What a man actually needs is not a tensionless state but rather the striving and struggling for a worthwhile goal.” – Victor E. Frankl in Man’s Search for Meaning.

[Some nice comments over at Brazen Careerist.com!]

The 3 things you know (Plus I’ll be away for the next week)

There are 3 things you know:

The things you know. The things you know you don’t know. And the things you don’t know, you don’t know.

I love learning about things I don’t know, I don’t know.

Being exposed to something that is totally foreign to me is awesome. It gets me thinking in totally different ways about things I never thought about and I love that.

I find that when I learn about things I don’t know, I don’t know; I look at the things I do know, with a fresh set of eyes and it’s very refreshing.

One of the things I didn’t know, I didn’t know was about airplane racing. I also didn’t know how big of a deal it is for so many people. Millions and millions of dollars are poured into these hobbies (or really I should say obsessions) by extremely wealthy aviation enthusiasts who love flying and love speed.

My mom (a retired high school English teacher) has an aviation apparel company with my step-father, and part of what they do is travel around the country to different Air-shows selling aviation apparel to these die hard aviation enthusiasts. You probably don’t know what an Air-show is.

That’s okay. I didn’t either.

An Air-show is, well, a show where Aviation enthusiasts go and they watch their favorite planes or helicopters do demonstrations. So like the F-14 Tomcat (made famous in Top Gun) or the F-117 Nighthawk (easily one of the coolest planes on this Earth), or the B -2 Spirit (by far my favorite aircraft) or the CH-53 Super Stallion helicopter and on and on.

It’s fascinating to watch these planes in action and it’s even more remarkable to find out the price tag for some of these planes.

Did you know that the B-2 Spirit Stealth bomber plane reportedly costs $2.1 billion as of 1997?!?!? $2.1 billion dollars per plane.

Did you know that an estimated $23 billion was secretly spent for research and development on the B-2 in the 1980’s? That’s our tax dollars at work. But hey – if it keeps our country safe I am all for it!

So tomorrow morning, I’m flying out with my mom and meeting my step-dad in Reno, Nevada for the 45th Reno Air Races and Air Show where they will be a vendor.

Supposedly John Travolta flies in every year on his own Boeing 707 who is obviously a die hard aviation enthusiast.

The show ends on Sunday and then we’re headed to Yosemite National Park which I’m really excited about. I fell in love with the outdoors when I went to Lake Tahoe a few years back. The hiking there is insanely gorgeous and you don’t believe the scenery is real. Words or pictures don’t describe it, at all.

I loved the thoughts I was thinking while there a few years back. And my mom tells me Tahoe is nothing like Yosemite so I’m really pumped.

I always come back from vacations (although this is going to be 80% work) even more fired up and I expect with the scenery I’ll be seeing in Yosemite this time definitely won’t be any different.

The deal with my mom is a free vacation for free work. Done deal.

And as they say in Reno, “Fly Low – Go Fast – Turn Left!”