Posts Tagged ‘Success’

I went for a run this morning which isn’t really that exciting news wise but from being a person who used to run 10 miles every other day to struggling to run 2 miles (I’ll get back to 10 miles!!!), It is special!

After the run, I did some stretches and some shadow boxing… When I was in the peak of my fighting career, I was flexible enough to kick someone even a few inches taller than myself in the face with my shin (In Muay Thai, the discipline I practiced and competed at, you make impact with your shins unlike most traditional martial arts where you make impact with the instep or ball of the foot)

Today, I struggled to get my foot above my own shoulder level… It made me realise that just achieving a goal is not enough. There are so many people out there that wish they could find the miracle cure to lose weight or win the lottery and get some serious money in their possession. I’m sure you would love to win the lottery too, as would I! but the reality is, in order to lose weight and keep it off, be flexible and remain flexible or get rich and stay rich, you’ve got to be able to maintain the goal you’ve achieved through consistent practice and a new level of thinking/lifestyle.

When I talk to people about losing weight (I’m an expert on this subject after going from borderline obesity to becoming a semi professional thai boxer hehe), I always say that weight loss isn’t about cutting calories until you lose weight, it’s about changing your entire lifestyle because the laws of thermogenesis state that the calories you consume that are not burned throughout the day are then stored as fat and as you lose weight, you’ll probably require less maintenance calories throughout your day anyway! (Unless you build a lot of muscle and lead an active lifestyle) and that is the reason most people fail at weight loss. The same applies to the laws of wealth, success and even flexibility… this one law states that whatever goal you achieve, you must develop the lifestyle and mindset to consistently maintain it. In fact, I’m going to call this the law of maintenance (Hey, Bob Proctor and Brian Tracy make up laws all the time so I can too! :p)

Until next time,

Keep shining!

Fahad

As I write this post, millions of people around the UK are watching 2 people who are making their dreams come true…

The show I’m referring to is the X-Factor, a singing contest that is the UK’s equivalent of American Idol.

This is sadly indicative of how things go… more people would rather watch than do… there are always more spectators than players… which would you rather be?

The truth is that you have something in common with the people who made it trough to the finals of the X Factor and that is you’ve been blessed with more potential than you know what to do with. The only difference is, the X Factor competitors combined that potential with passion and took action to make it happen. When you found that talent inside you that you’ve been blessed with, hone it with practice and work and make it your passion, you’ll be able to become world class!

But it will take commitment. Remember I said that success only cares that you’re 110% committed to it? You have to be the doer and not the watcher! let other people watch whilst you are doing, Let others talk whilst you take action but when all is said and done, you will be closer to achieving your full potential!

As one of the founders of the personal development industry, Earl Nightingale said, Lead the field!

Keep shining!

Fahad x

I recently put this as my facebook Status

“SUCCESS IS NOT BUILT ON CONVENIENCE!!! - Success doesn’t care if you can’t find a baby sitter. It doesn’t care that X Factor is on. It doesn’t care that you’ve got a headache and it doesn’t care if the weather is rubbish!!! Success only cares that you…”

The only thing success cares about, in my opinion, is that you are 100% committed to it!

That means you do what needs to be done to bring you towards your goals whether you feel like it or not afterall commitment is having the discipline to do what you may not want to do and as if you’re married to your goals, you do not stray from the path you have chosen.

Bob Proctor says that you choose whether your day will be a success or a failure by making sure you do everything you need to do in any given day. If you do what needs to be done, your day is a success otherwise, it’s a failure and that again is about being committed to success and your goals.

So, if you’re serious about success, Take 100% Responsibility and commit to your goals!

Keep shining!
Fahad x

One of my favourite stories on inspiration comes from public speaking Hall of famer, Jim Cathcart. Jim is a world renowned speaker and author who has written best sellers in the personal development genre.

Back in 1979, He spoke for a franchise outfit by the name of Tidy Car which empowered individuals by giving them the opportunity to have their own auto detailing (Vehicle valeting business for us Brits) business. On this faithful occurrence, one of the audience members was a young man named Tim Seward. Tim was a 19 year old business rookie who had no real experience in the world of business or entrepreneurship and was only armed with enthusiasm and work ethic.

During lunch, he asked Jim if he could give him a motivational quote or phrase that he could use on a daily basis to help motivate him. Mulling this over for a moment, Jim replied, “Tim, I’ll do better then that, I’m going to give you a question you can ask yourself… How will the person you want to become do what you’re about to do!”.

Tim went back home and took Jim’s advice to heart. Although he was just a small outfit, He decided to ask himself the question with everything he did. He decided that the Tim Seward he wanted to be wouldn’t wear jeans and a Tee shirt to work so he made himself a uniform. Eventually, He needed bigger premises and more staff. Tim was doing well for himself.

He even went to a local Chevrolet dealership, get a photograph taken of him in a Corvette and put it around his home and his office.

A few years later on, Jim was invited back to speak to the Tidy Car corporation and to their franchisees. The company ran an incentive that year that the top sales person of the year would win a brand spanking new Chevrolet Corvette.

After his speech, Jim handed over to the Tidy Car president who announced the results of the sales competition. The results were amazing and it was a tight competition. Number 2 beat 3 by one point and numbers 3 to 6 all beat each other by the narrowest of margins with no more than 3 or 4 points between them but what was amazing was the difference between first place and second. The president announced, “Leading number 2 by a staggering 300 points, from Bay City Michigan…. Tim Seward!”

Everyone started cheering and clapping for Tim who went to the stage and started admiring the same car which he had been picturing himself driving for some time!

Jim asked Tim what he had done to achieve such massive growth to which Tim replied, Everyday, I asked myself what would the international sales leader of Tidy Car do what I was about to do. Without knowledge of winning, Tim even announced he had travelled first class one way!

As you can see, this question has some profound effects and when you are striving towards a goal, it is a great idea to ask yourself on a daily basis, “How would the person I am about to become, do what I am about to do”

For more information on Jim Cathcart, Please visit his website.

Until next time,

Keep shining!

Fahad x

“I’m a pretty tough guy. Are you a tough guy? You look pretty tough. So you’ve just got to keep going on going, even when folks are criticizing you, when you know you’re doing it for other people.”

That’s what US President Barack Obama said when a young fourth grader asked him the poignant question, “Why do people hate you”.

Now, I’m not here to talk about politics but this quote from Obama shouldn’t be taken lightly. In fact, in it is great wisdom. You see, every time you step up and outside from what the masses are doing, you’re immediately open to criticism for not following the normal conventions of society.

Have you noticed that? Perhaps you yourself were criticized for trying to do something which you felt was for the greater benefit not just for yourself but for your family and community yet it seems people will always give stick to those who tend to stand out.

My contention is, when people criticize you for what you’re doing, you’ve hit a nerve within them and expose their own weakness. Ever had a cousin or brother in law give you hell because you decided to start a home based business? Sounds funny but it happens, Believe me (and no not the brother in law, My brothers in law couldn’t be cooler!).But the reason this occurs is you’ve stepped up and taken responsibility for your results and you want to help other. Now they might be too afraid or too lazy to join you or do something themselves so rather than lift you up… they drag you down. Kind of like crabs in a barrel!

One of my business colleagues told me that they never have to put a lid on a barrel of crabs for fear of them escaping. Why? because when one does try to venture out, the other crabs just pull them back down. Has that ever happened to you?

Rejection and criticism are a staple for anybody who decides to go from ordinary to extra ordinary. A business person may face rejection, an athlete pain, a leader criticism but if you know what you’re doing is right by your, your family and by your creator then don’t let anyone get you down.

One thing Thai boxing taught me was you’re going to get hit… hard! And even if you get knocked down, you’ve got to get back up and keep coming forward. Remember what Rocky Balboa said, “It ain’t about how hard you can hit but about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward…”

I leave you with a fantastic quote by Theodore Roosevelt,

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat”

Remember, they’ve never made a statue of a critic so when you know you’re doing the right thing, be tough and keep moving forward!

Until next time,

Keep Shining!

Fahad x

As some of you may know, I broke my hand last week so, not only am I typing this post with one hand slowly, I have a new insight.

Firstly, if you’re wondering how I broke my hand, here’s how! I had a flat tyre so went to jack up the car and as it got to the right height, I felt as though it was loose. I went to check the stability and bam! The jack slipped and the car landed on my hand, trapping me between it and the jack. After I realised I was not going anywhere, I yelled for help and swiftly ended in the hospital with a broken metacarpal (I am immensely grateful it was nothing more serious!)

Moral of that story is always get help if you don’t know exactly what you’re doing

You see, I’m now of the opinion that whatever happens, good or bad, there are lessons to be learned. As the immortal saying by Napoleon Hill goes, “Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed on an equal or greater benefit.”  and as I tell people, our job is to find and nurture this seed!
Now, I was in a cast until yesterday. At my hospital checkup, the cast was removed and I was sent home.

I immediately felt vulnerable! I started worrying. How would I sleep? What if I aggravated it and why did the doctors remove it so prematurely? I would find myself in positions which would hurt my hand and felt as though I wouldn’t have gotten in those positions if I had my cast. It then occurred to me just why my cast was taken off… As I moved my fingers and tried to get the movement going, I realised that I could now move my fingers more than when I had my cast on! Having many injuries from my career as a Thai boxer, I knew that it’s important to get blood flowing and movement into injured areas to aid healing.

I realised what the cast had become to me. It had become my comfort zone, an area I felt protected even though it could hinder me from getting to where I want to go. It stopped me from moving to my potential even though I felt protection.

You see, you and I are very similar to this analogy I’m sharing with you. We often get in our comfort zones and feel so protected and comfortable even though it hinders our growth and progression. Sometimes we have to remove the casts we’ve applied to ourselves and even though we may feel vulnerable to begin with, when you know it is imperative to your growth to do so, you will find a new comfort in knowing that you’re on the road to success and in my case, a speedy recovery!

So, in conclusion, what comfort zones are you currently clinging to? What “casts” do you need to let go in order to grow and progress and remember, often times when we stretch ourselves we feel uncomfortable. The secret to progress and success is to not stop and return to comfort but to acknowledge the new feeling and to get acquainted to it to grow!

Until next time,

Keep shining!

Fahad x

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Watch my business partner, Brian Tracy, teach you one of the most effective goal setting techniques!

I recently visited a Gloria Jeans coffee franchise and picked up their loyalty card. I actually didn’t pay any attention to the loyalty card as i’m such a coffee fiend, i have massed various loyalty cards from different establishments over the years. Today however, I was reaching into my pocket and pulled this one out. It had an incredible slogan on it.

Just above the cartoon image of a rather sophisticated looking characature of a coffee bean was the slogan “The road to Success is ALWAYS under construction”

Isn’t that the truth!?

Whilst success is open to interpretation from person to person, the universally accepted definition of success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. In otherwords, we progress towards our ideal of success on a daily basis thus truly making success a journey and not a destination!

Now, whilst this post maybe full of clichés on the subject of success, I want to indicate just why success is a journey and not a destination!

it is said that success happens daily and not in a day. What does this mean? well, too many confuse success with the task of actually accomplishing a goal or an ideal. Now, whilst the end result is often what we see when we look at successful people, the fast cars, the big houses, the fancy designer clothes (if indeed these are your definitions of success), we must look deeper into the person to realise what success is to that person.

I remember hearing motivational speaker and income acceleration coach Pat Messiti once say that average people focus on the fruit whilst successful, world class thinkers focus not on the fruit, nor on the tree that bore it but on the seed!

You see the truly successful understand that it’s not the end result that’s important. Whilst the goal of the end result keeps them motivated and on track. What’s important to successful people is that they are building themselves up and are gearing themselves up for the rewards. They understand that foundations are more important than what you see on the surface.

They are like Icebergs. What you see on the surface of an iceberg is typically 20% at most of the total mass of the ice berg. That means a whopping 80-90% of the ice is actually under the water and that is what makes them so potent! It was the foundation, not the tip of the iceberg that sunk the titanic! - And remember, foundations like that of an iceberg take time to build. Sometimes, you may be going for a goal but feel like you keep missing but if you are working towards a goal and are allowing yourself to learn in the process, your foundations grow and grow until your success will begin to surface above the water and when you tackle the obstacles head on, no matter how large the obstacle is, like the titanic, you will cut through!

So, Remember, the road to success is ALWAYS under construction. Remember you are not the finished article and most likely never will be either! Enjoy the journey

I leave you with with a quote from Melvin Trotter -

“Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming…Wow! What a ride!”

Until next time, Keep Shining!

Fahad x