Consistency over Intensity

Bruce Lee is probably my favorite martial arts actor in the world. His level of dedication and discipline is legendary and something we should all strive to emulate. There are times when we are overcome with feelings of motivation and inspiration and we have short bursts or intensity. Instead of relying on these short bursts, cultivate a sense of diligence and practice being consistent. Bruce Lee was a master of the long term consistency plan. His students have also adopted his approach and have been thriving for years. Remember that long term consistency will always trump short term intensity in everything that you do.

Reading is FUNdamental

I've started tracking the books I am reading via a new social network for people who love to read and write stories. Wattpad is different from social media sites like Facebook and Twitter because it focuses on authors and their fans. The site allows fans to connect with authors and comment on everything from the cover art to individual pages within a book. Wattpad is also a great place to discover new authors and past authors.

I just started following Sir Arthur Conan Doyle because I love the Sherlock Holmes series and it allows me to connect with other fans of his work. I love how social networks are starting to splinter off into their own niches and I am excited to be a part of this new phenomenon. If you want to see some of the new authors that I am following you can check out my Wattpad profile here.

Kobayashi Maru and Little League

For Star Trek fans, the Kobayashi Maru test is a great example of losing even when committing no errors. Sometimes in life, there are no win situations that we must endure. Life is full of twists and turns that cannot be anticipated. It's about how you handle the situation of losing that you can learn from.

I remember a time when I was in grade school and playing little league baseball, we played for the division championship. Our team of grade school kids were really good and we had one of the best seasons that year. During the playoffs, we lost by 1 run to the eventual champions in a heated game. Our team didn't commit any errors and we played our hearts out, but lost the game. That feeling of losing a big game was hard on all of us at the time, but we eventually took that experience to heart and had a better season the next year. We felt that we should have won that game, but learned a bigger lesson in losing. Life is funny that way.

Even President Obama has bad days

Even President Obama has had his credit card rejected from Nasir Shakouri

We all have good days and bad days. You can't let the good days get to your head and you can't let the bad days get to your heart. This segment always gets a chuckle out of me every time I watch it. Keep fighting and remember that even President Obama has bad days too. Happy Thursday everyone!

Sometimes the thing holding you back is all in your head

Lots of people don't achieve their dreams because they are too afraid to try. They feel that they aren't smart enough or strong enough or experienced enough to make their dreams come true. The fact is, most people hold themselves back because they convince themselves that they cannot do it. Life is too short to worry about the what ifs and coulda woulda's. Don't be like this horse tied up to a plastic chair and kick your plastic chair down.

One of my favorite cartoons

 

I really love this comic. It sends such a positive message about trying whatever it takes to overcome an obstacle, even when the odds are stacked against you. You may fail 999 out 1000 times, but not trying is the biggest failure.

Discipline over Motivation

I just saw this message and it really got me thinking. There are a lot of books and seminars about getting motivated or motivating yourself to be better, but motivation is temporary. Everyday discipline may be a lot harder to achieve, but it is much more sustainable if you practice it consistently. When you are disciplined, you will be able to be more productive even when you don't feel like being productive.

Steps to being more disciplined:

1. Start small - Do the little things and try to be consistent. If you don't usually make your bed in the morning, start with that.

2. Stay consistent - Do it everyday and try not to miss a day. Remember, it only takes 2 minutes in the morning.

3. Expand - Now start cleaning your desk, your room, your kitchen, etc. Remember to stay consistent. You will realize that you start doing these things even when you don't feel like it.

4. Let it flow - Keep it up and let it flow to different aspects of your life. Keeping a routine definitely helps.

The key to being disciplined is staying the course and doing things even when you really don't feel like doing it. Challenge yourself and stay with it. You can do it!

#Discipline  > #Motivation.

Get the hell out of Hell

There are times in every entrepreneur's career when they feel like they can't do it anymore and they can't handle the hell they are going through. Winston Churchill said it best that "if you're going through hell, keep going." The only way to get out of the rutt you are stuck in, is to keep on trucking and moving past the point of pain. There are many successful entrepreneurs that have contemplated giving up right before making their breakthrough. If they did give up and stopped what they were doing, we probably would have never heard of them. Remember that the hell you are going through is not permanent and it is in your control to maneuver out of it.

Success is an iceberg, people only see the tip

 

I've talked to famous athletes and a lot of them have said the same thing to me about their success. People and fans only see what they do on the field, court, etc. and do not know that getting to that platform took countless hours. Success takes a huge amount commitment and sacrifice that only shows up when the work has been done. Next time you see your favorite athlete on TV or see a successful colleague, remember that what you are seeing is the pay off for all the hours of hard work that has gone unnoticed. People usually see the tip of the iceberg, but rarely see what makes the tip. 

 

I'm not afraid to die on a treadmill - Will Smith

 

Will Smith is one of my favorite actors. I have been following him since his rapping days with DJ Jazzy Jeff. His success has always inspired me and gives me faith that working harder than the next guy will bring you success in the long run. Will's quote above reminds me of the Ethan Hawke movie, Gattaca. In the movie, Ethan Hawke's character races his genetically enhanced brother in a swimming contest and beats him by "never sav[ing] anything for the swim back." Will Smith will not be beat when it comes to preparing for the big stage and neither should you.    

- Nasir Shakouri

Plan A

Plenty of people try to plan their lives and get upset when their plans do not go according to their...plans. Remember that there are always options and to never give up. Many successful people I know have failed in some aspect of their lives, but they did not let that failure bring them down. Try and try again, because the alphabet has 25 more letters.

Why do we put up with the pain?

A friend of mine just forwarded me this inspiring picture. The message rings true and anyone who has been working on themselves knows that it can be painful. Going to the gym may feel like hell sometimes, but the after effects really make you appreciate the hard work. Anyone that has their own business can probably attest to this quote as well. Just remember that there is a reason to the suffering and that each day you work harder, you are getting closer to your goal. Let's all remind ourselves that without suffering, there can be no change.

Success isn't owed, it's leased

JJ Watt is slowly becoming one of my favorite players in the NFL. His work ethic and approach to the game is really inspiring. I like the quote because it reminds me to work harder as success isn't guaranteed to stick around. I believe that sitting on your laurels makes you slower and lazier, which gives your smaller competitors time to catch up to you. We should all remember JJ Watt when we feel that we are doing well in our field. Work hard even when you are doing well.

D is for dedication

This Indian teacher swims through a river to get to school. The dedication that this man shows to his students is very inspiring and everyone should strive to be as dedicated to their craft. How many of us would go through the trouble of swimming across a river everyday?

Dedication is a big ingredient for success. When the going gets tough, remember that this man swims across a river to get to work. His students are very lucky.

Are you a boss or leader?

I just saw this image and it really illustrates the difference between a real leader and someone that wants to be a boss. A leader leads his or her team, whether in business, battle, sports, etc. A boss is someone that uses their position to direct others to do the hard work. I hope the people in my office see me as a leader and not as just a boss.

Allen Iverson, pound for pound best?

Kevin Durant has just posted on his Instagram account that he thinks Allen Iverson is the best pound for pound baller.

"Chuck too real. He changed the way we play ball. He changed the culture of ball. He is pound for pound the best. He paved the way. I can go on and on. But he's a legend and I'm just walking the path he created."

With other small ballers like Jerry West, Nate "Tiny" Archibald, and a 190 pounder named Michael Jordan,  I think this could be a debated topic.