On the Path | Issue 1 | January, 2021
Issue 1 | January 1, 2021
A newsletter from Coach Andy Petranek for anyone "On the Path" - curiously seeking out life's mysteries, deepening understanding, seeking truth, and finding joy, wonder, wisdom, and connection in creating the life of their dreams.
Welcome to 2021!!
In honor of the start of the New Year, I've got a bunch of things to share with you... starting with resolutions... after all, it's what you (and everyone else) is thinking about now, right?
There's a bunch more in the newsletter after the first article, plus a couple of gifts... so be sure you keep scrolling.
I hope your 2021 is already off to a flying start. Best wishes to you for a happy, healthy, and blessed year!
Andy
PS - If you love this newsletter, please consider forwarding it to someone you care about and/or someone who might value from it. They can subscribe here.)
Four Steps to Long-Term Life and Habit Change
I know you KNOW this... lasting change requires persistence. But you're still caught up by the energetic swell of the New Year and the desire to make changes right now.
That is fantastic! Take advantage of it!
But don't set resolutions that won't stick. Studies show that 80% of New Year's resolutions start to fade within 10 days of the start of the year, and are often entirely gone as a faded memory by the beginning of February.
So... it's time to try a new and different strategy. Mind you, it's going to take some time, patience, and a change in mindset. But I can promise you that if you adopt these 4 strategies and keep showing up day after day, you'll learn to create ANYTHING that you want to!
Here's what to do.
Change your mindset and think LONG TERM. Resist your urge to look forward into the future 6-8 weeks thinking that THAT is your goal. Anyone can suffer through 6-8 weeks of life-change to achieve a short term goal like that... but the real winners in life are the ones that establish habits and trends that last YEARS. So... what do you want your life to look like 1-5 years from now? What's the long-range vision you're shooting for? While getting there will require patience, persistence, and a completely different mindset, THAT is the GOLD that you're looking for.
Set PROCESS-BASED goals. Look... it's not that results are bad... sometimes it's extremely helpful to have a clear vision of where you're headed... "dangling" out there as a target for your future.That's what makes things like vision boards and financial targets so powerful. But oftentimes, you don't have control over the results you get, and while they may be on their way, it may take longer than you think. But one thing you ALWAYS have control over is your daily process. What are you committed to doing each day that you suspect will move you closer toward the vision of your ideal future?
For example, let's say you want to stop your gums from receding. While you can't necessarily control whether they do or not, you CAN control the number of times each day that you're committed to flossing.
Think MINIMUM EFFECTIVE DOSE. Big goals might be fun to consider because when we're setting them, we imagine how we'll feel when we succeed. However, 9 times out of 10, if it's a BIG change to your current daily routine, you'll fail within two weeks of starting. And if you remember back to #1 above... success doesn't come in a matter of days and weeks, it comes with committed daily action after months and years.
So... what's the SMALLEST amount you can commit to that will cause a shift forward?
I'll give you a great example in my life. About two months ago, I decided to start writing "morning pages". This is a journaling technique popularized by Julia Cameron in her book called The Artist's Way and it involves writing stream of consciousness for about 3 pages (750 words) every morning. I was pumped... motivated, excited... knew that I could do it. And I did... for about 10 days. And then... well... it dropped off. And while I had every intention of continuing, not only did I not, I stopped ALL journaling. I would have been better off starting with half-a-page (125 words) to establish the habit first.
Put FIRST THINGS FIRST. We have a rule in our house. When you're really committed to getting something done... you always do it first. This applies to daily habits, just like it does to homework, chores, workouts, prep for trips/adventures, etc. I used to have a rule when I used to do traditional bodybuilding style workouts. I hated doing ab work, but I knew it's importance to my ongoing training. So I created the self-imposed rule - the requirement to do it first when walking into the gym, as sort of a "buy-in", to unlock access to the rest of my workout.
And as a bonus... if you're really on fire and want to supercharge your results, get up at 5am, get a jumpstart on your day and get your KEY habits done before anyone else even gets out of bed. Be first... when the rest of the world is still sleeping. I don't care how dark and cold it is. While it might be hard to get out of bed, the commitment, discipline, and dedication you're demonstrating to yourself and your expansion is massive. Just do it!
Look... I know this isn't sexy. It doesn't even make for good pictures for Instagram (ever tried to take a selfie on a run at 5 am? It's pitch black! Ha!)
But if you're really committed to your long term growth, THIS IS THE WAY.
It's up to you. There's no one else. You are the only one who can lead yourself away from the allure of the emotional quick fixes that plague the New Year's resolutionaries around the world.
You are the only one who can lead yourself toward what you know will serve you in the long run.
You can do it. I believe in you!
Best & Simplest Way to Track A Habit
Download my DAILY HABIT STREAK TRACKER
There's NOTHING like tracking something by hand, on a physical piece of paper, to keep you on track.
Here's what to do:
a) Download and print the tracker
b) Identify up to 4 habits you're willing to be accountable for in 2021.
c) Name each, and declare, in writing, what a "yes" means. BTW - I highly recommend using the 4 strategies I outlined above when doing this.
d) Put it up on your wall where you'll see it every day
e) Do it, and mark it off each day when complete.
f) Watch, with satisfaction, as you habit-streak your way through the year.
Book a 30-minute Coaching Session with Me
There's never been a better time... and it comes free with no strings attached... and lots of potential upside - create a 2021 vision, get clarity, resolve an issue, lay
things out, think out loud. Really, lots of things can happen when people sit with me... it doesn't have to be a long session. And if more time is needed, well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
If you have even just a teensy weensy inkling that you'd like to try it... JUST DO IT. You've really got nothing to lose.
No strings... it's my opportunity to serve you and your life.
Here's the link to book yourself into my calendar.
On the UnCivilized Podcast...
So I just told you about the last podcast I was on, but it happened again... I was on another. CLICK HERE to listen. This time with my good friend, and former client and mentee, Traver Boehm.
Traver is the author of the book, Man Uncivilized, and the founder of the men's movement called the Uncivilized Nation.
I get very real and very raw in this conversation with Traver, as my emotional comfort level with him is extremely high thanks to our longstanding and deep relationship. The story is a tough one, but also one that anyone that is struggling right now should pay attention to. Let me know what you think!
Quotes to Ponder
“A coach is someone who tells you what you don’t want to hear, has you see what you don’t want to see, so you can be who you have always known you can be.”
~ Tom Landry
“If we can forgive what’s been done to us… If we can forgive what we’ve done to others… If we can leave our stories behind. Our being victims and villains. Only then can we maybe rescue the world.”
~ Chuck Palahniuk
Find Me Here, Leading a Meditation, Every Weekday from 8:30-9:00 am Pacific
This is where I'll be each week day of the upcoming January Whole Life Challenge. So if you want to find me, join this group!
There are lots of ways to meditate, and lots of apps you can use to do it on your own... and I encourage you to do that. But there is NOTHING like getting together with a group of people and doing it collectively, as a community - TOGETHER. In fact, it's the only reason that I ever started meditating... doing it with a group, together, 3x per week.
So I invite you to join me... join us... live every weekday at 8:30am Pacific in our private Facebook Group. If you can't do it at that time, you can always catch a replay. And start a habit that will support you in your life in more ways than you can count.
Best Health & Fitness Book I Read in 2020
Yes... I know... you already know HOW to breathe... you do it at least 25,000 times every single day.
But do you REALLY know what's best for you when it comes to breathing? Should you breathe through your mouth or nose? Deep or shallow? How many times per minute? Did you know that you can absorb more oxygen into your tissues in the presence of higher concentrations of carbon dioxide? And do you think, like most, that the impetus to breathe comes from a lack of oxygen? (hint: it doesn't)
In BREATH, author James Nestor dives into just about everything related to breathing. After reading it, you'll come away with a depth of knowledge about something more central to our lives than food or water, and, if you choose to follow even just one of the many breathing practice techniques he presents, you'll be well on your way to creating a healthier and happier version of yourself in years to come.
Life Changing Robot Vacuum
I was a robot vacuum early adopter, getting my first Roomba for our house over 14 years ago. At the time, no one had them... and my wife thought I was crazy for "wasting" the money on something we obviously didn't need. That is, until she saw how good it was for picking up the layers of dog fur that covered the floors of our home each day.
Over the years we've had about 5 different brands including Roomba, Neato, and Eufy. All of them were good, decent... but in each case there were common, daily annoyances... getting stuck under furniture, running out of charge in nondescript random places, finding their way out the back door and onto the outdoor deck, getting stuck on cords, towels, rugs, etc, and a regular inability to find their way back to their charging dock.
Enter the Roborock S6. It is, hands down, the undisputed CHAMPION. It's a bit pricey, but it has been so worth the extra bucks we spent. And though we don't use it for mopping (a new feature of many robot vacuums), it does everything else so well that we are MORE THAN happy and satisfied.
If you're looking for your first robot vacuum, or for one to replace your old, annoying one, look no further!