Mark Cigos

Both in body and in mind, our ultimate purpose here on earth is our ability to grow. We were born to grow. The day our mother gave birth to us, the great majority of us experienced growth over the next several years – dramatic and dynamic growth, body and mind. That did not stop for many years, but then our body hit a plateau, where growing any taller or bigger was not possible. We were somewhat full bloom. But for many, that didn’t mean the growing process came to a full blown stop – for many it meant that it was time to transform – to sculpt and to take care of their temple.  

When I hit the age of about 16/17, I started getting serious about weight training, jogging, all that jazz. I figured I wasn’t going to grow any taller, and I was right, but I COULD begin to sculpt my body and make this interesting. You know, kind of customize it to the way I wanted it to look – athletic, healthy, in good shape. I made a commitment to myself to grow in regards to fitness, while educating and growing my knowledge in regards to health. Exercising, eating right and sharing the good word. I grew into somewhat of an evangelist for a healthier lifestyle – it wasn’t hard work because it was a passion. I was immensely excited about it and enthusiastic.  

Much like the desire for my body to grow in ways that included muscle growth, elevated endurance, and more – in mind I also had a deep desire to grow. I never could pay attention in school, for to this day I’m confident I still suffer from mild ADD – but that did not stop me to devote a great deal of my time to traveling, reading, getting to know our world and people better. I remember once speaking to a mentor of mine who simply confessed that the greatest calling we have here on earth is our ability to grow. Grow in body, grow in mind.

And that’s what life is all about. It’s about touching the sky (guess that’s what Kanye West was preaching in his hit song), moving the markers and dancing to a higher beat. There’s a great book I read recently called The Magic of Thinking Big, by David Schwartz – its all about the dire importance of pushing the envelope/getting outside your comfort zone, enabling yourself to grow and incline to new levels. It’s a fantastic read. 

There truly is no other reason why we exist here on earth – we were programmed to grow, growth that makes the world a better place, growth that progresses the human race to achieve everything it already has, and will continue to. We wouldn’t have the cars we drive, the medicine, the iPods, the satellites, the schools and the everyday luxuries of life we take so much for granted – if we did not grow.  

Keep positively growing.

Far too often we hear the words, “kill time”. Just as awful, how guilty are we of the time we spend doing something we don’t love? Things we’d rather NOT be doing? How many times do we simply sit and watch “whatever” is on TV? Chatting online unproductively? As a society that is crumbling at the foundation – due to stress, hectic schedules, ADD, work overload and more, how is it that the little spare time that we do have – we’re not utilizing that precious time to the max. Doing the right things – the things that matter the most to us and the things that should matter most to us. Our health, our family, our friends, our personal growth. What happened to the very valuable currency of time? 

Last time I checked, wealth was measured by how much quality you made of your time. How well you were able to plan and divide your days, ensuring that every second you were alive that day – it was lived to its fullest. Thomas Jefferson once said – “Whenever you do a thing, act as if all the world were watching”, we should never forget those words, for they are valuable in so many facets of our life.   

This is not a time management rant, this is simply realizing and understanding the dire importance of our time here on earth. We should love the time we are granted as much as we love our kids, our parents, our significant others, our friends and our pets. There was no particular order here, our dog would have been at the top of my fiancée’s list.  

All jokes aside, this is our life, our time, our choices. Spend your time wisely, realize what it’s value is – get creative, push the envelope, get out of your comfort zone. Live the time you have here on earth full out. Why not? What better do you have planned with your time than living every second like it was your last. Think about that.

As I continue to read and research, ultimately writing more than ever in any of the spare time that I may have, I can’t help but notice that nothing gets done unless action is of the essence. Unless we opt to MOVE, very little gets rolling. That goes for both your mind and your body. Life as a whole would be nothing if not for remarkable minds and bodies that moved to a higher beat – people taking their thoughts, their talents, skills, ideas and beliefs and moving them towards something special, something worth recognizing.  

I hear the line “walk your talk” more and more these days. People fed up with the loud mouths who over promise and then under deliver. We despise these boasters and show offs, yet we are somewhat hypocritical ourselves, for we all have a similar quality – it just may be projecting at a different level. I mean, how often do we tell ourselves that – I’m going to start eating better tomorrow, I’m going to finally use that gym membership I paid in full for in January, I’m going to start that business that I quit my job for, I’m going to spend more time with family and friends…..the list goes on and on. The reality is, nothing’s moving, so technically, you’re not going anywhere.  

A great thought, idea or intention is just that if you never give it legs and move those legs. Too many great achievements, accomplishments and world changers are never to be and end up in the coulda, woulda, shoulda been graveyard – simply for the lack to move.  

This isn’t living. Really living is moving, its getting your hands dirty and going for it. Its waking up earlier than usual and hitting the pavement for an uplifting jog. Its doing something out of the norm, out of your comfort zone to stimulate your life, to get your mind and body moving. A healthy mind is a mind that moves, one that continues to grow and that is drawn to a higher level. A healthy body is one that moves – moves for overall wellbeing, longevity and energy. Just like the mind, the body moves to inspire and influence others. No action goes unnoticed – no matter how small or big.  

Remember this the next time you feel that you are not of that stature – the stature in which you feel YOU could make a difference. You are – more so than you think. Every great act in our history, every great person, started at the bottom. They began with a thought, an idea and they acted on that. That’s how stuff gets done.

Outstanding workout this morning – every move that I made at the gym I purposely made sure that I felt. I cranked out the most relaxing tunes on my iPod and made positive that every action I made, I felt deeply, I understood it and I appreciated it. I haven’t had a workout like that in quite some while. It rocked me for the better.  

Made me think of how many times I let the great stuff roll by without taking the time to feel it. To truly feel every ounce of what I am doing at that very moment. Everything from a simple walk down the street, to interacting with a customer in his office, to pushing out my last rep at the gym. How many moments do we omit to feel? Not just experience, not just live, but truly feel. With so much on our daily agendas, who has the time or the mindset to stop and smell the roses? What a shame, for I can only imagine the world we could truly be feeling if we simply focused more on just that.  

Feeling in every sense of the word. Feeling the growth and achievement as you move from bottom of the corporate ladder, to executive with a leadership and vision like no other. Feeling every step you take as you run your neighborhood in preparation for next month’s big marathon. Feeling every move you make in the sack with your loved one. Feeling this blog posting as you read every word. Hey why not? 

I mean heck if we don’t feel what we’re doing at any given moment, why were we provided with senses and a soul in the first place? As in anything in life, we should take full out advantage of the tools we were given. From skills to talents to the ability to feel. It may just move you in ways you never thought possible, ways you never even imagined.   

How much harder is it to accomplish something, to keep that smile on your face through an onslaught of adversity, when the only thoughts streaming through your mind are mediocre or negative? When you’re starting back at square one, or from scratch, how much more difficult will the journey be if your mind is not overflowing with positive thoughts? How much can you get done and succeed at when there’s a dark cloud looming in your mind? Here’s the great news – you have total control. Whether it be to lose weight, 180 your lifestyle or simply to finish that very first marathon you committed to.  

A very good friend of mine is such a positive ray of sunlight, even I want to smack him in the face sometimes. But you know what, get to know him, and you can’t help feeling his sincerity and his remarkable positive mindset. This guy has eliminated all dark days from his brain – he finds everything good in everything in life. From the doc telling him his blood pressure was way too high, to tough times in his career. His mental beat is so high, that this guy never misses a note. He knows that any pain he will encounter/endure is only temporary – so why get bent out of shape over it. His philosophy is simple – overflow with such positive abundance that no matter how bad a situation may arise, or how awful a day may unfold, that negative energy is knocked down to a piece of dust due to the positive force imbedded in his mind. 

This isn’t hippie jargon. My friend has a great point. Get yourself to such a high level of positive that you eventually become oblivious to all that tries to conquer you. You don’t even get phased when it hits the fan, if you know what I mean.  

From Lance Armstrong lying on his deathbed before his tour de force domination, to Jim Carrey sitting up in the hills overlooking Hollywood before he was ever a Pet Detective – we have to start with this deep, sincere positive outlook on life before the first paycheck or award is handed over to us. Everyone starts from nothing before they are truly something. Something remarkable, something worth fighting positively for. Keep at it my friends, nothing in life worthwhile is easy – but it can be easier with the right attitude and a smile every step of the way.

What an awesome long weekend. Family, friends, great food, great laughs, time spent outdoors and in the gym. Got me seriously thinking how everyone can benefit from the right lifestyle change. A lifestyle in which we gear more towards taking care of our health, through ultimately eating cleaner, exercising more and empowering our mind with positive thoughts and goals. And who better to be by your side throughout such transition than family and friends? It’s a win win for all involved. You get your support system, and your family and friends benefit from the positive energy all around.  

Read a piece in Men’s Health this past weekend about a young man, mid 30’s who in 3 years went from 330 lbs to 170 lbs. The miraculous morphing happened as a direct result of eating clean/healthy and exercising. Think about that. We’re talking about a guy who is literally half of what he was 3 years prior. Got me thinking, if someone who was that size can have a vision, work at it, be persistent and be patient – why can’t we? That’s an extreme case, the majority of us are not in such a critical situation – we simply need to make minor changes that will, over time, benefit our lives and longevity here on earth.  

The young man in the article confessed much of his success was about getting his goal, his vision out there – telling family and friends. They not only supported him, but encouraged him on. They believed in him when they saw that he believed in himself. I am confident, along that 3 year journey, that he inspired many whom witnessed what he was evolving into and accomplishing. From a guy who was told by his doctor that he wouldn’t see past 40 – to a healthy and vibrant right lifestyle success story.  

You gotta love it.

My first real part time job was at McDonald’s when I was 16 years old. I was coming out of high school and looking for some money to help support my increasing social life and extended curfew hours. I was the young guy responsible for the grill, where all the patties and meats were prepped before someone supersized their combo. I lasted 2 months. 

Shortly after my stint at McDonald’s, and shortly after overdosing on half priced/employee discount fast food, I found myself revolted by the smell, taste and thought of anything that remotely resembled cheap, quick cuisine. My buddies would hit Burger King after the hockey game, and I would either opt out of eating or I would run across the street to the then emerging Subway restaurants for something less fast food-like.  

And I guess that’s when it all began. That’s when I can honestly say I began to change. And what resulted from that change is what has changed my life for the better forever.  

At 16 years old I was most likely the youngest chap in the neighborhood frequenting the local, then very small, health food store. You should see the size of that health store now (13 years later). I was ridiculously interested in everything health – from supplements to healthy, clean eating. I joined the gym, worked out regularly. I started jogging, joined a roller hockey team in the summers to fill that void of ice hockey in the off season. I was indulging my mind into everything I could get my hands on – from a subscription to Men’s Health to hiring a personal trainer at the gym. It not only became a full time passion, and obsession, it became my lifestyle. And for this, I am forever grateful – for this lifestyle change, changed my life for the better.  

I’m not suggesting that my way was the normal way, heck I went through more heckling back then than most tweens should ever have to endure. What I am saying is that that lifestyle change for me, opened my mind to what we are missing when we make the wrong choices when it comes to our health. We are all very smart people, we know most of the time, especially when it comes to eating and exercise, what is wrong and what is right. And if we don’t, Google and the internet are at our fingertips and well educated/ready to serve specialists are a phone call away. We live once, why not feel like you’re fully alive each and every day – why not choose to lead a lifestyle that will only benefit and enhance the one body and mind you will ever have.

Was rereading late last night the blogs I posted over the past couple of days. I could not help but not dismiss the reality of distraction in our world today, and why the majority of society find it ever increasingly difficult, sometimes impossible, to stay true to a thing and remain focused. We all suffer from some form of ADD these days, with so many options and avenues around to pry and steer us away from what we really want to be doing and who we truly want to become.  

I too suffer from this mild form of ADD on a daily basis. Its not easy, but I am working very hard to do something about it. With luxuries and technologies beyond the human race’s wildest imagination and understanding – we have at our fingertips more than we will ever need or should want. In order to stay true to what you want, and intensely focused without being sidetracked, serious discipline is in dire demand here. 

To rectify the acknowledged disorder I could be losing myself in, I decided to reflect on my current state of life. I decided to dig deep and truly find what I love doing now, in my past and what I will still wake up at 5am to do many years from now. What are the key 3? Now I chose only 3 core areas in order to keep it simple and extremely focused. Keep in mind that these 3 are simply a core of 3 areas in which all other initiatives, goals, plans, projects and yes, to do lists, will be spawned from. 

Here are my key 3: 

• Health – my body’s physical and mental health and the opportunity to challenge and inspire others to lead a lifestyle of health and wellbeing
• Work – the challenge and opportunity of making a difference in this world through commerce
• Writing – the challenge and opportunity of making a difference in this world through my words

Of course my family and friends are ALWAYS top priority, but that is a given. These key 3 are simply something personal, yet something personal that can only make the world a better place.  

What are your key 3?

The Pareto principle (also known as the 80-20 rule, the law of the vital few and the principle of factor sparsity) states that, for many events, 80% of the effects comes from 20% of the causes. Business management thinker Joseph M. Juran suggested the principle and named it after Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, who observed that 80% of income in Italy went to 20% of the population. It is a common rule of thumb in business; e.g., “80% of your sales comes from 20% of your clients.” 

The content above was taken from the Wikipedia website to provide you with a clearer understanding of where I’m going with all of this.  

Much talk has been brought up recently in regards to Pareto’s principle. This time around the dialogue has less to do with economic and business realities, and more with health, time management and people’s lifestyles. With stress and ill health on the rise ever increasingly – people truly need to focus more on the 20% positive in their life and multiply/compound on it. People also need to focus intensely on the important things in their lives, the things that are most meaningful to them and execute them effectively.  

If we want to lose weight, we need to zero in on the 20% of the right foods that we do eat and enjoy, and more than just duplicate it. If more physical activity is what we need in our lives, then we should focus on and participate in activities that are extremely enjoyable to us – not just some activity that we are only participating in because we were told to do so. Our stress levels can decline dramatically if we learned how to manage our time better by applying the 80-20 rule – cutting out the clutter and fat that erodes our days with unproductive and ineffective activity. We need to focus on what is IMPORTANT and what truly MATTERS MOST TO US.

We all suffer today from the ever expanding, never ending TO DO LIST – Whether it consists of to do’s for our jobs, kids, home, community, etc., we multi task from one to do to another, without this list in hand and constantly being worked on, we feel lost. We need this list. So we tell ourselves.  

Having important things on your agenda, things that you need to achieve and accomplish is inevitable. I’m all for this. My question to you is this – where does your health rank on that list? How much time are you devoting to your very important day sufficient exercise, healthy eating, supplementing for prevention and optimal health? Are you taking time to unwind, free your mind, get a massage, take a walk or heck go for a swim? The reality is, and I believe strongly in this, that the great majority of us simply fill our to do lists with 80% B.S. (we’ll go into this more tomorrow – in regards to the 80/20 rule/The Pareto principle) and in addition to this, omit our very own health altogether. How dare we? 

Your health, both in body and mind, should be your numero uno priority. Everything else should come in as a very important second, of course, and so on. Because without physical and mental health, not much else down that to do list will be done/executed effectively or very well. No point in doing something half ass, so if you have to tackle that to do list full on, make sure you’re doing it with your health fully in tip top shape. 

Nothing in this world will enable your life’s journey with more success and enjoyment than living it with a healthy body and a healthy mind. Ask any young millionaire with health problems. 

Enjoy your day my friends.