Saturday, August 06, 2005

Big Fish First

Back in the day I was the master procrastinator. I knew what I needed to do to make dramatic changes in my life but instead I would waist hours of my day putzing (sp) around with all kinds of small fish tasks. I would tell myself that once my ducks (or fish) were in a row I could tackle the big job. Laundry, dishes, food shopping, cleaning up the house, paying bills etc. were endless busy jobs that kept me from going after the big fish. This stuff had to be done, but I would spread it out throughout my day to avoid going after the Big Fish, my purpose.

I still have a tendency to drift back to my old ways but for the most part I make a conscious effort to keep my eye on the prize. My life changing Big Fish tasks involve
writing these blogs, answering your questions in the mail bag, the monthly chats, promoting a healthy and fit lifestyle at the fitness camps, working out 5 to 6 days a week, spending and investing my money wisely, working on my first book and getting
proper rest and nutrition so that I'll have the energy and enthusiasm to do it all.

If you're having trouble getting and/or staying in shape, check to see were your priorities have been lately. Do you have a plan for your success? Have you scheduled your workouts in advance? Are you watching the tube when you could be getting the small tasks out of the way? Are you eating lame food and getting less than 7 1/2 of sleep? To achieve what you want and deserve in this world you must know when to do what. Stop flittering away your time and LIFE with mindless tasks that keep you from going after the Big Fish.

I know single Mom's with 4 kids who make the time to get it all done. If you want this amazing healthy life, you have got to make exercise priority one. Maybe that means getting up early and working out first thing in the morning. If that doesn't fit in your schedule then make a plan for when you can. Make a plan where you focus on the things that make for a great life. Put your mind and energy into your purpose for being on this earth. Something tells me it's not neatly folded laundry.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Tony

This blog came at such the right time for me. I am a master procrastinator, as well. I was in the shower this morning, and I realized that if I put as much effort into working out and eating, as I did avoiding success, I would have reached my goal long before now. Thanks, again.

Kim

Anonymous said...

Tony,

You are so right. Even right now I am procrastinating. I could be exercising on this beautiful Sunday morning, but I am sitting here on my computer wasting time. Over the last 4 months my life has been turned upside down with my wife having a baby, our purchasing and moving into our home, returning to school, and a new job, you could say my life has been chaos. During this time I've stopped exercising for the most part. It seemed like I would make excuses for not getting off my lazy butt and just spend that half hour to hit play. Thanks for the advice and extra push to prioritize my schedule. Now if you'll excuse me I need to go push play.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the reminder... Enough said, WOWY has been scheduled. Back on track. Now setting time to sleep.

Anonymous said...

Hey Tony,

What's wrong with neatly folded laundry?? Ha, just kidding! Thanks for the great reminder of taking care of ourselves! As a wife and mom of two, I know that if I'm dragging, our day will not be productive! I need to first take care of myself, which allows me the privilege of taking care of my kids and hubby. I think of my exercising as a gift to myself, but my whole family reaps the rewards. Here's to Big Fish!

Hope to see you in Chat tonight!
Sarah/Psalm 9567

Anonymous said...

...love it love it, LOVE IT!!! What a wonderful topic to discuss. There are just too many times that we UNPRIORITIZE, we keep ourselves busy with mindless activities, obscuring what we need to focus on. I think the term AVOIDANCE would work here...it's what we do to avoid what we need to or should do...so many times, too often, too many people watch their own lives from the sidelines...wondering and waiting when LIFE is going to happen- all the while wasting the opportunity they have every day to make the most of their time. My personal EUREKA came the day I woke up and realized the sun will rise and set regardless of what I do or do not achieve for myself, as a goal short or long term. 24 hours in a day, seven days in a week. The way it is and always will be...and you can't only wish for "it"- whatever "it" may be. It's nice to win a prize on a radio contest or find a twenty dollar bill on the street or get a birthday gift but that's not how life works everyday. And we can't expect a package on our doorstep every day either.
Dream, it's good for you- stretch your imagination and enjoy it, but don't wish for success, count on it- by planning, focusing and working. Someone asked me for some advice today- she wanted to know how she could incorporate more vegetables into her eating pattern.
My answer was "incorprate more vegetables into your eating pattern."
Almost obnoxious but that's the only answer to that simple question. Sometimes just DOING IT (whatever your goal) is the simplest, most sure-fire way of accomplishing a seemingly monumental obstacle.
There is no magic answer. I take that back...the MAGIC ANSWER IS: do it for yourself. Stop finding reasons why you trhink you can't, make up a list of reasons why you can. and should. And apply yourself. Your goal may be to lose 40 pounds or 6 pounds. Your goal may be to get a better job or a promotion. Your goal may be to find the "perfect mate" or mend a broken relationship. Being proactive is the only way to move forward, we simply cannot expect birthday presents everyday.

Anonymous said...

Tony

here is an idea

you have your Tony 11, come up with an anti-11, meaning 11 things to avoid. This post seemed to be focused on the word AVOIDANCE. Let me explain, in software development ( since its been around for so many years ) there are basic patterns that can be followed to ensure success, almost like tried and true methods that work no matter what when realized, BUT there are also anti-patterns that can be studied, which are improper ways to do things... SOmetimes seeing it from the opposite side can be effective as well too... Some people have difficulty hearing what they may need to strive toward ( like an ideal high absolute sort of ) and have a better time understanding what they need to avoid. Great blog post... I have found myself falling into this trap often, I have to do this or that before I can do this... I like to refer to this as thinking about something so much you don't ever get it done...

Moodle

Anne Dovel said...

Right on! Couldn't have said it better.
Anne in NE

Anonymous said...

"Incorporate more vegetables into your eating pattern."

I LOVE DAWN BARCA.

:)
Tamfish

Anonymous said...

Tony, PERFECT! Well said :) When are you going ot be done with that book?? I want to get my hands on a copy :D

Amanda

Anonymous said...

Hey Tony!!! Can't believe you wrote this topic before this weekend!! lol It is sooo me. Anyway, I started a new thread called "Tony and Friends 2005 Santa Monica Camp". It's pictures from Saturday. I think it came out pretty well. I posted the pics a couple nights ago and there are over 500 views (the other 34 were probably still me :)) Hope you have a chance to look at it and any comments or feedback you may have would be appreciated!!

OH BTW I realized this morning I left my shoe bag at the Ritz. I'll probably go get it when I take my nephew home in a couple weeks. Everybody from the other camps always said they didn't want to leave at the end and I guess a part of me felt that way too :) But then again that bag has my dumb bells in it too so I guess my phh arms workouts are gonna be kinda creative in the lifting for the next week or two. lol

Keep the amazingly useful tips coming. And thank you Tony!!

Anonymous said...

Hey Tony,
Thank you for the encouraging words, I too percrastenate and do little fish jobs to fill up my day. Between work and basic life stuff(laundry, shopping, house work, etc...)I can fill up the day and forget about the things that will make and keep me healthy. It is easy to fall back on old unhealthy patterns that have gotten me into the shape i'm in now.
I am 39 and have heard the screeching brakes as my metabolism has slowed down over the past few years. I have the bad eating habits from my twenties and the complacency of my thirties that I now am accountable for. I have committed, to myself, to make the change and by my fourtieth birthday I want to truely be celebrating the fabulous, healthy me that will live out the rest of my healthy fit life.
This is great, especially because forums like this help me to realize that I am not alone.
BTW, Tony, kepp your fish in school and get that book done, I can't wait to read it. :D
tonimac

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