[Vegas69]

Balance

A continual challenge in life to find the right ingredients. The need to continually adapt to keep things interesting when your taste and ideals change. As you become more educated and experienced. With wisdom comes baggage and greater expectations for the game of life.

Balance in life is determined by so many variables. Family, Work, Health, Diet, Relationships, Spiritual, Benevolence, Interests to name a few.

2012 was the year of change for me. It's the year I started working hard on personal development, my philosophy, my attitude, my relationships, my knowledge, my finances, my health, my diet, and the list goes on.

I was able to change the direction of my life. As Jim Rohn would say, the set of my sail.

I started with my health. I went from 195lbs at the beginning of 2012 to 169lbs at the end of 2012. Forming the new GOOD habits consistently working out 4-6 days a week for only 1/2 hour a day. Easily the best shape of my life.

My nutrition completely changed. I went from 40-50 beers some weeks, fried food, on down the line to a diet from the old school. (What really works) Fruits and Veggies, Nuts, Lean Meats, Whole Grains, Greek Yogurt, Low to Non Fat Dairy A metabolism that is in high gear.

I purchased two investment properties and paid off my daily driver. I made some other smart financial choices and increased my yearly net sheet by over $28,000!

I worked constantly on personal development through education. Specifically, educating myself for an hour most days through CD's in my car to reading a good book in the morning and almost every night before bed. I read more books last year than I've read cumulative since graduating from high school.

I volunteered for the big brothers/big sisters program. I formed a very solid and positive relationship menoring an 8 year old boy in down town Las Vegas.

I improved my attitude and outlook on life by controlling my influences, forming new friendships, adding knowledge and tools to my life.

Clearly, all these changes made me a better spouse, better team leader, and a better friend.

At the end of 2012, I sat down with a good friend and we reflected on the year. That's some big swings at life in one year. Some HUGE changes. It wasn't always easy. Reflecting on it was a crucial step in the process. To look back at all the hard work and learn from it. I found that through all my changes, I had lifted my foot off the business gas in pursuit of my personal development. I had neglected to put 100% effort into my business in 2012. It reflected in my attitude about my profession, negatively. The lack of effort at work was the source of my soured attitude.

My focus was simply to much on the personal side of the equation. In my normal fashion, I wanted big changes, NOW. I had goals and I was going to make it happen! I hadn't realized how little effort I was putting into work in pursuit of my new ideals.

In 2013 I'm going to continue to work on personal development and all my other good habits. However, my foot is back on the business gas to bring the balance back closer to that perfect recipe. One of the changes I've made is moving my workouts until after work. Reserving that morning energy for the office and getting an earlier start.

One of the things I've learned from this whole process is to have an accountability partner or two. Someone that you can set down with and can look at your life from the outside looking in and give you a different perspective. I've scheduled a lunch with my buddy every month. I've started keeping a business journal to keep myself accountable.

I don't personally feel it's possible to ever perfect life and it's balance. I do think it's crucial to continue learning, changing, improving through personal development. Be a scholar of your own life.