Jay Platt's "No Matter What!" Report

Why You Should Aim Low

"How am I going to live today in order to create
the future that I'm committed to?"

~ Anthony Robbins ~

 

Tuesday marked six weeks since my brain surgery. I'm still not at 100%, but I'm getting there. And, how I'm going about doing so is what I want to talk to you about in this post, as I know you can use the same information in your own life.

For more than a decade now, I've talked about the power of setting and achieving goals and have written about it here in the past. There is real power in goals and I can't say enough good things about them.

But today, I would like to talk about goals in a slightly different way. Something that you don't hear that often. I am going to recommend that you aim low (at least at first) in order to achieve the success you're ultimately looking for.

I know, I know. How could I actually recommend that you should aim low of all things? Shouldn't I be telling  you to "shoot for the stars" instead?

Well, while telling you something like that would certainly be motivational (and may be the ultimate goal), it's just not realistic for most, and is not how most big goals are accomplished.

Hence my recommendation that you "aim low" on your goal, at least initially. The thing you want to do is set a goal that you can achieve. This gives you something you sorely need in the beginning -- confidence.

A win in the beginning gives you the impetus you need to begin to set goals which will stretch you and allow you to achieve more than you ever dreamed. A loss, however, can do just the opposite. Sadly, that is what I see way too often.

Far too often, people will set goals that are not reachable, then when they don't achieve the goal they set they throw their hands up in exasperation and give up on the whole idea of setting and achieving goals.

So, all I'm suggesting is that you do just the opposite. Set something that you know you can do. Then, use that win to set the next one, and so on. A perfect example of this is a goal I have set for myself and getting back into shape.

On March 10th, there is a 5k road race that I have entered. Putting a time goal at this point would be much too intense. So, instead, my goal is just to finish the race. That's it. Something I know I will be able to do. And from there, who knows?

Well, that's it for now. Until next time...

Keep reaching,
Jay

P.S. I'd love to get your thoughts. If you liked this post, and are on FB, please click the "like" button below to let others know about it, or take a moment and comment on it. Thanks!

A Day I Will Always Remember

November 11, 2011 is a day I'll never forget. On that day, I swam across the Mississippi river while handcuffed, shackled, and blindfolded, becoming the first and only person to have done so.

I did it show show people who have been wounded and injured in combat, those with a chronic illness, and anyone who has ever thought they couldn't do something, just what is possible.

I hope that I've done that. There is much more to do though. I know that. But that is for another day. For now, I am resting up and plotting my next move.

Before I go, thanks so much to Billy and Madge Howell at Delta Bohemian (www.DeltaBohemian.com) for the great job in putting the above video together. I hope you will visit their site.

Well, that's it for now. Until next time...

Keep reaching,
Jay

P.S. I'd love to get your thoughts. If you liked this post, and are on FB, please click the "like" button below to let others know about it, or take a moment and comment on it. Thanks!

Nothing Happens Until You Take Action

   

“Knowing is not enough; we must apply.
Willing is not enough; we must do.”

~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe ~

In August of 2004, I got a phone call from my mother asking if I had heard the news yet. Alberto Christini had just swam from Alcatraz to San Francisco with both his hands and feet bound, becoming only the second person ever to have done so.

I was floored. Not because he had made it, because I had no doubt it could be done. Jack Lalanne had proven that. No, I was upset that he'd done the swim, period. I was mad!

It was like he had “stolen” my idea. Of course, he hadn’t stolen anything. He just got the same idea as me and acted on it. Did you get that? He got the same idea as I had and acted on it.  

Imagine that—a guy living in Italy comes up with basically the same idea as I had. Then, he gets on a plane, flies to America, and actually does the swim.

And though I was going to do the swim myself, and thought I'd be the second to have done so, none of that mattered now. The truth is, action is the only thing that really matters. Ideas, or intentions, are a dime a dozen.

And so that’s how I ended up becoming the third and not the second person to swim from Alcatraz to San Francisco with my hands and feet bound.

Has anything like that ever happened to you? You’ve got this great idea, but don’t do anything with it and before you know it someone else does. If so, read on.  

DON’T WAIT

I am convinced that one of the biggest differences between high achievers and most everyone else is that high achievers are much more action oriented.

They don’t just think about doing something or just talk about doing something, they actually do it. Right then and there. There is a lot of power in that. And that’s what I want for you.

The problem is that we buy into the false belief that “knowledge is power.” We read a book or take a course and believe that somehow it's going to miraculously help us. But I've found that it’s just not true.

I mean, think about all of the things you have learned over the years and then you did absolutely nothing with the information. Sure, while you may be more educated, the bottom-line is if you don’t use it, it’s really not that helpful to you, is it?

Please don’t get me wrong—I am certainly not against education, far from it. I just want you to understand that it’s not enough to hear or read something in order to know it. To truly know it, you’ve got to use it.

There is an old adage that applies here. It comes from the Chinese philosopher Confucius and he said this: “What I hear I forget, what I see I remember, but what I do I understand.” The power is in the doing.

Well, that's it for now. Until next time...

Keep reaching,
Jay

P.S. I'd love to get your thoughts. If you liked this post, and are on FB, please click the "like" button below to let others know about it, or take a moment and comment on it. Thanks!

Adapt To The Situation

"Take the world as it is, not as it ought to be."

~ German Proverb ~

My first marathon race was about as miserable of a situation as I've ever been in. While I technically made it, I just about had to crawl to the finish line. To put it bluntly, compared to what I'd thought I'd do, I'd failed miserably.

But, I have found that some of the most valuable lessons are often learned through such failure. Though it doesn’t happen automatically. To really learn from your failures requires you to be completely honest about what didn’t work and why.

And so it was with my pitiful showing in my first marathon. I knew that if I was going to learn from it, I needed to take a good, hard look at where I had gone wrong. And there was plenty to choose from.

Having the “I already know it all” mentality had hurt me. I just assumed that my shorter mileage races would translate into running marathons, so I prepared as I had done before. I didn't consider the differences involved. And that was a big mistake.

The truth is, there are many differences between marathon and shorter distance running—things like pacing, hydration, etc., can make a huge difference on race day. And all of this must be considered during your training leading up to the race

You can’t simply do what you've always done as you prepare and then come race day suddenly try to change things up and expect to perform well. It just doesn’t work that way. That’s why proper training is so important.

And while you may never run a marathon yourself, I hope you see how this applies in your own life. Change, and having to adapt to it, is no longer optional. It's something we must deal with on an almost daily basis.

You simply can't do things the way you have always done them. You have to adapt to the current situation. In matters of principle, stay firm, for sure. On other things, however, you must be open to change or risk becoming obsolete.

Well, that's it for now. Until next time...

Keep reaching,
Jay

P.S. I'd love to get your thoughts. If you liked this post, and are on FB, please click the "like" button below to let others know about it, or take a moment and comment on it. Thanks!

Why Faith Is So Important

"Faith is to believe what you do not yet see;
the reward for this faith is to see what you believe."

~Saint Augustine~

 

Faith is a big part of me being unstoppable, and I really can't imagine accomplishing all that I have in life, without having that faith to sustain me—faith in myself, faith that I'll succeed, and faith in a loving God who I believe wants the best for me.

My faith is not always strong, however, and is something that I continue to work hard on daily. The following tips have helped me strenghthen it a lot, though, and I hope they'll help you too.

FIVE TIPS FOR INCREASING YOUR FAITH

1) Follow your heart, not your head. I’m not suggesting you do no critical thinking. There is a time and place for that. But faith is often based on that which cannot be seen, yet can be felt. As such, it's more of a heart matter than one of the head.

2) Ask for divine help and believe you'll receive it. Whether you ask for divine help from God (my choice), the universe, or whatever you happen to believe in, there is strong evidence that there is a force greater than we are out there somewhere.

3) Ignore the naysayers. There are people in the world who suffer from what I call, “skepticismitis.” They have to see something before they’ll believe it. My advice is that you don’t allow them to influence your way of thinking.

4) Take some action. Remember the scripture that says “faith without works is dead.” I heard someone once say that you should pray as though it’s up to God, and work as though it’s up to you. I think that’s pretty good advice.

5) Have high expectations. There is a natural law called the law of expectations that has much to do with faith. Essentially, it says that in life we don’t get what we want, we get what we expect. High expectations typically produce high results and low expectations produce low ones.

Well, that's it for now. Until next time...

Keep reaching,
Jay

P.S. I'd love to get your thoughts. If you liked this post, and are on FB, please click the "like" button below to let others know about it, or take a moment and comment on it. Thanks!

Swim For The Warriors

 

On November 11, 2011, I will attempt to become the only person in history to swim across the Mississippi river while handcuffed, shackled, and blindfolded.

I hope to show people who have been wounded and injured in combat, those with a chronic illness, and anyone who has ever thought they couldn't do something, just what is possible.

You can follow my training, donate, and see what it really means to be unstoppable by heading to Swim For The Warriors today. Thanks so much!

Are You Committed?

"The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor."

~ Vince Lombardi ~

Oftentimes we look at someone who has achieved greatness in some area of their life with a slight bit of envy. We think to ourselves how much we would love to be in their shoes.

They make what they do look so effortless that it can be easy to forget what it took for them to reach that point.

All the hours and hours of practice, doing without now, so they can have what they want later, etc. But, it's actually something even more than that.

People who have achieved true greatness in some way have "burned their ships in the harbor," as the following story, which was relayed to me years ago, illustrates.

A general was to land on a foreign island with several hundred soldiers. Their mission was to seize the beach and hold it until reinforcements arrived the next day.

The enemy, however, were known to be a fierce and ruthless adversary who’d never lost a battle.

As the soldiers were departing their ships, the general heard some of them telling one another that if the going got too tough, they’d simply retreat to the ships and sail away.

Upon hearing this, the general ordered that all the ships be burned in the harbor. His men, with nowhere to retreat, won the battle and held the area.

That story really says it all. It gives the key to achieving your goal in any area. All you have to do is follow the example and there is no telling what you can accomplish.

Sadly, however, most people aren't willing to "burn their ships." They (like the soldiers in the story) want them there in case things get too hard they can use them to escape with.

But that’s not the way of true commitment. No, if you really want to achieve all that you're capable of then you must follow the general’s example, and do what you must.

I’m a firm believer that all people who’ve made a mark in this world have been willing to commit themselves this way.

People like the young musician who moves to Nashville, against the advice of his friends and family;

Or the actor who goes to Hollywood, in hopes of landing a big movie role;

Or the business person who risk his or her life savings to fund their business start-up.

I’m not saying those types of decisions are for everyone. But, we all can learn from their example.

Maybe for you, it’s committing yourself to your marriage, to remain together, for better or worse, and really meaning it.

Or maybe it’s a commitment to graduate from college, or to stop smoking.

Regardless of what it may be, the principle remains the same. You have to be willing to keep going, no matter how hard you’re hit.

When things get tough, you must remain committed to your decision. You must be willing to give it your all. Because if you do, you can’t be stopped.

Well, that's it for now. Until next time...

Keep reaching,
Jay

P.S. I'd love to get your thoughts. If you liked this post, and are on FB, please click the "like" button below to let others know about it, or take a moment and comment on it. Thanks!

How To Set Goals You Can Achieve

"Goals are the fuel in the furnace of achievement." 
~ Brian Tracy ~

Goals can unlock your true potential which is why I'm such a big proponent of their use in moving you forward. I believe that without them most people never achieve all they could. 

Unfortunately, as effective as they are, I would say the vast majority of people don't know how to set them. It is simply not something that is commonly taught.  

If I've just described you, don't fret because I have some really great news. Setting goals does not have to be complicated to be useful. The key is to set them the "R-SMART" way.

R-SMART is based on a goal setting method that's been around for a long time, with a few changes on my part. Simply use each letter to remind you of what makes a effective goal.

R - The R reminds us to make sure our goals are "recorded," or written down.

S - The S reminds us to make sure our goals are "specific," as opposed to something general, like a wish.

M - The M reminds us to ensure our goals are "measurable" in some form or fashion.

A - The A reminds us to make sure our goals are "actionable," or something we can actually take action on.

R - The R reminds us to be sure our goals are "reachable." Not doing so is just setting yourself up for failure.

T - The T reminds us to be sure our goals are "timed," so each one has a time frame attached to it.

And there you have it. The R-SMART system for setting goals. Give it a try. I bet you'll be glad you did.

Well, that's it for now. Until next time...

Keep reaching,
Jay

P.S. I'd love to get your thoughts. If you liked this post, and are on FB, please click the "like" button below to let others know about it, or take a moment and comment on it. Thanks!

"Goals are the fuel in the furnace of achievement." 
~ Brian Tracy ~

Goals can unlock your true potential which is why I'm such a big proponent of their use in moving you forward. I believe that without them most people never achieve all they could. 

R - The R reminds us to be sure our goals are "reachable." Not doing so is just setting yourself up for failure.

Do You Do It In The Rain?

 
 “Unless commitment is made, there are only
promises and hopes; but no plans.”

 ~ Peter F. Drucker ~

 

I was just finishing up a 5 mile run, in the rain, when a blue van pulled up beside me. As the driver side window eased down a bit, I could see it was my neighbor from up the street.

In a rather sarcastic voice, she said to me, "Don't you know it's raining out here? And they're calling for more." I just smiled and replied, "I know. I know." I then continued on my way.

Her comments got me to thinking though, and so now I want to ask you. Do you do it in the rain? Well, do you?

Please don't misunderstand my question. I realize I have been talking about running here, but "doing it in the rain" could be a lot of things. Anything that you say you really want.

I don't know your answer, but can tell you that most people do NOT do it in the rain. On a nice sunny day, sure. They are committed then. But not on the days when it's nasty.

How about you? Do you do "it" when it's not comfortable, when you don't feel like it, when it's raining outside? Your honest answer will tell you a lot.

So, what's the answer if you're not willing to "do it in the rain"? It's something that I've said before, and will say again I'm sure. It's that important.

Here it is: You have to have a compelling reason why. A why so strong that you are willing to do whatever it takes, for as long as it takes. Once you do, you will be truly unstoppable.

Well, that's it for now. Until next time...

Keep reaching,
Jay

P.S. I'd love to get your thoughts. If you liked this post, and are on FB, please click on the "like" button below to let others know about it, or take a quick moment and comment on it. Thanks! 

What's Your Alcatraz?

 "He who has a why to live can bear almost any how."
 ~Friedrich Nietzsche ~

On November 7, 2005, I did what most said couldn't be done. I swam from Alcatraz Island to San Francisco with my hands and feet tied, becoming one of only three people to have done so.

Swimming in such a manner is not something I recommend. I'm a water survival expert, trained to swim in such a way, and was able to do the swim, in large part, because of that training.

Having said that, I know that many (or most) of you reading this wouldn't want to do such a swim anyway. You may even think I am not all there to have done so. That's cool.

But let me ask you something. It's a question that I ask of my audiences when I speak, clients that I coach, and now of you. Here it is. What's your Alcatraz?

See, I believe most everyone has an Alcatraz type of dream. Something they'd do if only. If only things were just right, if only they believed in themselves more, if only they weren't afraid.

I don't know what it is for you, but I do know this. Chances are you do have something big that you'd like to accomplish. Maybe you're in the process of doing so, maybe you're not.

Regardless of that, I want to give you a tip. A secret if you will. So here it is. The surefire way to ensure you achieve your goals, particularly the big ones, is make sure you have a big why.

What is the real reason why you do what you do? Why do you want to accomplish your goal? Tie it into something you really care about and you are well on your way to achieving it.

For me, my Escape From Alcatraz swim was a huge part of my accomplishing a goal that I set many years ago. It is a part of a goal that I continue to work on daily.

After being retired from the Marine Corps for no longer being fit enough to be a Marine, I was down, depressed, and devastated. But I knew I had a major decision to make.

I could either go home and fade away as had been suggested to me, or I could fight back. I decided on the latter. To show the world that this condition I have will not keep me down.

I would do what seemed impossible to most. Things that most healthy, capable people wouldn't attempt, and certainly not a one-eyed guy with a brain tumor.

That's my why. It's why I do the things I do. What about you? What's your Alcatraz? Find that and you will be unstoppable. Nothing, and I do mean nothing, will stop you.

Well, that's it for now. Until next time...

Keep reaching,
Jay

P.S. I'd love to get your thoughts. If you liked this post, and are on FB, please click on the "like" button below to let others know about it, or take a quick moment and comment on it. Thanks!