Exercise Consistency Leads to Good Health

The trigger that brings you back to the gym might be many. For some it is when they look in the mirror and find that they have put on a few extra pounds over the years, for others it might be a health scare, but it is enough to prompt you into action. Even though momentary enthusiasm might get you into the gym it isn't going to keep you healthy.

We  often want to jump into a program and try and workout hours at the gym and suffer the soreness the next day. Exercise should be eased into our lives by continuing adding additional stress, effort and weight as the body adapts. It isn't designed for short bursts of enthusiasm marked by months long periods of inactivity.

Consistency is the main component in improving health. According to a study of obese participants consistent exercise (3X a week) for 12 weeks resulted in improved blood health, body mass, body fat, cholesterol, and oxygen volume (Dae-Young & Sun-Young, (2014).

It isn't so much the type of workout that is important. Walking, biking, treadmill, elliptic, swimming and most cardiovascular based sports get the job done. It is best to find an exercise that you can maintain and continue to do as your body allows you to. The biggest factor to success is engaging in fitness consistently throughout the week.

Dae-Young, K. & Sun-Young J. (2014). Effect of Aerobic Exercise on Risk Factors of Cardiovascular Disease and the Apolipoprotein B / Apolipoprotein A-1 Ratio in Obese Woman. Journal of Physical Therapy Science, 26 (11).

Why We Chase Power, Position, Prestige?

The appeal of power, position and prestige is an aphrodisiac that intoxicates almost all that it comes in contact with. Once touched it can consume a person's life until it turns into an addiction. Age doesn't seem to be a protection against the need to expand our position in a pursuit of an unending goal. Promoting people who think beyond power, position and prestige can help your business.

I have met many people, both old and young, that want more money and desire higher and higher positions of power. It is natural to be attracted by these forces but one must wonder what the end game is.

Sometimes we might consider stepping on each other, push our agendas, and even lie in order to gain more...and be more. When it comes to money and power we are often willing to give up a lot of meaningful things in order to obtain it.

In the workplace, constantly seeking additional recognition and gratification can put pressure on teams and damage the long-term sustainability of the organization. In the short term, goals are achieved but in the long-run people begin to slow down and create equity.

There are those few people who can balance their need to obtain greater authority with increased ability to help others achieve their own needs. They move up the ranks as they develop but are not necessarily forcing their way to the top.

I have met very powerful and wealthy people who have a lot of money. Enough to buy huge boats, airplanes, and a number of different homes. But that doesn't make them anymore fulfilled than those who have what they need to feel secure.

To me, it is much better to promote people who have a greater insight into life beyond the gratification of their own egos. They can build teams and inspire people around greater causes. Simply, pushing to achieve self-gratification destroys the natural motivation and trust employees have.

There may never be an upper limit to wealth that we need but there is a point where wealth doesn't matter as much as other things. There are some who have developed to the point that wealth is an enhancement to their lives and not an addiction they need to feed. They have the blessings of power, position and prestige with the peace of mind they know how to use it.

The Keys to Good Instruction

Good instructors have something that many other instructors don't have. They have a patience and ability to fill in the blanks of knowledge. They can see the learning process from the perspective of the student and understand how they are forming knowledge. When done right the environment becomes advantageous to learning and the speed of knowledge acquisition increases.

Patience is key to any solid instruction. People make mistakes, they trip over themselves and ask stupid questions. Students don't have the same knowledge set as the instructor and ask and do things that may not make immediate sense. Over time these questions and actions will come more into line.

Students can become easily frustrated and unable to deal well with an angry instructor that snaps. It is important to ensure that students feel comfortable and confident in order to ensure maximum learning. When they are relaxed they will make better decisions and think through the options putting less pressure on the instructor.

Understanding the perspective of the student helps in improving the building blocks to knowledge. Certain questions and actions can show us that the student doesn't understand a key part of the class. Make sure that you try and look at issues from the students perspective and fill in the learning gaps of the knowledge structure.

Being a strong instructors isn't hard but is based in part on our personal disposition. If we are patient and think about issues from the students perspective we can make a class fun, more productive, and build relationships with students. Great instructors learn this process through constantly thinking about how to improve their performance.

Those Old Buildings in Glorietta Bay

I had the pleasure of taking a boating class in Coronado California and came across one of the most beautiful harbors in the area. With the morning grey just rising, still waters, and the early movements of the beginning of the day you can come to appreciate the beauty of old structures. The Hotel del Coronado hotel is just a small walk away.

These are not just pieces of wood, brick, and metal all wired up together to create a structure. They are places where generations of people lived, breathed, and let their children run. At this marina these families may have had a little extra money and were the cream of society at a time in the 1920's when the economy was booming.

Boaters and sailors launched their ships here in an effort to enjoy the day. Nothing has changed to this date. Maybe the people are not as wealthy as they once were and maybe the ships have been modernized but the overall use and beauty of the place hasn't diminished one bit. In many ways it has improved with time.

If you get a chance I would recommend you visit Glorietta Bay and Hotel del Coronado to get a good sense of how the history stays alive.

Volunteering Makes a Difference in our Communities

Volunteering is an activity of giving back and providing the support that we have for our communities. It is a selfless act that isn't always appreciated the way it should be. In my early morning walk I came across a group of senior citizens cleaning up a Point Loma park and I was impressed that they were willing to give back to the community.

I'm sure there are many ways to give back; of which volunteering is one important ways. Many others go unnoticed and ignored by society. This group of seniors joined a social group and they enjoy each others company as they work on cleaning up the area.

Point Loma is a nice area but sometimes people leave their trash near the harbor and bon fires. At least this clean up makes a small dent in the cleanup that helps the community look good and attract young people. A clean city goes a long way in improving property values and the quality of life.

It just isn't the cleanliness and physical aspects that make a great city but also the social aspects. Cities that offer social aspects that help connect people together and give them purpose can go a long way in keeping people interested in overall engagement. The more people engage, the happier they will be in the long run.

The Importance of Exceptional Customer Service

Customer service is one of the most important aspects of most businesses but is often ignored and left to the individual employees. Restaurants will provide one level of service while a car company might provide another. The service must be catered to the needs of the customer. However, when this service is done well it leaves a lasting impression on your customers and can lead to customer retention.

At its core customer service is all about "frustration". As a fundamental question it is either we resolve frustration or leave frustration. Strong customer service will allow the customer to walk away feeling positive about the interaction and their purchase while poor customer service leaves a lasting impression that issues were not resolved.

There are two ways in which service failures or successes may occur. In the first case, the wrong type of services and the operational failure of these services is possible. In the second case, the person-to-person interactions may fail leaving the customer upset at how they were treated.

Sometimes companies pick the wrong service for their product. They are not giving the customer what they need or want. When the customer needs a return on a product they are offering only a replacement. Over time customers will avoid businesses that don't help them solve their problems or who violate unwritten rules of business interaction.

At other times, the service operation might be done well but it is the social interaction that occurs between the employee and the customer that can damage the relationship. Condescending voices, rolling of eyes, attitude, etc...can not only anger the customer but leave them with the impression that the company doesn't respect their business.

The Blessings of Good Bosses

Good bosses are hard to come across. Most of us have a boss or two we can remember as leaving a positive influence on our career. They seem to have some unique traits that make them different than many other bosses. The differences relate to their personalities more than their performance skills. This is one reason why good workers don't always make good bosses.

When someone takes on the roll of "boss" they assume responsibility over a larger arena of work and the ability to manage people in a way that helps them get there. This means they need to understand and listen to the needs of their employees. Their ability to lead is directly related to their personality.

Some bosses just create confidence in others. You can talk to them in a real way and you can communicate important information. They give you solid feedback and you can trust that it is accurate. Trusting the words and works of your boss can go a long way creating alignment around core department needs.

Strong bosses have goals but are not "agenda" bosses. This means that their agenda doesn't consume them to the point that nothing else matters. Their goals are worthwhile and shared. When people don't trust the boss's motives as they are driven by the perpetual need to accomplish ever more tasks to make themselves selves look good the motivation dies off.

Bad bosses seem to have turn over issues while good bosses attract devoted employees. They focus on developing solid relationships around core values that people agree with. Poor bosses are argumentative and driven to the point of cause havoc on their teams. Few people can work with a bad boss forever.

If you have a good boss then count your blessings. They will help you reach new heights and will help you develop instead of just taking care of themselves. As you come into work everyday you will begin to realize that you enjoy your surroundings and have positive feelings toward your work.  Having employment that you like and feel good about is the best case scenario.