How 6 Simple Questions Changed My Life
“The one thing that has gotten me through depression, addiction, all of it — is movement.”
– Michael Chernow
I fundamentally believe that movement is medicine and it has the ability to help solve countless issues.
Mental health is a real issue. The one thing that has always helped me when I am down, when I am struggling, or when I feel alone has been movement. You don’t have to do anything crazy, but get outside and walk for at least 20-30 minutes.
When I committed to living a healthier lifestyle, every other area of my like also improved. For me, movement serves as a reset and allows me to move one step closer to becoming the person I know I am capable of every day.
I remember a mentor telling me in my 20’s that their 40’s had been their favorite decade yet.
I nodded my headed along, but I thought I had it made. I was living it up, I had a supercharged Range Rover, a big condo, Zenga suits, Tiffany cuff links and could easily stumble home from the trendy bars within walking distance of my modern condo. I was living life fast, making money, and having a lot of “fun”.
But my mentor was right. As I got older, my interests began to change.
In my 30’s I started to prioritize wellness. I enjoyed progressing in my fitness, more than progressing into a new income bracket. I enjoyed building deeper relationships/friendships through shared suffering and overcoming self-imposed obstacles. I made a “VIP” list of people I wanted to interact with on a regular basis, and started having real conversations that have been more valuable than any increase in income.
My 30’s were better than my 20’s. I prioritized doing things I was passionate about instead of just going through the motions to generate more income. My weekdays became the same as my weekends – I filled each day with what I enjoyed, and who I enjoyed being around. I became wiser, healthier, more community oriented, and more fulfilled.
My 40’s have been much of the same. I’m more authentic, vulnerable, and comfortable in my own skin.
I feel more fulfilled in knowing who I am, where I want to be, who I want to be around.
I live a life that I have intentionally designed. But this is an exercise that I come back to often:
Every 90 days I perform a quarterly personal review: I set time on my calendar to ask myself the following questions:
What does my ideal life look like? How has it changed?
What were my two main areas where I wanted to improve in the last quarter?
Did I accomplish what I wanted to? Where did I fall short? Why?
What kind of changes do I need to make to accomplish my goals?
Are these still the areas where I am committed to improving?
What do I need to do financially and with my time to be able to make this happen?
*Use a pen and paper when you perform this exercise.
**Ask yourself these questions as a starting point, but add in more that are specific to you. You know you better than anyone else.
The first step to achieving anything meaningful is articulating the vision. Then, remember that building anything meaningful takes time.
In my twenties, I first made a list of the activities, people and environments that left me feeling energized and the same for those that left me feeling drained.
I slowly built my life around positive energy sources, but it didn’t happen overnight. I wrote down the changes that I wanted to make, built a plan, and then worked to hold myself accountable.
Living a life by design in my forties, started almost twenty years ago. And this is the quarterly review system I used to get me to where I am today.
Give my personal review system a try, and let me know what you think!
Today's Optimization
Kreature’s of Habit New Flavor Alert: Strawberry Walnut Cream is here and it’s the perfect balance of sweet, creamy, and earthy. I love it and I have been eating it everyday after my bike training sessions as I get ready for a Leadville qualifier next month. Meal one has the perfect combination of protein and carbs. (Pro tip: I make it with Slate Milk to get 50g of protein.)
I am a kreature of habit– I spent a considerable amount of time, effort, and money designing my dream life. I like to control the controllable, which is one of the reasons I hate traveling. But travel is one thing you cannot eliminate from your life completely. Every time I go on the road, I pack Kreatures of Habit because it allows me to regain control of my nutrition. I know that I will have (at least) one meal covered every day where I will be able to hit my 30g protein goal.
Quality nutrition while traveling is possible, but it requires effort and planning. One new habit that I am currently implementing is packing for my next trip as soon as I get home. This way, I never have to think when it’s time to leave the house; I know that I have all my supplements packed and ready to go. Today Kreatures of Habit is offering Movement Memo subscribers a deal: 15% off your purchase of Kreatures of Habit using code “Hinman15″.
Today's Movement
Complete for 8 rounds for time:
- Run 400 Meters
- 20 Bodyweight Squats
Use 36/18lbs GORUCK sand kettlebells for weight if needed