Motivation | Peter Fletcher

I don’t want to write…but I am.

February 7, 2014 by Peter Fletcher

Writing can be a way to develop more self discipline

I’m writing because I’m tired and want to sleep.

I’m writing because it’s the last thing I want to do.

I’m writing because it would be easier to watch TV.

I’m writing because it’s easier not to.

I’m writing because easy is never easier in the long run.

I’m writing because nothing worthwhile comes without a struggle.

I’m writing because it hurts.

I’m writing because it builds discipline.

I’m writing because the voice inside says to have the night off.

I’m writing because I want a new story.

I write because I said I would.

I’m writing because I am.

4 videos that will inspire you to get off the couch and do more

February 5, 2014 by Peter Fletcher

Gets me motivated to hit the bar every time.

Super Human Strength Pullups

Holy cow these guys are strong. And abs? Whoa. Impressive. After watching this I’m always pumped to get out and do a few more pullups.

People Are Awesome Women’s Edition

Just an amazing group of women doing amazing things.

Best of Web 4 – HD – Zapatou

Watch this in HD. Bet you can’t turn it off, even though it’s 8 minutes long.

PEOPLE ARE AWESOME 2013 (THE BEST)

Yep, this is plain awesome. How people can even conceive of doing stunts like this is beyond me.

15 ways to get motivated for exercise when it’s the last thing you feel like doing

January 22, 2014 by Peter Fletcher

Don’t be a slave to your exercise goals. Sometimes it’s good to do something different.
Image: Andrés Aguiluz Rios http://www.flickr.com/photos/magoexperto/

A text arrived. It said: “Hey PF, if you’re keen, we’re doing the 80 mins as per program tomorrow. 5:14am at my place then heading…”

My eyes glazed over.

By the end of the message I’d lost interest. It was hot, I was tired and the last thing I felt like doing was grinding out 8o minutes in the heat.

Come to think of it I couldn’t bear to even think about running.

The day wore on. I wrestled with excuses.

Then it came to me: tackle this lack of motivation head on.

The question I asked, then, was this: How can I motivate myself to run when it’s the last thing I feel like doing?

Here are the answers I came up with.

Don’t fight it. Roll with the flow and have a day or two or three off. Have faith that the inspiration will return.
Do something short and easy. Do it for the joy of being back on the bike, back on the track or back in the gym.
Adjust your workload. Trying to cram too much into the day can sap the joy out of life. Slow down.
Don’t think about the big goal. Think about doing the first kilometre, the first rep, or even just getting out of bed.
Read success stories, how to articles or watch inspirational videos.
Make an exercise date with like-minded people. I run with a group in Victoria Park and do strongman training with some comrades in Cannington.
Own your lack of motivation. Talk about it and write about it. Own the syrup you’re trying to swim through.
Don’t beat up on yourself if you skip a workout. Shit happens. There’s no point in getting down on yourself, that just makes it harder to get back on your feet again.
Keep your goal in the public eye – like I’m doing with these blog posts.
Look failure squarely in the eye. When I did my big ride my sports psych got me to address the worst case scenario. It was a liberating experience.
Remind yourself about the good stuff you’ve done and the goals you’ve achieved.
Get a good night’s rest.
Take it easy on the booze. I haven’t had a drink since September 14, 2013 and I still feel flat. Imagine how much worse I’d feel if I’d ploughed through a bottle of red.
Think small. Do a tiny workout even if it’s just a few pushups or a walk around the block. Something small is better than nothing at all.
Mix it up. Go for a ride instead of a run. Go for a swim or paintballing.

How do you get your mojo back if you’re in an exercise slump?

Why failure is your new best friend

January 19, 2014 by Peter Fletcher

In sport and business failing is an important part of success. Image: Jon Large http://www.flickr.com/photos/71894657@N00/

There’s no doubt that success takes discipline. It takes grit and determination and stick-to-itiveness.

But it takes more than that. It also takes years of learning and practice and refining one’s craft.

In that time a person intent on success is doing a lot of failing.

Golfers know this. So do tennis players. They know that for every ball they hit sweetly there are hundreds hacked into the rough or hit out of court.

For sportspeople, failure sucks.

A mishit ball can be – and often is – the difference between winning and losing.

It feels bad to lose.

At work failure sucks just as bad. Failure can cost you bonus income. It can even cost you your job.

It seems that no-one really wants to fail.

But unless you’re willing to fail you won’t take the risks needed for to succeed.

In any new endeavour – anything – you’re exposed to failure. Failure is the gateway to success.

Unless you’re willing to pass through that gateway you can’t expect to meet with success.

The trick then is to learn to fail without feeling like a failure.

The single best and proven way to be smarter and healthier

January 18, 2014 by Peter Fletcher

There’s a direct relationship between a healthy lifestyle and success.
Image: Josiah Mackenzie http://www.flickr.com/photos/josiahmackenzie/

You want to be smarter, right?

You want to be healthier, too?

Not sure how to do it?

The answer is simple. Stop staring at this screen and go for a run. Get your blood pumping.

And do it again tomorrow and the next day.

Make it a life-long habit.

Want proof that the recipe works? Read this article.

Then for god’s sake, go make yourself sweat.

9 traits of great sales people

January 17, 2014 by Peter Fletcher

Top sales people share 9 traits. Waiting for customers to show up isn’t one of them. Image: City of Boston Archives http://www.flickr.com/photos/cityofbostonarchives/

Have you ever wondered why some sales people seem to effortlessly outperform their peers month-in-month-out?

Well, research conducted on sales people from a group of mid-sized companies in the US has found that top sales people shared the following nine traits.

They see themselves as equals with their customers. Their role is to solve the customer’s problem. They show them respect, but never deference.
They’re comfortable talking about money. For them, money is an expression of value, not something that’s out of their control.
They’re comfortable with silence and use it as a way to allow the customer time to process information and seek clarification. Silence is as much an expression of their confidence as what they say.
They challenge the decision maker if they make a material mis-statement of fact. That takes faith and confidence in their product and their research.
They’re well prepared. They turn up with a pre-agreed agenda, with the necessary research at hand, and well rehearsed presentation.
They don’t rush. They move slowly and deliberately.
They ask great questions. These questions are primarily focussed on what something means rather than what it is.
The follow up really well.
They’re good at all the above, not just their favourite. In other words they work constantly on improving themselves.

Let’s start finding some real heroes

January 12, 2014 by Peter Fletcher

Lance Armstrong competing in the Tour Down Under

Disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong was a hero to many. Image: Paul Coster http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulcoster/

We want to believe in heroes. We create them from our athletes, our business leaders, and artists.

Their story is always about overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles to achieve a lifelong dream.Through it we experience hope and inspiration and the belief that we can do and be more.

We see in them the ambition, the commitment and the dedication we wish we had too.

But all too often, the edifice crumbles when we take a closer look. It did with Lance Armstrong and Bernie Madoff and Jimmy Savile.

So instead of looking for manufactured, celluloid heroes, let’s start looking for the heroes in everday life.

Heroes like the Nigerian mum who fetches water from a distant well each day so that her family might survive. Like the father from an Indian slum who risks his health working in a recycling yard so his son can have an education. Like the teenager who selflessly takes care of her disabled mother while her friends go out to party.

People like these are the true heroes, and yet they’re rarely acknowledged. Their determination and courage and commitment is present every day, but sadly it’s seen by only a few.

These heroes could be your Mum, your Dad, or Joan from down the street.

Come to think of it, they could be you.