Standards last forever

I conducted my military service as a navy-diver and went thru a very rigorous training and a lot of tests and challenges before we even got into the education. At first I felt all those challenges and tests where far out close to ridiculous but after a while we all started to understand that it served a purpose. The goal was to raise our standards to a level where our worst still was more than good enough for any kind of extreme circumstances. And when that was clear I really started to appreciate all the insane training and drilling we had to do. Everybody who pass thru that training got a high quality education in many areas and very good standard for safe diving in any kind of circumstances. Later on I went on to civil diving and started to work as a Divemaster at a dive-center. It was a lot of fun and strange at the same time. I do understand that a regular person don't need military drilling and probably wont endure the same amount of pressure. I just didn't feel good handing out diplomas to some people because they didn't feel safe even though they hold the requirements for certification. It's the same thing when I conduct examinations in Martial Arts or educate Instructors. There's no guarantee for the outcome but I can personally guarantee that I've done everything I can to raise the standard to the highest possible level before I sign and hand out a diploma. I just don't feel good about it otherwise. (Quick-fix and the easy way are for softies that ends up with low confidence) I haven't had a dive for almost 20 years in Bali, so when I got the opportunity do dive at The Summer Camp in Sweden this summer I hesitated for just a split second but had to go. Just Do It! Gearing up was a little strange because there's been some modifications technically but when I got in the water it took like 30 seconds to feel at home, and it really was great to feel the sensation of hanging weightless again. It was yet another proof that when you raise your standards high enough it lasts forever. Thank you Peter and Lasse!

If your world isn't the way you want it, CHANGE IT!

I hear quite often the line "how wonderful to work with your hobby, I wish I could do that to". And I allways think "Yes it is" and then I tell them that they can do that too. And then it often goes like this "yeah but" that's the first obstacle (wrong mindset). Then there's some kind of excuse like, I don't have the time to train that much to become that good because I must work to make money and a lot of other things. That's the second obstacle (excuses)

Here come's the shocking news. To be able to train myself that much I worked a lot more than the average employee! To get the money and the freedom to "tweak" my schedule I worked harder and more than I needed to gain leverage for my needs.

When I worked as a Product manager in an electronic company I planned as much as I could to fit my workouts. I traveled a lot around Scandinavia and always visited a club for training if there where sleepovers. (instead of being lazy at the hotel)

I worked 8 months in Finland the early 90's and there where no Clubs around. I kept doing a routine workout EVERY day even though we worked 12 hours a day.

When me and a friend started a company at the airport of Gothenburg we where unexperienced and had to learn entrepreneurship the hard way. Our average workweek consisted of 60-80 hours (sometimes more) and still I managed to workout everyday, started up a new martial art club, become a father and managed to win the world championships in full contact stick-fighting.
I don't recommend it and it's not to brag.

I just want to share the idea that it is possible!

The lesson here is this: If you want to have more freedom at work you make sure that you deliver more than they need. Now you have some leverage and everybody gain something. If you want to workout at lunch you can begin work 30 min earlier and stay 30 min longer. Thats what I did when I worked at a computer company, I joined Shooters Shoot-fighting at their lunch workouts and needed a longer lunch.

So whatever you want to do and whatever you want to accomplish, you have to change the circumstances to make it possible!

Change your world to the way you want it!

Merry Chrismas

I love to spend these days to reflect of the year that's been and make some plans before the 31st. (I don't really like to make silly promises without manifestation and a serious plan) The questions I use to ask myself are:

What was great with this year?
What am I most proud of?
How well did I fulfill my goals?
Did I made a difference for myself and to others?
What did I learn from my mistakes?
What do I want to improve next year?
How can I even more appreciate and love the challenges I face?

The list is a lot longer and I use to give it to the guys I coach to make a good workshop out of it? And of course I have to do it myself.

The quality of your life is defined by the quality of the questions you ask!

Everybody are afraid of getting old and I know why

I just finished my 44th birthday and what a day. I made sure to not get to exited so I went to bed 3.30 the night before and got breakfast in bed at 8.30, same o' same o'. I wont get into details for the entire day but it was great. Some party with the boy's and lot's of play.

Short reflection how it feels to be 44 because the scared ones are quick to make a point about it. I only have to ask myself these three questions to reflect over.

• Did I Live?
• Did I Love?
• Did I Matter?

As long as I can answer a honest YES on those questions I couldn't care less on getting older from minute to minute, day to day or year to year.

If you can't answer a honest yes on those questions you will definitely be very worried of getting older because you've been wasting your time. DON'T wast your life I mean time ;)

Everyday when I get up I can feel my body and appreciate a little pain from old injuries and remember all the crazy stuff I've done with it because I LIVE.

When I got back home tonight and went through literary hundreds of greetings on Facebook, emails and sms there's a lot of friendship, connection and LOVE. How great isn't that? Thank you!

When I see how many people I've had the chance to meet, influence, share, teach and learn with/from/by I know I MATTER for more than just me and myself.

I'm feeling better and better and it get's more fun for every year. Hope you got inspired as well!

Getting out of bed

When I wake up in the morning I feel eager to get started with the new day. I do work many late nights in the week and sometimes the sleep get little to short. That's nothing I recommend because sleep is essential for a good life and that's not what this post is about.

It's about what motivates you to get out of bed in the morning. Because if you have your life together you should be really exited to face the new day and everything you are about to do.

Many people complain about that they had to get out of bed and they want to sleep more. Most adults need about 8h +/-1hour depending on circumstances. Don't complain that you need to sleep more or that you don't have the energy. I just don't get it?

I don't want to sleep more I want to DO more. Every new day you get to meet your friends, your family and deal with challenges whatever they might be. This is what you and your life is all about and you better make sure it's exciting.

If you don't feel motivated to get out of bed something is really wrong. You have to change whatever it is that bothers you or what it is you fear to face. Because that's what this is about, it's an escape from reality. YOUR REALITY!

If your life isn't what it's supposed to be, CHANGE IT!

Think through if there's something you want to change in your life, and what you can do about it. If it feels overwhelming you can get support from a friend or a coach. But it's your life and you are responsible to do whatever it takes to make yourself exited about it.

If you are worried about sleep you can stop right now. Nature make sure we get all the sleep there is one day. It's called death and that's one thing nobody needs to worry about because it's taken care of naturally.

Every morning should be like "It's your birthday" because at the sunrise a new day is born, it's your day and you don't wanna miss that!

Maintain Success with your Vehicle

If we buy a car many of us do some monthly payments for 3-5 years and then we own the car. After that we keep on bringing it to service, reconditioning and so on. So if you stop paying your dues you will loose your car and have nothing left, it will just be gone. And if you don’t take care of the necessary maintenance it will lose value and be worth nothing. This is no rocket science and everybody knows this. Most of us also know that our most important vehicle works the same. THE BODY!

Our body needs to be taken care of on a regular basis. New skills or functions has to be learnt and practiced until we own it, and then it has to be maintained. If we begin with something without “paying” all the way through it will be gone. And if you go all the way through it still needs to be maintained properly.

I’m fascinated how many people start new projects in life and then just quit or change as soon as there a little bit of resistance. Nobody would stop paying on the car because we know we’ll lose it, but many people stop taking care of their body or the new “maintenance program” they invested several years in. Isn’t that strange how we can prioritize material object before our most important vehicle we got? OUR BODY!!

Same as if you switch car during the payment plan, you can do it but it will probably cost you a lot of money and extra effort. So if you change path all the time without reaching your goals you will do a lot but accomplish a little. If something needs to be improved you will change but not just because you had a little resistance. That will drain you more than actually follow through and reach your goals.

Decide right now to always follow through with the best vehicle in the world, your own body.

ENJOY THE RIDE!!

Confidence without Comparison

Competition and comparisons are part of the world we live in and important for development and progression. When they are used for the right reasons they can be a really positive force. On the other hand they can be really negative in other contexts.

People who starts to compare what they have with others will always be jealous. I’ve seen and experienced that many times and it’s very destructive. People starts to destroy good things just to get even or equal to whatever they are jealous about. By doing that it often develops a negative force or trend that brings everybody to a lower level. The “victory” ends up on the disastrous battle ground.

  Battlefield Disaster

When I was competing I did of course compare myself with others, during the fight. But for me it was always about my own standard. I always asked myself how I could raise my standard to the highest possible level. I didn’t hope that my opponents should have any cutbacks or such because then my own standard wouldn’t be worth as much. That attitude made me a world champion because at that time my standards where higher than the other competitors.

Appreciate others success and use it as motivation for yourself to raise your standards. It doesn’t matter if it’s in business, competitions or with friends the “Winners” are the ones who have an exited attitude and join in on others success.

STEP UP – GET EXITED – RAISE YOUR STANDARD