Vince Del Monte's ») PVE LEARNED ee die Past 5 Years 1 & in Fitness, Business & Lite... Brought to you by Vince De! Monte & www. VinceDelMonteFitness.com101 Things I've Learned The Past 5 Years In Fitness, Business & Life... By Vince Del Monte http: //vincedelmontefitness.com 101 Things I've Learned: The Past 5 Years In Fitness, Business & Life Vince Del Monte Fitness copyright 2012Introduction For the past few years I have been compiling a list of the most important things that I have learned over the previous year. I have broken the list in to four categories that am extremely passionate about. Motivation: Things that help me keep life and work moving forward. Manhood: Things that help me be a better person in my personal life Money: A few things that I've learned that help me with business, marketing and money Muscle: Things that I've learned that help me be healthy, fit and grow. The Three Levels of Learning Learning can be broken down in to three different levels: Level zero learning = a new insight or new piece of info Level one learning = a action that is taken from the new insight or piece of info Level two learning = a behavior change and transformation occurs from the new insight or piece of info. 101 Things I've Learned: The Past 5 Years In Fitness, Business & Life \Vince Del Monte Fitness copyright 2012Motivation Without motivation nothing is accomplished in business or life. These are the things I have discovered over the last five years that help keep me motivated to continue to improve every day 1. Living a life of significance is more important than living a life of success. 2. Muscle and six-packs can be used as an honorable platform to inspire and serve your loved ones by being a positive role model, Muscle and six-packs can go beyond vanity, self-image and ego 3. Searching for perfection is the quickest way to fail 4. If you want your problems solved you need to do it yourself. 5. Be yourself because everyone else is taken 6. Don't expect life to be fair to you. Who ever sald life was supposed to be fair anyways? 7. The biggest limit you need to overcome in your life, to live the life of your dreams, is your mind, 8. Deadlines are the most powerful forms of influence. All of my biggest breakthroughs and accomplishments happened because I had a deadline associated with it. Speaking events, photo shoots, trips, product launches, celebration parties and most importantly - proposing! 9. Learning how to tell stories is the most powerful and most persuasive way to make your point, 10. Receiving before and after pictures from you and my readers and reading your success stories on my blog and via email are still the highlight of my day 11. Keep asking yourself, "Why do I want what I want?" Remind yourself of the reasons why you are chasing certain goals. 12, If you can live large inside the gym then you can live large outside of the gym. If you can have a world class body there is no reason you can not have a world class relationship, world class business or world class lifestyle 13. The grass is not greener on the other side. The grass is green where you water it. Think of that in terms of relationships. 14, There is no such thing as coasting in life. You are either dying or your are growing. There is a myth that you can stay the same and it's not true. 101 Things I've Learned: The Past 5 Years In Fitness, Business & Life \Vince Del Monte Fitness copyright 201215. Its better to be your own man than let anyone label you or your life. Don’t get caught up in the hype of being an Alpha Male or any other random benchmark for manhood and manliness. All you need to be is a Man. 16. Scheduling a photo shoot in Punta Cana was the biggest motivation to get me in my best condition ever. 17. See the gym as an opportunity to inspire others and raise the intensity of other people's workouts around you. By bringing your best into the gym you'll bring out the best of the people around you 18. You are the average of the five people you associate with the most. If you're five closest friends are millionaires than I'm guessing you are on your way or are one too. If you're five closest friends have six-packs, same thing. Show me your friends and I'll show you your future. Evaluate your top five on a regular basis. 19. It's never too late. It's NEVER, EVER too late to start doing what you want to do. 20. Areal man does not compare himself to other men and make excuses for living "below par." He does not say, "Every uy struggles with this...” He OWNS it. He STRIVES to do better. Strive for progress, not perfection 21. Setting a deadline to compete in the World Fitness Model Championships on June 13 and then the Mr. Chin Bikini Show two weeks later was the only decision that truly motivated me to get into the best shape of my life Manhood Manhood is not limited to men. The philosophy of being a man is not about being dominate, it is about taking responsibility for yourself, your actions and being the best person you can be. 1. The most important degree I got this year was a Degree in G.S.D. Get Shit Down Create your G.S.D. checklist before you go to bed each night for the next day. 2. The most important question I asked, "Is the path I'm going down now going to attract the girl of my dreams?" 3. Tens attract tens, Fives attract fives. Fives don't attract tens. If you want to marry a ten out of ten and you're a five out of ten then you better start working on yourself fast because the fives are going to find you! 4, Stop focusing on finding and looking for the right person and start focusing on becoming the right person. Every day you spend looking is another day you've lost 101 Things I've Learned: The Past 5 Years In Fitness, Business & Life \Vince Del Monte Fitness copyright 2012growing and attracting the right person into your life. I should have listened to my Mom when she told me this 15 years ago. 5. People don’t want you to change because they will not be able to control the puppet strings they have on your life anymore. 6. Security is boring. Security is for cadavers. 7. Always give before you take. End every phone calll and email with, "Let me know if there is anything I can do for you." Mean it if you're going to say it. 8. Driving a Lamborghini at 200mph was the most exhilarating experience this past year. 9. The most successful people in life give a lot of their info away for free. Meeting my girifriends 16 brothers and sisters in one weekend was a close second. Having all 7 of her brothers take me out on the town was equally intimidating 10. I have a whole new level of respect for men who have proposed to their wives. Wow! I never expected my adrenaline to sky-rocket so fast. 11, The best birthday present you can give yourself is a wife 12, Setting this rule with my flance after the first 2 dates: "There is no need to talk about our pasts unless the conversation will bring us closer together.” I know nothing about Flavia's past and she knows nothing about mine. By focusing on the present and future we have avoided so much unnecessary stress and heartache. And we have given each other the opportunity to be the person we both really want to be. 13. You need to schedule fun, especially as you get older. Seriously, if you have not had a vacation in over a year... GO! That is more important than anything else - I don’t care what excuses you have. GO ON A VACATION. 14, Taking ZMA every night and a high dosage (10 grams) of fish oils before bed gives me the best quality sleep ever. 15. Thirty is the new 25. Even though I turned 30 this year I still see age has just a number. 16. Scheduling "alone-time" at coffee shops with a book has been some of my most peaceful and reflective times of the year. 17. Spend as much time with your family as possible. They will not be with you forever (I lost my 85-year old Nonno Vince and my 51-year old Uncle Lawrence this past year) 101 Things I've Learned: The Past 5 Years In Fitness, Business & Life \Vince Del Monte Fitness copyright 201218. Go on trips with your parents. Invest into memories that will last a lifetime. My most memorable trips this past year were with my parents in Orlando for a week. 19. Character is more important than reputation. Character is who you are when no one is looking. 20. If you are good at something, let people find out on their own. No one appreciates the man who is always talking about his accomplishments. Also, while confidence is a good thing, being cocky is not. I'm still learning the difference 21. Aman should aspire to be successful, but success should never come at the expense of others or at the expense of compromising one’s standards. I’ve been challenged with this being @ young and very ambitious entrepreneur. 22. Don't do life alone. Forming a band of brothers and coming along side each other in good times and bad times is what being a man is all about. Being a man your buddies can count on is one of the greatest satisfactions in the world. 23. Successful people study the lives of other successful people. Likewise, to obtain true masculinity, study the lives of real men. Please don’t emulate the lives of the guys from Jersey Shore. You were meant for way more. 24. Hang out with friends who make more money than you ~ if improving your financial situation is important to you. 25. Hanging out with broke people will only lead you to becoming broke. Hanging out with people whose lives revolve around excess and more more more can be just as dangerous as hanging out with people who are broke. 26. Working harder and longer is not necessarily better but at some point of your success it'll probably be necessary for a short period of time. If you only work harder and longer, you're addicted to work 27. Recognize you are blessed- whatever your current situation. There are tragedies all over the world and a good percentage of people are living in a hellish nightmare right now. Remember that everything you have is a gift from above and that it can be taken away just as quickly as it was given to you. Maximize and LIVE LARGE with what you have been given. 28. We need to revolve our life around three phases: GRIND time... PRIME time... & UNWIND time. Grind time is the stuff that just has to get done ~ working, keeping the home clean, errands etc. Prime time is the 2 hours in your day dedicated to your BIG GOAL. If you're starting a new business, the time you spend BUILDING the business is prime time. And Unwind time is when you disconnect and close your laptop and mobile and connect with your friends and family. Or it's time spent resting and relaxing. 101 Things I've Learned: The Past 5 Years In Fitness, Business & Life \Vince Del Monte Fitness copyright 201229. Its not how many times you get knocked down but how you get back up. This past year I got attacked by haters on You Tube, which resulted in over 85 of my videos being "Rejected for inappropriate content” although these were purely "how to” videos. I could have sat and cried but I searched out alternative solutions. 30. It's CRITICAL to make time for "your boys” a.k.a. your close male friends. Schedule time to work out together, go on an adventure, talk about life and struggles, grab a drink, go to a sporting event, play on a team or serve together. 31. Invest in someone younger than you. Who looks up to you? Where can you be a role model? How can you serve someone who needs you? 32. The couple that plays together stays together. Continue to do life together. Flavia and I regularly go to the movies together, workout together, cook together and get dressed up for each other for “hot dates!” Basically we continue to do the same things that we did that lead us into marriage. 33. In relationships, focus on becoming on the right person instead of finding the right person, The more time you spend on trying to find “the one" is less time you can spend on yourself growing. Focusing on growing will attract the person of your dreams, 34. Your word is your bond. That's all you have in life. If you say you're going to do something, do it. If you don’t do it, don't say sorry tome. Say sorry to yourself because you let yourself down, not me. 35. Sky diving is the biggest adrenaline rush of all tme and everyone should do it once before they die. If you shit your pants when your feet leave the plane, that's normal 36. Don’t shut moral and spiritual people out of your life. They will stimulate the most important part of your being. 37. love working out. I love pushing my body. I love entering the “hurt box." I hope to do it forever. I just love it. I love training with people like me. 47. Reading at least one new book each month continues to sharpen my mind and help me be a leader amongst your circle of influence. 38. Results don't happen over night. To transform your body, be prepared for years of trial and error and keeping what works and dropping what does not work. Enjoy the journey. There are no short cuts in life. 39. Life was not designed to be easy so stop being surprised when things don’t go your way. When things are going well, that’s when you should be surprised. That outlook will help you deal with hard times with a whole new perspective. 101 Things I've Learned: The Past 5 Years In Fitness, Business & Life \Vince Del Monte Fitness copyright 2012Money Money can't buy real happiness, but it can allow you to do many of the things that you want to do when you want to do them. Over the last five years several things have been made clear to me when it comes to growing my business 1. Twitter is annoying. Facebook still my favorite form of social media 2. If you have a hobby or passion or obsession that keeps you up at night then right ow is the time to cash in on that passion. Use the power of the Internet to turn’ your real passion into a real business. I spent over $35,000 in personal business coaching this past year, my biggest year ever, and my business continued to double which proves you can’t ever stop investing in yourself if you want to grow 3. If you're a businessman, or up and coming entreprenuer, read all of Seth Godin's books. 4, The more problems and the bigger problems you solve in the world, the more money you make. Focus on solving a big problem or even a small problem in the world and the money will follow 5. Getting a pre-paid credit card will change your life. The entire psychology of using a pre-paid credit card (putting your own money on the card) will change your spending habits and change your life completely. Use pre-paid credit card! Seriously, sign up for one today. 6. Money is a great tool to motivate you to take action. Dropping a few grand on my trainer has really inspired me to dial in my nutrition, Your beliefs about money will determine how much you receive and or retain. If you have limiting or negative beliefs about money, your ability to create/attract income and or your ability to to effectively retain that money will be limited by those beliefs. 7. You have in life now what you deserve and desire to have. Your physical reality reflects your mind's reality. Your sub-conscious beliefs will dictate your current financial situation. 8. Modern economy is based on consumers spending more money. Be aware of today’s mentality of, "If I don’t have this product, you're lacking in life." This mentality will lead to spending, spending, spending. Start reading less newspapers and watching less TV to be less influenced by this marketing 9. Your income is based on THREE THINGS - the value you place on yourself, the value you provide others and how you market yourself. 10. It’s not what you make, it's what you keep! Just because someone makes a million dollars a year does not mean they keep it. Don’t get caught up in people 101 Things I've Learned: The Past 5 Years In Fitness, Business & Life \Vince Del Monte Fitness copyright 2012bragging about how much they make, most of the times they are in worst shape then you think. (Even celebrities). 11. Pay yourself first and implement the Rockefeller Rule. (10% to saving, 10% to investing, 10% to giving and then 70% on yourself). Always dedicate a FIXED amount each month to saving and investing and restrict your standard of living to what you have left. 12. A quote from Dan Kennedy, "You either believe, like me, that because 1% of the people are rich that ANYONE can get rich, or you believe, like many others, that because 1% are rich that NO ONE can get rich. Don’t let self-limiting beliefs hold you back.” 13. Recognize you are blessed- whatever your current situation. There are tragedies all over the world and a good percentage of people are living in a hellish nightmare right now. Remember that everything you have is a gift from above and that it can be taken away just as quickly as it was given to you. Be grateful and LIVE LARGE with what you have been given. 14, There is zero relationship between your educational knowledge and your yearly income 15. “Speed of Implementation” has been my secret to tripling my business this past year. This is the amount of time it takes between learning something new and implementing it. Muscle This wouldn't be much of a book if I didn't include a section on building muscle. Every year I learn more about gaining muscle, being fit and healthy. Growth as a person both mentally and physically is a never ending process, and these are a few of the most important things I've learned. 1. Muscle is best built in 3-week spurts. Go full-throttle for 3-weeks and then back off for 1-week and then repeat the cycle. Every 3-weeks you have something new, stimulating and challenging to look forward to. 2. My loved ones benefit from the investment into my body more than I benefit. When you don’t take care of yourself, not only do you suffer but the people around you suffer too. Not taking care of your body is very selfish. 3. 24-hour fasting has been the healthiest addition to my nutrition program. Including ‘one 24-hour at least two times a month from Sunday 6pm to Monday 6pm has helped me sleep better, lean down and feel cleaner and be more productive 101 Things I've Learned: The Past 5 Years In Fitness, Business & Life \Vince Del Monte Fitness copyright 20124. Incorporating fast days and extreme cheat days into my nutrition program made the biggest difference in my physique this pat year. 5. High frequency training is necessary the more advanced you become. And 5-day whole body workouts actually work, They are stimulating, invigorating and challenging. 6. Using my juicer and having @ detox drink of cucumbers, celery, asparagus and lemon each day kept me sick-free, again this year (I have not been sick in years btw) 7. Cutting carbs after 6pm kept me around 10% fat or lower all year round. 8. Stair climbing is the most effective way to burn fat quickly. 9. Cycle your supplements. 3 weeks on and 1 week off. Cycle your supplement brands daily too. I rotate around 2 different protein powders, 2 different multis, 2 different fish oil supplements and 2 different greens products. It's an insurance policy to make sure you're never deficient (unless both brands are crappy). 10.Early morning training, with weights and cardio, still proved to be my favorite time to work out. It sets the stage for the rest of your day and creates positive momentum to eat clean and be productive the rest of the day. 11. The ultimate pre workout shake: 1 banana, 1/2 cup of strawberries, 1-2 shots of espresso, chocolate protein powder, 1 cup of ice is the best tasting and most refreshing shake to boost your workout intensity 12. Muscle is built in spurts, it's not a non-stop process. The best results come from "kicking the life” out of your body for 3-weeks and then taking an easy week before repeating the process. This formula can be repeated all year round. 13. My muscle building formula for success: Take massive action, analyze your results and readjust your approach until you get the results you want. Repeat. 14, My joints love me since I started mega dosing with fish oils. In fact, I recommend most people start with 20-30 grams of fish oll for the first 1-4 weeks to reduce inflammation and then bring your dosage down to 10-20 grams a day for maintenance. 15. Intermittent fast days, Sunday 6pm until Monday 6pm, at least 1-2 times a month has become a staple of my bodybuilding lifestyle. I've documented increased sleep quality, increased energy, no loss in muscle, a tighter midsection and greater appreciation for food. 16.Extreme Rush from www.BlueStarNutritionals.com is officially my favorite pre workout supplement and has replaced my pre workout double espresso. The focus 101 Things I've Learned: The Past 5 Years In Fitness, Business & Life \Vince Del Monte Fitness copyright 2012and intensity I get from this stuff has become addicting and I don't like to train without it. 17. Hire a trainer, at least once in your life. Just recently I hired the toughest trainer at my gym that has been introducing me to 1-2 hour workouts at 110% intensity - I now drive to the gym in fear of what he has in store for me. Here's how he greets me, "I'm kicking the piss out of you today.” 18. Creating "Team Del Monte” is helping me blow beyond my genetic potential, for a third time, as I'm climbing to 230 pounds for January ist. I've hired a trainer, massage therapist, ART therapist and a personal nutrition coach (for the first time in my life). You don’t know what you don’t know and each piece of my team is contributing to greater improvement. I've found that to get to new levels, you probably won't be able to do it alone. 19. Hot Yoga has become my new secret weapon. After 3-months of regular hot yoga (2-3x a week), I'm finally experiencing improved range of motion, flexibility, alignment, muscular endurance, isometric strength, faster recovery, muscle stability and muscle recruitment. The only thing I regret about hot yoga is not starting it 10 years ago. 20. There is no definitive answer to anything. Everyone is different and it's your responsibility to figure out what works best for your body and what doesn’t. Text books and programs and coaches are only a starting point. You'll only learn the truth about your body by taking action, documenting your results and readjusting your approach. 21. It is possible to build lean muscle mass while in a caloric deficit. My preparation for the WBFF World Championships proved it. Optimization of your hormones via training, nutrition, supplementation & recovery is the key. In short, if every variable of your approach is PERFECT, be prepared to surprise yourself. 22. Its almost impossible "to lose muscle mass" until you reach the 4-6% body fat range. Don't get caught up in fear-based marketing. The only time you can lose musde is when you're body is demanding more energy than your body can supply Avoid “extremes” and you'll be fine. 23. The ABSOLUTE most important component of your training is LEARNING HOW TO. SELECTIVELY RECRUIT THE TARGET MUSCLE THROUGH A FULL RANGE OF MOTION. You must be able to FEEL the muscle. Initiate from the working muscle. Use Ben's Intentions. Control the weights. TENSION TENSION TENSION! Sound familiar? 24. The best “cheat day" strategy is two half-days a week for building muscle & losing fat. Thursday from noon till midnight and Sunday from noon till midnight is when Vinny lives like a true Italian! The rest of the week Is perfect so I'm able to grow while staying lean. 101 Things I've Learned: The Past 5 Years In Fitness, Business & Life \Vince Del Monte Fitness copyright 201225. The absolute best time to build new lean muscle is immediately after a week or longer of being in a caloric deficit. This is coined The Anabolic Amplifier Effect (by Lee Hayward and 1) and also known as the “Rebound” effect, which is fully explained in 21 Day Fast Mass Building. Your body is primed for massive anabolic activity when you transition from @ cut phase to a bulk phase. 26. The Meats & Nuts Breakfast is the best dietary tip for optimal body composition, energy and mental focus. The meat allows for a slow and steady rise in blood sugar. The nuts provide a great source of healthy smart fats that allows the blood sugar to remain stable for an extended period of time. Rotate your meat and nut sources. Here's my typical breakfast: 8 oz of extra lean beef, 2 organic eggs, 2 cups of spinach, coconut oil (mix all together) and a handful of nuts. 27. Specialization training is the key to balancing out your physique and you can prioritize two body parts at a time. I focused on brining up my shoulders & back in in 2011 by training them on Monday and Friday 28. High volume body weight training works! In prep for World’s, Ben Pakulski (my coach), had me do 50 variations of chin-ups and pull-ups each morning alongside 200 push-ups (in mini sets and with different hand positions). 1 did this about 5-6x a week in the morning alongside my stretching, cardio and abs! I didn't win Worlds but think it’s safe to say my back and chest development were superior to all my competitors, 29, M140 is HANDS DOWN the most bad-ass muscle-building program of 2011! NOs! Intentions! 40 days. 40 second sets. 40 second recovery. If you don’t own Ben Pakulski's MI40 System, are you CRAZY?! 30. What gets measured, gets managed. I've been preaching this ALL YEAR LONG. Trying to build muscle & lose fat without tracking your workouts and diet is like trying to get out of debt or save money without looking at your bank statements It's RIDICULOUS. 31. 90% of getting a six pack is diet, diet, diet. I have experimented with dozens of different programs and in the end, the only time I see my body drastically change is when my diet is perfect for 8-16 weeks straight. 32. The first 10-30 days of creating a new habit is the hardest and offers the greatest resistance. Aim to change only ONE habit each month - anything more is too much. Prioritize the new habit as the first thing each morning which is when you have the greatest will power. 33. Take the exact workout you are doing now and do the same number of reps, sets and exercises and do it less time and your muscles will grow. 34. When it comes to getting a six-pack, I mean single digit body fat, be prepared to train at least 1.5 hours a day for 6-7 days a week. If you're diet is absolutely 101 Things I've Learned: The Past 5 Years In Fitness, Business & Life \Vince Del Monte Fitness copyright 2012perfect you might be able to do 1 hour a day but be prepared for 6-7 days a week. There are no short cuts. Fatis stored energy that needs to be burned off. 35. Free weights still trump machines, Use free weights and barbells as much as possible. 36. ART (active-release-therapy) and aggressive massage continues to work wonders and be my number one source of therapy. Find a reputable A.R.T. therapist if you are on the injured list. 37. Cold water showers are absolutely necessary if you plan on training 1.5-2 hours a day. 21. You can gain muscle training each muscle group with Jon Benson's 7 Minute Muscle building workout. The coolest and most challenging workout I've ever tried this past year. 38. The best time to train if you wish to lose belly fat is within 30-minutes of waking up on a empty stomach. I relied on at least 45-60 minutes of low intensity cardio 5-7x a week at the greatest incline while reading personal development books or listening to business audios, Post workout, I prefer interval cardio. 39. Bicep curls do not produce bigger biceps. Focusing on increasing your body's overall size is what makes your biceps bigger. You must add at least 10 pounds of ‘over all weight to gain at least 1 inch on your arms, 40. If you're lower back pain is not going away and you are not stretching at least 30- 60 minutes a day - take a hint. Focus on stretching your hip flexors, hamstrings, calves, gluts and quads every day. 41. Sleep is far more important than you think itis. I wish I could live by the motto, "Tl sleep when I am dead," but I think I'll end up dead sooner if I follow that motto. 42, If you get to the point in your workout where you are not sure if you will be able to finish, that’s good! You are out of your comfort zone and that is when growth happens. That goes for each area of your life: 43. Cheating yourself on good form will eventually catch up to you. 44, It's possible to train for an entire year and look the exact same! The majority of these people will look the exact same next year too. 36, Skinny guys can’t rely on "hunger" to determine when to eat. Building muscle requires a disciplined nutrition schedule 45. Only take training advice from those who have trained themselves at a high level or make their living training others at a high level. That goes for relational, financial and spiritual advice too. Don't take advice from anyone who does not have something you want. 101 Things I've Learned: The Past 5 Years In Fitness, Business & Life \Vince Del Monte Fitness copyright 201246. A good training partner can compare with the results from a steroid cycle. A bad training partner can be worst than following a Flex, MuscleMag, or Muscle and Fitness drug program 47.Over 70% of the supplements on the market have less than 30% absorption rate. This means you are only absorbing about 30% of what is in the bottle. Supplements are about making money. They putt just enough in the product for you to feel a slight difference so you buy them again. 48. Stretch as least half as much as you lift. If you are lifting weights for at least 4 hours a week than you better be stretching at least 2 hours a week. If not, your body is screaming for an injury. 49, Active Release Therapy (A.R.T.) has been proven, to me personally, the most effective form of therapy available. Find a reputable A.R.T. therapist if you are on the injured list. 50. It's pointless to ask for nutrition advice on how to lose your belly fat if you're not keeping a food journal. If you don't have any food logs to show me, don’t waste my time. 51. Organic food is friggin expensive but worth it. I sleep better, recovery faster and seem to be able to eat less and still make gains. Bonus Lessons: Organization You would be amazed at how much simpler life becomes when you take the time to get organized. You can't achieve your goals if you are constantly spending time figuring out what needs to be done next. 1. Nightly "to do" lists are still the most effective way for me to accomplish my dally tasks. 2. Not checking email until 3pm in the afternoon helps me be 10x more productive 3. Buying @ Blackberry turned into a Crackberry. I'm still working on managing this little guy... 4. Creating a separate email account for business newsletters and one for personal email saved me 60 minutes a day. 5. Figure out what your top 5% is. What is the 5% of activities in your life that can ONLY be done by you and that produce the most productivity in your life? Once 101 Things I've Learned: The Past 5 Years In Fitness, Business & Life \Vince Del Monte Fitness copyright 2012you list that 5%, outsource everything else. Outsourcing things like cleaning my house, taking care of my yard and shoveling my driveway were not productive uses of my time (and I hate those things anyways) so it makes no sense in doing them 6. Answering your tech-toys first thing in the morning is the best way to let other people control your day. Don't open your Inbox, reply to text messages or reply to voice mail until you have done 2-hours of productive work each morning 7. The best way to stay consistent is to schedule exact times for all your workouts, at least one week in advance. 8. Set "behavior goals” instead of “outcome goals.” Instead of saying, "I am going to gain 20 pounds of muscle,” say, "I am going to eat 4 egas, 2 slices of toast with peanut butter and a veggie shake within 20 minutes of waking up each morning.” Focus on specific behavior change to enforce new habits that will lead to your outcome goal 9. Bring a written plan on paper to the gym with you, Don't “wing it” or “make it up as you go.” Knowing exactly what you are going to do before you arrive will motivate you to complete the entire workout and see progress. 10.The best way to keep a workout honest is by using a stop watch to measure your rest periods. Honest progress comes when your weights and reps go up while your rest period stayed the same. Helping Finally, I've learned over the last few years that being able to give, whether its time or money, to help others in need can be one of the most rewarding aspects in life. 1. You can’t help people who don’t want to help themselves. 2. Volunteering 2-hours a week at my church's youth group has been some of the most rewarding time invested this past year. Look for younger kids, other than your sibling, whom you can be a role model for and invest into, 3. Continue to give at least 5% of your income to a charity of some kind. This past year Flavia and I supported three causes - NationWares.com, CompassionCanada.ca and HopeForTheSold.com Life is a never ending process of learning and growth. Taking the time to look back and reflect on the things that we have learned and have shaped us in to the people we are today allows us to find the path that leads us to the people we want to be in the future. Vince Dee Monte 101 Things I've Learned: The Past 5 Years In Fitness, Business & Life \Vince Del Monte Fitness copyright 2012