Health – Page 6 – Sam Makhoul

March 31, 2016

Ordinary People versus Great People

Ordinary People can fool anyone in the short term.

GREAT people build trust and earn respect for the long term.

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Ordinary People panic about deadlines and forget their priorities.

GREAT People know that spending time with loved ones and doing work that matters is all that counts.

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Ordinary people spend too much time talking and complaining.

GREAT people take action quietly and without fuss.

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Ordinary people watch TV when they get home.

GREAT people read books, write journals and meditate.

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Ordinary people seek attention.

GREAT people let their work and conduct speak for them.

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Ordinary people dodge responsibility – ‘someone else will clean up the problem’

GREAT people take ownership of challenges with a smile on their face.

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Ordinary people gossip and tear others down to get ahead.

GREAT people take others with them on the way up.

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Ordinary people skip class or lectures or seminars.

GREAT people know that education and learning pays off.

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Ordinary people pick up take away food on the way home.

GREAT people pick up groceries, cook at home and make enough for lunch the next day.

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Ordinary people react defensively to customers with gripes or demands.

GREAT people listen patiently and show empathy.

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Ordinary people swear and use clichés.

GREAT people have impeccable conduct and use language like art.

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Ordinary vs. GREAT. Which one are you?

We all can act ordinary sometimes. GREAT people however are mindful when they are being ordinary and step up to greatness every time.

January 20, 2016

Sleep More Get Smart

Whenever I suggest more sleep around motivated people on the go, I am often met with ‘are you insane?!’, followed by a ‘yawn’. Not only because the topic bores them but also because they are sleep deprived. Im guilty on both counts. But below you will find 3 great tips for the best sleep ever.

Sure we might go through periods where we sleep less and for good reason. For example when we travel to exciting destinations and constantly on the go. Or when we work on projects that stimulate us. But there comes a tipping point where the mind and body say, “hey, enough is enough, you need to chill”.

Benefits of sleep:

You will look more attractive (that’s why they call it ‘beauty sleep’)
You will improve your memory
You will lower your stress levels
You will be smarter. Albert Einstein needed 10 hours sleep a night.

And the best thing about sleep is that its free. It’s the best supplement that money can’t buy. It is a daily detox for the mind. Some people swear by meditation to relax BUT research show that sleep is far more effective.

Here are three tips that will definitely get you the best sleep:

Cardio exercise after work – at least 30 mins.
Get some sun around midday.
Have a laugh in the last hour before you go to bed. Hang out with fun people or watch your favourite comedy.

And remember that one hour sleep before midnight is worth 2 hours sleep after midnight. So get to bed early.

Yawn.

October 12, 2015

The Miracle of The Bamboo Tree

After the seed for this amazing tree is planted, you see nothing, absolutely nothing, for four years except for a tiny shoot. During those four years all the growth is underground in an intricate but massive root structure that spreads deep and wide getting to know the earth. But then in the fifth year the Chinese bamboo tree grows up to 80 feet!

The late great Steven Covey reminds us in his book “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” that many things in life are like the bamboo tree. You invest your time and energy into eating well, exercising, nurturing loving relationships, working hard, learning, and you do everything you can to live a great life, AND sometimes you don’t see anything for weeks, months, or even years.

But if you’re patient and you keep at it, that “fifth year” will come around and you will be astounded at the growth and change you see taking place.

May 22, 2014

9 Tips to Work Rest and Play

WORK

1. Master the art of a perfect greeting/handshake. Its what people most remember about you. Hillary Clinton and Barrack Obama are your perfect examples.

2. Keep learning and attending seminars in your field of expertise. Stay relevant and avoid becoming a dinosaur.

3. Aspire to inspire others, not put them down. Business is a lot easier when you win people over. They will work hard with you and for you if you inspire them about the goals. By all means though avoid people that ‘just don’t get it’. Life is too short…

REST

1. Breath through your stomach not your chest. Do this consciously when you are driving, sitting idle and sleeping. This single exercise can change your life because it unlocks tension and releases your mojo.

2. Turn off all technology when you are driving, eating and sleeping. Technology trains our mind to be in distraction mode, reduces our attention span and teaches us to not live in the moment.

3. Sleep more.

PLAY

1. Don’t do exercise. Play a sport that caters to your competitive nature. e.g. Soccer, tennis, touch footy. Competitive sport is a lot easier on the motivation. You can do 60 minutes of touch footy and the time flies. It also tunes you for competitiveness in business.

2. Get intimate with your partner more often. Play in the bedroom is just as important as sport. Use it or lose it. As a side benefit for men: more intimacy = less risk of prostate cancer.

3. Reserve work for work. I don’t believe that play should occur at the office. Sure you can celebrate your wins at work, but keep it professional and save your silly side for your family. My wife and I often put pop music on for the kids in the family room and we all dance and party like it was 1999.

Life balance is simply a matter of maths. We have 24 hours in the day. If you reserve 8 hours each for rest, work and play you will never get stressed again in your life.

December 6, 2013

How to identify toxic relationships

Life is about the relationships we keep: the relationship we have with ourselves, our partner, our family, our colleagues at work, our friends and even strangers. These relationships can either be positive and fruitful or negative and toxic.

You’ve probably heard the adages: “Surround yourself with people who lift you higher,” (Oprah) and, “The people you surround yourself with influence your behaviours, so choose friends who have healthy habits,” (Dan Buettner).

Identifying and eliminating toxic relationships from your life is important because just like particular food can ruin your diet and health, a particular person can also ruin your health and your happiness. So what are the tell tale signs of a toxic relationship?

People who are jealous of you
People who are competitive with you
People who betray your confidence/trust
People who focus on your faults
People who always complain
People who repetitively break their promises
People who are self-absorbed or self-entitled
People who contact you only when they need something.

These types of people will drain your energy and if you can’t avoid them altogether, make sure you only give them your minimal energy and time. Remember, relationships take up a lot of our emotional energy and wellbeing, so when you surround ourselves with toxic people, you are less likely to reach your potential. On the other hand, if you surround yourself with like-minded, positive, caring, honest and interesting people, being happy becomes effortless.

I recently read an interesting article that identifies some toxic and abusive behaviours in relationships and how to better handle them. Here’s the link if you are interested: https://www.facebook.com/louiselhay/posts/10152112891499750.