Day 404 - Leadership 199 / Trait 8 of 14: Integrity

Lived the words I've been sharing yesterday. Took initiative to make yesterday a great day and accomplished that. Early in the day I informed my son to be dressed to go to the YMCA after school, I picked him up and there we went. We decided to kick up the intensity a notch, something I could tell he wasn't sure of. Heck I was apprehensive too, but I knew I could leverage the power of my courage to get it done. In the end we endured a 60 minute session in the free weight room and then polished off the workout with 2 miles of walk/jog combo on the treadmill. Yesterday was an Oh Yeah day!

Onward we carry ourselves into a new day. With us we carry the lessons we've learned which we can revisit at will via these links...
Leadership 199 / Trait 7 of 14: Initiative
Leadership 199 / Trait 6 of 14: Enthusiasm
Leadership 199 / Trait 5 of 14: Endurance
Leadership 199 / Trait 4 of 14: Decisiveness
Leadership 199 / Trait 3 of 14: Courage
Leadership 199 / Trait 2 of 14: Bearing
Leadership 199 / Trait 1 of 14: Dependability

We're halfway through this series, which means we have lots of learning to do yet. Therefore, let us plunge into the power of our eighth trait…

Leadership 199 / Trait 8 of 14: Integrity

Defined: Uprightness of character and soundness of moral principles; includes the qualities of truthfulness and honesty.

Discovered: Let us start in on understanding this trait by visiting this definition backwards. Honesty, is something I will go out on a limb and proclaim that everyone acknowledges that honesty is a trait any leader must possess. No? I agree with my proclamation, I have to else I've been dishonest here; yet while I agree I will tell you now that honesty is not one of the 14 leadership traits.

What? How can that be you say? Look back up at the list above of the traits we've discussed thus far. Take a moment, I'll be right here when you scroll back down... I know, if only scrolling burned measurable calories. OK, having revisited those traits let us ask ourselves this question; Can any of those traits be successfully put into practice if we are not first honest with ourselves in choosing to lead with them?

Leadership is not something we can take on half-hearted. "Do or do not... there is no try", as Master Yoda would say. In short, if we are not honest in our endeavors, either with ourselves or with others, we will not succeed at them in the end.

Living with integrity is certainly dependent upon be honest. But integrity is not just about being honest.

Character, you don't have to know a person for very long to know whether there character is righteous or otherwise. Righteous meaning to be committed to doing what they believe to be right, right by themselves and others.  It is one thing to want what is right, another to do what is right. If our character is to do what is right, we are leading with integrity.

Morals, ah discussion/debate on morality sure can be a sticky-wicket. So lets limit our thought here to what it is about our morals that is essential to leading ourselves to success. To decide what we want to succeed at we first have to know what we want or who we want to be. Or more specifically, how do we want to live? If we can answer that question and come away with an answer gives us a clear picture of how we want to look and why, how we want to conduct yourself and why; we then know where our morals should be set to lead with integrity and succeed.

Da-Point: If we are honest, if we believe our mission to be right and are willing stand up for it's purpose; then we are leading with integrity.

When did you last take time to truly know your character, your moral code?

 
Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 269 - Do Tell; How Do You Feel About...

Day TEN of the New Year. Yes, the year is already approximately 1/36th over. Boy, that went fast.

So tell me, tell all of us, or if you insist just tell yourself... but do tell; How do you feel about yourself so far in 2011?

If you are a Resolution setter, how have you done sticking to them through 10 days?

Not a Resolutionist, Ok; how are you doing period in your quest to get/stay healthy?

Oh, and I must apologize to you. As I said this is day TEN. I should have asked you these questions on day TWO. Yes, I am assuming we all succeeded in accomplishing our intent on day ONE.

Simply my point is this; each and every day we wake up we need to ask ourselves that question; how are we doing period in our quest to get/stay healthy?

I get the sense some of us only ask ourselves this, and truly give it due thought, once a week or so. This is not a question to ponder only when we weigh-in once a week. This is not a question to ponder only when we flip the calendar page to a new month.

Daily, daily daily; talk to yourself. Challenge your self to be honest about what you are doing to achieve that which you want. If it is not working out as desired, then keep talking to yourself. Don't worry who is looking on wondering why you are taking to yourself, ignore the peanut gallery & just keep talking. Ask yourself, what has to change to get the momentum and progress you need? Do not accept excuses, don't blow smoke up your own backside.

Just keep talking and then get busy doing what you & yourself have agreed to.

Have a nice chat and a great day!

Oh, the picture above, just a random pic of me using the treadmill over the holidays; OORAH!

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 237 - Virtually Just Playful Thoughts

We all know that cold days are here and will remain here for a few months, it happens and hopefully will continue to happen every year at this time. If it doesn't then likely our planet may have been ingested by a giant space monster with a taste for sea salt. Seems everyone is on the sea salt fad of a band wagon, why not space monsters too? It could happen...

Anyhow in effort to keep warm, I lit a fire at work, sort of; a virtual fire really. A real fire would have been bad. So I found a cool pic of a fireplace log on fire and displayed it on my upper monitor here. I only use that monitor a couple hours a day as it is so it seemed appropriate to put it to use the other 8-10 hours I am here as well. Ah, feel the warmth?

Yesterday, excellent with food and drink. But another unexcellent non-exercise day. Excuse for that is no different than what I posted on day 236. Today however I got the exercise in first thing, 3 miles on the treadmill; problem solved!

Folks I'll be honest, I have little in mind to chat up here today. My mind is fine, my mood is awesome and a bit playful; hence why I am struggling to put wisdom forward here. So I shall forgo trying to do so and leave you with a few more playful thoughts before I go...

Shouldn't the wrapper be put on the inside of a straw seeing that is the part you want to stay clean?

Seems like so many wanna-be authors are writing books these days, I admit I have thought about writing an unauthorized autobiography.

Time travel is possible... just put instant coffee in the microwave oven and it will be done before you press 'start'; try it.

Happy Friday Folks!

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 235 - Momma Said, Wait No She Didn't

Had an excellent day yesterday even though it was extremely busy. So busy all I could do blog wise was post that brief excuse for a post from my cell phone. Momma said there'd be days like that. Well, she never expanded upon that warning to the point there will be days where you take your truck in for 'routine' maintenance and it costs you $1,600 in the end... no she didn't. But, that was part of my day yesterday.

I did catch a break yesterday in that my evening plans softened up enough to allow me to get in a great work out on my new weight bench. There you see a pic of me in action, my spotter felt I was doing fine enough to take the time to get that shot. After the weights were worn out I wanted some more so I went upstairs to the treadmill and got in three miles on that. I really dislike treadmills, thus why this weekend I went outside for my failed attempt at 13.1 vs. hitting the treadmill. But, falling back into the cold and coughing that was much of my weekend was less appealing than the treadmill so we got together & tolerated each other. Eating and drinking was spot on too so all smiles yesterday sans the truck news.

Wanted to get to a shout out since last week, been scatter brained lately it seems, better late than never applies here I believe. Dawn of Fixing Myself Thinner said something in fine fashion in a brilliant post after returning from her Thanksgiving trip. Her trip challenged her ability to keep it healthy and provided a lesson on environment and the key role the environment we are in plays in our ability to succeed in our daily mission to be healthy.

In attempts past I have wavered in and out with the advice that it is wise to clean house, get rid of all the no-good-tempting foods and keep them from coming back. In general, this advice is hard to argue; if a temptation is not there then it is harder to give into it. Myself, my mind is cautious of anything labeled, 'general' as I see them as lazy attempts to over-simplify how something applies to all of us as a whole. Good sense for one person is nonsense for another. Strong will in the face of temptation comes easy to one but is a panic laden experience for another. Thus we are all different in how we deal with situations and issues regarding weight loss, general or otherwise. 

Dawn's post wasn't as much about our immediate environment however, I wandered a bit in tangent there. Instead she reminds us we are going to find ourselves out there, in environments we do not have full control over, but that fact need not be reason to pack in the healthy behaviors for a moment or a weekend. For those times where we know ahead of time that we will be in less than diet-friendly environments a little planning ahead can allow us to arm ourselves with healthy options. I won't bother with a list or tricks or tips as so many bloggers are posting here around the holidays with how to survive them. Most of them apply year round. Of course planning ahead is ideal, but take a further lesson from Dawn; don't forget to take the protein bars you made with you when you venture out :-)

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 102 - Pumped In Peoria

How has your week been so far? Been reading your blogs but on the road from my handheld browser I cannot post comments; which sucks! Friday I'll be back to doing that. Thankfully I can send posts to my blog via email for now & can see your comments, thanks as always for your thoughts!

Yesterday we had a great visit @ Coe College in Cedar Rapids, IA. Today we are back in IL to visit Bradley U. & Milliken. Both will be hard pressed to beat what Coe is offering our daughter but we'll reserve further judgment until we've met with them.

The picture there is my son Andrew & I in the hotel fitness center last night. I'm not sure what you call that weighted ball but we had a fun workout moving that thing around. We also made use of their nice set of dumbbells & treadmills.

I have worked out three of the four days we've been on the road so far. Monday evening just my wife & I went down to the hotel pool & whirlpool to relax and forget we had kids for an hour. Too much time sitting in the car or at restaurants or where ever we've been for me to feel the exercise is equaling the eating challenges thus far. Two more days of this, we get back home late Thursday. Friday, Saturday, Sunday I will make up for slowed intensity. Promise!

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 100 - Monday

Well, has it been 100 days already? Assuming I know how to count the answer is yes. Since I am on vacation there was no weigh in for me yesterday so I am not certain just where I stand at the century mark.
If 100 days ago you told me that I would weigh 41+ less in 100 days I'd have laughed at you out of one side of my mouth & prayed for your words out of the other.

Next up is the next 100 days, where will I be on day 200 which is sometime in November? That seems so far away. But, we all know it will be here in the blink of a Stooges eye. Not a moment to waste in getting after them days. I am typing this post out on my blackberry while warming up on this awesome hotel treadmill. Vacations can be healthy ;-)

In Kansas City yesterday for some of the best BBQ on earth & to attend the Manchester United vs. Kansas City Wizards game. Anne, it is a soccer game, soccer I left that detail out yesterday; I had issues
loading pics today so I didn't, bummer as I had a good one of me sporting my new commemorative t-shirt & the 1 lite beer I allowed myself to cool the heat.

Kristen, Blue & my other soccer / ManU loving friends here sorry but ManU came up short in the USA this day~ which surprised all in attendance.

Allan & my other BBQ loving friends, Arthur Bryants was everything we've it was hyped up to be on BBQ Paradise. It was my one day of indulgence on this trip; BBQ Burnt Ends, Slaw & BBQ Beans. Treadmill, remember I am on a treadmill right now!

Ok, gotta post & run. Some young college kid just got on the treadmill next to me & is making me look bad, real bad. Gotta go make a better showing for prides sake.

Wishing all a great week!

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 35 - What Today

Saturday is here. Saturday, what oh what shall I do this Saturday? What, I really have no idea. Saturday's are when we usually run a variety of errands, but maybe today we won't. All I know for certain is I need to find something fun to work into the day. I'm sure we'll figure it out.

So yesterday I was not in the mood to chat about exercise, food intake and that lot of usual subjects; it was Friday. Today, we'll give that serious stuff some time...

EXERCISE > I've been getting in daily exercise most of this week.Yesterday I set the treadmill for a 500 calorie burn and completed that in 57:24 minutes covering a distance of 2.75 miles. That was the first time I set the treadmill to go until I hit 500 calories, so I have no idea if that is a good time or not. Having covered 2.75 miles caught my attention more so than the time. I didn't plan to use the treadmill but my elliptical had a bolt break so I need to get to the hardware store and fix that. Put that on the list for today! Hope I can fix it, hate to think it can't keep up with me :-) Today I'm going to go for a walk around the Rollin's Savannah Forest Preserve which has a 3.5 mile loop walk/run/bike trail around it. That will be a challenge for me but I feel up to it. My wife is off on a challenge of her own doing a 5k walk with some friends from work. So there is our exercise planned for today.

FOOD > I've been eating good lately; a good sense of balanced nutrition and portioned right. What is that you say; what about the lasagna? That was Thursday night's indulgence but I had just a single serving, and not a huge hunk for a serving at that. Heck, it may have been the smallest hunk I've ever put on my plate. It was awesome and I could have had 2, 3, 4 more hunks for sure. But I held back, I didn't have any of the cheezy-garlic bread, just that single serving of heavenly lasagna. We had watermelon too for a light side dish to the lasagna and I did eat some of that up. Other than that meal, I've done well all week I believe. Tonight, I feel some fish coming on tonight. That is if the grocery store has anything fresh and inviting on hand. Tomorrow is weigh-in day, we'll see how the week's exercise and eating translates onto the scale.

I'm not the only one who weighs-in. Here is another one of our cats, this is Nacho.

A few weeks back he settled into this bucket at the vet for his own weigh-in, he weighs 11.2 lbs which the Vet said is perfect. Hmmm, if 11.2 is perfect I have a heck of a lot more weight to lose than I thought.

Saturday is happening, go gett'em people!

Responsibility 199... Gotta Do It!!