For years, I’ve worked to help people improve their lives through exercise and nutrition. While I enjoy preaching that particular gospel, there’s more to life than just working out and eating right.
I also want to help people improve mentally and emotionally. In order to do that, I wrote a book with a simple set of laws for living better and making smarter choices: The Big Picture: 11 Laws That Will Change Your Life.
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Law 1: Do your best and forget the rest.
My mantra! Approach everything you do with all you’ve got 100 percent of the time—or 79.3 percent of the time if that’s all you have some days. And don’t worry about what others say to you while you’re on the pilgrimage. Live these laws and big things will happen.
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Law 2: Find your purpose.
Knowing why you want to do something is just as important as knowing what you want to do. I’m not just talking about short-term goals (though those are important too). I’m talking about your raison d’être—your reason for being. If you have an overarching purpose, it’s easier to figure out the best way to do something, from hitting the gym more to trying for a promotion at work.
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Law 3: Have a plan.
Once your purpose is sorted, create a roadmap: a set of goals and objectives that will lead you in a specific direction. Keep your plan flexible to allow for life’s challenges, but have a solid idea of what you want to accomplish and how you’re going to do it.
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Law 4: Change things up.
This is the first of what I call my big three laws for living better. Adding variety to all aspects of your life is the best way to feed your curiosity and creativity. It’ll keep you interested and make life a hell of a lot more fun.
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Law 5: Stay consistent.
Here’s the second of my big three. While it’s important to try new things, make sure those things aren’t excuses that keep you from sticking to your plan. Stay focused on where you want to be. Being consistent and dependable is important for your progress.
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Law 6: Crank up the intensity.
Let’s finish off the big three with a bang! Pardon my mixed maxim, but if something is worth doing, it’s got to be done with a certain amount of vim, vigor and oomph. Only then can you progress to the next level.
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Law 7: Love it or leave it.
Most of us are stuck doing things we don’t love. We have to be responsible and take care of business, of course. But if something—say, a job or relationship—isn’t getting you closer to the life you want, it’s time to reevaluate. Eliminate the dreary and unnecessary elements in your life. Focus on the inspiring stuff that will, eventually, lead to a life filled with passion and adventure.
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Law 8: Get real.
Make the most of life, but be mindful of the external realities you can’t change. By realizing and embracing those realities instead of denying them, you’ll be better able to take advantage of opportunities. This will also help you create a more effective plan.
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Law 9: Find balance.
If you’re pushing too hard on one thing, back off, take a breather and spend more time focusing on other aspects of your life that might be in need of a little attention. This is especially true when you’re executing these 11 laws. The laws work in harmony when you devote equal time to each one—and that will pay off in big dividends.
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Law 10: Stay flexible.
Life can turn on a dime. Prepare for it. Adapt to life’s surprises, struggles and conflicts and you’ll get past those challenges more easily. Be the mighty oak that bends in a storm instead of the rigid brick building that topples in an earthquake.
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Law 11: Recharge, recover and relax.
I’m giving you a lot to think about with these laws, so don’t forget to take a break once in a while. Only with downtime can you rebuild your body, mind and spirit—and come back even stronger!
Use these 11 laws to become the physical, mental and emotional hero I know you want to be. They’ll help you explore and conquer the world.
FEATURED PHOTO BY Jesse DeYoung
