race season start this week!! today is day...hmm....don't know!

This time last year I was getting ready for the first triathlon of the season...actually make that triathlons...I was a member of 2 relay teams...I swam in the sprint with James (my client who is the poster child for overcoming obstacles - he's a throat cancer survivor who breaths through a hole in his neck) and then did the half marathon for Toby who swam and rode.  This year it's just going to be a half marathon.  Which may be an issue because I haven't run that fat since...let me think...oh yes, last years race!!!

I'm excited to get the season kicked off though.  But I know I have to get my crap together when it comes to my writing!  When I had to write my book I wrote.  Now that I don't have to write my book I don't.  And it's not a good behavior/habit for me to have.  I love writing, so why don't I?  Because I've let my mechanism for writing slide.  Hmm....sounds very similar to the whole premise of my book doesn't it?  So I think it's time for me to set some writing goals to go along with my racing goals.  But first I'm off to edge the lawn and then take the boys to the Charleston Bed Race...fond memories of college...

Now is reckoning time...day 22ish...

I know deep in my heart that the book I've written is good.  Yet my natural inclination is to lean toward the negative....so I think it's only appropriate to quote one of my favorite authors who really calls it the way it is...from Marriane Williamson...."Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.' We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."  I need to sleep on that!!

At last I can spread the word...and it's approximately day 25

Lisa and I were coming back from an amazing weekend getaway celebrating our 7th wedding anniversary when I got confirmation from a chap I hired to format my book 'properly.'  I use the word 'properly' because it's so apropos for the book I wrote.  I spent god knows how many hours writing those 117860 words and ended up thwarted by the formatting of the flipping thing for all of the e-readers available.  So I turned to a pro.  Which is exactly what the book tells unhealthy or overweight readers.  The odds of me getting the formatting done correctly are so small it's just not worth me trying.  Just like someone thinking that joining a gym is the answer to their poor health!  I found money in my budget to have someone who knows what he's doing do it!  Just like the book says about hiring an exercise and nutritional professional...

On that note I'm going to sign off because it's late, I'm knackered and I know I'm going to be spending a lot more time on this screen than I am on my other ones...bring on the followers!!

This has to be day 20 by now...tempus fugit!

I love the saying "the days are long but the years are short."  It's such an accurate way to describe life when you're a parent of 2 small boys, an entrepreneur, work 30 plus hours a week as a personal trainer, a husband, a wanna be gardener, a novelist (best selling novelist in the O'Keefe household), and compete in various road races!

Hence the reason why I've been unable (actually I should say 'have chosen') not to keep up with my blogging.  And I'm torn.  I haven't been blogging because I know nobody reads what I write because very few people go to my site because my book still isn't published...etc. etc.  And that will change soon.  On the other hand the mere act of sitting here and writing makes me feel happy!  So I've got the author(s) of some books saying what I'm doing isn't going to get me where I want to be from a business stand point and other authors on the lines of Eric Fromm or James Allen saying "be who you're supposed to be and you will be rewarded" or words to that effect...hmmm...

Okay then I'll keep writing for a few more minutes until the family wake up.  And I think it's going to be about me!!  And my running.  You (and I know there is no you out there, but I'll stick with myself on this thought) may or may not remember that I tore my knee up last year.  It's probably about 6 months ago now.  I really thought I was done from running.  Seriously.  It was so painful just to walk.  Well, I rehabbed and worked at it and dipped my toe in the water of running etc.  And had my biggest breakthrough yesterday out running with a client.  We did some speed work in between lifting weights and not only was I running the fastest I've run in 10 years I was also doing it on the grass and dirt on the side of the road!  Potholes, lumps, bumps and hills the whole way and I not only survived it I'm feeling great this morning! 

So on that note about me...I'll sign off and get back at it....I'm really optimistic I'll get my book back from the 'expert' I hired to format it for me today...fingers crossed....

Day 10..I think....parallels in life is the topic...

I'm attempting to write this blog and watch my one year old at the same time....and the observation a good friend once had is that 'multi-tasking is multi-stupid.'  So I've decided to put this task aside for an hour or so and take Liam for a stroll around the neighborhood...it's such a better way for me to spend my time...I'll get to this, for want of a better description, less important task in my life later...

Now is later and I'm going to give my best shot at trying to explain how I'm seeing so many parallels in life.  Specifically about becoming the best at something you're trying to achieve.  I've applied myself and have written a book about leading a fit and healthy life.  I'm leading a fit and healthy life.  I'm now in a position to make a living from my hard work and realize that just because I want to be a best selling novelist doesn't mean I'm going to be.  Nor am I going to be a whiz at social media, because I want to be.

No, I'm going to have to work incredibly hard at it and, if I'm lucky will get the results I want.  Which is just the same as someone else wanting to be fit and healthy and expecting that to be the case because they join a gym!  The dilemma that I have is very similar to the one a new member has - "do I do it myself or hire a pro?"  Like most new members I'm going to, because of finances, go on my own to start off with.  With the help of Melissa who I mentioned earlier and the 2 books she suggested I buy.

I'm pretty confident I'm going to make some pretty good progress right out of the gate because I've got momentum on my side.  Then I'm going to have to make the decision as to whether I can afford to hire a pro to take me to the next level.  I've got a sneaky suspicion that said pro would be recommending I do something more productive with my time than writing this blog that nobody is going to read!  Just like the new member walking 3 miles an hour on the treadmill!!

Day 9....don't you hate the definition of discipline?

For over a year I sat and wrote for anywhere between 30 minutes and 3 hours almost every day.  If you've read my books you'll see in the second one I offer up an almost daily diatribe of what I did, and quite often, didn't but should have done!  I have to think that I did what I did because there was a clear and precise goal for me - write a book (it ended up being 2 books in one) in a year.  More importantly write a book that is going to help people lead the fit and healthy life their higher power (fill in your own definition here - God, Buddha etc.) planned for them.  Et voila!

Now.....now it's a little different.  I don't have that clear and concise goal.  Now it's vague and ambiguous.  In fact I feel like almost everyone who joins a gym!!  Over the years I've probably conducted more than 5000 initial meetings of new members to a health club, gym, spa etc.  And I bet 4900 of them said "I joined because I want to lose weight and tone up."  Trust me when I say you, whomever you are, will always always always want to lose weight and tone up.  It's a never ending quest.  Like Sisyphus.

So what am I to do?  Well I obviously have to have some clear and concise goals or this writing thing is going to get the better of me and I'm going to find every excuse known to mankind not to do it.  And I'm going to have to keep the definition of discipline squarely in my vision.  Definition, in my world, is "doing what you don't want to do when you don't want to do it."  Which is pretty much exactly how I feel right now.  Its Friday morning and I was up at 5 to get ready to train a client at 6.  I just got back home and will be heading back to the gym for 4 hours in about 10 minutes.  When I get back instead of it being a typical day of lunch, look after my 1 year old, write, do research, market my business, it will be a litany of 'honey-do's' with the family.  Quinlan is out of school for the day and we plan on painting the porch, planting the vegetable and herb garden, the sunflowers, the wildflowers and something else that slips my memory.  In between all of these we promised Quin we'd head to the beach to play for an hour or so.....yikes!

So, I have just done what I didn't want to do when I didn't want to do it...and feel great about my accomplishment. 

Day 8...a great example of Unmarketing

A good friend of ours, Melissa Marro is a genius at social media marketing.  I asked her if she would give me some guidance on how to promote myself, my book and my website and she has been awesome so far.  She suggested I read 2 books.  Unmarketing and the Zen of Social Media.  I uploaded the sample of Unmarketing to my Kindle and read it yesterday...today I'll buy the book itself and get cracking on it in my free time lol..that's a funny one...free time...sometimes I crack myself up!!

What I got from the first part of the book is that no matter the size of your company the thing that is NOT going to get you business is the traditional marketing - cold calling and ads.  The way to sell your product or service is by becoming a 'recognized expert' in your field and getting other people to promote you....and I had a perfect experience of that last night.

Every Wednesday is our swim practice for the triathlon we (me, Lisa, Jeff, Kim and Erin) are doing for Joe and we're hoping to raise $20,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  If you've read my book you know I really don't like swimming.  It sucks!  But as the race calls for me to swim 1500 meters I think it is prudent for me to go to the pool and practice.  This will be my second time in a month.  The first time was, and I can't believe I'm actually writing this, excellent!  Last night was even better!!!  For one simple reason - Coach Andy.  He is amazing.  Oh, I should also preface these observations with letting you know I've been swimming actively for the last 12 years.  I've done 3 mile ocean swims regularly.  I did the ironman which is a 2.4 mile swim.  So it's not that I'm a novice to this discipline.

So here's my 'aha' moment.  I think Andy is a teacher by trade and is helping coach because his 22 year old son is part of our fundraising group.  If he was a swim coach I would, without him asking me, offer to write or tape a testimonial saying how incredible he is.  I'd say something like "I've been swimming for a looong time and in 2 sessions with Andy am already a better swimmer than I'd ever imagine.  He knows so much and is able to impart that so easily it's truly amazing.  You have to hire him."  Or words to that effect.

So now it's up to me to get other people to say the same of me!!